What’s the Big Deal If…
I leave my computer on all night OR I shut it right off at the end of the day?
I leave my computer on all night OR I shut it right off at the end of the day?
PDF Version (PDF, 289 KB)
Why it is a big deal
- Software upgrades and important security patches are happening at night while you sleep
- These won’t happen if equipment is shut down or just identified as ‘away’
- Software upgrades allow employees to have the best that technology has to offer in ESDC
- Security patches include anti-virus updates and scans to ensure the safety of the ESDC electronic network and all of the information on it
Scenario
You’re preparing to leave on a 3-week vacation. You want to be as “green” as possible and conserve energy, so you think about powering off your computer. What should you do?
Possible actions (vote on the correct answer)
- Option 1: Lock your computer (Ctrl-Alt-Del-Enter)
- Option 2: Restart (Start-Shut Down-Restart-Ok)
- Option 3: Power down (Start-Shut Down-Ok)
Explanation
- Option 2 is the correct answer
- If you’re concerned about the being green and not wasting energy, technologies are being investigated so that in the future, you will be able to power off your machine at night
Key take-aways
- You must follow the proper procedure of “Start-Shut Down-Restart-OK” every night
- Even on Fridays and even on the last day before a vacation!
- Not having the most recent software updates, anti-virus programs, and security patches leaves your computer vulnerable to attack
- If you work offsite, do not shut down or restart. You must only log off, in order to keep your VPN connection alive to allow for patches and software updates