Small Business Network Design

Now Serving Alaska! Small Business Networks that Work.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 by Chad Whaley

It is not every day that we design a small business network that plays a part in allowing a business owner to follow his personal and professional dreams, but I've been lucky enough to witness it. This client is headquartered in the Indianapolis area and until recently only had a satellite office near the East Coast. This past month, he opened a second office in Alaska which I know he had been planning on for some time. He'll be moving his family up shortly to live a life long dream of being a resident of Alaska.

Okay, so you are probably asking by now how small business network design and technology played a role in moving this man to Alaska. A couple years ago, the Interconnect Group, Inc (TINCG). designed a system that allows both local and remote workers to operate seamlessly. Utilizing Microsoft 2008 Small Business Server, Standard 2008 Server, and a Microsoft Terminal Services, he and his employees are able to remotely access their ERP system based on Oracle along with Microsoft Office via Terminal Services. At the time we designed and installed the system, moving to Alaska wasn't part of the plan or at least it was never discussed with us. If it was, I would have definitely used the whole obtaining a professional and personal dream "priceless" argument to get him to buy sooner....ha! ha! ha! I think the design has worked out much better than he initially thought.

He also utilizes a business class hosted VoIP Solution which allows him and all of his employees to have seamless communication between one another while not paying any toll charges when calling one another. More importantly, it allowed him to move to Alaska without missing a beat. Basically, moving his office consisted of moving his computer and Polycom desktop phone. Well, almost as easy. Internet was required, but we took care of that by remotely installing an Adtran NetVanta router to help secure the new data network while also allowing priority to all voice traffic. The hosted phone system allows his company to extend their client call coverage across multiple time zones which yields greater customer service and customer orders.

TINCG is very happy to be extending support to Alaska. We wish Norm and his family all the best and can't wait for our first on-site service call.

If you liked this Blog Post, then check out The Interconnect Group other Blog Posts:

Great Continuous Learning - Dan Lacy's Business Growth Seminar

Monday, February 27, 2012 by Chad Whaley

For those of you who don't know me, I'm a blend of business owner and engineer with a bit of geek sprinkled in. Throughout my time at Purdue, I managed to avoid the dreaded Management 200 class that was reported as a common weed-out class by fellow classmates. Little did I know then that I would set sail on a life journey of being an entrepreneur and business owner. There have been many times over the past seventeen years that I only wish that I would have taken a class on business management principles and financials while at Purdue, because I quickly learned in business that a real world MBA is needed and continue to refine my knowledge and practice at business.

I recently completed Dan Lacy's Business Growth Seminar and wanted to recommend it. Dan owns Dynasty Business Consulting. The seminar that I attended was held over the course of 3 months. The class met at least twice a month for a couple hours in each setting. The format allowed me to digest the course material while applying it in real time to my business. The class had a very good mix of other business owners, bankers, capital investors, and others who were trying to get their hands around items such as "profit", "financials", "ratios", "exit strategies", "sleeping well at night" and "success".

I'm a visual person and often diagram out my VoIP Network Design solutions from the very beginning of all projects at The Interconnect Group, Inc.. Although accounting and financials are somewhat technical in nature, I had always had difficultly grasping the underlying relationships in financials and therefore infrequently utilized financials to their fullest except for tax preparations or banking matters. Dan changed that with his class. He had a very unique way of explaining the financials in a very visual way. He stressed the relationships while demonstrating how even a small business owner could utilize review of financials to drive profit, growth, and success. Dan wove in several real world examples that illustrated and reinforced his points. Dan actually made a financial seminar fun and exciting.

If you are a business owner, new or old, a book keeper, banker, or someone that is interested in owning or operating a business, then I would strongly recommend this course to you. It is a great value and well worth the time. Since it allowed me to better speak the language of business, I realized gains in discussing Small Business Network Designs solutions with clients and the positive impacts proper solutions could have on their business.

Contact Dan Lacy via his website and sign up for the next seminar he is holding. It will be well worth your time and investment.

If you liked this Blog Post, then check out The Interconnect Group other Blog Posts:

Looking to the Future: The Netvanta 7100 "Office-In-A-Box"

Wednesday, July 6, 2011 by Britton Starr

The future is on it's way, and it's coming fast.

