What Distinguishes a Business Router from a Consumer Router?

If you are on the market looking for a router for your business, you are tempted by the high speeds, the flashy functionality and the low cost of consumer routers. The latest models seem nothing short of attractive.

But do you think that a consumer router can provide everything an average business needs? Do you think it’s safe enough? Is it scalable and can it offer redundant Internet connections? If it is a wireless model, do you think it has an adequate range to cover your desk? Should you invest in routers designed to meet the needs of small and medium-sized businesses?

What exactly distinguishes from consumer Routers Business class models?

Consumer Router

As soon as you enter a store, you will find a dozen wireless routers available at variable prices. These are offered by well-known brands and the prices at which they are available are also very attractive. They also have all the required features.

• Compatibility with the IEEE 802.11n wireless network standard
• Integrated firewall
• Wireless encryption
• 4-port Ethernet switch

Most routers here include 2 × 2 antenna arrays for theoretical 300 Mbps throughput. It's difficult to see the real-world performance so quickly. However, the distance between the router and the client, the overhead costs and environmental factors can reduce this number.

Small Business Router

You might be surprised to learn that most business-class routers don't even include an integrated wireless network. If the selected router does not have one, you can add this functionality by distributing some wireless access points. High-end professional routers offer redundancy, scalability, and advanced security features.

Scalability defines the router's ability to grow with business growth. It is quite easy to extend the wired capabilities of a particular network. Another multiport Ethernet switch can be connected to one of the ports on the router.

You now have multiple doors.

If you manage a complex network that includes multiple VLANs, a RADIUS server and several other features, you may need to invest in a Managed Router.

The best way to increase Internet bandwidth is to get additional connections to the ISP through the Wide Area Network (WAN) ports on the router. While professional low-end routers and consumer routers have a single WAN port, high-end business-class routers have multiple WAN ports to help you establish multiple connections to one or more ISPs.

Since the router is the heart of the network, it is necessary to choose it carefully. Any router can share the connection between your computers and other network devices such as tablets and smartphones. The best models include features that can improve network and performance. Here are some features you should look for when you find a commendable Business Class Router.

Can I Connect Two Routers to the Same Network with the Same Network Name?

Introduction

A second Managed Router can be used as an extender for the existing network. It is also possible to create a single network name between the two routers so that your BluOS players and other network devices connect to the router with the strongest signal.

Many newer Router Services include WDS or Wireless Distributed Services to create multiple access points on a single network with a single name.

If your existing routers don't support WDS, you can manually create a WDS environment using these simple steps.

Router 1

Configure this router as usual. In the router's wireless security settings, disable automatic channel selection and manually set the channel to channel 3.

Router 2

In most cases, this router must be connected to the original router. Consider taking a wireless media bridge or running a single network cable in the other location.

• Disable the DHCP server on this router to avoid IP conflicts or network configuration problems that only allow Manage Router 1 to the network.
• Manually set the IP address of this router to 1 number more than the existing main router, for example, if the IP of the router is 192.168.1.1, set this router to 192.168.1.2. Make sure that this address does not fit into the address assignment of the first router for DHCP distribution. Otherwise, make a DHCP reservation for the address of this router in the DHCP table of router 1.
• Set the Internet gateway of router 2 to the IP address of router 1.
• Connect the two routers using a wired connection from one of ports 1-4 on router 1 to one of ports 1-4 on router 2. You can use a wireless media bridge or an Ethernet CPL kit to create a wired connection. DO NOT use the WAN port of router 2.
• In this router's wireless security settings, disable automatic channel selection and manually set the channel to channel 8 - or any other channel not used by the main router or any other router on this network (more than two routers per area can be defined as Very big).
• Configure wireless security to be identical in router 2 as in router 1.

This will now give you two identical access points that work in harmony on opposite sides of your home to create a single distributed network.

What are the advantages of MSP or NOC outsourcing?

Be an IT champion for your customers by using an external assistant that gives you the power to increase your business.

As a managed service provider, you aim to be an IT champion for your customers, covering all their needs and providing first-rate support and all within a certain budget. Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done. Helping all your customers' needs can be overwhelming, overwhelming and expensive, which is a good reason why many MSPs seek outside help. Each champion needs a partner and Outsourced NOC Support Services can give you the opportunity to grow your business and become an MSP leader.

Nearly a third of SMEs today choose an IT-managed service provider to manage and maintain Internet technology services and secure data storage. Unless you are the owner or experienced operator of a technology company, you probably don't have all the knowledge and skills needed to supervise this area of business yourself. Previously, many small and medium-sized enterprises employed one or more qualified IT staff to manage their problems and support needs.

