Regularly checking the condition of your hardware is vital in making sure errors and problems don’t sneak up on you. These errors and issues can impact productivity, but are easily avoided with regular maintenance checks. Below are just some of the checks that should be regularly completed on your computer hardware.
Server hardware checks
- Regularly scan for any hardware warning lights that may be on the front of the server. These warning lights can give you advance warning that your hardware may be on its last legs, so make sure that you are on the lookout for them.
- Make sure the server has enough ventilation. Since your ACR server is on 24/7, ensuring that it has enough ventilation is critical, as this can stop overheating and extend the life of your server.
- Label your server. Make sure your server is labelled so that anyone who comes into contact with it knows exactly the purpose it serves, and doesn’t accidentally power it off.
USB backup drives
- Always visually scan over your hard drive, looking for signs of wear and tear. If your hard drive is looking a bit beat up, this may be a sign that you need to replace it. These drives are critical to the integrity of your data, so make sure you take good care of them and replace them when needed.
- Check to make sure that the light on the front of the drive illuminates when you plug it into the server, as if it doesn’t light up, it may be a sign that your hard drive is in need of replacing.
Printers
- Keep an ear out for any unusual sounds coming from your printers. Printers tend to make unusual sounds as they begin to fail, so keeping an ear out could save you a lot of time and money by replacing it sooner rather than later.
- Also keep an eye out for the quality of the printer, as a lowering in print quality can also be a warning sign that a hardware failure is imminent.
Computers
- A regular visual inspection of the peripherals connected to your computers can reveal the source of intermittent issues you may be encountering. It is not uncommon for the USB cables that connect to your computers to bend a little too much, and cause them to intermittently fail.
- Make sure that all of your computers are regularly updated and patched, as these updates can not only improve performance but protect your system from known exploits.
- Ensuring antivirus is installed, up-to-date, and regularly performing scans on your computers is critical in warding off the threat of ransomware and viruses.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the condition of your hardware, contact the ACR Tech team and we will do our best to help answer any questions you may have.