Service Announcement
Planned Systems Maintenance is one of the cornerstones of our support offer for small businesses. Whatever shape and size your business, you’ll need this service in some way and it’s performed automatically to all business customers, to some degree.
Page Contents
Service Name
Planned Systems Maintenance
Service Category
IT Support Services
Service Dates
This service was added to our service catalogue on 1st February 2009. We anticipate this to be a long term service offer.
Service Description
Planned Systems Maintenance helps to protect your systems and reduced the risk of unexpected IT problems that can cause serious disruption to your business.
Service Mandate
All IT systems will eventually break down if they are not maintained in a suitable way. As a result we perform planned systems maintenance tasks on all our customers business systems, though the exact level of maintenance is tailored to our customers needs.
Service Features
Backup Maintenance
All customers should have at least one backup service, and irrespective of which service you have, someone needs to keep an eye on how it is performing.
Daily or Weekly Backup Log Checks
Where possible, backup logs will be emailed to us on a daily basis. If we spot any errors we’ll raise this as a ticket and resolve the issue, contacting you where necessary. Where it’s not possible to receive backup logs these will be checked manually on a weekly basis.
Monthly File Restoration Test
It’s one thing to have a backup solution in place but it’s quite another to actually make sure those backups are working. We”ll run an occasional check to ensure we can actually pull files from an older backup.
Annual Disaster Recovery Simulation
Some backups give us the ability to do a ‘bare metal recovery’ so that in the event of a major server failure we can restore your entire server to new hardware. We’ll run this disaster recovery test once per year.
Windows Server Maintenance
If your business has an on-premise or cloud hosted Windows Server, it will need ongoing and pro-active maintenance and support. Some checks are performed quite frequently while other checks only need to be performed occasionally. In particular our support service focuses on:
Operating System Updates
Microsoft will typically release updates on a monthly basis and we like to ensure these are installed manually at an appropriate time. The updates are typically installed in business hours by a senior engineer and then reboots performed out of hours to avoid disrupting your users.
Application Checks & Updates
All servers will typically run additional applications which sometimes need updates too. We use the server maintenance window to ensure key line of business applications are up to date and that there are no undressed errors or warnings.
Physical Checks, Cleans & Power Outage Test
Physical servers often sit in a room, sucking in air and dust for years at a time. The condition of the server should be checked at least yearly and cleaned inside and out if necessary. We typically run a power outage test at the same time to ensure your UPS is configured correctly.
Infrastructure Maintenance
Your network will comprise of infrastructure items such as routers, network switches and wireless equipment. All such equipment needs an occasional check too, so we’ll typically run checks on the following infrastructure types, though this list is not exhaustive:
Routers & Network Switches
Routers and network switches do need the occasional firmware update. While we’ll endeavour to keep these updated as firmware releases are announced, an occasional check of your entire network will means nothing has been missed.
Site-wide Wireless Networks & Bridges
Wireless access points and bridges can expose your network to the outside world and so it’s important their firmware is kept up to date. While this can be automated we like to ensure such systems are backed up and the occasional log check is carried out at the same time.
Network Video Recorders
Network Video Recorders typically need occasional firmware updates. Where customers do not actively monitor their own systems we’ll perform a check to ensure your cameras are all online and recording as configured.
IP Telephones
Most business now run IP telephones and like all equipment these are likely to need firmware updates. We’ll automate this where possible and do spot checks to ensure these are happening as required.
System Reviews
Various reviews should be carried out from time to time to ensure your systems are fulfilling the needs of the business in a secure way. As a result we schedule reviews to cover the following topics:
Router, Firewall & Gateway Review
Helps to ensure your network is secure. Includes open port checks.
Active Directory User Accounts & Shares Review
Checks for unnecessary user accounts and ensures users can only access the data they should.
Software Review
Have your users managed to install inappropriate software that could be a security or privacy risk?
Service Pricing
All server maintenance is performed on an hourly rate basis.
Service Notes for Customers
This service is considered to be essential requirement for business customers and so (provided you have our RMM service) we’ll automatically perform this maintenance on your system. When onboarding new customers we’ll discuss a suggested maintenance plan and over time we’ll adjust it as your business changes. Please contact us if you’d like to discuss your maintenance schedule.