Recently I had the privilege of receiving in-depth training on one of the networking world's up and coming stars, the Unified Communications platform. After hours of learning the ins and outs of this device, I can honestly say that this is the future of Small Business Network Design.

Adtran Netvanta 7100, Network Hardware, The Interconnect Group, Inc.

In particular the device in question is the ADTRAN Netvanta 7100 series Unified Communications appliance. This elegant device, with its outwardly simple appearance is an incredibly robust machine, capable of performing nearly any function needed of a small business network, short of say a file server or network OS. Features include full featured Multi-service Router, SPI Firewall, 24 PoE Fast Switch, VPN Tunneling, WAP Control, QoS, Door Relay, Voicemail, Key System, and full featured IP PBX. There's support for 24 users out of the box, expandable to as many as 100.

ADTRAN Netvanta 7100 Features, The Interconnect Group, Inc.

But what does that really mean?

It means this device can do just about anything. It's powerful with a good set of defaults out of the box, but with a little fine tuning, can be fitted into any preexisting network or connection type. The device's versatility is not to be underestimated. It fits well into VoIP Network Design, due to the variety of interchangeable voice and data modules it supports. The 7100 allows incoming SIP trunks, making it ideal for those using Hosted VoIP Solutions. It can accommodate many types of data connections, from cable modems to dual T1's. It even supports IP phones and soft-phones from several 3rd party vendors.

How can you use this device to your business's advantage? Simple. Let's say you have your CFO who finds himself concerned with the sudden skyrocketing of your company's long distance charges, after opening a new branch. This is likely attributed to all the new service calls to this remote location. The Netvanta 7100 can be configured to allow the use of say, an under-utilized T1 connection (as they many times are), to send voice traffic to the branch office's 7100 or 6355. This device then forwards the call out through the branch offices local phone line, thus sparing the company any additional charges. Pretty practical, huh? Another feature I particularly like is the ability to email users when a voicemail is left on their system, even in the case of multiple accounts or groups.

Adtran Netvanta 7100 back, Interchangeable NIM/VIM Slots, The Interconnect Group, Inc.

While on paper the 7100 may seem like a bit of an initial investment, the return on that purchase is undeniable. Having a single device allows for the simple, easy to administrate solution that many small business owners want. Additionally, after a technician installs and configures the device to the client's needs, the day to day administrative tasks, such as adding new users and voicemail greetings may be easily maintained by existing IT staff through an easy to use GUI. The "office-in-a-box" solution also allows for the simplification of IT Networking Support, as a technician need only examine a single device. Similarly, the simplicity of Computer Network Wiring and the identification of cable faults are vastly improved.

So as you can tell I was very impressed by the device. Powerful features, adaptability, and one-box ease of deployment make this a great choice for any small business wanting to take their network to the next level. If you'd like to hear more about the Netvanta 7100, and what it can do for your business, don't hesitate to call The Interconnect Group, Inc. at 317.831.0704. Let us help you, IT Networking Support is what we do best.

How to install RAM on a Lenovo ThinkCentre All-In-One PC

Wednesday, November 3, 2010 by Britton Starr

Hello Indiana PC Repair customers, and welcome to my first blog.

This week I was reminded that we can all use a little help sometimes, even computer help desk support technicians. We sold a customer a Lenovo ThinkCentre A70. This All-In-One is a great, space-saving machine perfect for everyday computing. They do come a little light on RAM out of the box for running Windows 7. Since upgrading a PC’s RAM is both a practical and affordable performance improvement, it was an easy decision for the customer to decide on the memory upgrade. Upon trying to open the computer case, I encountered some difficulty. Being unable to find any Support articles online, I decided to document the RAM installation process from start to finish. You will need the proper RAM and a few simple tools to complete this job.

