J.P. Schwartz Network Services
Building a Strong Foundation
Your computer network is the foundation on which your workstations operate. Much like the way a road supports cars, the network supports your computers. Your computers will operate most efficiently with good physical connections and wiring, adequate bandwidth, traffic prioritization and security, functional routing, alternate or redundant paths, and proper name resolution to diminish or eliminate wait time or lack of file access.
A Network Evaluation Helps to Define Your Current and Future Computing Needs
An evaluation of your existing network will establish a baseline for how much traffic and what kind of traffic your current business workload is producing. By evaluating the volume of traffic we can properly size the connections for optimum performance. By evaluating the type of traffic within your network we can establish your company’s need for data security, prioritization, and cut down on unneeded volume which may be critical to performance where data, fax, voice, and video may all be sharing the same physical wiring.
At the physical layer on your Local Area Network (LAN), we can evaluate whether there are errors in the CAT5 or CAT6 copper cabling, fiber runs, T1, DSL, Cable, Frame Relay or the Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) system. We have experience with many types of Wide Area Network (WAN) connections, Virtual Private Networks (VPN), and point-to-point or multi-site links. If your network is experiencing dropped packets, poor performance, or overloaded circuits and lines, the network specialists at J.P. Schwartz can help isolate and remedy the problem.
J.P. Schwartz can offer your business a range of workable solutions such as upgrading your connection speed, bonding lines together, removing or prioritizing traffic so that critical applications run at peak efficiency while non-time-sensitive traffic gets lower priority, compressing traffic, and designing a replication solution that moves data where it is needed to reduce user wait time.
Planning for Redundancy Prevents Work Stoppages
Once a basic evaluation is complete, we can evaluate your redundancy needs. If connections are critical to work productivity, we can make sure that every link and piece of hardware is redundant so that an equipment failure will not result in down time for you or your staff. The team at J.P. Schwartz can help you create a workable redundancy plan for routers, switching equipment, or multiple internet connections with Boarder Gateway Protocol (BGP) routing responsible for load balancing and failover.
Establishing a Converged Network Saves Money
Converged networks that support many types of data traffic can save your organization a lot of money. For example, by placing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) traffic on your data lines you can save telephone system costs, however, a poorly-planned VoIP system can result in poor quality phone calls. J.P. Schwartz can work with you to establish Quality of Service (QoS) prioritization so that your digital voice traffic is crystal clear. If you are ready to switch to a digital voice system, we can help you evaluate the many vendors and system protocols there are to choose from so that you get the most cost-effective solution without any sacrifice in phone call quality.
Data Security Begins at the Network
Security at the network level, while not a total solution, is a great place to start. Firewalls with Access Control Lists (ACLs) can prevent a host of problems, for both inbound and outbound traffic, right at the internet connection. Application proxies and filters can look at the traffic that is allowed through to make sure that there are no viruses, spam, or unwanted applications coming through your firewall. Filters are also good way to provide selective access to non-business-related web sites and for archiving digital communications, as required by regulation.
Outbound data can be encrypted and authenticated at the network level which offers many advantages over using your server or individual workstations for these purposes including ease of management, performance enhancement by having dedicated network hardware responsible for encryption, and the ability to use filters on any unencrypted data between the server and the encryption point.
Internal Network Security Can Save Your Critical Data
Your internal network needs some security of its own. Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) technology will separate computers on the internal network by degree of access allowed. Sales people with their traveling laptops that can pick up viruses while outside of the network should not have access to the same part of the network as your accounting group or other areas where private or critical business data is kept. VLAN technology and supplemental tools can make sure that non-company hardware or laptops that are used outside the company can be plugged into the network safely without any risk to other vital areas of the network.
What is Hindering Your Network Performance?
Name resolution, time synchronization, user authentication, and Domain Name System (DNS) issues can cause network performance problems or outright network failures. Even if the network is working and secure, each workstation must be able to access the files or data needed without extended wait times or connection errors. Windows operating systems in particular, starting with Windows 2000 and increasingly so through the new Windows Vista edition, rely heavily on name resolution to work together, which is often overlooked when considering network performance and design.
Wireless Networks Pose Security Risks Unless They are Configured Properly
J.P. Schwartz can secure your wireless network. New wireless security protocols work well. Unfortunately, even new equipment will support older, flawed wireless technology, so proper configuration of your wireless network is critical to data security.
Wireless networks are also subject to interference that is not easy to locate. The engineers at J.P. Schwartz are able to use spectrum analysis tools to identify sources of interference so that we can design a wireless network without interference whether you need only a single access point, building wide coverage, or links between buildings that can carry voice and data traffic.
Remote Network Users Have Specialized Requirements
Traveling users, remote offices, and temporary events all have their own unique network requirements. We can build your network so your users can access the data and technology services they need from anywhere, anytime.
We Design Scalable Networks to Meet Your Current and Future Needs
Your network should grow as your business grows. We design base networks to be scalable so that you can add on new technologies as you need them. This allows you to get what you need today and add on as you grow, rather than replacing your network hardware, or redesigning because of company size or technology changes.
Choose J.P. Schwartz for All of Your Network Needs
Our engineers and designers work regularly with all aspects of network design so that we can properly evaluate your current network to create a cost-effective future plan to accommodate your needs for reliability, security, and performance. Contact J.P. Schwartz today and we will evaluate your current network, suggest changes to improve reliability and performance, look for cost-saving alternatives to current equipment, and help you to plan for future business growth.
|
