At Your Office

Even small office environments today often have a number of machines that connect to each other sharing files and printers and an Internet connection. We call it, of course, a network. But different office networks have different needs. Most office networks have never been properly designed for security, data protection, or user efficiency. The machines have simply been "connected".

Good network design starts with asking the right questions. Should your system be a peer to peer network (where the machines simply share files and printers) or a domain network (where users can log into any machine transparently and see the same central information)? Should the connections be wired or wireless or a mix of both? Has it been tested for speed and security? How is it being monitored? These kinds of questions are about making the network serve the needs of the business rather than the other way around.

What is most crucial about a professional network install are the security and data protection issues. Let Computer Medix of Chester network specialists review your office network for these enhancements:

* Improve the speed of computer/network connections

* Automate the backup procedures for your crucial data

* Ensure virus protection and disaster recovery features are sound

* Review the Security/Firewall protection onsite

* Automate network monitoring to spot trouble before it happens

Unfortunately, most businesses have little time to think about disaster recovery and security issues until an actual emergency happens.

Virus activity, network security breaches (from inside or out), hardware damage, power surges, and even dust and grime are all sources of potential vulnerability to the real investment you make when it comes to computers, your information. It it is lost or stolen, it spell financial disaster.

Many business environments (especially the growing number of SOHO offices) are surprisingly without dependable and secure backup procedures. If you lose data that needs recovery, your business can be in serious trouble.

Even offices that do have a backup strategy often are spending far too much money on labor for someone to watch over that procedure. Data backup should be automatic and hidden and should not have to involve any individual's valuable time to "babysit" the process. A simple installation of a backup hard drive, and an offsite backup service is the most efficient and dependable way for most businesses to have the most current backup system in place. We can advise you on how to set this up easily and inexpensively.

NETWORK UPGRADES

You may also find that your office has been setup for a peer to peer network (one that simply shares files and printers) and would be better served for centralizing information and maintaining security by going to a more server-central system where all computer users in your office can use any computer for their workspace. There are many advantages to this type of setup and a Geek Patrol network administrator can review your business needs to see if it is time to consider such an upgrade.

INFORMATION SECURITY

Office environments have to be properly designed for information access. Those that need to have access have it and those that don't, do not. The goal is simple, but often overlooked.

Most people would never give their credit card over the Internet without being assured they are on a "secure" connection. But, unfortunately, many offices are as open to outside attacks through the Internet as they would be leaving the front door closed without a lock on it. At Computer Express security team, both a technician and a service manager, can evaluate your system for security holes and show you how to close them. We can also show you how to design your system so that temporary workers or people who leave your employ are not able to continue to have access where they should not.