A fearful prospect for many small and medium-sized business
owners is the resignation of their critical IT leader. Perhaps the one person
with years of experience and familiarity with your company’s computer network
and everything related is leaving. With the dependence all businesses have on
technology, the temptation to panic might be understandable. Just keep in mind
this is actually a common occurrence. You can take the following steps plus
take advantage of available outside help from IT support & services to make
as smooth a transition as possible.
Gather
all Pertinent Passwords
If the time you have with your outgoing IT chief is short,
ask for passwords. If best practices have been followed, every essential
administrative password is already stored in a password manager or secure
password vault. Should that be the case, find out where to access the master
password to the password vault. Secure the password file without delay.
If there is no existing file with all the pertinent passwords, have the employee write them all down, including the IP addresses or URLs that passwords are for. Press the issue of needing every password the IT administrator has used. The following are some examples of the passwords that may need to be collected:
- Servers
- Network switches
- Firewall administrator
- Domain administrator
- Administrative credentials for cloud services
- Door codes
- PIN codes
Test
All Passwords
The passwords should all be tested while the outgoing IT
employee is still there. What you’re trying to avoid is the time-consuming
hassle of getting by without needed passwords. With some systems, the lack of a
good password can mean a system reset. Every setting would need to be
re-programmed, which can be disruptive and costly to the business. This
potential disaster is one of the reasons it’s best to rely on remote IT support
& services either wholly or with in-house IT personnel.
Find
IT-Related Documentation
Any documents and notes related to IT should be found and
gathered. When one person runs the entire IT department for a small company,
finding documentation is usually difficult. The individual may not have
considered who might have needed the paperwork since no one else was involved.
For business continuity, everything else related to the environment is needed,
including network diagrams, equipment inventory, and more.
Fill
in the Gaps
Have the outgoing IT person write down all they can related
to missing documentation. Among other things, the following information is
important to avoid a disruptive transition:
- A network diagram showing where all essential
network devices, applications, and servers reside. In the inevitable event when
problems occur, this information would help with troubleshooting.
- Detailed procedures for onboarding new
employees. What is involved in the setup, such as company email, procurement of
a desktop and/or laptop, and a phone extension?
- How are software licenses tracked?
- Where does the Internet circuit enter the
building?
- What warranties, maintenance, and support
contracts does the company have, and what are the expiration dates?
Get
Help from IT Support
& Services
Instead of going it alone as you prepare for the loss of a
key IT person, bring in an expert from managed IT support & services. A
managed IT service provider puts team support on your side and avoids the
points of failure that result from having only one IT individual in-the-know.
Contact
the IT Support Experts at Aperio IT
Aperio IT offers a complimentary on-site network assessment for business owners in Sacramento. Take the first step to avoid the potential disaster from the loss of a one-person IT operation.
Contact Us Today
