| |
| |
Passwords |
|
|
We don't bother with passwords. Just hit enter. |
|
|
|
Yes, we do have passwords. Well, a password actually. |
|
|
|
Yes, we do have passwords. They never change and everyone knows everyone else's anyway, including the admin password. |
|
|
|
Yep. We have passwords. And they automatically expire every 30 to 40 days. |
|
|
User Account |
|
|
I'm not sure how to change users; when somebody leaves, their replacement just inherits their username and password. |
|
|
|
I can create new user accounts, but I don't like to delete anything I don't have to. |
|
|
|
I'm pretty good about this stuff (though I'm never really sure how many licenses we are supposed to have). |
|
|
|
I can tell you exactly how many users we have and who they are. I keep an eye on user licenses. |
|
|
Backups |
|
|
No problem. We back up every day. |
|
|
|
No problem. We back up every day and I change the tapes every 6 months because I know tapes stretch and get useless after a while. |
|
|
|
No problem. We do incremental backups every day and a full system backup once a week. I change the tapes every 6 months. I know exactly what is actually backed up. |
|
|
|
I worry about backup all the time. I have a 3-week rolling backup scheme. I know that the data and the systems settings get covered. I take the tapes off-site. I get a printed backup report every day. I change the tapes every 6 months. I regularly do a test restore. |
|
|
|
Virus Checking |
|
|
Sure we have virus-checking software. It comes on every PC we buy. |
|
|
|
Some of us have anti-virus software. I don't know when it was last updated, but it's on some machines. |
|
|
|
We are fine. I download an update monthly and go around updating the virus signatures to make sure it's done on everyone's machine. |
|
|
|
Not only do we have licenses for each user, we have automated virus updates (including virus engines) so the user doesn't have to worry about it. We screen all incoming email automatically. |
|
|
|
UPS |
|
|
We have a surge protector on the server. |
|
|
|
We have a UPS. |
|
|
|
We have a UPS, but I'm not sure how to calculate the capacity needed for a UPS. |
|
|
|
We have a properly sized UPS on every critical machine, with the software installed and running. I know what that little red light on the front of the UPS is trying to tell me when it's flashing. |
|
|
|
Patches |
|
|
I don't know what you mean. |
|
|
|
I know I should get the patches downloaded. |
|
|
|
I'm pretty sure we're up-to-date, but there are so many. |
|
|
|
I know we're up-to-date, and I get emailed when there is a new one. |
|
|
|
Desktop OS |
|
|
We have whatever the machines came with when they were bought. What's wrong with that? |
|
|
|
We have a mixture of Windows '95, '98, NT, 2000, and XP systems spread around the users in the office. I know it gives us problems, but what can I do? |
|
|
|
I try to standardize everyone on one system, but every new PC we buy has a slightly different variation of OS. At least I do try to make sure we have all the Windows updates. |
|
|
|
I insist on a standard OS, which is either Windows 2000 or XP. Every system has all the updates. |
|
|
|
Internet Connections |
|
|
We have modems. I would like to get a DSL, but I'm not sure if we could justify the expense. |
|
|
|
I've been trying to get a DSL set up for months. There are so many suppliers, I don't know who to choose. I finally signed up with one, but I hear they just went out of business. |
|
|
|
We have a T1, a DSL or a cable modem. I'd like to get a firewall set up, but I'm not sure how to do it. |
|
|
|
We have broadband access and a firewall. I know how to give users secure remote access. |
|
|
|
Disk Space |
|
|
I have no clue how to check disk space. |
|
|
|
I checked disk space some time ago. Since you mentioned it, I'll check again. |
|
|
|
I check disk space regularly. I can see it's filling up. I think this could be why the system is a bit slow sometimes. I'd like to know what else might be causing this. |
|
|
|
Disk space is no longer an issue. I know how to do the housekeeping that keeps us OK, and I can do it safely without worrying I might delete vital files. |
|
|
|
Asset Management |
|
|
I can see all the PCs by taking a walk around. |
|
|
|
I have a spreadsheet showing the PCs we have and who is using them. I update it every now and then. I think we're missing a monitor, but I'm pretty sure it was an old 15" we don't need anymore anyway. |
|
|
|
I use a piece of freeware that automatically catalogs hardware and software. |
|
|
|
Every part and machine is labeled and cataloged. We know exactly who has what and do frequent inventories of both software and hardware to keep track of them. We have an application that shows me versions of the applications on machines so that I know where I need to upgrade individual PCs. It's software-based, and I've programmed automatic periodic updates. |
|
|
|
Licenses and Disks |
|
|
I know they're around here somewhere. |
|
|
|
I try to keep all the discs and licenses together, but people come and take them when I'm not around. (That reminds meI need to track down the key code for our only copy of Office 2003.) |
|
|
|
I keep a pretty tight control of software media and licenses. I would bet most of our software is legal. |
|
|
|
I have a software library that is well cataloged. I make sure we're in compliance for licenses. I don't believe there are software police, but if they raided us they would be wasting their time. |
|
|
|
Email Accounts |
|
|
We use individual email accounts with AOL. I know it doesn't look good, but I'm not sure how to get a domain name or get email accounts to go with it. |
|
|
|
We have a domain name and we use an ISP to host accounts. We have a lot of trouble administering the accounts because we have to call them up to change anything. I wish we could bring email in-house. |
|
|
|
We use a POP3 server here. I get a lot of problems with it and I know it's eating up disk space like crazy. I'll get around to being tough with users and get them to delete old email one day. |
|
|
|
We have an email server that I can administer from my desktop. I can change user accounts, check on how much disk space it's consuming and do all the stuff we need. No problems here. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|