It is no secret that many people find computer hardware and IT confusing. When you don’t understand the different components, it’s difficult to keep them organized in a meaningful way. This can lead to “IT clutter.”
Cables run to places that you are not sure why they are there, printers that you’re not sure who uses, files that you are not sure when they were created. A box that no-one knows what it does, but it has been there since Becky started.
IT clutter isn’t usually a problem, because it is something that exists without interfering with daily operations. The problem with IT clutter is that when something DOES happen, trying to navigate to a solution becomes extremely difficult.
I have walked into businesses, in the midst of crisis and had to untangle the web of cables, boxes, printers, computers, and files before I could even diagnose what the underlying issues were. This led to an unnecessary amount of downtime for the client.
IT clutter, can and often does include file clutter. Whether on the server or the desktop, having bunches of old files not only takes up space on the network, but it can also make it difficult to find specific things.
If you’re searching for a file called “Summer Campaign” and there are 12 different files of that name, you are wasting time opening each one to find the one you need. Keep a clean file structure and do your best to keep that file structure no more than 5 folders deep. This will improve IT infrastructure, help you keep things organized, and make IT support more efficient.
Letting IT clutter build up can lead to unnecessary downtime, and make it hard to detect and diagnose problems. Once every few months, everyone should take time to do some digital spring cleaning.
Figure out what’s in place, what everything does, and how best to organize it. A good managed IT provider can make this process simple and help manage your files and hardware efficiently.