New PC builds are essential for keeping a client functioning. Whether you're replacing an old machine, or in an emergency situation and need a fast setup to avoid costly downtime, here's why having a partner to perform secure and efficient PC builds is so important.
For this article, we grabbed a few minutes with, Rod McElrath, one of our very busy project engineers. Rod handles many of the new PC builds and approved rebuilds for PTG.
After receiving the new PC, it is imaged using our build server which will put a base set of applications on the machine.
Once base apps are installed, Rod or one of the other project engineers, will install our network monitoring, as well as remote and security tools on the machine.
Ensuring the machine is up to date with Windows and all manufacturer updates is the next step before moving on to other software. These initial steps ensure that the PC adheres to basic security standards.
Next, the engineer focuses on daily usability. "I typically gather a list of software that is on their prior machine through one of our remote tools and ensure the list is still up to date. I go about signing users in and setting defaults to all applications and transfer the user’s data from old pc to new pc if necessary," Rod says.
Adding necessary printers and printer drivers, wireless keyboards and mice, scanners and whatever else is needed for the client to be productive is also added along the way. A good project engineer like Rod will be very thorough and systematic. The engineer has to think like the end user to make sure the PC is ready for work.
"I have the user go through and use the new PC as if they were working to ensure all the necessary tools for work are present and operational," Rod says.
Once the user signs off on operations, the process is complete.
-- PTG Project Engineer, Rod McElrath
"The details," says Rod, "Small things like setting the defaults, signing the user in to applications, or transferring their bookmarks from one machine to another." These little details help make the transition seamless for the user. "That’s how I define a successful build," Rod says.
The client's role is actually a fairly large one. The project engineer is doing the manual labor, but the majority of the time the actual plan for what is being executed comes directly from the client.
Communication between the project engineer and client is key to discovering any specific issues that need to be tackled.
Rod loves hearing the client's reaction to receiving their new PC. Many of the people Rod works with have been unable to work, or have been dealing with a very slow PC for some time. "You can hear the weight of one less problem to deal with being lifted off them," Rod says.
Everyone enjoys getting a new computer. Knowing you have a partner who can solve PC issues before they create costly downtime is a great advantage for any business to have.
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