Zen and the Art of IT Stability

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Attainment of IT stability may be likened to the path of Zen enlightenment. Achieving a Zen state of being is essentially finding peace within the moment. Unfortunately, talking about Zen is not actually finding Zen, which has become a millennia old paradox—the path to true Zen is impossible to teach, yet to achieve Zen, one must learn of it, therefore, there must be those to teach. A teacher may show you the way, but it is your decision to walk the path; not to stare at the finger pointing the way.

“All instruction is but a finger pointing to the moon; and those whose gaze is fixed upon the pointer will never see beyond. Even let him catch sight of the moon, and still, he cannot see its beauty.” —Zen Saying

Unlike Zen, we can actually talk about this path towards IT peace and freedom with certainty. The similarities between IT stability and Zen are surprisingly similar, and what results is something much more like art, and much less like the chaos we’ve come to expect from the modern technological world.

IT stability should be like the art of Zen—offering peace of mind in that it is so stable, solid and secure that you don’t have to think about it. It just is. It’s likely you’re reading this because you are searching for this exact thing: IT stability that gives you and your company a Zen peace of mind.

 

THE ART OF NO-THOUGHT IT

The desire is simple—peace of mind means not having IT problems. Unfortunately, this isn’t usually the case in many business settings. The IT department is vital to every company large and small, yet it can be the source of unexpected, negative surprises. This creates stress—peace of mind is not achieved when in a stressful state.

“If the problem has a solution, worrying is pointless, in the end the problem will be solved. If the problem has no solution, there is no reason to worry, because it can’t be solved.” —Zen Saying

Stop for a moment. Go back and read the above proverb again.

Good. Now think about what this means in relation to attaining IT stability. You must accept that while problems may occur, you must then know that there will also be solutions available to those problems. Understanding the roots of these problems will help you to find solutions faster, so let’s discuss the roots a bit.

 

SEEK THE CORE TO ALL THINGS AND YOU WILL FIND PEACE

IT problems and their solutions can be broken down into a few categories. All hardware, software, information management, security concerns, and recovery after a disaster situation fall under at least one of these categories. Your trusted IT management team understands these issues intimately and should have multiple solutions in place, should you experience any of these problems.

Best Practices
There are plenty of ways to use your hardware, software, network, servers, documentation and communication systems, but not all techniques are created equal. Expert IT management is more than just on top of the game—they are passionate about technology solutions, and therefore ahead of the game. The best solution 5 years ago is not likely to remain the best solution today. IT management must understand and integrate IT best practices into their model of operations.

Communication
Survival of a company depends upon the most effective communication within the company and between the company and its clients. Email, phone systems, internet and intranet functions must all operate at peak performance at all times.

Data Backup, Protection & Recovery

The reality of data loss cannot be dismissed—anything can happen. From natural disasters to hackers to disgruntled employees, no matter the cause, backup and recovery solutions that are always in place offer a priceless sense of security and peace.

Planning Ahead
No matter what your short- or long-term IT management goals may be, planning ahead for all scenarios anticipated and unseen is another vital service of an IT solutions package that will give you peace of mind. With all solutions, goals and budgets mapped out, you can leave worry behind and focus on the other important areas of your business and its growth.

Security
Hardware, software, network, and especially information security are always at risk—viruses, hackers and malware threats, to name just a few. Security measures and practices must be extremely flexible and evolve as quickly as the threats evolve. Catastrophic security breaches happen all too often, and the company that remains vigilant in security measures will likely be able to weather any storm.

Stability Awareness
IT management means proactive monitoring. This results in stability self-awareness. Think of your IT department as your company’s immune system—it identifies threats to the company, overcomes these threats and creates lasting stability. IT management that is proactive about monitoring, managing and maintaining a healthy system creates a sense of IT stability that allows you true peace of mind.

 

ZEN AND THE ART OF IT STABILITY

A solid IT management team understands that just like in life, problems are best solved with flexibility. For example, consider the oak tree versus a bamboo tree. The oak is tall, rigid and mighty, yet may be blown over by the wind. The bamboo however is supple, flexible and bends to the wind no matter how hard it blows. And when the winds cease, the bamboo returns to its original state of being as if nothing ever happened.

This is what good IT management can be likened to—strong, yet supple, flexible yet always returns to center. It’s IT stability so stable, solid and secure—you don’t even have to think about it.

“Though the bamboo forest is dense, water flows through it freely.” —Zen Saying

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