If you are someone who is not quite familiar with networks, cables and servers, how it works and why it’s a big component for a business to succeed, read on…
More often than not, we find regular businessmen running their company and managers overseeing their department not being exceptionally savvy when it comes to understanding the role of a good solid network architecture behind the success of any business operation. There’s nothing wrong with this scenario, especially if you have your own IT department taking care of this. But this information can be handy if you happen to be thinking about your own lack of knowledge on this area and want to learn more or, when you want to re-think your system needs at this moment.
You are not alone when you find yourself thinking “I am not an IT person. I don’t speak their lingo and I guess, I never will (unless I go get myself a diploma or a rather intense hands-on training with an IT guru)”. Needless to say, the galaxy where wires, routers, servers, cages, racks, invisible connections and anything virtual collide– is something you can’t even begin to comprehend… and in your mind, it is exactly that, a galaxy far, far away.
Whether you’re a small business, a medium-sized enterprise or a large organization, proper management is a key ingredient in solidifying your business pursuits. However, as it is important to manage your day to day operations, it is equally important to recognize the significance of your network system and its purpose and direct relationship to your business.
To make it simpler, let’s compare your business to a car. As the driver, you know that in order to make it run, you need to step on the gas pedal and control the speed. If you want to turn, stir the wheel. If you don’t want a collision, hit the breaks. When the car in front of you is slow, either you switch lanes or drive slower. When you’re out of gas, put some in. Same goes for your business, whether you are the owner, the manager or a proactive employee, the responsibility of overseeing its daily operation falls on your shoulders. Decisions over who will handle a project, which vendors to use and which companies to partner with; formulating strategies for your marketing campaign, implementing them, assessing the structure of your budget allocation, managing your website—these are just some of the things you have to deal with when running a business. Nevertheless, these are only the “front-end” activities, and as important as it is since we spend most of our working hours implementing them, it is equally important to give the “back-end” operators (that makes it possible for your “front-end” activities to happen) the TLC it needs.
Given that your car is your business, you may compare your car’s engine to the hardware you use every day (computers, servers, routers, etc.), your software, and the network working oh so very hard to connect, configure, channel, process, monitor and maintain all the information you feed and log into your system. Periodically, the need for an oil change and tune up arises. These are routines that you just cannot skip to ensure and assure you that your car is in good shape.
Same goes for your business. It is highly essential to properly manage and maintain the network and secure all the programs, software, and systems that sit on it. These are the tools that power your daily operation, that translate your ideas into tangible solutions and transform your plans into implemented protocols and programs.
Some basics you might want to get familiar with:
- A network is a collection of computers and devices connected by communications channels that facilitates communications among users and allows users to share resources with other users. In short, it allows sharing of resources and information among devices connected to the network. It facilitates communications – which makes it possible for people in your organization communicate easily and efficiently via e-mail, instant messaging, chats, telephone, video telephone calls and video conferencing; sharing (hardware, software, information, files and data)—this makes it possible for different computers have access to other hardware, applications and data on that same network.
- Your server is that computer system inside your network room or a data center that renders necessary and essential services across a network. It’s basically a repository for all your data, application, files, games, etc., and is dedicated to run specific types of functionality: web servers, database servers, print servers, etc. which needs to be housed in “special rooms” that can handle the heat and noise of these babies and have a stable power supply, internet access and security.
- A router is a device that interconnects two or more computer networks whose main tasks are routing and forwarding information.
- An IP address is like an ID assigned to a device in a computer network that uses the internet for communication. It’s main purpose: host identification and location addressing.
- Common network problems includes connectivity problems (occurs when there is a malfunction in the router, switch or hubs), excessive collisions (occurs when your network is badly set up… slower connectivity), duplicate IP addressing (occurs when two machines use the same IP address), and software issues (occurs when your software configuration is problematic).
In a nutshell, a well-maintained car will get you wherever you want to go and in the business world, if you want to grow and reach your goals, or exceed it, you have to secure a good environment for your network and find the right people who will take charge and guarantee its uninterrupted and proactive operation.
The next question is, who will manage and maintain your network? Having recognized the tremendous significance of these “back-end” operators, how do you decide on whom to trust… enough to give them access by handing over the keys to your business’ “engine”? If your car is your business, do you bring it to a mom and pops shop in the corner nearest you, to a “15-minute oil change” shop, or a dealership that knows your car’s unique needs? The decision is up to you, but it is vital to understand that poor network architecture and management leads to poor systems operation which is equal to major operational interruptions. Quality matters. Choose wisely.
Info 2 Extreme, Inc. offers Network Management Services and Network as a Service (NaaS). Apart from these, we also have a product called I2X Netwatch, a comprehensive platform that proactively monitor, manage, notify and mitigate problems on your network. I2X delivers excellent service and a highly professional approach and methodology which can only come from over 15 years of experience and expertise.
A successful business is also driven by a great and effective network. If you want your business to run smoothly and effectively, you have to ensure its proper management.
Who wants to drive or get into a car that stalls all the time anyway?
-Khristine Salvador
Security measures are continuously developed for every language version. The newer the version, the tighter the security. So if your website has not been upgraded in a while, the risk of security breach is higher. Websites developed in older technologies such as ASP classic and HTML are more susceptible to hacking:
Who wants a slow loading website? Getting business through your website means making the process of exploring your site as quick, as informative and as efficient as it can be for your visitor.
