Why should you shut your computer down at the end of the day?
Are you guilty of not properly shutting down your computer at the end of each day? There’s a reason why this drives your IT support team crazy! Read on to see why shutting down your computer when you’ve finished working is a vital step that shouldn’t be missed.
Saving Energy
Did you know that even in sleep mode, your computer is still consuming electricity? It’s estimated that a computer in sleep mode is using a varied 1-5 watts of power to maintain updates, network connections and internal processes.
A full shutdown ensures that power consumption ceases altogether, reducing overall energy usage. This means lower energy bills and a business that is kinder to the environment. Using less energy means conserving resources and lowering carbon emissions.
Improving Security
Leaving your computer in sleep mode leaves it vulnerable to cyberattacks like malware and hacking attempts. While in sleep mode your machine is left unattended and connected to the internet, leaving a backdoor for cyber criminals to infiltrate your device and wider network. When you shut down your computer, it prevents unauthorised and malicious access.
It also prevents unauthorised, physical access. Computers that are left on run the risk of being used by a person in your workspace without your knowledge. This can result in data breaches and put you at risk of jeopardising GDPR rules, especially if you are holding sensitive data.
Shutting down your computer and practicing good password hygiene can save you from these potential problems.
Extends The Life of Hardware
When a computer is left on, its hardware is in continuous operation. The toll on essential parts like cooling fans, hard drives and the Central Processing Unit (CPU) means they degrade faster due to an increase in heat and mechanical stress.
This is why we recommend shutting down your computer at frequent intervals to avoid the risk of overheating, component failure and regularly needing to replace parts.
System Maintenance
Shutting down your computer fully gives the operating system a fresh start. This allows the system to reset and clear out temporary data, prompt system updates, and free up memory (RAM)
This improves the speed of your computer along with its responsiveness. When running it accumulates temporary files and minor system errors that can impact the speed and operation of the device.
At shut-down, the operating system usually prompts its user to install software updates and patches. Allowing your computer to receive these updates improves the operating system and keeps you safe from cyberattacks that exploit software bugs.
IT recommendations from Softext
So next time you send your computer to sleep instead of shutting it down, please remember the advice listed above. As a managed IT service provider, we can’t emphasise enough how important it is to follow best practices when using IT equipment like computers and laptops.
Shutting down your PC keeps you safe from cyberattacks, improves the operating experience, and saves you money by not having to fork out for replacement parts on a regular basis.
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