IT stands for Information Technology. Despite being the most crucial element in any business, however, the ‘information’ aspect is often overlooked. Sure, you need the latest apps, software and devices to compete, but technology is a tool to enhance and protect something far more important – your data.
Without data, whether about your employees, products or clients, your business has no bedrock on which to build. Technology is a tool for making the most of your information. It can give you better insight, help you visualise your data in new ways and enable you to better understand your clients.
But technology needs information to work with if it’s to be of any use. That’s why the ‘I’ in what IT stands for is actually so important; you have to make sure it is:
- Secure against both internal and external threats. Over half of organisations cite insufficient risk awareness as the most significant barrier to achieving cyber resilience. You have to know what threats your data faces to keep it secure.
- Accessible from any device and any location. Today’s office set up has changed and the benefits of remote working are recognised globally. To compete, your data must be accessible and secure inside and outside the office.
- Recoverable after worst-case scenarios. Whether it’s a cyber attack, a natural disaster or simple human error, you need to be prepared. For business continuity you need recent back ups and disaster recovery measures in place, otherwise your business goes right back to square one.
Enhancing your IT
Information and technology go hand in hand, but technology is useless without the data it works for. It’s like having a store with no stock, or a blog with no content. Businesses therefore need to think about the two sides of IT when considering new investments.
It shouldn’t be about what technology is new and exciting. Instead, you ask your IT provider what technology helps ensure your data is secure, accessible and recoverable.
Do you know what IT stands for?