What does Web2.0 really mean? Will it really have any impact on my business?, Can it save me money? Will it cost me money? Will it mean my employees spend all day on facebook!! and the list can go on and on.
We are entering an age of true mass collaboration, where knowledge becomes shared, the wisdom of the crowds, information ownership becomes blurred, intellectual property is put on-line in order to realise new value, and social and professional networks become converged. Got a question post it, google it, blog it, twitter it, wiki it, there will be an answer out there somewhere. Is it the right answer you make up your own mind or you run it past a social or professional friend.
All this relies on the always on, always available networks. Next generation networks need to have increased availability, be secure, be scalable, and be simple to manage. If you are running a network do you truly know what applications are running over your network, consuming your bandwidth, or exposing security vulnerabilities? With business resources – your employees, consisting of digital immigrants and digital natives, all require access to social and professional networks. It’s not just as simple as securing your network by switching off a few selected apps like MSN and Skype, this approach can have an adverse affect to employee productivity, in the digital age, ad-hoc collaborative project groups are being established using this technology which in true terms provide benefits to the business.
HOW CAN WE HELP – We spend a lot of our time finding innovative products to build the next generation of networks for our customers/partners. These solutions can reduce operational costs while providing the functionality that the next generation of enterprise MUST have in order to support new business opportunities and challanges.
If you are looking at reducing op-ex, supporting new technologies, have concerns on security – we may have an answer for you. Our solutions portfolio starts at the network core with;
1) Bonded 3G fail over solutions so you still have connectivity if your hard wired WAN link fails or for remote/mobile requirements.
2) UTM – Unified threat management – this includes FIREWALL, Antivirus/Antispam, Database security, Intrusion Prevention, Web App security, endpoint security.
3) High availability switch and routing networks – with VPN and QoS (Quality of Service) key to ensuring scalability and functionaility for real time services. (I-Phone and the next generation of devices will be a significant driver for this) – as seen with the development of app’s for the likes of software as a service solution providers like salesforce.com. These applications on mobile devices give availability of valuable information anywhere, anytime increasing productivity.
4) Edge/Access network – more and more edge connectivity will be through wireless technologies for true available anywhere access. Wireless networks most importantly need to be secure – 802.11i(WPA2), Wireless IDS, 802.11X authentication, rogue detection, integrated stateful firewall and guest access control are all key considerations. This combined with the 802.11n capability of the Aerohive wireless access points offers the requirements to bring this function to company networks now. This combined with the mesh connectivity, dynamic airtime scheduling and controller-less management offers a enterprise class solution with considerable savings over existing vendor solutions.
All this comes at a time where organisation have significant pressures on their IT budgets. Typically the 80/20 rule applies with 80% of IT budgets spent on operating the network (OPEX) leaving only 20% available for new products and technologies (CAPEX). This is forcing IT departments to remain the status quo and rather than embrace the new technologies and applications their answer is to limit traffic across the network so as to reduce bottle necks due to limited network capacity, BLOCK new applications which drive up bandwidth, and delay implementation of new wireless connectivity solutions.
Where as if you embrace the new technologies – save op-ex through reduced power, cooling and real estate costs, re-invest this in new technologies through virtualisation, lower power, higher capacity switches, Unified Threat Management (security) – the days of per seat security pricing are gone, and simplify employee and guest access to your network. This with reliable power infrastructure (UPS, DC and HVAC) will enable your business to seize the next generation of technologies, have a collaborative, knowledgeable and productive work force and an organisation that is adaptable and responsive to change.
If any of this has sent the synaptac connections in the brain twitching, neurons firing, you feel like twittering, need some advice on what it all means, you are just plain confused, or if you feel the need to get on the immigration path to the digital highway let us know we will be more than happy to support/advise/deploy or manage.
