Computers

Your website and your internet connections are aided by many different software packages. Any consumer can now create a pretty good website by just using out of the box software available in electronics stores or even malls. Out of the box programs, though, provide a very limited approach that shouldnt be applied to a business model.

Your Businesss Server Needs
A lot of generic software packages are available to set up and take basic orders online. However, your product will be served better with software that can be adapted to your specific needs. A complicated product, for example, needs to be worked correctly to provide smart quoting and other details that savvy netizens are looking for.

The security measures available from generic software is fine for a consumer, because really, the risk of exposure is very limited. If a business intends to drive traffic to their site, and intend to have useful information and the possibility of sales, more is needed. This requires multi-layered software with encryption technology and electronic keys to keep the site safe, as well as visitors.

The bottom line is that any company, especially if the staff doesnt have a lot of technical web experience, needs not just the software, but the software partners. You need the help of experts who can look at your need, and work out a software plan that directly addresses those needs. There are a lot of companies out there that can do the job, its now your job to choose the one that fits best.

An advance that has started to really catch on in popularity is wireless internet connections. Its actually a technology that has existed for quite a while now, but it is only recently that the technology has become practical. Much like the early cell phones, the issue of dead spots and connectivity issues previously made wireless a novelty and not much more.

Wireless Thinking
Now its possible for a person walking on the beach to establish a connection to the Internet. While this is a cool little trick, in reality, there are much larger applications. Its a way to expand the reach of where and when business can get done, turning even a small business into a virtual empire.

One of the bigger blocks to really doing business on the net is the concern over security. Over a VPN (virtual private network) you can share pretty much any file you want, but many companies havent gone completely in that direction out of concern for sensitive company info getting unintended distribution. What we see is that we need to not just address security, we need to address how people think about the Web, and really, thats the biggest challenge.

In truth, with SSL technology, encryption codes, firewalls and other precautions, your web space can be made more secure than the physical building you operate out of. Of course the best defense is simply following common sense rules and educating your staff about how to avoid common problems. Most, if not all, of the virus problems experienced in business could have been avoided with smarter downloading habits.

There are two primary obstacles that had to be overcome before wireless LANs could have practical applications for businesses. The main problem was that to really make this technology practical, connectivity had to become virtually uninterrupted. The second problem is somewhat related to the cure for the first, which is that being this connected creates the potential for virtual theft of proprietary information.

Solving the Riddle with Wireless LANs
A forwarding protocol is used in the network so that as you and your computer move from place to place, a connection can be maintained. Like cell phones, it is possible that you may experience dead zones where connectivity is interrupted. So, just like with cell phones, part of the solution was simply in being able to cast a larger net so that these areas become smaller.

Part of casting that larger net has been a process of using fixed network access points to, in effect, share multiple doors onto the network, many of which are landlocked, to increase range. Since in most cases you arent moving when you compute, this system works very well and provides a high level of connectivity. Today, whole businesses run their system off of wireless LANs, having saved time and money that would have been spent on wiring a building.

In an effort to make this new level of access safe, SSL technology, encryption codes and other security measures have been taken. At this point, it can be reasonably asserted that a company connected to the Internet can be secure that their virtual business is as safe, or even safer, from theft than their brick and mortar counterpart. That risk can be made even smaller by educating your staff against common sense errors of judgment, which are the biggest causes of virus infection and data loss.

When you start to look into broadband services for your businesses, you are going to hear terms such as T3 broadband services. If you are new to the benefits of high speed internet connections such as broadband and DSL, it probably doesnt mean anything to you. Lets take a few minutes to go over what it is you are looking at when you consider these products.

T3 Broadband: The Speed Is the Thing
T3 is a bandwidth designation that has to do with just how fast the connection will be, and how much information it can handle. In general, this is an application preferred by businesses, because a consumer simply isnt going to need that much power. If you plan on a lot of web traffic, especially if you hope to be doing high-yield internet sales, you do need this much power.

How much you pay is going to depend on what the company charges for the loop and the port. The loop is just the distance from the customer to the carrier, and the prices can vary widely from one provider to the other. At some point, these charges will start to be a little more uniform, but at this point, with research, you can find drastic differences in price for the same product.

If you are a small business but a T1 wont cut it, you may consider a fractured T3. All this means is that some of the channels are turned off, which makes the monthly charge less. Youre probably going to pay the same loop cost, but again, this may depend upon what vendor you are going through.

T1 broadband services are what the average consumer uses when they want a fast internet connection. It doesnt cost as much money as a T3, but it also doesnt have the capacity of a T3. Is this a solution we could use for business, or is this a waste of resources?

T1 or Not T1, Thats the Question
So your business is currently in its infancy, and while you do plan on growth, its going to be a slow climb. Right now, what you sell and the web traffic youll start out with dont justify a T3. Before you decide for sure, here are the things youll want to consider.

If you start with a fractured T3 rather than a T1, upgrading is going to be a lot easier. Yes, a fractured T3 is more expensive than a T1, so what you need to really look at is how fast you plan to grow. Remember that if your growth outpaces your system, it can actually inhibit your business potential.

That said, if you have a simple product and a simple website, T1 services may be all you need. If you dont really need complex quoting, and you dont plan on it anytime soon, the right choice is the connection without the expanded bandwidth. You can still get all the security features and, at this point, that might be all you need.