However, it has become much more convenient, efficient and profitable for these companies to hire the services of a reputable IT service provider who can offer complete NOC monitoring 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The business simply cannot operate at optimal levels of quality and efficiency in the advanced business arena without updated and high quality IT services.

Assistance after hours

These days, IT management has become a business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, thanks to international activities and fundamental customer satisfaction. Unfortunately, your staff needs rest. A crisis can literally happen at any moment, but finding internal technicians who are willing to sacrifice all their nights, weekends and holidays is almost impossible and not to say expensive. With a NOC MSP or White Label, you may have a dedicated team of technicians or support staff, who act as an extension of your team, working 24 hours a day and proactively solving the problems that can arise ensuring that you keep the customer satisfied while the house staff is committed to generating new sources of income.

The definitive guide to setting up a Wi-Fi network for small businesses

Setting up a Small Business Network will likely reveal many wireless devices, with scarce or zero wired hardware in evidence. Problems may arise, however, if the small business distributes consumer-centered access points for home users.

This lack of attention to what is now a critical business technology can threaten productivity, safety and proper functioning of the company. Here are some important considerations that small businesses should keep in mind for a secure and reliable Wi-Fi network.

A common question is often centered on the need for a professional quality access point over the many less expensive alternatives with similar specifications. However, it should be noted that an important prerequisite for a professional quality access point is reliability in the context of intense and prolonged use, which is probably not the case with an access point. access selected in the trash.

In fact, Wi-Fi studios have shown that even higher-level wireless access points do not work the same way when subjected to a heavy load. In addition to sustained performance, IT professionals also know that access points can get stuck or crash, making solid operation an important consideration.

Of course, access points designed for use in professional environments also offer a variety of features that allow for more powerful and flexible implementations. Let's take a closer look at some of them and explain how they can be used for your Small Office network Setup with Server.

Support for multiple SSIDs

Unlike consumer access points, which typically support a single wireless network, it is often possible to create dozens of wireless networks - also called SSID (Service Set Identifier) ​​- on a professional access point. More importantly, each SSID can be assigned a different access criterion for maximum security, such as being labeled on a different virtual LAN or configured with different authentication or encryption options.

The most obvious advantage is the ability to support guest users without offering them unlimited access to the Small Office Network. Companies can create an Internet-compatible SSID isolated from the rest of the corporate network and disable it or change its passphrase to revoke access when it is no longer needed. In addition, additional SSIDs can be created for devices such as IP cameras, wireless speakers and IoT sensors, leaving the production network intact.

Simple management

A significant capability of an enterprise access point would be the ease of managing multiple access points, with configuration changes being made centrally and immediately propagated to the entire cluster. Some of these systems may even migrate Wi-Fi client devices from a congested Wi-Fi hotspot to a less busy spot.

Pros and Cons of Outsourcing IT Help Desk Services

There are many problems that can make you avoid making a decision about outsourcing IT support services, preferring the known challenges of keeping it internal to the unknown dynamics of unloading operations. This can be an expensive default decision in itself, which costs your organization money and talent. These pros and cons of outsourcing IT support services can help you make the best decision for your business.

Pros of Outsourcing the IT Help Desk 

The outsourcing of the IT service center offers seven distinct advantages. We check each in detail.

Reduced costs

Avoid the nightmare of the annual budget by blocking known prices. Avoid hiring additional service desk agents (SDAs) and shift the burden of training costs on the external provider.

A Better Knowledge Base

Updating the software and training Managed Help Desk personnel to regularly support new versions can be expensive and time-consuming. ITIL® best practices should be common for a company that provides high quality IT support services. The external provider benefits from scale advantages by having up-to-date support services for different customers and can transfer these savings to you.

Management and Monitoring

The outsourced company covers the costs of telephony infrastructure and communication tools, data processing, servers, recruitment and training of SDAs, etc. Stay informed, but you're relieved of the meticulous management and follow-up of each incident ticket.

Flexibility

A quality outsourced IT Service and Support provider will have industry experience on multiple platforms, with more software. Such a professional company will be able to manage all your existing needs as well as your emerging systems since they must be agile not only for you but also for other customers.

Capacity

The volume of calls can vary per hour and season, depending on the type of activity. The call volume has a direct impact on waiting times and staff. Lighten the burden on your IT department by letting an outsourced company handle volumes of fluctuating calls.

Really Global Support

Some organizations may find it difficult to adequately support operations in 24 time zones, in multiple languages, seven days a week. A company specializing in the outsourcing of IT support services can handle a problem towards the end of an office workday, simply by hiring staff available 24 hours a day or by sending the call to a help desk in another time zone with sufficient time for manage the end-user. problem.

