Competition in the tech industry is ever-growing, which means it’s important to stay up-to-date with your options in the market. With more network choices than ever, you might be struggling to pin-point what’s most important for your business. So what exactly should you be looking for in your next deal?
Discover what’s most important in network services, and speak with us at Blackbox UC for specialist advice for your business.
1. Internet Connectivity
Perhaps the most obvious point you should be looking for in a network is internet connectivity. We’d recommend consulting with a specialist to find out what capacity your network should be. A shared internet connection across your devices will enable high-quality:
- File sharing: easily share data between devices or access it remotely on other connected devices.
- Increased storage capacity: rather than physically storing information, files and multimedia can be accessed remotely.
- Resource sharing: sharing software between multiple users or network connected devices such as printers.
2. Wi-Fi
Believe it or not, internet connectivity doesn’t always guarantee Wi-Fi. Whilst the internet will allow you to connect to other devices, it is essentially a language which enables computers to talk to one another. On the other hand, Wi-Fi connects devices with a wireless signal used to transmit information. For modern business operations, you’ll more than likely require both. Most network services will include these so just be wary of the fine print when adding more to your bundle.
3. WAN and LAN
So, you’ve got the basics down pat – now what type of network connection do you actually need? Generally, you’ll be choosing from two common forms of networks: Wide Area Network (WAN) versus a Local Area Network (LAN).
As the names suggest, these will either connect your devices over a relatively short distance or a much further distance, perhaps even across countries. Which one you choose will depend on your business needs – maybe you only have one office at the moment so a LAN would be more suitable. Or perhaps you’ve expanded operations and want to condense your network between firms with a WAN.
If you’re unsure which one could be right for you, get in touch with our network specialists at Blackbox UC.
4. Security
Reliability, resilience and security are crucial factors when choosing your next network services plan. Your chosen network provider should offer protection for data integrity and control for who is accessing it. Intelligent networks will monitor performance and have strategies in place for built-in resistance against security breaches. With technology threats evolving quickly, it’s important your network is up-to-date with threats and using the latest software as a defence.
Disaster Recovery
Even the best networks can be impacted by external issues from time to time, which means it’s important to have a plan B in the event of the unexpected. An intelligent network system will offer some form of data recovery to keep your important business information safe.
Get in touch with us at Blackbox UC, to discuss our options for data restoration services and built-in business continuity.
5. Experts in Business Networks
The needs of a business network are going to be vastly different to the needs of a small family home. This is why it’s important to choose a provider that’s experienced in business and specialises in the industry. For instance, a business it likely to use large amounts of devices and data storage which will require significantly more bandwidth. Business network specialists can also offer the enhanced security necessary to keep your client information safe.
6. Adaptability
It’s no secret that there’s been a drastic change in businesses over the past few years. This shows that the need for adaptability in business operations is more important than ever.
When your work devices need replacing or you need to expand your resources, ideally you’ll already have a flexible system that will allow you to do so. Wireless networking will facilitate businesses to extend a network beyond one site, enabling expanding business operations or remote working capabilities for when the need arises.
