Workstations are pivotal to employee productivity and your company’s bottom line. But in order for employees to work efficiently and securely, they need the right software and security features instantly available on their workstations.
What Are Your Workstation Options?
When setting up workstations, you can
Purchase computers from a retailer
like Dell with all the preconfigured features they provide. For example, the computers might come with a certain version of Windows preinstalled, antivirus software and more. From there, it’s up to you to update each computer with the correct software, hardware, security features, etc., your company requires. The other option is managed workstations. Instead of manually updating each computer, you allow a third-party IT vendor to custom configure each computer to your company’s standards via a USB or other method. The company images your workstation and sets up each one based on your specific requirements. In turn, new team members open a PC that’s ready to go out of the box.
Managed or Retailer Workstations: Which Is Right for You?
For medium and large organizations,
Managing workstations in-house can eat up valuable resources
and divert attention from mission-critical IT projects. Your company’s antivirus software will expire, and your security and software standards will surely change as new, better technologies hit the market. If you don’t have the time or manpower to constantly (and consistently) configure each workstation, you may need a third-party vendor to do it for you. When setting up employee computers, here are just a few components you’ll need to configure:
- Hardware:
You can’t control which hardware comes preinstalled on computers, so you’ll need to update hardware to match your existing company computers.
- Antivirus Suite:
Free antivirus software doesn’t offer comprehensive virus protection. Your company likely uses a paid antivirus suite, and all employees need to have it installed on their workstations to make the investment worthwhile.
- Network Policies:
Preconfiguring network policies ensures that networks, printers, etc. just work for your staff.
- Software:
Each department will need different software installed on their workstations to get the job done. With managed workstations, software for scheduling, tracking leads, etc., is automatically installed following the initial imaging, creating a flexible and efficient environment.
- Security Configuration:
Security is a top concern for companies large and small. You’ll need to update each computer with your company’s robust security software to ensure critical company information is protected.
Why Choose a Managed Workstation?
Managed workstations take the burden of configuring each computer off your company. There are a few key benefits that managed workstations provide for your organization:
- Obtain a consistent employee experience out of the gate
- Save time and money spent manually updating workstations
- Stop end user frustration
- Ease onboarding
- Eliminate the worry of software services expiring
- Gain a secure PC or Mac that conforms to company policies
Having a managed workstation gives everyone a consistent experience — from network issues, licensing, network configuration and more — and ensures each employee has the programs and software necessary to be productive. When employees can access company programs and networks from the get-go, they get ramped up in their new roles much faster. Agile IT’s highly experienced Support Technicians and Engineers ensure your workstations stay current with the latest operating system patches and updates, keep them secure and running at optimal performance. Agile will create custom computer images to set up your new workstations so you don’t have to work off different preconfigured retailer workstations. Simply plug in our USB to image the PC, or we can image the PC for you. Still need help choosing managed or retailer workstations? Or want to discuss your managed workstation project? Contact Agile IT today, and we’ll gladly walk you through any project considerations.
