Managing IT systems is a risky business, as Paessler’s Michael Schindler makes clear. But if IT professionals and customers don’t engage with risks to the network, they can (and do) miss out on many opportunities.
“Our lives are full of risks. Can I go outside and expose myself to all the lurking dangers?” he writes. “Yes, risks include both threats and opportunities.”
He explains that keeping the balance between low and high risk is a daily challenge for all industries and company sizes. Yet the success stories as well as failures are more likely to follow on from, sometimes, higher levels of risk.
Taking no risk can mean a loss of profit or a lot of effort spent simply to avoid taking chances.
“In IT, risk management is often seen as equivalent to fixing one single problem. There tends to be a focus on two subsets of risk – malware and data recovery. The danger is that other problems are neglected and resources could be used more efficiently,” Schindler says.
The solution? Stay focused, and clarify the risk management process, as well as ultimate goals. Paessler suggests a three-step plan to prioritising the potential impacts – available in this free white paper.
Schindler notes that strong network monitoring tools, such as Paessler’s PRTG Network Monitor, can help prevent certain issues associated with technology, legal, personnel, natural, and man-made risks.
The idea is to detect system failures of performance problems as soon as possible, minimising downtime and enabling the customer to maximise the resources spent on chasing core business opportunities.
