Question 1

What should an IT maintenance checklist include?

Accepted Answer

At a minimum, it should cover backups and restore tests, security updates, user accounts, security alerts, devices and network equipment, licences, documentation and yearly planning.

A preventive maintenance checklist can also include routine tasks such as cleaning and, where relevant, lubrication, with requirements varying based on the components being maintained. The checklist above splits these into 5 weekly, 7 monthly and 8 yearly tasks, with more detail adapted to the systems being maintained.

Question 2

How often should a small business do IT maintenance?

Accepted Answer

Run quick health checks weekly, patching and account reviews monthly, and recovery tests, hardware reviews and planning yearly. Some tasks, such as access reviews, are better done every quarter if you can manage it.

Question 3

What is the difference between IT maintenance and IT support?

Accepted Answer

IT support responds when someone has a problem. IT maintenance is the planned work that stops many of those problems from happening, such as updates, backup checks and monitoring.

Question 4

Can IT maintenance be automated?

Accepted Answer

Much of it can. Automation often relies on antivirus software, patching tools, and monitoring platforms. Patch deployment, device monitoring and backup alerts can all run automatically. Software can track maintenance activities, but people still need to review exceptions and failures. A person still needs to review the results and act on failures, because an automated task that nobody checks is easy to forget.

Question 5

How much does IT maintenance cost for a small business?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your size and setup. XCD IT's managed IT and cybersecurity plans commonly range from AU$100 to $250 per user per month, and include ongoing monitoring and maintenance. Contact XCD IT for a quote based on your business.

Question 6

Is it safe to keep using Windows 10?

Accepted Answer

Windows 10 reached end of support on 14 October 2025, so it no longer receives regular security updates. Devices still running it should be upgraded to Windows 11 where the hardware allows, or covered by Extended Security Updates while you plan a replacement.

Question 7

What happens if I skip IT maintenance?

Accepted Answer

Small problems build up. Unsupported computers, missed updates, ignored alerts, failing backups, exposed software and ageing equipment can all go unnoticed until busy periods. The cost usually arrives as unplanned downtime or a security incident.

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