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Archive for the ‘Equipment Tips’ Category

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Three Ways to Acheive a Sustainable Network

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

Industry directives, laws, and rising energy costs are causing companies that rely on IT networks to find ways to make their networks more green and sustainable.  Small changes can make a significant difference but many business owners don’t know what to look for our how to begin.  We’re here to help.

There are three key areas that can help you attain a more sustainable network.

1. Efficiency of Operation

A network’s ability to provide collaboration services not only minimizes the time multiple employees spend on efficient processes, but helps to reduce overall power use and increase effectiveness.  Integrated services networks are the key as they tend to be the most productive, and cost less to upgrade incrementally, growing only as the business itself grows.

2.  Efficiency of Power Use

The best way to control and limit energy cost and consumption is by purchasing an integrated services network like the Cisco Enhanced 2-port OC12/STM4 ATM OSM+switch. These centrally managed networking solutions require less power to do more work and keep consumption down. Power supplies which have been optimized also help considerably, as does intelligent power management.

3. Maximization of Equipment Life

Upgrading constantly creates hardware waste. A sustainability plan must include networking hardware that can evolve as the business evolves without being replaced by new physical components.  An integrated system also helps on this front as the system itself can be retained when pieces of the system are upgraded. For example, you can keep the networking hardware and simply upgrade the software to a better security package if desired.

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How to Sell Used Networking Equipment

Friday, December 25th, 2009

You’ve upgraded, you’ve closed your doors, you’ve downsized, you’ve retired. For whatever reason, you no longer have a need for your network hardware and would love to not only get it out of the way, but recuperate some of the money you spent on it.  There are a few ways to go about this, but it all depends on how old your equipment is and whether or not it’s obsolete.

If it’s relatively new, then there’s probably a demand for it. You can try to sell it yourself either on a craigslist type of site, or ebay, or by placing an ad in a trade magazine. It’s risky though. Sure, you’ll keep all the money you make on the sale, but the chances of your buyer finding the ad or searching ebay at the time you’re hardware is posted, is slim. And even then, buyers are reluctant to purchase this type of expensive equipment without a warranty from a reputable company and the ability to exchange the product if it arrives damaged. The better plan is to find a reputable alternative seller that specializes in buying back surplus equipment, refurbishing it, and reselling it.  Their pool of customers is wide and they spend thousands of dollars marketing and advertising to attract those customers. They’ll often buy hardware equipment that’s not working because they, unlike the user, have the knowledge and ability to fix those components before reselling them.  You won’t make as much as you would if you sold it yourself, but it’s a lot less hassle.

What do you do if an alternate seller won’t take the equipment because it’s obsolete?  Try to find one that will!  There are a good number of these companies out there and chances are, at least one has a customer asking for the exact thing you’re trying to get rid of.  But lets say you check everywhere and no one wants it.  Then what?  If the networking system still works, contact the I.T. department of a local non-profit organization to see if you can donate the system and take the tax write-off.

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How to Make Your Network Pay Off

Sunday, December 20th, 2009

Companies often invest thousands, if not hundreds of thousands into their I.T. networks. For good reason. If the network fails, it can literally cripple the business, halting productivity and even compromising secure data in some cases.  So with such an important– and expensive investment– how do you make sure your network will pay off and you won’t find the dollars you’re spending wasted on something that doesn’t meet your company’s needs?

First, don’t rely on your own knowledge unless you’re an I.T. expert.  Who should you talk to then? A manufacturer? Probably not. That’s like asking a Toyota dealer if he thinks you should get a Toyota or a Honda. Find a reputable company that deals in multiple manufacturers.  They want your business and they want you to be happy, plus they have nothing to lose by recommending one brand or product over another the way a manufacturer or distributor would.

Second, plan your growth realistically. We’d all like to think we’re going to double our sales or expand our company in the next year or so, but purchasing a network designed to accommodate more needs than you actually have is a waste of money.  It’s also a waste to buy something you’ll outgrow in a year too. So what should you do?  My advice is to err on the side of pessimism.  Buy only what you need now, but put aside the money you would have spent for the more comprehensive network. You should have some cash left over in case you find yourself needing to switch out a router or add a better security system down the line.

Third, once you decide what you want, shop around. You are not obligated to purchase from anyone and the more you shop, the more you’ll find people willing to come down on price for trade-ins, leases, third party and pre-owned OEM components.  Opt for a company that offers a good warranty over one that will try to sell you monthly or annual service contracts.  Again, set aside the money you’d spend on the service contract and you’ll probably have the cash to replace anything that needs replacing or fixing after the warranty runs out.

