Minimum Technology Standards
IT Pros Minimum Technology Standards
To ensure reliable, secure, and efficient IT support, all managed environments supported by IT Pros Pty Ltd and IT Pros Hosting Pty Ltd must meet the following minimum technology standards.
These standards help ensure systems remain secure, compatible with modern applications, fully supported by manufacturers, and suitable for proactive management and monitoring.
Failure to meet these standards may result in increased support costs, reduced service availability, or recommendations to upgrade affected systems.
End User Devices
All desktop computers, laptops, and workstations must meet the following minimum specifications:
| Requirement | Minimum Standard |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i5 (11th Generation or newer), AMD Ryzen 5 or Apple M1 |
| Memory | 16GB RAM |
| Storage | 256GB Solid State Drive (SSD) |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro or current supported macOS version |
| Security | TPM 2.0 enabled (where supported) |
Requirements
- Traditional mechanical hard drives (HDDs) are not supported for primary operating system storage.
- Devices must be capable of running current security and productivity software.
- Devices must remain supported by the operating system vendor.
Network Infrastructure
Business networks must utilise commercial-grade networking equipment capable of supporting modern security and performance requirements.
| Requirement | Minimum Standard |
|---|---|
| Firewall | Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) |
| Switching | Managed gigabit switches (1 Gbps minimum per port) supporting Power over Ethernet (PoE). |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) or newer |
| Power Protection | UPS (With active monitoring) for critical network infrastructure |
Requirements
- Consumer-grade routers and unmanaged network equipment are not recommended in managed environments.
- Consumer-grade hardware will involve extra support costs where applicable
- Firewall security licensing must remain active and current.
- Network equipment should be centrally managed and monitored where possible.
Server & Storage Infrastructure
Where on-premises infrastructure is required, the following standards apply:
| Requirement | Minimum Standard |
|---|---|
| Server Hardware | Enterprise-grade rack servers with dual redundant power supplies. |
| Power | Dedicated Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) with automated shutdown software and active monitoring. |
| Storage | RAID 6 or RAID 10 configuration for local data redundancy. |
| Connectivity | Dual 10GbE network interface cards or Redundant network connectivity |
| Backup | Managed and monitored backup solution with on-premises and cloud storage |
Requirements
- All business-critical data must be included in an approved backup solution.
- Servers must be maintained with current security updates and vendor support.
- Infrastructure must be sized appropriately for business requirements.
Lifecycle Management
Maintaining supported hardware is essential for security, reliability, and business continuity.
| Asset Type | Maximum Supported Lifecycle |
|---|---|
| Laptops & Desktops | 4 Years |
| Mobile Devices | 4 Years |
| Servers | 5 Years |
| Firewalls | 5 Years |
| Switches | 5 Years |
| Wireless Infrastructure | 5 Years |
Warranty Requirements
All critical infrastructure must be covered by an active manufacturer warranty and support agreement. Next Business Day (NBD) hardware replacement support is required for all production servers, networking equipment, and business-critical assets to ensure timely resolution of hardware failures and minimise downtime.
End of Life Equipment
Devices that have reached End of Life (EOL) or End of Support (EOS) status may not be eligible for full managed services support and may require replacement before additional services can be delivered.
Security Requirements
To receive managed services, customer environments must maintain the following minimum security controls:
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) enabled for all supported platforms and services.
- Supported Operating Systems that are actively maintained and supported by the vendor.
- Endpoint Protection on all company-owned devices, and any personal or third-party devices that access, store, process, or interact with company data, systems, applications, or services. Devices must be protected by an approved and actively managed Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solution.
- Patch Management to ensure operating systems, applications, and firmware are kept up to date with security updates.
- Email Security Protection to help prevent phishing, malware, and other email-borne threats.
- Device Encryption enabled on all business devices used to access or store company data.
- Administrative Access Controls to ensure privileged accounts are restricted, monitored, and protected.
- Managed Logging and Reporting to provide visibility, monitoring, auditing, and security incident investigation capabilities.
Support Eligibility
IT Pros reserves the right to recommend remediation or replacement of systems that do not meet these minimum standards.
Systems that fall below these standards may:
- Present increased cybersecurity risk
- Experience reduced performance and reliability
- Be unsupported by hardware or software vendors
- Require additional billable remediation work
Our goal is to ensure every client maintains a secure, reliable, and supportable technology environment.