From the course: Career Essentials in System Administration by Microsoft and LinkedIn

Physical equipment maintenance

From the course: Career Essentials in System Administration by Microsoft and LinkedIn

Physical equipment maintenance

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- Computer maintenance is key to keeping problems from occurring. Some tasks will require a visit to each computer while others can be done remotely. Computer updates can be performed automatically at the client OS level or done using Windows Update services as well as the online option using Intune. There are also some third-party products which can initiate the updates as well. There are many anti-malware options. If using Windows Defender, which is built into Windows clients, updates will happen when the usual updates from Windows occur. If using commercial products, there is typically a centralized console you can use to configure when and how these updates occur. For Windows computers, creating a restore point is crucial to being able to go back in time prior to an infection or to undo a bad update. If a user no longer needs a type of software, then uninstalling it remotely or on-site is very important. It can lower your licensing costs and take up less resources on the client's PC. We need to physically clean our computer. Bacteria, viruses and dust will build up on the outside and inside of a computer as well as a server. Annual maintenance of your computer by cleaning it physically, according to the vendor's directions, is a great practice. Clearing the browser cache can increase security and speed as information found in the cache along with tracking cookies and saved passwords can cause issues if a computer is compromised or stolen. Back up your computer's data as needed for each user. This can include a physical USB drive connected to a computer or a redirected folder for all important documents onto a backed up server. This can protect against data loss from breakage or ransomware. There are also cloud services that will back up your data as well. For Windows clients, you should check what's loading in the background of your client computers by going to Task Manager and then the Startup tab. You may find a 40% increase in speed and RAM available or more, if these are turned off. Be sure to not turn off any startup programs that control hardware or some of your devices, like a track pad, may no longer function. Disc Cleanup is a great way to delete old setup files and other unnecessary files on a Windows computer. This can increase speed and available storage. The Recycle Bin is not a great place for storing files, but some still do it. Be sure to educate your users to not store data here. When you run the Disc Cleanup, you can also delete files in the Recycled Bin. All of these tools can help maintain your computer and other devices so you can proactively take care of your users' computers.

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