Five things your IT provider should be able to tell you about your network

1. Exactly what you own, and how old it is

Every computer, server, firewall, switch, access point and NAS, with purchase date, warranty status and expected replacement year. If this takes more than a few minutes to produce, it isn't written down anywhere — it's being reconstructed.

This list is also what an insurer or auditor will ask for, usually at short notice.

2. When your backups last restored successfully

Not when they last ran. When a restore was last performed and verified. A specific date and what was recovered. 'They run nightly' answers a different, easier question.

3. Who has administrative access, and why

Which accounts hold admin rights across your network and Microsoft 365, including the provider's own accounts and any left behind by a previous one. Dormant admin accounts are among the most common ways a small business gets compromised.

4. What would stop the business, and for how long

If the main server failed this afternoon, what stops working, what's the plan, and how long until people are productive again? The answer should be a plan with steps and timings, not a reassurance.

5. What's coming up and what it will cost

Renewals, end-of-support dates, equipment approaching replacement, and capacity you're about to outgrow — for the next twelve months, with rough costs. This is the difference between budgeting and reacting.

What the answers tell you

Quick, specific answers mean your environment is documented and reviewed. Vague answers, or answers that depend on one particular technician being available, mean the knowledge lives in someone's head. That's fine until they're on leave, unwell, or working somewhere else.