Support

At Hallamshire Solutions, we understand that looking after a business IT system can be a complex and time consuming matter. Our aim is to remove the problems associated with managing your IT system, and so allow you more time to concentrate on your business.

We understand that every company is different, so rather than having a "one size fits all" approach, we tailor our support to meet your requirements. This can range from ad-hoc troubleshooting, up to having someone on site as your system manager. We can also help with that "extra pair of hands" when you find you have a lack of in-house IT resources.

Shown alongside are some of the areas where we can provide support. If you can't find what you need, please contact us as we may still be able to help.

Troubleshooting

Problems can, and do, happen in computer systems - usually at the worst possible moment. The cause of some of these problems may be readily apparent and easy to fix, but IT problems often have causes which are far removed from the apparent symptoms. These problems can be much more time consuming and complex to solve, and may result in lost business if they are not resolved quickly.

We believe we have the necessary skills to quickly diagnose and resolve most computer problems, thus reducing your down-time and potential loss of business. Depending on the type of problem, we may be able to perform this work remotely, reducing the down-time even further.

We think that in IT as in many other things, prevention is better than cure. Please have a look at the sections System health check and System management for ways we can help keep your computers running smoothly.

Top

System health check

A system health check is designed to help keep things running smoothly by finding minor problems and resolving them before they become more serious. Over time, most computers will start to slow down as file systems become fragmented and cluttered with unnecessary temporary files. Usually, these files are just the detritus left behind by normal use, but occasionally they may be left by a program which crashes, and in this case it need further investigation.

A health check will cover each individual computer to ensure that they are, amongst other things, running recognised anti-virus software, are being patched correctly, and are free of malware. Additionally, we would check the infrastructure where practicable, and would provide a report on the state of each computer, along with recommendations on any changes that are necessary.

Should you wish, we would be happy to do any work necessary to bring your systems back to full health.

Top

On-demand support

On demand support

From time to time, all businesses suffer from a lack of resources. At Hallamshire Solutions, we may be able to help you overcome your temporary lack of IT resources.

Areas where we may be able to help include:-

Problem solving

Rolling out software

Rolling out hardware

Providing temporary holiday / illness cover for your IT personnel

Top

System management

Once any computer system reaches a certain size, it really needs someone dedicated to looking after it. At Hallamshire Solutions, we can offer the benefit of having a skilled IT manager looking after your computer system at a fraction of the cost of empolying someone full time.

The system manager would take responsibility for such things as anti-virus control, patch rollout, managing users and their access and ensuring that adequate system backups are performed. Working with your management team, we would also help define and implement strategies to further protect and develop your computer systems.

We offer two different ways of providing system management:

Remote System Management

To allow us to perform remote system management, we would install a small piece of software on each of your computers. Using this, we would connect securely to your computers (with the individual users permission, if required) to perform any necessary work or to assist in troubleshooting. We would also install the same software on any servers, but would configure it so that we could connect without the need for intervention. In either case, the connections are secure and password protected.

Inevitably, there will be certain jobs which cannot be performed remotely, such as installing new hardware or resolving some networking issues. In these cases, we will happily come on site.

On-site System Management

Rather than us working remotely, you may prefer to have someone on-site for an agreed number of hours per month. This would also be our recommended way of working until we are confident that we understand how your computer system is set up and how it works. Being on site would also be of benefit in cases where it is believed there may be pre-existing hardware or software issues, or where changes are being made to the structure of the workplace.

In addition, we would suggest installing the same software on each computer to allow us to support you remotely should the need arise.

Top

Hardware / software audits

Audits

In this age of increasing litigation, it is essential that your company can prove that it is fully compliant with the licensing of any software it uses. At Hallamshire Solutions, we can perform an audit of all the software on your computers, and match it against the licences you hold. Following the audit, we would produce a report showing the software on each computer, the license number (if any) and if that license number matches one held. We would also highlight any areas which need attention.

All computer equipment has a finite lifespan, and should ideally be replaced on a rolling 5 yearly cycle. To help you prepare for this, we can undertake a complete audit of all the IT equipment in your company. Following the hardware audit, we would produce a report showing the details of each piece of equipment, including the approximate date of manufacture. We would then highlight any areas which need urgent attention. This audit may also be helpful to your insurance company or your auditors, both of whom may benefit from an accurate list of the IT hardware on site.

Top