How to Set up your Small Business Network

Business networks have gone a long way from a couple of desktop PCs and a humble file server. Unlike those 56kbps Internet connections, today business networks convey gigabytes of information via high-speed connections. The today’s networking hardware can do wonders for a small business, but also cause a lot of headache and malfunctioning if not installed properly. These tips are created as a short crash course in establishing a business computer network. 

What is the Nature of your Business?

The first thing you need to do, and this one is often overlooked, is to determine the actual purpose of your network. There is a big difference if the network is used to connect a local group of computers or it is designed with remote access capabilities on mind. Another question is if data and applications will be distributed form a central hub or shared among devices in a peer-to-peer fashion. A benefit of understanding the role of your network will enable you to select the optimal hardware components and establish required connections in a way that will be ideal for your business.   

How much are you Ready to Invest

If you determine an early budget for your network, you will save yourself from many problems which may arise in the following years. If you don’t plan how much are you capable to spend on components like routers, switches, Wi-Fi hot spots, cables and firewalls, you may end up buying incompatible hardware or components that are outdated. Failing to understand how much a small business like yours should invest in networking solutions at the very beginning, may increase the costs of the whole affair before all the components have been optimized.

Components of a Business Network

Begin with looking for business-grade switches and routers that will enable dependable communications. Then, you should plan a network that can grow over time, in a way that new features and functions can be added later on. These include video surveillance, VoIP, integrated messaging and wireless applications. If you are not sure how to do this, you may hire it networking professionals who will design an optimal network for your needs. A business network should be designed with redundant features so that it can quickly recover from unpredicted situations.

Security from Day One

Business network security is an issue that is often considered seriously only when it is too late. For any small company computer network has to be protected from the very start. These measures include tools that filter spam and advertisements and block malware from being downloaded onto your network. It goes without saying that all system software and business applications should be fully patched and updated regularly. You should demand form your employees to use strong passwords on all accounts, file shares and encrypted data. Vital network systems should be kept in a dedicated server room.

Invest in Training your Staff

A number of security risk are related to poorly trained staff members. As a successful small business owner you must be aware that your employees must be educated on proper use of the network in order to prevent any possible security breaches. In other words, employees need to know what means to use company networking sources in a proper way, which will decrease the risk of malicious software and unsolicited access.

About the author

Dan Radak is a marketing professional with eleven years of experience. He is a coauthor on several websites and regular contributor to BizzMark Blog. Currently, he is working with a number of companies in the field of digital marketing, closely collaborating with a couple of e-commerce companies.

Comments

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
CAPTCHA
This question is for preventing automated spam submissions.