Delegated IT for a Design & Marketing Firm

by

Note on privacy: Client identifiers and sensitive details have been anonymised/redacted.

Client context

  • Size & sector: SME creative studio (design & marketing), multi‑department, time‑bound production.
  • Environment: On‑premises file servers (large assets), a Terminal Server (TSE / Windows Remote Desktop Services), Windows Server 2008 R2 (legacy), Windows workstations, standard LAN.
  • Constraints: No full‑time internal IT, limited maintenance windows, preference for discreet on‑site presence, predictable costs.

Challenges & risks (nothing extraordinary, typical SME profile)

  • Silent failures: Backups appearing “green” while restores are untested.
  • Capacity drift: Disks filling on file servers due to large creative assets.
  • Legacy platform: Windows Server 2008 R2 increases operational/security risk over time.
  • Ad‑hoc moves: Unplanned desk, printer or small equipment moves can break mappings and shares.
  • Ticket sprawl: Small issues left to pile up, distracting staff from production work.

Approach (delegated IT, monthly cadence)

Objective: Keep the environment stable and unobtrusive through predictable, people‑first routines.

  1. Health checks (servers & backups)
    • Review event logs, storage, services; verify backup status and perform targeted test restores.
  2. Workstations & network
    • Spot‑check performance, updates and AV; verify DHCP/DNS health; resolve minor LAN issues.
  3. File server care
    • Maintain shares and permissions; clean‑up and archive guidance for large assets; capacity planning.
  4. Ticket handling
    • Work through the shared ticket list; close items with brief notes users can understand.
  5. User support
    • Be available for routine or urgent issues; keep sessions discreet to avoid disrupting the studio.
  6. Planned equipment moves (extra planning)
    • Prepare full relocations (servers, desks, printers, switches) in advance: label, map dependencies, schedule a short change window, and verify after the move.

For SMEs, this is a lightweight but structured support model—see Delegated IT leadership for how the service scales.

Outcomes

  • Very few support tickets month to month, with issues resolved before they escalated.
  • Stable production: Staff rarely noticed IT interventions; studio timelines remained protected.
  • Improved data safety: Verified backups and periodic test restores increased confidence.
  • Predictable care: Regular cadence prevented capacity surprises and mapping breakages after moves.

What SMEs can reuse (checklist)

  • Maintain a monthly health‑check runbook (servers, backups, restores, event logs).
  • Keep a simple shared ticket list with owner, due date, and a short resolution note.
  • Plan equipment moves: label, note dependencies (shares, printers, VLAN/ports), book a change window.
  • Test a small restore each month from your backup, not just status checks.
  • Track disk capacity trends on file servers; archive large assets regularly.
  • Schedule quarterly “quiet hour” to patch and reboot critical systems with notice to staff.

Gotchas & limits

  • Legacy OS (Windows Server 2008 R2) raises security and support risks; plan an upgrade path.
  • Ad‑hoc changes outside the monthly visit can reintroduce noise; a simple change note helps.
  • Terminal Server (TSE) can become a single point of failure; validate backups and a basic recovery plan.

Next steps

Want reliable, low‑noise IT without a full‑time hire?

→ Book a short scoping call