Systematically Increase IT-Security With Maintenance Software

The use of maintenance software would intuitively be recommended in the area of facility management. However, on closer inspection, software-based inventory management also fills a gap in the IT sector that has often caused compliance and security problems in the past. The vulnerability of an IT infrastructure is significantly related to its up-to-dateness. "Forgotten" hardware components can become a gateway into a company network that is actually well secured. The meticulous recording of software versions used, including patch levels, saves hectic reactions when critical security gaps become known.

To ensure that inventory management does not generate disproportionate effort, the maintenance software used must fulfil certain requirements. Timly has specialised in the holistic management of all assets used in the company. The software solution has been proving its practicality for years in companies, authorities and organisations of all kinds.

Timly's Maintenance Software - Market Leader With a Simple Concept

For a software to be successful in its field of application, it must be easy to use and solve problems instead of creating extra work. Timly sees itself as a holistic tool for all aspects of inventory. It can be used to manage machinery and equipment as well as assets such as virtual machines or software licences. The basis for flexible use is cloud-based storage. The provider takes care of DSGVO-compliant provision and administration. A fine-grained rights system ensures that employees only have access to data intended for them. The company network does not have to be opened for the use of the maintenance software. Nevertheless, employees in the field or in the home office also have access to the database.

Recorded assets are marked with a QR code. Afterwards, mobile barcode scanners can be used to call up a profile. The Timly mobile app further simplifies handling. When used on a smartphone or tablet, the integrated camera is sufficient for scanning QR codes. Any information can be stored in the profile of an asset. In addition to type designations and technical data, this includes documents, checklists and multimedia files. Container objects, to which sub-objects can be assigned, provide a better overview. For example, a physical server can contain various virtual machines on which operating systems and application programmes are installed. The same principle can be applied to a customer service vehicle, to which equipment and tools are permanently assigned. Employees have permanent access to all stored information via their smartphones and can add to or update data.

Maintenance Planning and Scheduling as a Key Element

The times when the work was done with the one-time setup of hardware components or technical systems are over. In addition to occupational health and safety regulations, which for example prescribe the so-called e-check according to the DSGVO, there are regular patch days for software and numerous maintenance/inspection tasks that occur again and again. Decentralised management is not expedient. Often it also makes sense to combine upcoming work on one date.

Timly's maintenance management provides a separate calendar for each item entered in its maintenance software. Appointments are thus clearly visible to the IT administrators. In addition, the maintenance software automatically sends notifications to the responsible persons if desired. External service providers can also be integrated. There is no danger that updates for installed hardware will be overlooked. Timly also keeps the focus on hardware and software assigned to employees in the home office.

Uniform Software Solutions Ensure Acceptance

Administrative tasks keep employees from their actual work and are often perceived as a nuisance. If different software solutions are used in parallel in the company, there is a risk of information loss at the interfaces. Timly is just as suitable for managing vehicles as it is for recording furniture. The maintenance software is used by customers from the skilled trades, but also by city administrations and DAX corporations. The universality in the area of inventory management software ensures that employees only have to deal with one software solution in this area. Questions that arise can be answered with the app on the smartphone. It is also possible to document work carried out in real time or to forward messages about defects. Experience has shown that this concept is perceived by users as making their work easier and promotes acceptance.

Maintenance and IT - An Advantage of the Holistic Approach

On desktop PCs, virus scanners provide a certain level of security. Updates of the operating systems are usually installed automatically. Therefore, attacks by cyber criminals often shift to peripheral devices. Well-known examples are attacks on network printers in companies that were vulnerable due to outdated firmware. VoIP telephony and fax machines are also targets of cybercriminals in practice. Another threat is posed by hardware-related attacks that target built-in components that are not subject to an automatic update process.

Automation and smart elements are components of Industry 4.0. Everyday objects and components in production are networked and interact with each other. Operational technology (OT) offers cybercriminals further points of attack. Maintenance is becoming a holistic task that no longer only serves the performance of machines and systems. Maintenance software helps to centrally coordinate assets used in the company and their maintenance. If security vulnerabilities become known, a query is enough to know where vulnerable components are installed.

Modern Maintenance Software: Switzerland as Home Base for Customers Throughout Europe

Timly is based in Zurich and, despite its distribution throughout Europe, has a special focus on customers in German-speaking countries. The servers used are hosted exclusively in Germany. The advantage of a local solution is that developers can keep an eye on local requirements. This includes authoritative standards such as DIN 31051 for maintenance in companies. In this way, the software supports compliance with regulations and documentation. This makes it easy to provide legally compliant evidence to authorities or manufacturers if the need arises.

Maintenance Software - Test First, Then Start

In the field of maintenance software, established solutions from various providers are available on the market. It is difficult to compare them objectively. In each case, the requirements of an individual company are decisive. Timly was originally developed to solve the challenge of inventory management for a medium-sized construction company and the administration of safety training for employees. The decision-makers retained this principle. The developers are in close contact with customers from different business sectors. At the same time, the flexibility from the start-up phase was retained in order to be able to react to demands on the maintenance software. Extensions such as a self-inventory function for devices located in the home office or the integration of IoT sensors are two examples of this. In addition to detailed advice, Timly also offers interested parties a free test phase of the full range of functions.