Networking Solutions for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

Need an IT pick-me-up? Have we got a Joe for you:

Joey knows how to create an efficient and streamlined network architecture for your IT infrastructure that will meet your business needs today and allow room to grow for the future. Here are his insights into the importance of a sound Network for your Small Business:

Building Your IT Infrastructure

You need an IT infrastructure that’s built on a foundation that provides the robust support you need.

IT infrastructure consists of three distinct components.

1. Hardware
2. Software
3. Network

You can think of them as a triangle. Without strong supports on each side, the triangle can lose strength and collapse.

Hardware

The hardware includes company servers, data centers, devices, routers, switches, and hubs.

Many of these components, such as servers, can be virtualized for greater performance, providing a better balance of resources that allow rapid scaling to accommodate dynamic business growth. Data storage can also be shifted off-premise, centralizing your IT infrastructure to maximize the use of available physical space.

Routers and switching can be managed remotely if needed, allowing your business communications to be expanded as needed.

Software

Software ranges from your operating systems to customer relationship management (CRM) systems to enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems or any number of other software solutions. Today, much of what we still call software is in the cloud and being run remotely.

Network

The network is the floor of your triangle foundation that connects hardware, software, and users. This includes the connection between devices and to the internet that allows you to exchange data or access resources. Networking includes your physical locations, cloud connectivity, and mobile or remote device that allow teams to work efficiently and collaboratively.

Network solutions also need a robust and reliable way to protect your data and safeguard your business. Data encryption, firewalls, and threat monitoring are part of the suite of tools that can keep your network safe.

Creating an Efficient IT Infrastructure

When you get all three of these components right, you create an efficient IT infrastructure that provides a seamless experience and can evolve as your business grows.

Another way to think of your network is to visualize it as a transportation network. You might have highways, streets, buses, trains, trucks, and cars moving in multiple directions simultaneously. Each is used to transport people or products smoothly. However, we know that doesn’t always happen. Accidents and slowdowns occur. Unexpected delays can cause people to miss meetings or family dinners or keep vendors from stocking the shelves at the grocery store.

What would happen if a roadway doesn’t physically connect to the highway to provide access? It would prevent access and might back up the entire transportation system.

In much the same way, your computer network provides the pathways that keep everything connected. It manages all of the traffic on the network to make the journey as smooth as possible. Moving data from one place to another and avoiding congestion keeps everything running efficiently.

It’s the network that allows businesses to access the tools they need, such as:

• Email and applications
• File sharing
• Sharing printers or copy machines
• Communication, such as voice, video, or text
• Data storage

The way your network is constructed can also make a big difference in performance. Many small and medium-sized businesses have continued to add on devices as they grew, which may result in an inefficient workflow that can slow things down.

How the physical structure of your network is designed makes a big difference. For example, without the right structure, someone at the end of the line of your infrastructure may suffer from slow internet connectivity and network access. A network topology that you’ve outgrown can slow everything down for everybody.

The Benefits of an Efficient Network

When you have the right infrastructure set up for your network, you benefit in several ways, including:

• Cost efficiency: Hardware is one of the biggest expenses in technology. When computers and resources are connected, you can reduce your hardware cost by sharing printers, copiers, and data storage.
• More capacity: Computer networks allow you to store your files and data in a central data server or the cloud. This reduces reliance on individual desktop storage and allows you to scale as needed.
• Remote access: With internet connectivity, your resources are available to anything with a connected device and authorization to access your network.

Choose the Right Network and IT Infrastructure

Nearly 80% of all businesses are undergoing some version of modernization. Whether they are trying to optimize their current infrastructure or embarking on a full-fledged digital transformation. Of those businesses, however, nine out of ten say they are facing significant obstacles.

Joey and the team at MicroTech Systems can assess your workplace systems and help you overcome these obstacles by designing the right networking solutions to run your business efficiently and securely. We have the skills and expertise to design efficient systems that will improve your workflow and save you money.

We can also provide 24x7 remote monitoring of your IT infrastructure for performance and security. If something goes wrong inside your network, we can identify, isolate, and fix it fast. It’s one less thing for you to worry about. You can relax and focus on running your business.

Meet Joey, our Network Support Specialist

Joey knows how to create an efficient and streamlined network architecture for your IT infrastructure that will meet your business needs today and allow room to grow in the future.

Whether it’s the hardware, software, or networking components, Joey knows you need a solid IT infrastructure that provides the robust support you need.

We’ve got all the Joe’s you need to help you manage your IT and create an efficient and productive workplace.

Want to meet Joey and our MicroTech team? Schedule a conversation over coffee.