How a Computer Consultant can help you

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Get an expert to help with your problem

The key to employing a consultant, in any field, is to appreciate the value of time and the price of mistakes.  The more you delay, the worse the problem will get.  So, seek independent advice from an expert.

Consultant Topics

• Six reasons forhiring a consultant
• What a consultant canbring to your organisation
• Specialist networkadvice from an expert
• AConsultancy example:- Network ‘health check’
• Do you want to be a top consultant?

Six reasons forhiring a consultant

There will be times when you can not do the work yourself.�The crucial advantage your consultant has is that they have seenthe problem before and know the short cuts.� So avoid the pitfalls and call for someone with experience.� Hereare situations where a consultant will save you time:-

1. To give advice before you start a project.�E.g. install Active Directory
2. To to upgrade the existing system. E.g.migration to Exchange 2000.
3. A critical system will not work and you need help.
4. You need to fix a problem – quickly. E.g.Disaster recovery.
5. You need an extra pair of expert hands.�
6. You need an expert witness to settle a dispute

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What a consultant canbring to an organisation

People often think there is only one way of doing things – theway their organisation has always done a particular task.� Anindependent consultant will open your mind to new ways and newideas.

• Practical know-how of the system in question.
• Detective skills gained from solving a similar problem.
• Speed in diagnosing the problem.
• Knowledge of where to look for the answers.
• Extra resources, specialist tools and those preciouscommodities – time and focus.

Specialist networkadvice

These are areas where you could bring in an expert.

• Planning Active Directory or Migrating from NT 4.0 to WindowsXP.
• Implementing new systems. e.g. Windows 2000 Active Directory.
• Troubleshooting network connectivity problems. Tracingintermittent problems.
• Health checks for your network.� Getting the most out of yourcomputers.
• Clearing up problems caused when previous staff leave.

Consultancyexample:�Server and network’Health check’

Seven points check list:-

• Processor – CPU Usage
• Available memory
• Application (Process) usage
• Network utilisation
• Disk performance
• Network connectivity – DNS and WINS
• Event Log – Diagnosing and eliminating�errors

An example of a summary with recommendations

Project Brief: To improve network response.� To isolate the bottleneck and produce cost effective solutions.

Processor and Disk are fine, no bottlenecks.� Memory paging isexcessive, and the available memory is critically low.� I suggestyou upgrade the RAM from 128 to 512MB.� Network utilisation ishigh in the mornings, averaging 25% for several hours.� As asolution, consider segmenting the two floors to improve networkperformance.

Propose moving Lotus Domino from the Domain controller to itsown server.� However this may be overtaken by events if theproposed migration to Exchange goes ahead.

Event Log indicates Backup is not working some nights, checkthe tape drives.� DNS errors indicate that there is an error inthe root domain configuration.� Suggest you set up a timeserveron the network.