In the first quarter of 2021, the number of connected people using the internet amounted to 4.66 billion people. The number of smart devices collecting, analyzing, and sharing data should hit 50 billion by 2030. Recent data indicates that 127 new devices are getting connected to the internet every passing second. Moreover, with the computing and processing capacity of computers now reaching double figures every 18 months, we can expect data processing and volumes to only intensify.
To put this in context, it is helpful to remember that the world has produced 90% of its Big Data in just the past two years. And that’s with the Internet adoption rate at a meagre 59% in 2021. As more people get connected, data processing and creation will also go up resulting in an intensifier need for information technology Solutions and processes. Additionally, there are about 1.35 million tech start-ups active now that are working on innovative products and solutions around the world. Given all of this, it is a safe bet to say that with the current and projected growth rates, information technology is likely to be one of the top growth areas in 2022. Getting an IT support provider would be advisable.
What is Information Technology?
Information technology (IT) is an all-encompassing term that is used to refer to everything related to computer usage in a business. Information technology can involve building communications networks for a company, securing all stored and in-transit data and information, creating and administering databases, migrating data and applications to enterprise cloud and securing and managing the same, helping employees troubleshoot problems with their systems, and other core technical or support services.
Information technology is one of the few fields where demand for skilled professionals is nowhere near the supply and companies are always on the hunt for qualified and experienced candidates. In fact, the skill gap has widened so far that leading technical companies have made it part of their agenda to get more involved in the curriculum and teaching processes of technical courses to bridge the talent gap. The idea is to enable technology professionals at all levels of the organization to be able to solve problems on their feet, irrespective of the scale of the problem. In general, information technology can be understood as the application of technology in order to solve complex and persistent business, operational and technology challenges.
Any IT department generally deals with the following responsibilities:
IT governance
The design and implementation of all relevant policies and processes that govern the functioning of IT systems in an organization. These need to be checked often to ensure the policies remain in line with the company’s needs and also evolving compliance frameworks.
IT operations
The regular operations of an IT department include everything from providing much-needed technical assistance in the form of tech support, network maintenance, security testing, cloud configuration and device management duties.
Hardware and infrastructure
Needless to say, a major focus of the IT department lies in deployment, management and lifecycle maintenance of all equipment and IT infrastructure. This focus area refers to all the physical components of IT infrastructure. This covers the deployment and maintenance of all routine equipment such as routers, servers, phone systems and endpoint devices such as desktops, laptops and more.
Why is information technology important?
Well-configured Information Technology can significantly improve productivity
The necessity for productivity is always on the rise in any business. A well-configured IT set up can help your operations run smoother and help your employees be more productive. For example, a functional IT set up can result in more efficient and seamless communication, electronic storage, and a high degree of security for valuable data and information.
IT provides a high degree of security for electronics storage systems
Information Technology can help you deploy electronic storage systems that are highly secure. This helps organizations protect valuable company and consumer information including personal information, financial data, and proprietary data. With data fast becoming the most valuable target of cyber criminals the world over, ensuring the security of customer and proprietary data can be vital to business integrity.
Helps organizations design and maintain IT security engineering systems
IT can help design and maintain storage systems, such as virtual vaults, that secure highly sensitive data by only permitting pre-approved clients inside an organization to add, modify or delete the records. These kinds of IT security engineering systems can help protect all your electronic data from being compromised, hacked, or deleted during a technological emergency. With a high degree of encryption, electronic security engineering means your digital records stay completely secure. With increasing levels of automation, it is not possible to make your employees even more productive by simply taking off certain routine tasks from their plates and allowing them to run on an automatic schedule.
IT provides the background support to make remote work possible
IT systems provide the groundwork for providing remote access to an organization's network so that their employees can securely access the network and work from the comfort of their homes or any remote places. They also have the responsibility to ensure that all communications remain seamless and all communication channels such as email, video conferencing hardware, and internal chat rooms remain prepared to provide optimal performance round the clock.
About the Author: Brent Whitefield is the CEO of DCG Technical Solutions LLC. DCG provides specialist advice and IT Support Los Angeles area businesses need to remain competitive and productive while being sensitive to limited IT budgets. Brent has been featured in Fast Company, CNBC, Network Computing, Reuters, and Yahoo Business. He also leads SMBTN – Los Angeles, a MSP peer group that focuses on continuing education for MSP’s and IT professionals. https://www.dcgla.com was recognized among the Top 10 Fastest Growing MSPs in North America by MSP mentor.