Computer servicing to prevent business downtime

A small suburban health clinic decided it was time to modernise its IT infrastructure. The hardware and software hadn't been updated since the clinic opened four years ago and the loss of some important records suggested that reliability was becoming a problem.

Mr Fixit Computers, a Melbourne computer servicing company, was called in to repair the malfunctioning systems, replace the old machines and review the back-up systems in place.

Problem software

After assessing the overall health of the system, problems were found with the clinic's software. Old versions of programs ran slowly, while malicious code was affecting the network's performance. 

"Corrupt Windows systems files preventing machines from booting up properly was a major problem," says Dale Peters, manager of Mr Fixit Computers. Viruses, spyware and adware were also found.

After repairing the problems, Dale instituted automatic updating of software and virus protection to ensure that the systems had the latest security patches and were protected against unknowingly downloading malware.

Hardware solutions

Outdated hardware was also causing problems, with reception staff reporting embarrassing delays in saving and printing customer receipts. Computers also frequently froze while performing multiple tasks.

"If hard drives and motherboards are old they can cause problems, particularly speed issues," Dale says. "We need to monitor the system to pick up error logs and anticipate forthcoming problems."

The outdated computers were removed and replaced with customisable machines to allow for more cost-effective updating as the business grows.

Preventing problems

With critical information stored on the clinic's network and multiple practitioners using the system for various tasks at the one time (i.e. managing client records, accessing online journals and databases), Dale recommended an ongoing computer services agreement.

"The maintenance schedule really depends on the number of machines and the number of users accessing the network at any one time," Dale says.

For the health clinic Dale recommended a monthly IT check, including analysis of back-up regimes. A call-out service for emergencies was also included in the agreement.

Back-up systems 

The business had made no effort to protect the integrity of one of its biggest assets - its information. That included:

• patient management system and patient records
• financial records of the business, including daily reconciliation
• intellectual property such as client briefing notes and health information
• supplier agreements and invoices.

To ensure this critical information was protected, Dale recommended the following levels of back-up:

• an additional hard drive mirroring the main drive, so if one fails there is another with all the data on it, ensuring no downtime
• daily external back-up to a USB hard drive to protect from system corruption.

The end result

The health clinic now has a faster, more reliable computer network. And with a full back-up regime in place, it better protects its intellectual property.

Ask a Melbourne computer servicing company, or your local area, to make your IT more efficient and to review your back-up regime.