Key Considerations when Auditing your IT Processes for Dedicated Devices

You probably know that having any sort of device fleet — big or small — is far from “set and forget.” It requires constant monitoring, maintenance, and procedural awareness. But that’s the thing: if you don’t regularly audit your IT processes for potential pitfalls, appropriate responses to points of failure, and other management tactics, you could be leaving the door open for disaster with no way of quickly fixing it. 

Why audit IT processes? 

There are two types of people: those who have dealt with an IT disaster at work and those who will. Doing what you can to avoid those disasters is part of the battle, and knowing how to respond to them when they inevitably happen is the other half. Either way, the key to good IT practices is awareness. Knowing what to do and how to respond to problems is the difference between fixing them quickly and effectively or causing a widespread outage and costly downtime. 

That’s why regular IT audits are crucial. They can help you pinpoint potential points of failure, refine outdated processes, streamline documentation practices, and more. And while you may only think of internal IT practices for your organization this way, it’s no different for your dedicated device fleet — it’s a separate set of devices that requires its own auditing practices. 

Why dedicated devices need to be audited

You don’t manage your dedicated devices the same way you manage other company assets, so why would you audit the IT processes around them in the same way you look at internal IT practices? While any sort of IT audit is better than none, dedicated devices require particular considerations. 

Things like access control and physical security — considerations that may not necessarily apply to other types of devices. These devices are the lifeblood of your business, so protecting them should be a priority — not an afterthought. Failures happen, and a proactive approach is always better than a reactive one. The best way to mitigate disaster is to verify that the right processes are in place. Period. 

Top areas of consideration when auditing device processes

While we can’t tell you that we can provide guidance to resolve all IT issues before they become big problems, we can offer advice on things you should consider when auditing your dedicated device IT practices. Essentially, there are 10 key areas to look at when considering an IT audit for your dedicated devices: 

• Configuration Management 
• Access Controls
• Update Practices
• Physical Security
• Disaster Recovery
• Monitoring and Logging
• Data Backup
• Vulnerability Management
• Change Management
• Documentation and Policies 

Each of these points is crucial to a healthy dedicated device fleet, so we put together an ebook that covers each in detail. With this resource, you’ll find information about what each point entails, why it’s important, and questions to ask before or during the auditing process. Hit the link to learn more and grab the download. You’ll be glad you did. 

Download the guide

For better device management, choose Esper

Esper is the world’s first device management platform specifically for dedicated devices. Whether you have point of sale systems, kiosks, digital signage, enterprise tablets, barcode scanners, rugged smartphones, or anything in between, we have the tools you need to manage them. With our deeply dependable infrastructure and automation tools, you can manage your dedicated devices precisely and efficiently like never before. To learn more about why dedicated device management is different and how Esper addresses these challenges, check out our guide to device management. 

And if you have questions about your devices, concerns regarding device management, or anything else, get in touch with us. We’d be happy to chat it out.