Today’s highly digital and interconnected world has allowed for the rise of the internet. Known as the global information superhighway, the internet has proven itself useful through various applications in different sectors, including the Information Technology (IT) industry, business community, and others.
For instance, the internet has been very crucial on how companies conduct business. The internet has provided a reliable medium for business owners to communicate with internal actors, business partners, clientele, and so on. The internet is continuously being used to send and store important customer and team personnel information, relay data to relevant business partners, and the like.
Why Pay Attention To Office Network Management
Henceforth, it’s recommended for entrepreneurs and company managers to have a robust and highly secured office network to ensure business continuity, regulatory compliance, high-level customer support, high personnel morale, highly positive company image, and many more.
Are you a company owner looking to know what to do and what not to do when it comes to your office network management? Keep on reading below for the following points will cover crucial information regarding office network management that can be useful for meeting your company’s goals. Read on.
Office Network Management Dos
The following points will look into some of the recommended actions IT experts have with regards to office network management. Read on to learn more.
1. Do Work With Office Network Management Professionals
If you don’t have an in-house IT team or your own IT department is ill-equipped when it comes to managing office networks, it wouldn’t hurt to partner with companies that provide managed office network services. Work with a third-party company that provides office network services to other businesses in your industry, that has adequate experience, and the like.
2. Do Keep Your Software Up-To-Date
When it comes to managing office networks, it’s recommended that you keep your installed software programs updated. Why? The latest program versions contain patches that aim to address inadequacies from old systems that hackers can take advantage of. To make updating a breeze, make sure that you turn on the automatic updating setting on your systems.
3. Do Always Monitor Your Network’s Activities
Be always on the lookout of any suspicious activities in your office’s networks. Mostly, hackers tend to deploy sabotage attacks that come in many forms. Keep an eagle-eyed view of your office network system and be mindful of anything that’s out-of-the-ordinary – too many traffic, someone trying to access your network accounts, and the like.
4. Do Implement A Robust Password Strategy
Follow a strict password strategy for all of your network’s accounts. Refrain from using easy-to-guess passwords. Instead, use passphrases consisting of a complicated combination of symbols, letters, and numbers. Although they’re longer, they’re far easier to remember and more secure. To make password management a breeze, use a password manager app that can generate strong passwords for you and store them.
5. Do Follow A Zero Trust Model
Never ever trust anyone. Security experts that the key in maintaining a strong and resilient office network is by following the zero trust model.
What’s the zero trust model? It’s a security framework that strictly orders organizations to require each member to be always authenticated of their identity before they’re allowed access – and this validation process should be continuous too.
You can work out a zero trust model framework specific to your company’s network with the help of your in-house IT department and/or partner managed IT services provider.
Office Network Management Don’ts
Remember these don'ts when it comes to managing your office's network:
1. Don’t Forget To Perform Regular Backups
Remember: performing regular backups is your company’s safety net from data loss that are caused by accidents and/or attacks. Having a backup copy secured and ready-to-go is your organization’s answer to business disruptions.
Automate the backup process so that everything happens in the background and on schedule. Additionally, make sure that you secure your backup copies in multiple places, from the cloud to physical copies, that are highly secured and accessible when needed.
2. Don’t Ignore Your Office Network’s Physical Security
Network management isn’t just about the digital. Physical security matters too. Ensure your hardware is protected from theft and damage by keeping server rooms secure and monitoring access points. It’s simple but effective.
3. Don’t Settle Down On Not Having A Disaster Response Roadmap
Do you know what to do if your network is compromised? Having a clear, well-practiced response plan is vital. It should outline steps to isolate breaches, assess damage, communicate with stakeholders, and restore services. Having a clear guide that’ll serve as your team’s roadmap to navigating unforeseen incidents is key to office network resilience.
4. Don’t Forget To Secure Mobile Devices As Well
In the era of smartphones and tablets, mobile security is a part of network management. Thus, you need to make sure that all mobile devices accessing the office network are secure and monitored. Adopt robust mobile security measures like added user authentication, using a virtual private network (VPN), and so on.
5. Do Educate Your Team About The Importance Of Safety
There’s a saying that’s perfectly applicable to office network security: you’re only as strong as your weakest link.
Don’t forget to factor in the most important factor when it comes to securing and properly maintaining your office network – your people. For starters, ensure that everyone on your team understands the importance of network security. You can do that by holding regular training sessions to cover new threats and reinforce network security best practices. On or off training sessions, encourage queries and feedback as well as easy-to-understand answers to raised concerns.
In Conclusion
Managing your office network isn’t just a technical necessity; it’s a critical component of your business strategy. By following the abovementioned dos and don’ts, you’re not just preventing office network-related problems; you’re paving the way for a highly secured and efficient work office.