Unplug the machine. Be sure to ground yourself (removing any static electricity), by touching something that is metal and grounded, such as a pipe. This is a crucial step in PC Support and Repair, as it protects against accidental damage to your components.
Gently lay the computer on its face, screen side down.
Find the two case screws, each located in the lower corners of the case. Loosen these two screws. They are bracketed however, and do not come entirely out.
Next locate four small black rubber plugs. They should be arranged in a square, near the leg’s hinge. Using your fingernails or a paperclip, gently pull the plugs out of the case and set them aside.
Underneath each of the four plugs should be a screw. Remove these screws, and set them aside near the rubber plugs.
To remove the Leg assembly, rotate the bottom end of the leg up. The square black plastic piece should rotate with it, and can then be removed from the back of the computer. Set it aside for now.
With the leg stand gone, the back plate of the PC must now be removed. The case is held together by a series of small clips. Using a straight screwdriver, gently pry the case apart. Start near the corner screws on both sides, slowly working your way towards the middle. Eventually you should hear a series of ‘pop’ noises and the back of the case may be removed.
You should now be seeing something similar to this. Locate the RAM slot, it should on the left of the machine, towards the center.
If you have to remove the old RAM to install your new memory, this must be done first. This happens if you have two new sticks to go in, remove the old one by pushing down on its white tabs and pulling the RAM stick out.
We are just adding an additional stick, so we’ll install that one. First, locate the inset in the stick of RAM, and match it to the one on the motherboard’s slot. Open the white tabs on each end.
Put the RAM into the second memory slot, using the inset to help ensure accurate placement.
Push down firmly on both ends of the RAM stick, being careful not to let it turn sideways or go in crooked. When the RAM is in far enough, the white clips on each end should pop up helping to hold it securely in place. Check that the fit is snug.
Now that the RAM is installed, the computer must be put back together. Place the main black plastic panel back onto the rear of the machine, and press gently along the edges to begin snapping the back into place.
Tighten down the two screws located in the corner of the machine. You may hear several small pops as the case moves into alignment.
Press firmly along the edges of the case, to ensure a proper seal. This will help to keep unnecessary dust out of the computer.
Then we need to reattach the legs. Line the two small black plastic tabs on the top of the leg assembly up with the two small notches on the back of the computer. Slide these tabs in, and rotate the piece down like a hinge.
Replace the four screws that hold the leg assembly, and screw them in loosely. Check to make sure all four are seated properly, and then tighten down firmly.
Finally, replace the four black rubber plugs, to cover the screws that were just installed.

**Now that the RAM is physically installed, we’ll set up your computer to properly utilize it. If you end up needing Computer Help Desk services however, we are always happy to provide you with any IT services you might require.
After reconnecting all of the essential cables, like mouse, keyboard, and power turn the computer on. You may see a black screen with some text on it that you aren’t used to seeing, but that’s just the computer recognizing the new RAM.
Once Windows has started, click on the Start button in the bottom left of your screen. Then right-click on Computer, and click Properties.
In the window that comes up, click Advanced System Settings in the upper left panel. This will bring up the Advanced tab of the System Properties window. Under ‘Performance’ click Settings, and on this new window click Advanced at the top of this dialog box.
On the ‘Performance Options’ box, select Change to adjust what’s called your “paging file.” This file must be adjusted whenever RAM is installed. First, uncheck the Automatically Manage box. Then, make sure the Custom Size radio button is selected.
To set your paging file to the proper size, a small bit of easy math must be performed. Take the number of Mb’s (or megabytes of memory ) that the RAM now totals, let’s say for example 2048 (for 2 Gigs) of memory. You take this number, and multiply it by 1.5, so roughly 3000Mb. This is the “Initial Size” we’ll set. Add an extra 200 on, so in our example 3200Mb for the “Maximum Size” and hit Ok to accept the value.
Click Ok on the next screen to apply the changes we’ve just made. Click the red ‘X’ in the corner to close the open windows. Your computer should ask you to restart, and do so.

Congratulations, you’ve successfully installed your RAM. Now sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor… likely a noticeably faster computer!

Should you decide that your machine is in need of a boost, come by our Mooresville, Indiana facility and let one of our qualified IT Support Technicians help you enjoy your PC even more.

If you liked this Blog Post, then check out The Interconnect Group other Blog Posts:

A Great Small Business Network Router for your Design

Tuesday, November 2, 2010 by Chad Whaley

If you've read any of my previous blogs, you may have noticed that I'm a very big fan of Adtran routers. I've used them across a wide spectrum of projects and have never been dissatisfied. If you've ever stepped into a telecom closet, you have most likely seen an Adtran router mounted on the wall being used by the local telecom carrier. Adtran routers are very effective for VoIP Network Design and/or the standard Small Business Network Design.

