System Design Solution

Ten Signs That You Need a Network Assessment, Scale Up Your Operations Before It's Too Late
By: Sarah Pierce (12/30/2009)

If you’re a small or medium business owner with more than one computer, it’s time to consider investing in a server. A server will keep your data secure and organized and will help you run your business more efficiently and professionally. If you’ve reached one of the 10 thresholds below, a server could do your business a world of good:

1. You Have More Than Two Business Computers
The bottom line is, if you need two or more computers in your business, then it’s time for a server. By storing and organizing data in a core location, you’ll be able to access and share files easily and manage business information more efficiently.
2. You Have More Than One Employee
A server enables your employees to share software tools and access company databases on-site and off-site. As your business grows, you’ll be able to better manage additional computers and software applications and better control which employees and devices have access to certain information.
3. Your Customers Think Your Business Is Owned by Go Daddy
If you’re still using a Web site hosting company like Go Daddy®, then it’s time to upgrade to your own server. Hosting your own Web site and email system presents a more professional image and enables you to conduct business more easily by consolidating email accounts.
4. You or Your Employees Conduct Business Outside the Office
If you work from home, travel frequently or have a mobile workforce, a server will allow you and your employees to remotely connect to your company network and access information and resources no matter where you are.
5. You’re Tripping Over Cords
If you have two or more computers that share access to peripherals, such as printers and fax machines, it’s time for a server. Not only will a server help you eliminate the mess of excess cords, it'll also help you save the cost of buying them.
6. You Can Never Find That Master Document When You Need It
If you share documents between multiple computers, you run the risk of losing important files and of having multiple versions of vital documents. A server will help you manage your files and provide a centralized location for you to store and organize important documents, so that you always have access to what you need, when you need it.
7. Your PCs Are Old and Grumpy
Whether you want to replace your old PCs or help them function better, a server can help you. A server makes the migration of files from an old PC to a new one a cinch, and freeing up memory and storage offers a welcome break to older PCs that are loaded down with data.
8. Your Computer Crashed and You Lost Critical Data
If you have valuable files and data that can’t be replaced, a server will help protect them from loss and corruption. You’ll be able to back up information easily and restore files that were accidentally deleted or misplaced. You’ll almost never have to worry about a crashed hard drive wiping out your system again.
9. You Want to Protect Information from Unauthorized Users
A server will allow you to restrict access to sensitive information, such as financial records and personnel information, by storing it away from prying eyes. It will also allow you to better manage firewalls and virus protection, especially when you have a mobile workforce.
10. You Want to Improve Communication with Employees and Customers
A server enables you to easily add platforms — such as customer relationship management (CRM) software and accounting programs — which allow you to schedule group meetings, share information, and manage clients and vendors. It also allows your employees to send group emails and faxes, and organize customer contacts and customer data in one location.

DKL Consulting Computer Network Assessment Solution

Network Design and Management Overview

A computer network is a grouping of two or more computers to share data, applications, and networked peripherals such as printers. Employees at all but the tiniest companies depend on the network to conduct their daily tasks. Local area networks (LANs) link computers in the same building via wires, while wide area networks (WANs) connect geographically dispersed computers by radio wave or telephone line (Frame Relay WANs use the latter). Many companies are also implementing wireless LANs (WLANs) to give employees and customers the flexibility of working in conference rooms and common areas without being tethered to a desk.

Much like buildings, networks must be designed before they can be built. The network design specifies the network infrastructure, including:

1. Common network topologies include a star, a bus, and a ring.
2. protocol determines how the computer sends and receives messages and what type of data compression is used. Ethernet is one of the most popular protocols, supporting data-transfer rates of up to 10 megabits per second.
3. which each computer or node on the network has equal capabilities) and client/server (in which one node, the server, is more powerful and manages network functions for the client, or PC, devices).

The network architect must utilize the right mix of technology to provide adequate network bandwidth for the network users' needs. Network bandwidth is the amount of data that can be transmitted on a network in a particular amount of time. Video- and graphic-intensive applications require higher bandwidth than simple text-based programs. Bandwidth management software helps identify and alleviate network bottlenecks. Network administrators also use load balancing to allocate network bandwidth to compute-intensive applications so they won't bring down overall network performance.

Many companies are choosing to install fiber-optic cables to transmit data on their network as fiber optic technology is capable of much higher data throughput than conventional metal cables.

Another critical network feature is fault tolerance, which is the network's ability to recover from an unexpected failure. Since a company's revenue and reputation often ride on its network, many companies employ multiple layers of fault tolerance. These range from a backup power source in case of an electrical power outage to mirroring the data from one server onto another server that will automatically take over ("fail over") in case of failure. Network clusters are also used to prevent unexpected data loss.

With the network design and installation complete, the focus shifts to network management and maintenance. Network administrators must ensure the network operates reliably, that its performance or speed is adequate, and that it is secure from unwanted intrusion. With the advice of internal or external security professionals, network administrators use techniques and technology, including firewalls and user authentication, to ensure data stored on a computer on the network cannot be read without proper authorization.

DKL Consulting Computer Network Assessment Solution

Network Design and Management First Steps

Most large companies have established computer networks. Few companies would willingly throw out their existing computer network to create a new computer network. Instead, they typically add new technology, such as wireless LAN (WLAN), to existing networks, where it makes sense. Smaller companies and new companies, however, often face the prospect of designing and implementing a new computer network from the ground up. This is sometimes called a Greenfield installation.

The first step is to do a high-level network design. The company may use an internal network architect or hire an outside consultant (DKL Consulting) for this purpose. The network architect chooses the network topology, network protocol, and network protocol best suited to the network users' needs. The network architecture must also provide for fault tolerance and redundancy (via clustering, mirroring or other techniques), so no data will be lost in the event of a network failure.

With the design complete, the company would purchase and install the hardware and software contained in the network design. The task of managing the network then falls to the network administrator or administrators, who are charged with ensuring the network is available, performs well, and is secure from unauthorized users (whether inside or outside the organization). Network administrators use a variety of network management software and tools to do their jobs.

A network monitoring application is one form of network management software. This software "watches" network traffic, compares it with various measures of network health, and warns if the network is about to go down. If one network circuit is becoming overloaded, for example, the network monitoring software would automatically send an alert (such as an email or page) to the network administrator, who would then take action. Most network monitoring tools present consolidated information on a console resembling the cockpit of an airplane so the network administrator can judge at a glance how the network is faring. Remote network management software gives the network administrator remote access to the network management tool so he can see how things are going - from home, for example - and even fix problems that arise.

Network performance management software reports on network quality of service (QoS) metrics such as sub-standard application performance and conformance with applicable service level agreements. This type of tool analyzes past network performance and proactively suggests ways to avoid problems in the future.

Network security is of increasing importance given the burgeoning number of attacks on computer data, including viruses and worms. Many companies have a separate computer security department or designate one network administrator to focus on security. The network security specialist uses an arsenal of software tools to help protect network data. For example, intrusion detection systems sit on the network perimeter and analyze traffic patterns for signs of attack. These widely deployed systems often result in more paper printouts than the security person could possibly hope to absorb. Intrusion prevention systems are a newer addition. While intrusion detection points out possible attacks after they have occurred, intrusion prevention technology attempts to identify unwanted types of traffic and preventing them from getting on the network in the first place.

DKL Consulting Computer Network Assessment Solution
* Glossary

Don Bonnenfant please feel free to contact me if you would like more info. don@dklconsulting.ca