News and Insights – December 2018

Digital Clean-Up: Preparing Your Business for a Fresh IT Start in 2019

As the year winds down, December is the ideal month for digital clean-up—a moment to reflect, declutter, and prepare your systems for a secure and streamlined 2019. Whether you're a small retail shop or a mid-sized logistics firm in Argentina, a fresh IT start can enhance productivity and reduce risk.

1. Audit User Accounts and Access

Check your user lists across systems. Disable or remove inactive accounts, especially those of former employees or unused vendors. Review permission levels—does everyone still need the access they have?

2. Remove Obsolete Software and Licenses

Unused software clutters your environment and may pose security risks. Uninstall legacy apps and review your license usage. Are you paying for tools you no longer use?

3. Back Up What Matters—Then Test

Now is the time to validate your backups. Confirm they are up to date, stored securely (cloud or offsite), and can be restored in case of emergency.

4. Update and Patch All Systems

Before heading into the holidays, patch operating systems, firewalls, firmware, and applications. This helps defend against the latest exploits and vulnerabilities.

5. Archive Email and Clean Up Storage

Email quotas, shared drives, and cloud storage often fill with redundant or outdated files. Archive what you must, delete what you don't need, and organize what remains.

6. Review Vendor and IT Service Contracts

December is a good time to assess performance and renew—or renegotiate—contracts. Is your IT provider delivering value? Are your service level agreements still appropriate?

We’ve prepared a simple Digital Clean-Up Checklist to guide you through these steps. Here is the checklist.