Quick IT Tips Before You Take Off for The Holidays
by Abhijit Verekar
Are you taking some time off for the holidays? We all know our offices and operations have looked different this year and have faced unexpected changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before you take time off for the holidays, make sure you won't have to deal with IT disasters while trying to enjoy some rest and relaxation.
"An IT disaster is defined as more than one failure resulting in an extended outage. Our goal at Avèro Advisors is to help you avoid those failures." - Mike Caffrey, VP, Avèro Infrastructure
Check out the following quick tips before you take time off -- and then enjoy.
1. Review and update your escalation/communication plan. Are all team members prepared for problems if they arise?
Fewer people checking the most minor signs of a problem can quickly escalate to be HUGE problems. Your organization is most vulnerable during the holiday season. Ensure all processes and procedures put in place during the pandemic are accurate, documented, and known by all staff. Double-check this is in place today.
Are your direct reports equally prepared for communication hiccups? Most often, the answer is "no." But because of telework, we have been stretched to find new ways to communicate. Encourage all staff members to continue utilizing video conferencing and scheduled update calls.
If you plan to monitor systems while relaxing, what will happen if your laptop or cell phone malfunctions? Prepare and share Plan B communications with your backup before taking time off.
2. Cover the bills before you leave. Are your invoices paid?
Some of your vendors may have seen some A/R aging already due to COVID, and you're about to add 30 days to the problem before you return. Don't return from your time off only to find degraded (or worse!) services. Make sure all invoices are scheduled to be paid, today.
3. Do you think proper staffing involves just personal days and vacation? Proper staffing also involves planning for the unexpected - family emergencies, sickness, etc.
Does your "backup" (e.g., less experienced) staff know the policies and your intentions regarding days off? Make sure all PLANNED days off are set in stone well before your time off. Lack of staffing might leave your operation understaffed and even more vulnerable to a prolonged outage, especially in times of remote support. Confirm and discuss the plans today for remote or on-site staffing.
Are key systems personnel network and cybersecurity trained and authorized to perform the expected recovery remotely? In many teams, your backup has not adequately trained his backups. Maybe they are a bad trainer or have put off training due to telework. MOST of the time, it's as simple as the backups have no idea what the new passwords are, nor are they familiar with who their new vendor contacts are (documentation is out of date). Update documentation and securely share information with your team before taking time off.
Are those tasked with remote support aware of your support contract terms? Some of your support contracts are NBD (next business day support,) which means that if the problem is reported at 5:05 PM on Wednesday, the soonest you'll receive the new component is Friday. Remember -- efficient time management is a practice, and ensuring a staff member will be on-site is vital. Some of your support contracts have different phone numbers to call during evening and weekend shifts. Other contracts stipulate that an email be sent to customer support BEFORE a phone call is placed. Make sure your remote or on-site support staff reviews the vendor support contract terms. Quiz them today. If they know the procedure, it's only a five-minute exercise.
Striking the right balance before stepping away is vital. By following these tips, you are well on your way to enjoying your days off and knowing that your systems are operating efficiently and effectively whether your team is working remotely or not.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Avèro!