Your IT infrastructure is only as good as its weakest link. After all, it’s the framework that supports your day-to-day business operations and fuels your company’s future goals. That’s why it’s important that your technology evolves as your business grows. Slow tech leads to lost opportunities. Security gaps lead to expensive breaches. Reactive maintenance leads to unnecessary costs. With that in mind, when is it time to take a closer look at your network and assess whether your business is positioned for success? Keep reading for seven telltale signs your business may need an infrastructure assessment, and why D&P Digital Forensics recommends a professional infrastructure assessment when performance, security, and scalability are on the line.
Why Infrastructure Assessments Matter
Also known as a technology audit, an infrastructure assessment takes a comprehensive look at your company’s current tech stack. This includes your hardware, software, network configuration, security measures, and more. By analyzing your current setup, areas of improvement can be identified to increase performance and help your business reach its goals through a professional infrastructure assessment.
Scheduling regular infrastructure assessments helps you stay ahead of problems before they become too costly or complex to manage. It also allows you to allocate resources more wisely and develop a scalable foundation that will help power your business. At D&P Digital Forensics, we perform professional infrastructure assessments with actionable outcomes.
7 Signs You Need an Infrastructure Assessment
If you’re experiencing IT headaches, these are some of the most common symptoms. Do any of them sound familiar?
1. You Deal With Downtime or Slow Performance
If your computer systems tend to crash often, websites take ages to load, or employees constantly complain about poor network performance, these could all be signs of underlying issues. Slowdowns like these may be attributed to poorly configured networks, overloaded servers, outdated equipment, or insufficient bandwidth. An infrastructure assessment can help you pinpoint the issue and learn how to resolve it.
2. Your Technology Feels Outdated
Bad connections aren’t the only IT symptoms of outdated tech. If your computers are running on old hardware or unsupported software, it may be time for an upgrade. Old hardware can cause more tech breakdowns and often lacks compatibility with new software or programs your employees may need. Also, using outdated operating systems and applications leaves your business vulnerable to cyberattacks. An infrastructure assessment can help you identify outdated equipment and software your business needs to upgrade.
3. Cybersecurity Incidents Are On the Rise
Cybersecurity threats are on the rise. If you’ve been the victim of phishing scams, noticed suspicious network activity, or even caught a malware infection, it may be time for a better security solution. As your company grows, it can become an even bigger target for cybercriminals. An infrastructure assessment will go over your current security measures and identify any vulnerabilities.
4. Your Business Is Growing Fast
Congratulations on your growth! Adding new employees, expanding to new locations, and increasing your service offerings are all fantastic signs your business is thriving. But even the network infrastructure that once worked for a small team may not be enough to handle your expanding workload. Consider scheduling an assessment to see if your current setup will be enough to scale with your business or if changes should be made.
5. You Notice Slow Network Performance
While this issue was mentioned above, poor performance can also be linked to network issues. If employees are complaining about slow file uploads/downloads, dropped video conference calls, or sluggish cloud-based applications, it may be time for an infrastructure assessment. Weak network performance can be attributed to a number of issues like limited bandwidth, poor infrastructure, or an improperly configured network. An assessment can help you identify problem areas.
6. Compliance Is a Concern
For businesses in regulated industries, privacy laws and compliance standards are not optional. Industries like healthcare, financial services, and education all follow strict guidelines when it comes to privacy and data security. Failing to comply with standards like HIPAA, GLBA, or PCI DSS can result in significant fines. An infrastructure assessment will evaluate your current policies and procedures to help reduce your risk.
7. You’re Ready for Digital Transformation
Ready to take your business to the next level with new technologies like cloud-based solutions, artificial intelligence, or the Internet of Things? First, you’ll want to make sure your infrastructure is prepared to handle new tools and services. Trying to add new technology to an outdated infrastructure will likely lead to frustration. A technology assessment can show you how prepared you are for digital transformation.
Why Being Proactive Pays Off
As you can see, by taking a proactive approach to infrastructure assessments, you can prevent headaches down the road and keep your business operating at peak performance. Infrastructure assessments can help you reduce downtime, increase security, and prepare your business for whatever comes next.
Use these seven signs as a checklist for when it may be time to schedule an infrastructure assessment. Don’t wait for small IT issues to become costlier problems. Keep your business moving forward by ensuring your technology is running as smoothly as possible and allowing you to achieve your business goals.
Still not sure if you need an infrastructure assessment? Or think your IT might be holding your business back? Contact D&P Digital Forensics today so we can schedule your infrastructure assessment and show you how your network can help grow your business.