IT Resolutions for the New Year

As the ball dropped in Times Square and 2012 calendars flipped over to 2013, people around the world were making (and sometimes, already breaking) their New Year’s resolutions. Many resolved to lose weight. Others vowed to tell the people they love how important and cherished they are. Some made resolutions that were personal, others made professional resolutions. But how many of us made information technology related resolutions? Well, if you hadn’t thought about it before, let me give you some ideas. Here are some IT-related resolutions for 2013.

Embrace Cloud Storage

If you aren’t already on the cloud storage bandwagon, you should be. It’s a life-changing technology, like the DVR was for TV junkies. In the past, you were forced to put your files on thumb drives (or floppy disks. Remember those?), which were easily lost or misplaced, and you had to keep track of which files were on which drives. Now, with cloud storage, you can access any of your files from any device that is connected to the Internet: your smartphone, that new tablet you got for Christmas, your desktop computer or your work laptop. Your files will be protected in case your computer suddenly melts down, and you won’t have to worry about discovering that an important document is mysteriously blank when you know you have a backup copy living in the cloud. With free storage options like Dropbox (News - Alert), Box and more out there, now is the time to embrace cloud storage for your peace of mind.

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Get on the BYOD Bandwagon

Here is another IT trend that has reached the tipping point. There was once a time when you would show up for your first day of work and the company would issue you a BlackBerry (News - Alert) handset for business use. Those days are long over. Most of us have smartphones that we use to keep in touch with our friends and loved ones both near and far, and many of us also have tablet devices (raise your hand if you got an iPad for Christmas!). But if you are going to bring your own device to work, be sure to learn all you can about your company’s BYOD policies, and talk to the IT staff about dos and don’ts. You want to make sure you protect your personal information AND company data at the same time.

Be Considerate of the IT Staff

Let’s face it, most IT departments are understaffed and overworked. They have long-term projects they need to deal with as well as day-to-day concerns. The last thing they need is a host of issues they need to address right away. So try and be more considerate of them. Get to know them a bit. Think through your problems before you put in a help ticket. Can you address the issue on your own? And, if you do need help, is it an emergency that they need to deal with right away, or can they get to it in a reasonable amount of time. We all rely on IT each and every day, but it’s the IT staff that takes up the burden when there are problems, so keep them in mind!

Study the Trends

For those of us who work in the IT, telecommunications or computer space, we have our fingers on the pulse of what is happening in the digital world. But some people aren’t as aware of these trends and end up behind the adoption curve. Take some time to learn about and follow some of the big trends in the IT space. Learn about big data. Familiarize yourself with the cloud. Read up on data centers and software monetization and dozens of other topics we cover on the InfoTech Spotlight page. Bookmark it and check it often, so you can be the expert on these topics and people will listen to your opinion when making decisions.

Take Cyber Security Seriously

The world might not have ended in 2012, but that doesn’t mean it’s now a peaceful, harmonious planet. There are plenty of dangers out there that require our attention, especially in the realm of cyber crime. Read up on cyber security and make a plan. Cyber attacks can result in loss of information, money and even lives, so it is important to take them seriously. Make a plan to address the security of all of your devices, read up on the latest scams and threats, and consider consulting with an expert to avoid major problems down the road. You’ll thank yourself when we enter next year. By then, you’ll have lost that weight and found your soul mate, and you can worry about your IT resolutions for 2014…

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO Miami 2013, Jan 29- Feb. 1 in Miami, Florida.  Stay in touch with everything happening at ITEXPO (News - Alert). Follow us on Twitter.