Why Network is n Essentil Productivity Tool for Any Smll Business TechAdvisory.org SME Reports sponsored by Effective technology is essentil for smll businesses looking to increse their productivity. Computer networks cn help businesses like yours sty competitive by incresing the efficiency of opertions nd reducing hrdwre costs. Even simple networks mke shring informtion nd resources esier, provide better security, nd enble qulity bckup fcilities. Why Network is Essentil for Your Smll Business Full City Tech is your prtner in providing trustworthy Computer Support tht will increse the productivity nd profitbility of your business. With well-plnned Network Services custom-fit to your business, you ll never hve to worry bout technology gin. Our stff of outstnding technicl personnel re committed to providing hnds-on services tht will solve your problems nd help you complete your projects on time nd below budget. We continuously monitor nd mintin our IT mngement so you cn gin the benefits of stress-free technology nd hve the Computer One of the primry chllenges smll business owners fce is employing the right technology to sustin growth. However, getting the most out of this technology investment is often big chllenge for smll businesses. For exmple, your business my hve strted with single computer nd printer, but s it hs grown you hve dded more PCs nd other equipment. As result, the demnd for printers nd other hrdwre devices hs incresed, nd shring hs become problemtic. Rther thn purchsing seprte hrdwre peripherls for ech computer, you might consider setting up computer network, which provides n idel solution for single printer to be shred mong few computers. Computer networking is essentil too s your business grows. With more thn one computer, network cn fcilitte smoother opertions. In fct, network cn become the foundtion for productive nd secure opertions. Support tht cn propel your business to higher success tody. 1
Wht is Network? A network is system contining ny combintion of computers, printers, dt storge, udio or visul disply devices, or telephones, interconnected by cbles or Wi-Fi nd used to trnsmit or receive informtion. Two Types of Networks: Peer-to-Peer nd Client/Server Networking A peer-to-peer network is the most bsic type of network tht llows multiple users to shre informtion or resources, such s printers nd scnners. Ech computer is connected directly to other computers, ll treted s equl on the network with the sme responsibilities nd roles. Ech computer cn shre resources or informtion with ny other computer on the network without centrlized computer or server. Figure 1: Peer to Peer Network 2
Client/Server Networking In client/server network, ll computers re connected to centrlized computer or server tht mnges the entire network nd stores shred informtion in one centrl loction. Servers re centrl dt store nd run with specific softwre designed to mnge the network. The clients in the network cn be n individul computer, printer, scnner, or ny other device. The server softwre performs specific tsks such s file shring, printer shring, connecting multiple users to the Internet, or sending nd receiving emils for ech of the network s clients. Furthermore, modern servers llow for cloud computing, mking them n even more convenient choice to stremline your business processes nd enhnce employee collbortion. Figure 2: Client/Server Network 3
Peer-to-Peer vs. Client/Server Network While both of these networks serve the sme purpose of llowing multiple users to shre nd exchnge informtion nd resources, their functions nd benefits differ widely. Peer-to-peer networks re simple to configure, esy to instll, nd certinly low-cost solution, but they re firly limited in the functions they cn perform. They offer no centrlized storge loction since informtion nd resources re shred from one computer to nother. In the event one computer shuts down, other computers cnnot ccess its stored dt. One mjor downside of this type of network is the fct tht it is reltively insecure, since peer-to-peer networks hve no centrlized security sfegurds. Another shortcoming is tht once this network hs five or so PCs connected it cn slow down. A client/server network cn mrkedly improve business performnce s result of the different functions it cn perform. The server cn bck up informtion, sving time nd preventing dt loss, s well s provide informtion security. Since the server cts s single centrlized unit for the whole network, Internet connections cn be esily monitored nd controlled. Another dvntge is computer performnce improvement nd speed s result of not storing lrge mounts of dt for other computers. Moreover, client/server networks hve single point of ccess for the entire network so users do not depend on ech other s computers s they do in peer-to-peer network. Servers lso increse the security of vitl dt like finncil informtion by llowing controlled ccess to different users. If smll business hs more thn five computers, centrlizing the network on server ffords it tools nd services tht cn led to impressive time nd cost svings. 4
6 Wys Network Cn Influence Your Smll Business Performnce Collbortion: Networks mke it esier for employees to shre nd exchnge informtion. They lso provide ccess to vriety of tools by which employees cn communicte with ech other. Collbortion fetures llow multiple users to contribute to single document which is not possible with individul computers. File shring: A network mkes it possible to ccess file stored on nother computer. Multiple users cn shre the sme file which elimintes the need for creting nd mnging multiple versions. Printer shring: Connected through network, severl computers cn shre the sme printer. As result, there is no need to purchse nd connect seprte printers nd devices. Dt protection: Bcking up dt to prevent the loss of vluble informtion is essentil for ny business. Computer networks mke compny dt bckup routine nd secure, redy for retrievl when necessry. Shred Internet ccess: Networks mke it possible to shre single Internet connection mong multiple computers. In-house emil systems cn lso be esily implemented with client/server network. Increses productivity, reduces costs nd sves time: Computer networks increse the productivity of employees nd reduce expenses for smll businesses. With network, multiple employees cn shre compny resources, including printers or ny other hrdwre devices. Time is lso sved through esy bckup solutions. 5
Pybck Period of Network...The Forbes study hs shown tht verge pybck period of server network rnges from 2.4 to 4.9 months. Smll business owners cn rep enormous benefits by networking their computers. Yet, sometimes concerns bout hrdwre, softwre nd instlltion costs of networks (especilly client/server networks) become primry deterrent in doption of this technology. It is importnt to keep in mind though tht network technology cn py off quickly in the form of incresed employee productivity nd reduced operting costs....the Forbes survey concluded tht server networks re helping smller firms extend their geogrphic rech, find new customers, nd increse revenues while holding costs stedy or decresing them. According to study conducted by Forbes, smll business owners tend to quickly recover their investments nd relize enormous benefits from server technology. Smll businesses using server networks find tht their employees perform n verge of 20 percent more revenue-generting tsks. The study reveled tht the verge pybck period of server network rnges from 2.4 to 4.9 months, with most ble to recover hrdwre nd softwre investments in less thn 2.5 months. The survey concluded tht server networks ssist smller firms in extending their geogrphic rech, finding new customers nd incresing revenue, while holding costs stedy or decresing them. Conclusions nd Recommendtions In conclusion, peer-to-peer network is more ffordble nd esier to implement nd mintin, but client/server network cn be much more useful for smll business s it leds to greter productivity, security nd lower costs. 6
Recommendtions: Consider this before mking decision bout the network solution for your business: A network cn mke difference if your smll business hs more thn one computer nd your employees need to shre printers, scnners nd other hrdwre, s well s n Internet connection nd computer files. It would be fesible for you to estblish peer-to-peer network if you hve five or less thn five PCs in your office. A compny with more thn five PCs is likely more suited to client/ server network. Windows Server Essentils 2012 is n ffordble network solution for estblishing client/server network in your compny, if you hve 2-25 computers, or user ccounts per required server. It provides you with file nd printer shring fcilities, Internet connection shring cpbilities nd secure connectivity, with support for your mobile devices, esy bckup nd restortion fcilities nd mny other dvnced fetures. Full City Tech 515 Rockwy Ave Vlley Strem, NY 11581 Phone: (516) 726-7900 Emil: info@fullcitytech.com Web: www.fullcitytech.com 7