By Joshua Feinberg

When targeting the sweet spot small businesses, IT consultants should know the company will desire someone with strong hardware skills. As an IT consultant, you should know about RAID and multi-port communications adapters.

Background Needed

IT consultants targeting sweet spot small businesses should be comfortable with storage-attached networks, network-attached storage, basic mid-range data back up systems, DAT, DL2, UPS’s, power protection devices, routers, CSU’s, VSU’s, advance wi-fi hardware, and things that support roaming and management.

Knowing the Systems

The bigger part of supporting sweet spot small businesses effectively deals with networking software. An IT consultant targeting these businesses should know the software and have strong networking skills.

In addition to this, you need to be extremely familiar with the server OS’s. That’s a big part of what they’re hiring you for; the networking design, installation and ongoing support and maintenance.

Know What They’re Using

IT consultants should be familiar with Microsoft Windows server, Microsoft Small Business server, Novell Netware, Novell Small Business Suite and Red Hat. Also, client server messaging is huge, so platforms like Microsoft Exchange server and Novell GroupWise may be widely used in this environment.

Client server accounting applications start to become big in this environment. Additionally, CRM applications, web servers like Microsoft IS, and Apache are often utilized by these small businesses.

Other Tools

IT consultants, targeting this environment, should be familiar with web authoring tools like Microsoft Front Page and Macromedia Dream Weaver. An IT consultant serving small businesses using Windows should be comfortable with terminal services. Network faxing, performance monitoring, virtual private networking, BPM’s and RAX are pretty important as well.

IT consultants dealing with small businesses should be comfortable with advanced virus protection. You should also be very familiar with security, like intrusion detection and firewalls.

The Bottom Line about IT Consultants

To support sweet spot small businesses effectively, IT consultants should be familiar with at least 25 to 50% of the things mentioned above. It is recommended that you have a minimum of 50% of the above skills to effectively support these small businesses.

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