Network: When to choose one, How to
choose one?
When do you need a company network? The standard
answer is, the day you buy a second computer.
A few years ago, it was easy. Fax machine in one
corner of the office, dial-up Internet machine
in the other, and a printer attached to the main
computer. However, as you grow, inefficiencies
start appearing.
Suddenly you're doing a large chunk of your business
communication by email, everyone wants the web
on the desktop and there's a queue forming by
the printer. The smart way to avoid the unnecessary
expense is to pool these resources. Hook up your
printers to a central server so everyone can share
them. It's just like printing to a normal printer,
but you don't need to have one each. You can attach
several printers at once. For example: a colour
laser printer for brochures or sales literature,
and a cheaper inkjet printer for invoices.
If you run your Internet connection through a
central server, everyone can use it to go online,
and you only need to pay for one connection. With
the prices of broadband connections dropping almost
by the month, it makes good financial sense to
invest in a fast connection, and share it among
all those who might need it.
If faxes are still part of your business, you
can replace your old fax machine with a fax-modem,
plugged into your server and shared like a printer.
You simply 'print' your Word document to the fax-modem,
and the conversion to fax happens automatically.
And the resulting faxes are generally of better
quality, because you're faxing a digital original,
rather than a scanned copy.
Receiving faxes is even easier. The server converts
incoming faxes into email messages, and sends
them straight to your email inbox as soon as they
arrive.
4a. Sharing resources: It makes more
business sense
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network.
It's a gateway for remote workers, providing authorised
users with access into a business network.
Once the domain of big business, VPNs have come
down in price and are now a realistic proposition
for small businesses. If you have telecommuters,
satellite offices or employees who travel, a VPN
can help your employees work much more effectively.
They're cheaper than ever before, robust and secure,
and could save you a packet on phone bills too.
So, do you need a VPN for your business? Here
are a few things to consider:
How sensitive is your company's data?
For most businesses, the answer is probably "very."
Most businesses have customer information and
records, financial records and company secrets
in their internal networks that merit the best
protection they can afford. On the other hand,
if your sensitive data is stored offline, and
you don't have anything online that you think
a hacker might be interested in, perhaps you don't
need a VPN
Do you have telecommuters, travelling
employees or other remote workers? The
benefits of a VPN are twofold: Not only do they
offer secure network access to those traveling
or working offsite, but they extend the corporate
network to those workers to make them feel a part
of your team
Do you have more than a few employees?
A VPN may be an expensive solution for a company
with fewer than five employees, unless they all
travel or work remotely. We suggest companies
with 10 or more employees are most likely to reap
the economies of scale that a VPN can offer. If
you've determined you do have a need, here are
five tips from analysts:
Not too little, not too much
A desktop PC can act as a server with the proper
software. However, this usually isn't a good solution.
An actual server is designed to be reliable.
If a part fails, it can often be replaced without
taking the server down.
Large corporations have dedicated servers. Individual
servers that perform a single action - Web hosting,
email, database management, and so on. This would
be too much for most small companies.
Most server operating systems have a small-business
version, which allows a single server to perform
many functions.
Learn the basics
Even if you are completely clueless about networks
and servers, force yourself to learn. It would
pay you back in the end.
What Does a Network Do?
A network is a group of interconnected computers
that allows you to more easily share information
and resources (such as printers) from one computer
to another. This helps you increase employee productivity
and reduce costs. For example, with a network,
multiple employees can access the Internet or
company email at the same time, or share the same
fax machine or other office equipment. A network
can help you save time and money, protect your
business data, and increase efficiencies in your
business.
The investment pays for itself quickly through
increased productivity.
Peer-to-Peer Networks
The most basic way to allow multiple users in
to share information or resources such as printers
and fax machines is to connect multiple computers
in a peer-to-peer network. A common method for
setting up a peer-to-peer network is to connect
computers running workgroup or client software
to a hub or to use a wireless access point.
While this is a simple, low-cost solution, peer-to-peer
networks are limited in what they can do. For
example, peer-to-peer networks have no centralized
security safeguards. Information and resources
are shared from each computer, and if one computer
shuts down, loses power, or loses data, no one
can access the information on that computer.
Peer-to-peer networks also tend to slow down
when more than five computers are connected.
Peer-to-peer networks are the most basic type
of network.
Client/Server Networks
In a client/server network, a single computer
(the server hardware) is used to store and manage
information and resources in a central location.
The designated computer is loaded with server
software that is designed to perform specific
tasks and provide specific services such as file
sharing, print processing, Internet connectivity
and email for each of the network's “clientâ€
computers. The clients in the client/server network
can be individual computers, printers, or other
remote devices.