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Warranty Comparisons Between Top Four Networking Equipment Companies

Sunday, November 22nd, 2009

Warranties do more than save you money.  They tell you a great deal about the company that’s offering a product and whether or not that company is willing to take a risk on having to replace the product.  Most of the time, new products carry the longest, most comprehensive warranties because they’re not likely to break.  Refurbished equipment tends to carry shorter warranties (just like a pre-owned car) because the company wants to account for wear and tear from the previous owner.  A company with a comprehensive warranty on a refurbished product is willing to take a chance on having to replace the product, either because they want to provide superior service to their customers or they know the product has been retooled to factory specs and is therefore less likely to break.  Either way, a good warranty is great for the customer.

Here are warranty comparisons between five major companies that provide networking equipment:

1. MULTI-LINK Communications Products (MLCP). The best we found. This company offers a standard one year warranty on all equipment it sells (and even longer on some products) whether the equipment is new or used.  In some cases, they warrant their refurbished products nine months longer than Cisco’s warranty on the same product new.

2. Network Liquidators. Very good, but you better read the fine print. This company also offers a standard one year replacement warranty but with limitations. According to it’s site: “[warranted] products will be materially free from defects under normal use and service for as long as the original End-User owns the product, or for five (5) years after the original manufacturer of the product discontinues such product on their then current price list, whichever is sooner.”

3. Lanstreet.com. Not so great. According to the site, “Lanstreet will gladly accept returns on any unsatisfactory products within 30 days of your product’s shipping date. We guarantee an exchange or full refund with the return of the product. Customers are then responsible for the costs of two-way shipping. If a return is made after 30 days of your product’s shipping date, there will be a 15% restocking fee deducted from credit, but we reserve the right to reject a return after 30 days.”

4. Hardware.com.  The worst. According to the site, they warrant for 30 days and have a whole list of conditions that must be met to take advantage of their warranty.

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Router of the Month: Juniper’s SRX210 Services Gateway

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

This month’s featured router is Juniper’s SRX210 Services Gateway. In 2009, the SRX210 from Juniper took top honors in the SMB Infrastructure category at Interop Tokyo. With the ability to support an unrestricted number of users, the

SRX210 Services Gateway supports up to 75 Mbps IPSec VPN, 750 Mbps firewall,  and 80 Mbps IPS, making it an extremely secure router.  With additional security features like Unified Threat Management (UTM) consisting of:  IPS, antispam,Web filtering, and antivirus protection, the SRX210 is well suited for securing small distributed enterprise locations.  We love this router.

But it’s not the only Juniper router we feel is worth mentioning.  Juniper has a history of offering highly secure, affordable network hardware products and the Juniper T640 is no exception. As one of five highly scalable routers in the Juniper T-Series, the T640 Core Router offers scalable core routing at only a fraction of the size competitors offer. Each of The T640’s eight slots delivers 40 Gbps and is scalable beyond that capacity.

Juniper routers retain their value for years. Whether you’re interested in the proven T640, or the newer, top of the line SRX210, learning more about Juniper routers and whether a refurbished or new router is right for your company’s needs is an important step in educating yourself about solid, secure network hardware and the benefits the right router can provide.

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What Do You Know about Nortel?

Saturday, October 17th, 2009

Currently doing business in more than 150 countries, Nortel has successfully been delivering communications capabilities since 1895.  Located in Toronto, Canada, Nortel originally came to be as Northern Electric and Manufacturing, a company designed to supply telecommunications equipment for Canada’s fledgling telephone system. Over the last one hundred years, Nortel has emerged as a global leader in the ability to deliver communications capabilities that lead the industry in security protection, global commerce, and cutting edge technology.

Nortel offers a variety of communications project to help service providers, enterprise branches, and small businesses tap into the benefits of today’s technology including: routers, switches, digital telephony, system security including firewalls and VPN, WiMAX, routers, and much more.

As the pioneer of the 40G network, Nortel has developed ways to utilize your existing network and optical fibers and yet effectively revamp your current hardware so that it’s ready to make the jump to four times the capacity. With customers’ growing needs in mind, Nortel hardware is versatile and has the hard-earned reputation of being a quality investment.

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Why an IP Phone is Exactly What Your Business Needs

Monday, September 21st, 2009

If you haven’t made the move from traditional telephony to VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), you should ask yourself why.  For both businesses and residences, IP phones make sense for a variety of reasons.

First, IP phones are associated with a phone, not a location, much the way cell phones are. Like a cell phone, a VoIP phone is mobile, so if you move offices, you simply unplug your phone and plug it into the VoIP jack in the new office and you retain the same line and number.

Second, IP telephones have user controlled features accessible through Web or telephone interface. These features allow for forwarding and speed dial lists to be added, deleted, or edited. IP phone users can store a Personal Address Book and Fast Dial list on most IP phones as this is a common feature. This can be done either using a Web interface or through manually entering information on the IP phone set.

Third, IP phones are not only more functional, they are more attractive and provide better features than traditional phones. These phones, for example the Cisco 7960G IP telephone, typically come with a liquid crystal display. These LCDs include dynamic soft keys that are promote ease of use with call features and functions.

