What is computer maintenance?
What is computer maintenance? At first glance, it seems fairly obvious that IT maintenance consists of keeping the computer system (IS) in good working order. However, this global mission encompasses a variety of different types of activities. IT maintenance can be preventive or corrective. It is also deployed according to different levels of priority.
What is IT maintenance?
IT maintenance is certainly defined as the maintenance of IT equipment. However, this activity covers a series of other tasks, which vary according to the state of the equipment.
Definition of computer maintenance
Computer maintenance refers to the maintenance of computer equipment to ensure its proper functioning. This mission is generally carried out by IT service companies, the ESN, or Digital Service Companies. These companies can provide their services on site or remotely.
IT maintenance includes all the actions necessary for the functioning of the IS, whether it be to maintain or restore it. These actions can be regular or occasional:
- backup of critical company data ;
- migration of IT solutions
- management of user rights;
- messaging system configuration;
- network administration;
- installation and updating of software;
- checking the status of the computer system and hard disks;
- replacement of malfunctioning equipment;
- equipment buy-out;
- maintenance of inventory terminals, point-of-sale terminals and printers: Codeo’s speciality in terms of computer maintenance;
- cybersecurity assistance, including WiFi, firewall, antivirus and server management.
What is the purpose of IT maintenance?
IT maintenance has several objectives:
- To maintain the performance of the equipment within 3 to 7 years of its deployment. This is particularly useful once the manufacturer’s warranty has expired;
- Extend the life of your IT equipment;
- To carry out the updates necessary for the continuity of the company’s activities;
- Adapting computer equipment to software and technological developments and to changes in cyber threats;
- Correcting any damage encountered.
The different types of IT maintenance
IT maintenance must guarantee the availability of applications, as well as the long-term performance of the IT equipment. It is therefore organised into 3 categories of maintenance: preventive, corrective and evolutionary.
1 / Preventive maintenance
Preventive computer maintenance consists of avoiding the appearance of problems. It can concern the computer security of the park, but also the improvement of its performance. Preventive interventions can be organised on a more or less regular basis, depending on needs.
This type of computer maintenance therefore concerns both antivirus software and software updates. It also includes firewall management, temporary file cleaning and hard disk defragmentation.
Preventive maintenance also concerns hardware. As part of a preventive intervention, a technician can revise the equipment, clean it, make improvements to the settings to change parts likely to cause breakdowns in advance.
2 / Corrective maintenance
Carrying out corrective or curative maintenance means repairing equipment or software. These are one-off operations carried out when the equipment is no longer working or when it is subject to a computer virus. Corrective maintenance of information equipment takes two forms:
- palliative maintenance: the IT maintenance provider carries out a temporary repair of the damage. Objective: to maintain the operation of the IS in the short term, to ensure the continuity of the company’s activities;
- curative IT maintenance: repairing the faulty equipment so that it returns to its initial state.
3 / “Evolutionary” maintenance
Evolutionary maintenance consists of supporting the computer equipment over time. It may involve offering new hardware or software tools to users, based on the latest technological developments. Evolutionary maintenance also includes system updates and upgrades of the computer equipment.
3 levels of maintenance depending on the complexity of the IT problem
When a company outsources its IT maintenance, it can benefit from different levels of user support. A user who contacts the helpdesk of the service provider company exchanges with technicians. These technicians are responsible for :
- identify the problem;
- classify it according to a level of seriousness
- open a “helpdesk ticket” describing the problem
- draw up a list of actions to be taken to “close the ticket”, i.e. resolve the customer’s problem.
The second step, which consists of classifying the problem by degree of seriousness, leads in fact to prioritise the ticket according to 3 levels of maintenance:
- The first level refers to “easy” IT maintenance. This may involve, for example, providing remote assistance to a user who is unable to use a software package. First-level maintenance covers basic faults that do not need to be escalated.
- Level 2 IT maintenance concerns incidents that block the user and require further technical exploration. Technicians may need to contact software suppliers or equipment manufacturers. Generally, this type of problem cannot be resolved remotely. It involves a return to the workshop for testing and a full technical diagnosis. The team of technicians involved has a more in-depth knowledge of the various IT environments.
- Level 3 IT support is deployed either on site or in the workshop. It concerns a critical incident for the client company, likely to threaten the continuity of its activities. This is an emergency, handled by experts. A replacement of the out-of-service equipment can be organised by sending a functional equipment on site and collecting the out-of-service equipment.
What is the difference between IT maintenance and outsourcing?
The difference between IT maintenance and outsourcing generally lies in the type of technical personnel involved. The word “maintenance” can sometimes be used to designate the activities of a company’s internal IT department. In this case, the latter is responsible for restoring the equipment to its original condition without the intervention of a third party.
Managed services” refers to the outsourcing of all or part of the company’s IT department. The company thus delegates the management of its equipment to a service provider. The latter then takes charge of all types of IT maintenance. It also offers all the levels of support detailed above, all within a commitment contract. In practice, a facilities management service can therefore include IS maintenance.
And at Codeo, what does IT maintenance mean?
Codeo has been an expert in IT asset maintenance for over 15 years. Our services are based on the following tools
- remote technical support with a dedicated helpdesk, staffed by level 1 troubleshooting experts;
- management of manufacturer’s warranty contracts to organise manufacturer’s returns, replacement equipment, removal of equipment
- equipment repairs in technical workshops for level 2 and 3 assistance.
Entrust the maintenance of your IT equipment to Codeo!
