Fundamental Network Capabilities

As network consultants, we try to get people to think of networks in terms of functions rather than equipment. A Network contributes to your organization's efficiency and effectiveness by virtue of the functions that it performs. Even if you are not ready to completely overhaul your network, eXPro can upgrade parts of your network without disrupting the whole system. To understand networks broken down into their components, please read the descriptions below.

File Sharing
File sharing is the most common function provided by networks and consists of grouping all data files together on a server or servers. When all data files in an organization are concentrated in one place, it is much easier for staff to share documents and other data. It is also an excellent way for the entire office to keep files organized according to a consistent scheme. Network operating systems such as Windows 2000 allow the administrator to grant or deny groups of users access to certain files.

Print Sharing
When printers are made available over the network, multiple users can print to the same printer. This can reduce the number of printers your organization must purchase, maintain and supply. Network printers are often faster and more capable than those connected directly to individual workstations, and often have accessories such as envelope feeders or multiple paper trays.

E-Mail
E-mail has become an indispensable part of today's business world. Internal or "group" email enables staff in your office to communicate with each other quickly and effectively. Group email applications also provide capabilities for contact management, scheduling and task assignment. Designated contact lists can be shared by the whole organization instead of duplicated on each person's own rolodex; group events can be scheduled on shared calendars accessible by the entire staff or appropriate groups. Equally important is a network's ability to provide a simple organization-wide conduit for Internet email, so that your staff can send and receive email with recipients outside of your organization as easily as they do with fellow staff members. Where appropriate, attaching documents to Internet email is dramatically faster, cheaper and easier than faxing them.

Fax Sharing
Through the use of a shared modem(s) connected directly to the network server, fax sharing permits users to fax documents directly from their computers without ever having to print them out on paper. This reduces paper consumption and printer usage and is more convenient for staff. Network faxing applications can be integrated with email contact lists, and faxes can be sent to groups of recipients. Specialized hardware is available for high-volume faxing to large groups. Incoming faxes can also be handled by the network and forwarded directly to users' computers via email, again eliminating the need to print a hard copy of every fax - and leaving the fax machine free for jobs that require it.

Remote Access
In our increasingly mobile world, staff often require access to their email, documents or other data from locations outside of the office. A highly desirable network function, remote access allows users to dial in to your organization's network via telephone and access all of the same network resources they can access when they're in the office. Through the use of Virtual Private Networking (VPN), which uses the Internet to provide remote access to your network, even the cost of long-distance telephone calls can be avoided.

Shared Databases
Shared databases are an important subset of file sharing. If your organization maintains an extensive database - for example, a membership, client, grants or financial accounting database - a network is the only effective way to make the database available to multiple users at the same time. Sophisticated database server software ensures the integrity of the data while multiple users access it at the same time.

Fault Tolerance
Establishing Fault Tolerance is the process of making sure that you have several lines of defense against accidental data loss. An example of accidental data loss might be a hard drive failing, or someone deleting a file by mistake. Usually, the first line of defense is having redundant hardware, especially hard drives, so that if one fails, another can take its place without losing data. Tape backup should always be a secondary line of defense (never primary). While today's backup systems are good, they are not fail-safe. Additional measures include having your server attached to an uninterruptible power supply, so that power problems and blackouts do not unnecessarily harm your equipment.

Internet Access and Security
When computers are connected via a network, they can share a common, network connection to the Internet. This facilitates email, document transfer and access to the resources available on the World Wide Web. Various levels of Internet service are available, depending on your organization's requirements. These range from a single dial-up connection (as you might have from your home computer) to 128K ISDN to 768K DSL or up to high-volume T-1 service. eXPro strongly recommends the use of a firewall to any organization with any type of broadband Internet connection.

Network Models

Client-Server
Client-Server networks are comprised servers -- typically powerful computers running advanced network operating systems -- and user workstations (clients) which access data or run applications located on the servers. Servers can host e-mail; store common data files and serve powerful network applications such as Microsoft's SQL Server. As a centerpiece of the network, the server validates logins to the network and can deny access to both networking resources as well as client software. Servers are typically the center of all backup and power protection schemas.

While it is technically more complex and secure, the Client-Server network easier than ever to administer due to new centralized management software. It is also the most "scaleable" network configuration; additional capabilities can be added with relative ease. The drawbacks to the Client-Server model are mostly financial. There is a large cost up front for specialized hardware and software. Also, if there are server problems, down time means that users lose access to mission-critical programs and data until the server can be restored.

Peer-to-Peer
Peer-to-Peer networks are typically installed in smaller offices. A Peer-to-Peer network links each computer together and allows sharing of files and resources on an individual basis. Each workstation is responsible for regulating and sharing its own resources --be it a printer, a fax/modem, important data, or something else. All software programs are run on each computer locally.

Peer-to-Peer solutions have a lower cost in hardware: all you need are cables, network cards, a hub and networkable operating systems like Microsoft Windows® 2000 Professional. Adding new resources to the network is simple, usually involving adding additional workstations, or installing new software packages. The drawbacks of the Peer-to-Peer model are higher ongoing administration costs, limited security, scalability and virtually non-existent fault tolerance.