8 ways to help maintain your computer and devices at work

At work your computer and devices are part of a larger network. Keeping them running means you have to work closely with your corporate IT department. Working with them will save you time, save your company money, and help keep the network secure. This article includes tips and best practices for working with your corporate IT department to keep your computer and devices up-to-date and functioning properly.

Who owns the computer?

You use a computer at work, you may take it home, and you might even have a picture of your kids on the computer desktop. The computer, though, isn't yours. It's important to realize that your company owns that computer. They have the right to install patches and updates on a regular basis. By doing so, they can make sure your computer and the network run as smoothly as possible.

"It's common for IT departments to get complaints about patches being put on computers," said Jim DuBois, a general manager for IT at Microsoft. "But it is the best way for companies to make sure the network and computers remain secure."

To further protect their computers, many companies even prevent users from making changes to the settings or software installed on the computer. More...