All the systems used by the business need to be fit for purpose and by this we mean they must be always reliable and available.
Traditionally we would have been concerned mainly about hardware reliability with an emphasis on replicated servers, redundant hardware and UPS devices to maintain power. While this is still important, we now additionally consider the reliability and resilience of hosted platforms where Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) as well as other provisions are placed.
We recommend using providers who provide the highest level of resilience and security and these are typically using enterprise-class technology located in Tier 3 data centres in multiple locations as well as conforming to the security and resilience standards ISO 27001 or ISO 22301.
Desktop and Notebook systems need to be properly maintained and updated so they are not exploited by Malware and damage the data they have access to. Printers and other ancillary peripherals may not be accessible by users in certain circumstances and alternative methods may be required.