5 Lessons for IT Professionals

The old saying goes that “you have to get burned to learn.” But rather than waiting to make mistakes and face setbacks, why not learn from the experiences of others? If you’re an IT professionals looking to make the most of your career, here are five tried-and-true lessons you can’t afford not to know.

Complexity is Always Expensive

There is a tendency in IT to make systems as complex as possible. And while this complexity is sometimes necessary, and at other times worthwhile, it always translates to higher operational costs. Complex systems, by their very nature, are prone to failure. And the more complex and unique the system is, the fewer resources are available to support it. The lesson is to strive for simplicity in all things.

Pre-Planning and Testing are Always Worth it

The tight deadlines and short schedules of IT make it tempting to rush through preliminary stages and get to deployment as quickly as possible. But in practice, this almost always leads to delays and setbacks later. The more time and effort that are put into pre-planning and testing, the better the final result will be.

Every Backup Needs to Be Tested

Backups are the critical safeguard of IT, but too often they are put into place and only assumed to work. As many IT professionals have learned the hard way, this kind of assumption is always a mistake. Without testing, no backup can be fully trusted. And when problems arise and crucial data is lost, the consequences are severe and irreparable.

Redundancy is Never Complete

Redundant systems are designed to provide a total safety net, but usually there are unforeseen holes. Either the systems are not as thorough as they initially appear, or the problems that affect primary systems affect redundant systems in the same way. Redundancy is essential, but it can always be expanded and refined.

The Network is the Lifeblood of the Business

Business today is so entirely dependent on IT that when there are problems with the network, even relatively minor ones, it can cause operations to grind to a standstill. That highlights the importance of the IT professional and underscores their primary responsibility to the business.

If you have learned these lessons in the past and are now stronger and smarter because of them, businesses will be eager to bring your hard-won experience into their fold. Connect with more of these motivated employers by working through the staffing specialists at INSPYR Solutions.