The Benefits of Keeping Software Updated and Upgraded.docx (3)

The Benefits of Keeping Software Updated and Upgraded When it comes to what’s more important between software and hardware, it tends to be a bit like the what came first debate about the chicken and the egg. They are dependent on one another, and in some ways are birthed from each other’s existence. Although with software we are still able to achieve a lot with minimal hardware, whereas having plenty of hardware can be relatively meaningless without the software. Commonly referred to as programs or applications, software is the toolset we use to achieve a myriad of tasks on our computers. Whether these tasks are for business or leisure, they simplify processes into an easy-to-use format often with a more attractive user interface (UI) than that of the Command Prompt and other pieces of barebones programming software. When it comes to ensuring that your business is running as smoothly as possible, the software is paramount. The best way to ensure that your software is up to date and doesn’t need upgrading is by hiring a provider of IT services Seattle or wherever your business is based. Increasing Productivity

While perhaps not the most important benefit of keeping software updated, the increased productivity certainly is an attractive one. As previously mentioned, the software is innate in the productivity of staff due to how reliant we are on it to manage elements like stock, transport, bookkeeping, etc. The marketing department may rely on photography and design programs, whereas the accounting department will have programs that simplify bookkeeping. Ensuring that their software is updated and upgraded appropriately will ensure they have access to the latest quality-of-life features that simplify processes. Increased Security Depending on the nature of your company and the digital data that you handle, this will be more or less relevant to your business. Security is paramount in several industries nowadays, especially the health and finance industries where the sharing of personal information is part of the furniture. While there is an element of security to hardware, having updated security software is imperative for the following reasons. Hackers and Scammers Can Learn Backdoors The longer a piece of security software is available, the more hackers and scammers can find ways to circumvent or utilize it to access your systems. While they’re built to be as secure as possible, it’s an unfortunate reality that software is fallible and has all kinds of loopholes either mistakenly left or intentionally designed to allow developers easier access. Of all kinds of software, security needs to be updated as often as possible to ensure its efficacy. And if you are experiencing breaches despite having fully updated security software on your system, then it may be time to organize an upgrade from your provider of IT services Seattle or wherever you’re based. Stopping the Spread One element of security breaches that is somewhat lesser known is the contagious nature of things like Malware. One computer being compromised by a virus is bad, but they can spread that virus to other computers, exponentially worsening the problem, especially if it reaches your accounting department. Ensuring your security software is relevant to your local network, and is updated, is the best way to stop the spread. Additionally, creating a security protocol for all staff that uses computers in your business, both near and far, can also ensure you have the best possible defense. Increase Quality of Life Features While this has been mentioned a couple of times, some specifics to this are important to consider. When it comes to software, we all think of the programs installed on our computers, but people often forget that the Operating System is perhaps the most integral piece of software on our computers.

Operating System The Operating System (OS) that your computer has installed is what allows you to use both the hardware and software together to get tasks done. Although if you’ve neglected your OS for some time, you may find that updates have become infrequent and are focused more on fixing bugs rather than adding new features. An outdated OS can also limit what software you’re able to install, and older Operating Systems tend to be left behind after a few years. Upgraded Operating Systems also come with their new features which always aim to simplify navigating the UI and multitask to higher degrees. Beyond this, there are several more functions to keeping software updated that may be specific to your industry. If you have some familiarity with software and computers, a quick internet search can yield the benefits of the latest versions of both software and OS, otherwise contacting a provider of IT services Seattle or nearby can enlighten you about the potential benefits.