One model that I really like is the Adtran Netvanta 3438 Multiservice Access Router. It has a network interface module that will support up two T1s. In addition to the two Ethernet ports, there is a built in 8-port, non-blocking Ethernet switch with an optional PoE add-on. I've used the NV3448 for both hosted VoIP solutions Indiana projects and small business network solutions alike. I prefer getting the version with the Enhanced Feature Pack (EFP) more for the Voice Quality Monitoring (VQM) feature than the VPN capabilities although the VPN feature is very robust. The VQM comes in very handy when monitoring client's historical VoIP call quality.

Adtran offers both a good GUI and command line interface (CLI). I commonly use the CLI for my initial configuration setup as well as those times when I'm troubleshooting a tough problem. I use the GUI for general maintenance and monitoring tasks. Since you can see the raw SIP messaging at the CLI level in Adtran's Operating System (AOS), additional steps of capturing SIP messaging and importing into Wire Shark isn't necessary.

I would be remiss in my blogging duties if I wrote an article about Adtran routers and didn't mention their industry leading warranty. Adtran stands behind their products and offers a 5 year warranty on most products and a 10 year warranty on some select product lines. Adtran offers free firmware updates for their hardware for the lifetime of that hardware. Adtran offers free telephone support on their products which is staffed by English speaking, Engineering degreed US based staff. This is a very key selling point to me and my small business network design clients.

If you liked this Blog Post, then check out The Interconnect Group other Blog Posts:

Make Sure Internet Connectivity Solutions Meet Business Needs

Monday, October 5, 2009 by Chad Whaley

I am amazed by all the options available to today's business community as long as you are located in a somewhat populated community. Being an Internet connectivity solutions provider, I've been able to design and implement several Internet solutions that meet client's business needs. Internet connectivity has developed for many businesses to be more and require more than just choosing the best rate for the greatest connection speeds. I recommend considering the following:

Reliability
Redundancy
Efficient Utilization
Remote Office Connectivity
Scalability

Reliability is a major concern because Internet connectivity is the lifeline to clients and productivity for most of today's businesses. If your business can't afford to be down, then you may require an Internet connection that has defined Service Level Agreement (SLA) terms as found in T1 circuits.

Redundancy may go hand in hand with your reliability requirements. Depending on the size of your business, redundancy may be met by having a Cellular 3G Card on hand at all times. For larger organizations, a backup broadband connection or T1 might be required to offer the necessary redundancy that is required. If redundancy is important, then I recommend Internet connectivity solutions that implement a dual carrier, dual delivery approach when possible. For example, two T1s from different carriers may still ride over the same Local Loop network which still offers a single point of failure. Where as a T1 and a Cable broadband connection offers two separate paths and two separate carriers.

Efficient Utilization means that I recommend leveraging both your voice and data connectivity requirements in one common connection. Through the use of Voice Over IP (VoIP) deliver strategies found in many new small business telecommunications implementations, PRI T1s and Internet T1s can be combined. The combined connection can be programmed to meet peak demands of both types of use.

Remote Office Connectivity requirements should be considered simultaneously with the main HQ location. Advance Internet connectivity solutions such as MPLS networks can be utilized to connect multiple facilities (typically more than 3-5 locations). I have worked with clients that have over thirty geographically diverse locations all over the United States that implemented an MPLS Network that carried both their voice and data at a highly reduced reoccurring monthly costs over their previous data only interconnection strategy. As with all complex implementations, it requires proper design and implementation to be successful.

Scalability is often overlooked. All good Internet connectivity solutions should take into consideration a communication growth projection analysis. Depending on the company size, growth projections might dictate the need for greater bandwidth over the next few years. If so, look into adjustable bandwidth products such as DS3 Circuit, Ethernet Over Copper or Fiber Connectivity. These products typically allow for easy bandwidth increases. I also recommend that all good Internet connectivity solutions should also review equipment scalability as well as circuit scalability. For instance, it might be cheaper to purchase a larger router up front with the ability to add extra T1 cards than to purchase a lower model limited expansion model.

The next time you are in the market to get one or many of your facilities connected to the Internet, allow some time to review the greater connectivity strategy. Hopefully, these five points will allow you to select the correct Internet connectivity solutions for your business.

If you liked this Blog Post, then check out other IT Related Posts: