Technology Audit: Is Your Company's IT Effective? Safe? Efficient?
- Including Software? Hardware? IT Management? User Practices? Business Operations? Company Goals?
- An independent, expert Technology Audit can provide the answers. It could identify hidden vulnerabilities or significant savings opportunities.
To bring valuable, high-quality technology audit services to clients, Rockefeller Group Technology Services has partnered with Icreon Tech, an international software development company that specializes in the technology audit field.
Free Introductory Network Assessment for RGTS Clients
As an introductory offer, RGTS and Icreon are now offering RGTS clients a free high-level network analysis that Icreon performs remotely. To learn more about Icreon's complete Technology Audit and the free network analysis offer, call your Client Executive or call RGTS at 212-282-2200.
Smooth-running Information Technology functions are crucial to virtually every modern business, large and small, of course. But when IT functions seem to be running smoothly, it's easy to overlook hidden vulnerabilities or savings opportunities. Often, such issues result from external developments that are entirely independent of a given company's IT functions.
RGTS has long performed technology audits directly for clients as a complement to its remote 24/7/365 network monitoring and management service. Now, through its partnership with Icreon, RGTS brings to clients a more granular and more independent technology audit that encompasses all aspects of a company's IT configuration, use, and effectiveness.
An Icreon Technology Audit typically encompasses onsite examinations of system configurations, interviews with diverse IT stakeholders, and remote examination and analysis of IT software and hardware.
An overview of Icreon's 5-Point Technology Audit:
1. Current IT Systems:
- Alignment with business objectives and budgets.
- Integration with disparate technology elements.
- Technology transfers and sharing; training and development.
- Capture and analysis of company data for effective visibility and decision support
2. Network Vulnerability:
- Network configuration -- servers, firewalls, back-up systems, VPNs, routers.
- Network security against hacking or disasters.
- Appropriateness of servers and related hardware.
3. People and Technology:
- Stakeholders' user experiences with current IT systems.
- IT governance and interactions.
4. Scalability and Growth:
- Software development based on industry standards and best practices.
- Scalability of current IT systems.
5. Disaster Resilience and Recovery:
- Adequacy of disaster recovery plans and preparations.
- Management, reliability, and integrity of data.
- IT systems are valid, reliable, timely, and secure.
Additional functions and areas of interest can be audited to meet an individual client's specific requirements.
Audit Findings and Benefits: Three Examples
The following are three examples illustrating the kind of audit findings and outcomes that Icreon Technology Audits have yielded for past clients.
Example 1: A healthcare product distributor in Canada.
Technology Audit Findings:
The client was paying huge recurring software licensing fees. There were multiple software systems being used across departments; hence, the IT environment was very fragmented. The network was vulnerable, lacking an up-to-date firewall.
Audit Benefits:
Icreon submitted detailed recommendations along with an implementation plan. Icreon also led the implementation in this instance, but that is not always the case. Icreon helped save the company over $100K annually in licensing fees by leveraging open source platforms. Icreon implemented a seamless software solution that stretched across departments -- leading to better inter-department communication and efficiency. Icreon helped ensure that the network environment was more secure with VPN access for remote users.
Example 2: A manufacturer in Europe.
Technology Audit Findings:
The client was depending on an outdated software system that lacked some crucial functions, leading to staff inefficiencies and frustrations.
Audit Benefits:
Icreon implemented a relevant SQL (structured query language) and web-based system that allowed more efficient resource allocation, resulting in savings of close to $200K annually. Icreon delivered a system that reduced staff requests for IT help, indicating easier use and a more efficient work process.
Example 3: A telecommunications company in the US.
Technology Audit Findings:
Top management had poor visibility of company progress. A high dependence on Microsoft Excel and Access and reluctance to move away from those applications was restricting staff collaboration. Also, there was little consistency among reporting documents and many outdated documents were circulating. There was no integrated system to allow the organization to capture and report the data that it produced. Reporting via Excel and Access was limited, time-consuming, and cumbersome.
Audit Benefits:
Icreon recommended implementation of a custom solution that ensured user buy-in, flexibility, and better reporting, saving close to 100 hours of top-management time per month. Insights from the data that were captured and analyzed enabled informed decision making. Icreon also designed and developed a disaster recovery plan, including automated off-site backups to support business continuity.
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