Fourth, mMost VOIP providers include the same premium telephone
services available on traditional phones like caller ID, three-way calling, call waiting, call forwarding,
and voicemail. These are typically free of charge and included in your monthly subscription. Better yet, they charge a flat
rate for all calls placed within the month as opposed to separate local and long
distance charges.

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The Cisco 7604 router vs. the Cisco 3825

Friday, September 18th, 2009

Is bigger necessarily better?  It depends on your own unique needs. For example, let’s compare two of Cisco’s esteemed models of routers:  the Cisco 7604 and the Cisco 3825.

The Cisco 7604-S323B-8G-P, or Cisco 7604 Chassis, 4-slot, SUP32-8GE-3B, PS, is part of the esteemed Cisco 7600 Series routers. The Cisco 7604 Router is a high-performance, compact router created in a 4-slot form factor for deployment at the network edge, where robust performance and IP/Multiprotocol Label Switching services are needed to meet the requirements of both service providers and enterprises. It enables Carrier Ethernet service providers to deploy an advanced network infrastructure that supports a range of IP video and triple-play (voice, video, and data) system applications in both the residential and business services markets. The Cisco 7604 also delivers WAN and metropolitan-area network networking solutions at the enterprise edge.

The CISCO3825 Integrated Services Router serves different needs. The Cisco 3825 supports more than 90 new and existing modules as well as the majority of existing NMs, AIMs, WICs, VICs, and VWICs. The on-board encryption and optional Layer 2 switching support with PoE makes the CISCO 3825 a powerful component in any network architecture. With increased density through four High-Speed WAN Interface Card Slots, this router offers enhanced investment protection through increased performance and modularity. Security features are top of the line, and include Cisco IOS Firewall support, Intrusion Prevention, as well as many others. Security and voice services can be performed simultaneously with the CISCO 3825 due to wire-speed performance enhanced by multiple T1/E1/xDSL WAN rates.

Deciding which is better for you depends mostly on your needs.  But regardless of which router you feel best benefits your company, it is prudent to check into leasing options or purchasing refurbished routers to save money and allow your company to grow (or even downsize).

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Router Security - Expert Tips

Sunday, September 13th, 2009

SANS is one of the most trusted sources for computer security training.  The SANS (SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security) Institute was established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization and provides training courses, newsletters, and resources for auditors, network administrators, and employees in the area of business network security.

Here are some tips on network security from SANS regarding policies and practices designed to keep your network safe and secure:
Every router must meet the following configuration standards:
1. No local user accounts are configured on the router. Routers must use TACACS+ for all user
authentication.


2. The enable password on the router must be kept in a secure encrypted form. The router must have
the enable password set to the current production router password from the router’s support
organization.


3. Disallow the following:
a. IP directed broadcasts
b. Incoming packets at the router sourced with invalid addresses such as RFC1918 address
c. TCP small services
d. UDP small services
e. All source routing
f. All web services running on router


4. Use corporate standardized SNMP community strings.


5. Access rules are to be added as business needs arise.


6. The router must be included in the corporate enterprise management system with a designated
point of contact.


7. Each router must have the following statement posted in clear view:
“UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO THIS NETWORK DEVICE IS PROHIBITED. You must have
explicit permission to access or configure this device. All activities performed on this device may
be logged, and violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action, and may be reported to
law enforcement. There is no right to privacy on this device.”


8. Telnet may never be used across any network to manage a router, unless there is a secure tunnel
protecting the entire communication path. SSH is the preferred management protocol.

By purchasing or leasing a new or used Cisco ASA 5500 AIP Security Services Module-20, you can enhance your network’s security.  A router loaded with security features coupled with best practices from an organization like SANS is ideal for keeping data, software, and hardware free from virus, Trojan horses, botnets, and other high security risks.

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What is the Difference Between a Switch and a Router?

Sunday, August 30th, 2009

It’s important to know the difference between a switch and a router. Simply put, a router, for the most part, connects a LAN (Local Area Network) to a WAN (Wide Area Network) . LAN is the  Ethernet technology used most often. It’s a group of computers and associated devices that use a common communications line or wireless link. Connected devices share the resources of a single processor or server within a small geographic area like an office building.

A WAN is a computer network that covers a much broader area. Instead of an office building, it could have communication links that cross large regional or national boundaries. The best example of WAN technology is the Internet. So a router does its job at the network layer (Layer 3) of the OSI model to connect the smaller LAN to the more comprehensive WAN.

A switch does something different. It connects devices on a LAN. If you wanted to connect two PCs to a router, or even a server, you will need a switch to do this. For example, the Cisco Catalyst 3560 Series of of switches is designed for small to medium branch offices.  It’s a line of fixed-configuration, enterprise-class switches in Fast Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet configurations, keeping in mind that a switch is associated with the LAN and are configured for the Ethernet.

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