How Mobile Apps are Changing the Way IT Pros Work

By Bertrand Hazard, Sr. Director, Business Strategy, SolarWinds Mobile Admin, and Christine Bentsen, Product Management Director, SolarWinds Systems Management.

Three in four IT professionals save time each week by using their smart phones or tablets to manage IT on the go. In fact, nearly all 184 IT pros SolarWinds surveyed recently said they use their mobile devices to do work after hours. Whether an IT pro needs to monitor his network from the ballpark, the beach or the comfort of his own living room, “going mobile” with IT management can improve an IT pro’s flexibility and increase job satisfaction.

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Five Ways Going Mobile Saves IT Pros Time
IT pros spend a heck of a lot of time sitting in front of a computer screen. What if they could take that screen, shrink it down to a tablet or phone, and take it with them? With mobile apps, IT pros can move freely and still be able to keep an eye on work if needed. An IT pro’s work is never done, but at least going mobile gives him the ability to detach himself from his desk and get out into the real world.
1.       Fix problems with the device that’s always on hand
Chances are, if people have mobile phones or tablets, they are with them nearly all the time. 95 percent of IT pros use their mobile devices to work after hours, indicating the simplicity that is having what one needs at his fingertips. Having the ability to work from a mobile device also allows the user to integrate his work and life schedules, so if he needs to check on something while his child is at the playground or he’s in a meeting, he can do that. He becomes the owner of his schedule when he’s freed from the desk.
2.       Work from wherever, whenever
Productivity tools such as mobile apps allow users to do work on their own terms, at their preference. With mobile apps, IT pros can acknowledge alerts, reset passwords, change mailbox settings, disable certain user permissions, restart and bounce machines, execute scripts from the command line, and delete users that are no longer employees, among other tasks.
3.       Turn any time into productive time
By turning idle time into productive time, IT pros can really use their time wisely. For example, during the time they are waiting in line at the grocery store, at the car wash, or wherever, they can check on things, do some routine tasks, and make sure all is well.
4.       Don’t wonder – know
IT pros may have to be on call 24/7. With mobile IT management, they can keep an eye on things so they can stop worrying, solve the issue if and when it arises, and focus on living life. Nearly 85 percent of IT pros have to respond to or acknowledge alerts after hours. Other top after-hours fixes are remote desktop support, administrative tasks and machine reboots. Managing these issues remotely allows an IT pro to stay on top of the issues and in the know.
5.       Address problems before they escalate
Handling issues immediately makes an IT pro look like an IT superhero. Before users notice, or the boss even knows there was a problem, issues can be vanquished. This proactive way of working is also much less stressful than receiving the dreaded phone call that a system is down, frustrating users and costing the company critical uptime for business success. With mobile IT management, IT pros don’t have to live that way.
Going mobile delivers vital productivity, peace of mind and general job satisfaction for IT pros. To find the right mobile app, simply ensure the tasks you do the most are available on your mobile device. As you learn the application or applications, you might find it brings a whole new dimension to your work and how you structure your time.