As the year comes to a close, we at Farmhouse Networking want to ensure that your business technology is in optimal shape for a successful transition into the new year. We’ve put together a checklist to help you wrap up the year on a technologically high note.  Some of these items we will work on together, and others will be the responsibility of your team. 

Items we will work on together:

• Asset Inventory: We have recently conducted a thorough review of your technology assets, including hardware, software, and networking equipment. We updated your inventory list to account for any additions or retirements of assets throughout the year. You should be receiving an invite to our new system called Narmada which gives you constant access to our replacement recommendations.
• Password Security: Prompt your team to implement multi-factor authentication for critical systems and applications. This will help to enhance password security. This is not something that should be put off till later. Get it setup on every site possible. It can be made easier with a password manager. 
• Software Updates: We ensure that standard software applications, operating systems, and antivirus programs are up to date with the latest patches and updates. If you have industry specific software it would be a good time to check with them on the status of your support contract and if there are needed updates. 
• Data Backups: Verify that your data backup systems are functioning correctly. Test the restoration process to confirm that your business can recover essential data in the event of a disaster. If you don’t have backups in place now is the time to get this critical technology in place. 
• Security Assessment: Conduct a Security Risk Assessment to identify and address potential vulnerabilities. Ensure that your cybersecurity measures are up to date to protect against evolving threats. Many companies don’t realize that current compliance standards require this. 
• Employee Training: Provide cybersecurity training to employees to reinforce best practices and raise awareness about potential threats. This should be mandated by your team’s management.

Items you should work on with your team:

• Subscription Reviews: Review and audit all software and service subscriptions to ensure they align with your business needs. Cancel any unnecessary subscriptions to optimize costs.
• Budget Review: Evaluate your technology budget for the year and identify any areas where adjustments may be needed for the upcoming year.
• Technology Roadmap: Develop or update your technology roadmap for the coming year, aligning it with your business goals and objectives.
• Compliance Check: Ensure that your technology practices comply with industry regulations and standards applicable to your business.
• Communication Plan: Communicate any upcoming changes or upgrades to your team to ensure a smooth transition without disruptions.
• Policies & Procedures: Review current documentation to make sure that it includes all needed items like disaster recovery, incident response, computer use, BYOD, and AI usage. 

Once you have determined some of your goals and budget, we should meet to discuss the implementation plan for any changes. We will be contacting you in February to setup our next Semi-Annual Business Review (SABR) meetings to discuss this years plan. 

If you have any questions or need assistance with any of these items, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team. We’re here to help you navigate the year-end process and ensure a seamless start to the new year.