When the IT guys say they're going to audit a computer, what does that mean?

Zeke · 10-11-2011, 05:02 PM

At work, my wife can work in Citrix or off line. But, she can't print directly to her printer, so it seems everything goes through the corporate server 3/4 of the country away. CA to AL.

What are they looking for? She thinks personal notes can be deleted. I say they know everything.

slodave · slodave's Garage

When I used to audit computers, I ran software that showed me CPU, RAM, HD make, space..., chipset, any attached hardware, modems, network cards, printers, installed programs, what files were currently in use.. Loads and loads of info, but I never saw personal info.

IT personnel have a lot of access to personal files and info. Discretion and trust really comes into play. I see a lot of personal info, so I have to keep things confidential.

masraum · 10-11-2011, 05:21 PM

IT folks can see just about everything, but they probably aren't looking for it.

Icemaster · Icemaster's Garage

Our audits mainly determined OS and firmware levels, hardware configurations, installed applications and their rev levels, attached peripherals etc. Mostly to determine what hardware was ready to be retired, refresh asset lists, and what applications were supported vs non-supported. The security audits we did were focused on making sure that firewall and AV software was up to date and functional.

By the time I got called by HR to provide FW logs or do a review of a PC, it wasn't called an "audit" anymore, and the target certainly didn't know it was coming...

jcunning · 10-11-2011, 05:30 PM

For my company, that means looking at all the software on the computer and verifying legal licenses for those products.

They really don't care about the actual data on the computer. They care more about the shared network drives and keep those monitored more closely.

Zeke · 10-11-2011, 05:37 PM

All very interesting, thanks. I'll forward the thread.

Shadetree930 · 10-12-2011, 04:57 AM

If they notified her, nothing to worry about. Just tech stuff.

Its the audit you will never get advance warning about that is the problem for most terminated employees. By then, the evidence is already on the HR desk.

svandamme · svandamme's Garage

It means we're looking for free porn

Zeke · 10-12-2011, 07:03 AM

Turns out her storage was way over due to pics. She has a responsibility for outside facilities like fencing and storm drains. Lots of pics of the outside including too many of ships at berth. And a few of pelicans on posts. They like posts. She also had a bunch of pics of the Long Beach Grand Prix.

She has been asked several times to forward pics of trains, ships etc for newsletters. I told her since the Port gave us tickets to the Grand Prix that it was for PR.

Anyway, she deleted 100's of pics. Or put them on a disc, I don't know.