If you’ve made the quantum leap to provision one of these new flexible T1 lines, which includes both voice and data, then you’ll need to understand how a few things work.  First, the vendor such as AT&T or XO Communications will supply you with a router that will take in the T1 service and provide the Internet service to the local network.  If you’re using a Cisco Call Manager system, then you’ll need a second router with a VWIC-1MFT-T1 to bring in the digital phone lines and behave like a PBX.  This will also create the need for a professional who knows Cisco CCME very well and can help you setup the whole system.

If your office has finally decided to upgrade to a T1 line for Internet or voice service, then you’ll likely need a router to handle the job of connecting your network to the new T1 service.  Whether your office is small or large, it’s always a good idea to consider deploying a Cisco router as they are the defacto standard for broadband Internet connections in most cases.  Cisco routers are availble with many options and modules to choose from.  For a basic T1 Internet service, it’s fairly straight forward.  If you do not have rackmount space, the a Cisco 1721 with a WIC-1DSU-T1 WAN card will do the trick.  This device may sit on a shelf or bookcase and has a small footprint.  If your office does have some available rackmount space, then a Cisco 2621 with WIC-1DSU-T1 would be a great low-cost solution.  Be sure to have a knowledgeable person configure the router for you, this will prevent unwanted hackers from entering your network.

We see many folks who are trying to setup a Cisco lab environment that need to connect two or more routers together via serial cables to emulate a real network environment.  One of the most common solutions is to use two v.35 cables, male and female, and connect them together to make a crossover cable that is dte to dce between two routers.  It drives people nuts to have two 10 foot cables, or 20 feet of cable, to make simple crossover connection.  We have a suggestion to those who are trying to setup this type of back-to-back configuration.  Try our Cisco cables that are purpose built for just this situation.  Whether you need dct on the 60 pin side or dce on the wic-2t side, we have the pinout you need and the appropriate length of the cable too.  No more 19 extra feet of cable for a 1 foot connection. Now if you could only have someone else study for your CCIE exam.

Connecting switches together via fiber optic cables is a great way to ensure high throughput and low latency from switch to switch, rack to rack, and building to building.  Fiber can go great distances (up to to 62 miles) with commercially available fiber and GBIC modules.  These connectivity options have come way down in price over the past few years allowing businesses large and small to take advantages of the increased performance and reliability that fiber offers.  As always, you should consult a professional before making any decisions on what to buy and how it should be implemented.

As our business has flourished, we’ve been blessed with an opportunity to own the building we operate from.  As with every new endeavour there are many unknowns to be discovered and conquered.  Operating with real estate agents, lenders, the SBA, and environmental consulting firms too.  We didn’t realize that our bank would require a phase i esa to clear our property of any potential environmental hazards.  Even though we knew our own property like the back of our hand, you still need an independent firm to run a battery of inspections and records research to make sure you’re not buying into trouble.  As the old saying goes, “trust but verify”.

Today’s applications are bigger and better than ever.  The growth of integrated applications creates new efficiencies one would have never thought possible.  This new paradigm also brings some new challenges; bandwith between servers, storage, and client computers is significantly stretched by these robust systems all talking with eachother at breakneck speed.  One easy way to loosen the bottleneck is to upgrade to GIG Ethernet.  You’ll need servers and desktops with 10/100/1000 BaseT network interface cards and we would recommend cisco switches that are use 100% GIG Ethernet copper ports.  Deploying these updated components should give your workforce a noticeable boost in productivity.

Network equipment runs software just like any other network device or even a computer.  These network routers, switches, and firewalls will demand more memory as you and your business demand more from these devices.  Adding tasks such as VPN, encryption, website blocking, and even new employees using the network can tax your network devices.  Buying manufacturer memory can be a costly option, the buying third party and even manufacture approved memory can help bring the cost down.  Many businesses use Cisco equipment, so buying cisco memory upgrades can really help performance and enable businesses to run more robust software packages that bring additional value to the business. 

When we started DigitalHoop Networks several years ago, one of our goals was to make it easy and comfortable for every member of the business to work and enjoy themselves.  We established a VPN, which enables members of the firm to work from wherever they want including their home, hotel room, or local coffee house.  Being providers of used cisco makes it a bit easier, though you should consult a professional to be sure your network at the office and remote sites are secure.  Securing IT assets cannot be over-emphasized as important.  It’s also a matter of keeping your member’s information private too.