emote branch offices face a unique IT dilemma. These company outposts are often too small to justify on-site IT employees, but too large to endure
major computer-support headaches.
Even without an on-site IT group, someone takes on the role of internal
computer guru—the one everybody instinctively yells for when the laser printer
jams, the database locks up, or toolbars and files disappear. This person, often
an office manager or administrator, frequently has little training on hardware
or software.
A few hours of highly focused training, from either your IT group or an
outside vendor, however, can transform the person into a highly effective
on-site systems administrator. In addition to providing a more immediate response to IT
problems, the training can dramatically reduce IT support costs.
To help jump-start these orientation sessions, consider these eight secrets
of highly effective part-time systems administrators:
• Administrator Password Sanctity: The administrator user account is
all-powerful. Use these credentials only when absolutely necessary. If a breach
is suspected, change the password immediately. Otherwise, follow your corporate
IT guidelines for regularly changing passwords.
• Antivirus Software: Since new viruses are discovered almost daily,
antivirus software must be updated constantly. Because automatic updates don’t
always work, learn how to check the date of the last update and how to force a
manual update.
• Lock the Server Console: Even if kept in a locked room, the server
keyboard should always be “locked”—either manually or with a
password-protected blank screen-saver (and a very short time delay).
• Log File Watching: To nip problems early, know where to look for log
files for your data backup, power protection, virus protection, and security
systems. Know what a “success” or “failure” looks like.
• Password Changes: Sooner or later, someone will “forget” his or her
password—or leave the company. Learn how to manually reset a password.
• Printer Job Administration: If a problematic print job inadvertently goes
to an expensive-to-operate printer, such as a check printer or color laser
printer, know how to rapidly locate and delete the job from the queue. Also,
consider using network permissions to restrict printer access.
• Rebooting the Server: Know how to properly reboot your server(s). Check
for open files, manually stop key services to speed up the reboot, and shut
down/power cycle the server.
• Tape-Backup Management: Although backup systems are generally reliable,
they do malfunction occasionally. Besides monitoring the tape-backup log and
rebooting the server to un-jam a stuck tape, know how to restore a file. File
restoration is also a great way to test whether the backup system is working as
well as you think it is. Also, learn how to launch a manual, off-schedule backup
job.
Workforce, September 2002, p. 48 -- Subscribe Now!
= Member Only
