Can You Tell the Difference Between an IT Issue and an IT Problem?

We often discuss why it’s important that a business takes proactive measures to resolve IT issues before they become problems, but these definitions might be lost on some of our followers. In order to understand the true value of our IT services, it’s imperative that you’re able to distinguish the difference between these two disruptive sources to your technology.

The hard truth is that it can often be difficult to discern a technology issue from a problem, but if you’re in need of a cold, hard definition for the two, we’ve put these together:

• An IT issue is one which is potentially disruptive to everyday operations, but it may not be apparent at the present moment (i.e. it’s not immediately effecting your business).
• An IT problem is basically an IT issue which has matured. It is the result of not dealing with minor disruptions as they happen. It is now negatively affecting your business.

One of the biggest differences between an issue and a problem is that one of them is easily preventable. To help you further understand the difference, we’ve put together several scenarios which can be prevented thanks to proactive IT services.

Security Discrepancies
You’re checking your email and you see what looks like a perfectly legitimate sign-up form from one of your favorite websites. However, what you didn’t realize is that the URL to the form starts a download, which in turn installs malware on your system. In a situation like this, all of your pains could have easily been avoided if that email didn’t make it to your inbox in the first place.

In this case, email spam is the technology issue which could lead to malware or viruses infecting your system, which is the problem. Macro Systems’s Unified Threat Management (UTM) solution is designed to keep threats out of your system, and quickly neutralize the threats that do land in your network. In this particular case, the UTM provides spam blocking features which prevent suspicious emails from making it to your inbox in the first place.

Putting Off Maintenance
You know your business’s technology needs to be up-to-date and current, but in the throes of business it can be difficult to remember when patches and updates should be applied. Not applying the latest patches and updates to your operating system and your software is like leaving a wide-open hole in your defenses, and you’re practically begging for a threat to get through.

If you’re thinking the issue is the unapplied maintenance, then you’re right. Neglecting proper maintenance leads to potential vulnerabilities and security breaches. With a remote maintenance solution from Macro Systems, we can automate the patching process for you so your systems are always up to date and secure.

Data Loss
A business that doesn’t keep external backups of their data stands to lose it all. Let’s say a flood wipes out half of your office. Technology certainly isn’t water-proof, so naturally your servers and workstations take some serious damage. In the event a natural disaster strikes, your hardware could be destroyed by the elements; and with it, your data. Businesses who can’t access their data for an extended period of time likely won’t be in business for much longer, so it’s important to take natural disasters and data loss into account.

In this case, the issue is a lack of data backup, and the problem is data loss. Data backup is sometimes considered an afterthought for some businesses, even though it should be a top priority. Macro Systems’s Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR) solution prepares your business for any type of data loss disaster, whether it’s caused by hardware failures, natural disasters, or hacking. You’ll enjoy several backups throughout the day, and a quick recovery time to minimize downtime in the event of disaster.

If you’re ready to take the first step toward a proactive IT policy, give Macro Systems a call at (703) 359-9211. We’ll make sure your recurring IT issues don’t become even greater IT problems.