Client/server networks provide tools and services
that can help your small business achieve dramatic
time and cost savings, revolutionizing the way
you do your work. For example, with a client/server
network you can use fewer printers and distribute
faxes electronically, which results in lower hardware
costs and increased productivity. The server can
back up information, which can save you time and
prevent data loss. Also, because the server acts
as a single access point, your Internet connection
can be monitored and controlled, which enhances
your network security. The computers in your business
may show markedly improved performance in a client/server
network because they don't have to perform functions
for other computers, such as storing large amounts
of data or running heavy software applications;
the server takes on all this heavy lifting. With
one centralized access point for information and
resources, users are not dependent on information
housed on each other's computers, as they are
in a peer-to-peer network. In addition, servers
can enhance the security of your business data
by providing controlled access to files and data
such as financial information, documents, and
business presentations.
Servers play a pivotal role in a network, providing
significant time and cost saving benefits.
With client/server networks, you can centralize
files and share printers and an Internet connection,
which can lead to greater productivity and cost
savings
Server Operating Systems
Most server operating systems control security
and allow you to decide the specific users, computers,
or devices that can access server resources, as
well as how they can use those resources. Server
operating systems also allow other server-specific
programs, or server applications, to run. For
example, a server can run line-of-business applications
such as accounting software that client computers
can access.
Server Applications
Applications are the software instructions that
execute a task or a specific set of tasks. Personal
computer applications perform tasks for the user
of the application. Server computer applications
can perform volumes of tasks simultaneously for
many users. At one time, only large companies
could afford servers because of the cost and complexity
of buying, maintaining, and administering them.
This is no longer the case. New technologies designed
specifically for small businesses provide solutions
at lower costs with simplified server administration
and maintenance. This means that any business
can take advantage of the benefits of servers
and client/server networking.
4b. What Servers Can Do for Your Business?
Now that you have some background on the components
of a client/ server network, you need to know
what a server can do for your business and what
benefits you gain from a client/server network.
Central Data Storage and Backup
Servers make it possible to use many server-based
business applications, such as accounting, business
planning, and contact management software, which
share a centralized database so that all employees
can work from the same information.
Shared Printing, Fax, and Internet Connections
With server technology, you can reduce the number
of printers and fax machines you need to efficiently
run your business. The server can be configured
to automatically route print jobs to your central
printer, and incoming faxes can be digitized and
delivered directly to each employee's computer.
A single, shared Internet connection eliminates
the need for various cable modems or DSL connections
and multiple configurations that require support.
Managing a single account is much simpler, and
server monitoring features let you track and control
employee Internet use. A server system can make
sharing your business assets across your network
quick and easy, and will ultimately help you save
money.
Security
Servers can enhance security by letting you control
the contact your employees and others have with
the Internet. Firewall technology helps control
Internet communication so that you can better
protect your business from unauthorized users
who try to access your company's computers through
the Internet. Some server systems have a built-in
firewall. In addition, you can install software
on your server that provides security settings
to let you establish different access levels for
different employees, vendors, or clients who access
your network. You must ensure that the server
in your business provides adequate protection
for your network.
Email and Calendars
While it is possible to outsource your email
to an Internet Service Provider (ISP), there are
significant advantages to hosting your own email
system. Having an in-house email system brings
an element of professionalism and sophistication
to your company communications while improving
efficiency. Hosting your own system allows you
to:
Create and remove addresses as needed. Personnel
changes won't require a call to your ISP.
Create multiple, custom email addresses such
as sales@janakidas.com, which can be delivered
to the appropriate person's email inbox or distributed
to a group of people.
Company Intranet
An intranet is a Web site that is accessible
only to authorized users within a network. A company
intranet typically contains shared business documents
such as contracts, product and price lists, budgets,
and marketing materials. Intranets can increase
employee productivity by giving your colleagues
and you the ability to store and easily access
files, applications, or internal information.
Intranets are a powerful way for employees to
work together.
Network Administration
Some server systems still require complex configuration
to run smoothly; others can be simple and cost
effective to administer. The use of an information
technology (IT) consultant may be advisable for
the initial setup, but with the right server system,
routine tasks such as adding a new employee's
computer or recovering lost documents are easy
for you to perform on your own.
Some servers can even produce regular reports
on the health of the network and system usage,
with automatic email alerts. Make sure your server
system gives you the information you need to identify
and solve problems quickly.
Upgrade as you grow
Server flexibility refers to how a system responds
and performs as the number of users grows. Flexibility
is one of the major strengths of the client/server
network, because you can simply add another server
when needed.
As you grow, upgrading to a more robust system
may be in order, and a good first server makes
upgrades smooth and easy. Because your data is
managed from a central location, adding new computers
and applications is a straightforward task. It's
a good idea to chalk out a strategy for managing
the growth of your business through the use of
technology.
Checklist
Important notes on networking and storage
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