Belfast Telegraph

Monday 17 March 2014

If it ain't broke don't fix it line won't wash on computer glitches

Mark Kinkead, technology manager at IT company Xperience Group, describes how modern companies must consistently monitor and review their IT systems

It systems failure is something that can have a significant impact upon organisations' business operations.

Issues can arise when organisations' computing needs become more complex and their systems become more interconnected. In such circumstances it is important to test the integration of the various solutions and ensure everything is working in tandem, legislating for any incompatibility.

This can happen when one element of a company's IT system connects with another in a way that the business had never previously envisaged. Whilst these separate IT solutions work independently of each other, if the systems are not successfully linked this may create an unsustainable event that can lead to downtime or a usage peak.

One way in which this can be overcome is by ensuring there is enough power to drive these peaks when there is a demand. In the virtual world, IT can add resources at will.

Companies dependent on complex IT solutions for the successful operation of its business should not lose focus and must consistently monitor and proactively review its systems, making available resources to test and re-test all IT operations. While it's easy to say if it isn't broken don't fix it, if these disparate IT systems are not successfully integrated there may come a time when an organisation's IT system could fail, causing operational issues for the business. To overcome this, businesses need to put greater emphasis on testing integration.