Know about computer problems before they turn into costly and time-consuming repairs

Computer system preventive maintenance (PM) is a very critical aspect of any successful IT operation and we always stress its importance!

No matter what efforts are taken, computer systems will still malfunction, laptops will break down, servers will go offline, networks will become unavailable etc. at times you least expect. All of these problems can be turned away and kept to very minimum by keeping up with regularly scheduled preventive maintenance activities. Oftentimes even basic maintenance such as backup of critical data, critical software updates and hardware components cleaning can become very time-consuming or difficult for an average computer user. Therefore Kontech offers preventive maintenance service programs to address the needs of organizations that do not have the wherewithal to handle them.

In order to keep computer hardware in good working order, specifically its internal components you have to deal with dust – one of the main source of computer hardware failures. It is imperative to clean and properly lubricate all moving components, such as fans, power supplies, the main board and the CPU. You want to make sure that you have the right equipment, especially when it comes to cleaning laser printers and only use vacuum for toner powder and metal shard/dust NOT any other vacuum. We want to inform you that if you do use a regular vacuum the static electricity will not only damage the printer, but it might damage the imager as well. This needs to be a very delicate process. We recommend to all our clients, that we perform the cleaning. Otherwise, you are welcome to do it your own and enjoy your day 🙂

Another important aspect of hardware up keeping is making sure that moisture and heat are kept away from the computer hardware, especially from CPU/processor and hard drives, as it dramatically affects their longevity.

Below we have outlined some of preventive maintenance activities that are included in Proactive Service Plans we offer and the resulting outcomes/benefits:

Preventive Maintenance Activity	Benefits
Anti-virus software updates, regular virus scans – always keep antivirus software updates current.	Minimize the risks associated with receiving infected files. Valuable files aren’t compromised/destroyed by virus infections.
Data backups, offsite backup protection and disaster recovery planning. Regularly evaluate backup strategy, monitor and verify functionality and validity of system backups and restores.	Protect critical data from ransomware. Increase system up-time and critical data availability in case of data loss. Backups are an essential part of data protection against threats such as ransomware.
Keep antimalware programs current. Regular spyware, malware sweep, system scans and removal of malicious software.	Prevent intruders from unauthorized data access/manipulation, identity theft, hijacking and  corrupting your systems by malware. Especially crucial shopping online and/or online banking, which involve secure transfers of confidential and personal information.
Operating system security updates and patches installation. Automating software-related preventive maintenance activities whenever possible.	Keeping operating system up-to-date provide fixes to ever present security vulnerabilities and holes as well as resolutions to well-known bugs.
Temporary files and file clutter clean-up. Unused and superfluous programs removal. The registry scans and startup environment cleanup.	Freeing up disk space. Overall system performance improvement. Optimizing system boot-up times.
Regular inspections and cleanup of the cooling system. Verify functionality of cooling fans, chassis vents and heat sinks.	Increase overall longevity of computer/server hard drives, CPUs and other hardware components by minimizing / avoiding overheating.
Keep firmware of missing critic components up to date. Perform regular firmware checks with individual hardware vendors especially RAID controllers.	Benefit from security and usability enhancements. Increase stability of your hardware components, minimize data corruption of RAID disk controllers.
Keep hardware inventory current by periodic reviews and recommendations for necessary system upgrades.	Proactively plan for hardware upgrades and replacements to prevent last minute, costly purchases and maintain uninterrupted system functionality.