Business Services

Help Desk Support Services can do more than IT. An outsourced supplier can perform company resource planning (ERP), human relations (human resources) and customer relationship management (CRM). Depending on specific needs, helpdesks can also provide assistance for research and development, facility management, employee dispatch, and other functions.

As in any decision, some negative aspects derive from the outsourcing of IT support services. Only you can decide which part, for or against, weighs more.

Cons of Outsourcing IT Help Desk Services 

Training

It is necessary to depend on the supplier to properly train SDAs for the software and platforms used by their organization. Entering a low-cost business can be a particularly painful mistake if the outsourced supplier does not properly train its employees.

Interested Parties

The company that provides IT support services are not part of your organization, so SDAs may not be professional in dealing with your end-users. This can be overcome by looking not at a price, but at a service level

Should You Outsource Your Help Desk?

Many IT managers dream of delivering their internal help desk to an external provider. Others fear it is the worst that can happen. In the new era of bringing your own device (BYOD), it's a more consistent decision.

In the meeting room and in the executive suite, the idea of ​​downloading a significant portion of IT operations into a third party stimulates the fantasies of great cost savings that will drive the end result. Many CIOs believe that IT Help Desk Outsourcing will allow them to re-use their IT equipment and resources for higher-order jobs more focused on the company's core competency. They also consider the delivery of routine projects, such as desktop updates, to the support service subcontractor, freeing up even more resources.

Other high-level IT executives have more troubling visions of disappointing service, disgruntled end-users, IT-related riots and intangible costs that undermine the alleged efficiencies that help-desk outsourcing could bring. More in-depth in the IT the organization, help-desk outsourcing is often seen as an absolute nightmare. The biggest fear is that the senior management will start significant redundancies to get immediate savings, while minor concerns include the need to get rid of the bad work of third parties.

Each of these dreams is based on reality. The way an organization handles the decision to use an external help desk service and looks for one and then creates and maintains the relationship, all determines what kind of dream becomes reality.

Help Desk Outsourcing Evolution

Outsourced IT Help Desk is a huge category and the help desk is only a small but significant part. Other forms of IT outsourcing may include delivering complete data centers to third parties, or perhaps limiting themselves to portions that can cover networks and business applications. The help desk is often one of the first services that companies outsource and sometimes acts as a pilot for outsourced follow-up services. It is also important to take into account the often blurred difference between outsourcing, which simply means that an outside party is providing a service, rather than the transfer, which specifically means that the service is provided by a foreign company, presumably with costs of considerably less labor.

At the same time, the cloud interferes with traditional definitions of outsourcing. Desktop as a Service (Daas) and other types of cloud-based virtual desktops are new ways for non-traditional players to offer services that overlap with the traditional help desk. Gartner Inc. recognized him in his latest "Quadrante Magica" report on the subject. The influential "Magic Dials" of Gartner places the sellers along the x and y axes to show the relative strength and breadth of different players.

In its 2013 report, Gartner consolidated the Magic Desk and Help Desk quadrants to reflect changes in support services. In the text of the report for the quadrant that Gartner now calls the "Magic Quadrant for end-user Outsourced Help Desk Services, North America", Gartner analyst David Ackerman and two colleagues highlighted the main sources of the evolution of the category.

"An evolving workforce model, which is more mobile and more virtual than ever, will continue to challenge traditional work models and IT service delivery approaches," said Ackerman and co-authors William Maurer and Bryan Blitz. "The net impact will be a greater demand in service desk functions and continued growth in support of mobile devices. These factors will also favor the growth of cloud printing and cloud storage services. We see that BYOD accelerates ... rapidly in North America in the next three years ".

Three Key Responsibilities of the IT Help Desk

For many companies, the IT support service acts as the facade or front for the IT organization. Manages employee problems and service requests, managing most, if not all, of the communications between end-users and the IT organization. The helpdesk is a key player in providing IT services to the company and has a number of responsibilities that must be taken to succeed.

In this blog post, I explain three of the main IT Help Desk Services responsibilities and offer suggestions on how to best meet them.

Deliver Great Customer Service

First of all, at the moment employees are experiencing a superior customer experience in their personal life (and they carry the same expectations in the workplace), the number one responsibility for any IT Help Desk Services should be to meet the needs of end-users while providing excellent customer service.

That being said, it is easy for IT organizations to overcome this obstacle because they are overly focused within, the help desk policies and processes (and the way in which they are implemented) serve the first customer technical teams.

We hope, however, that your help desk exists to serve the end-users of your organization and the roles they play. It is, therefore, their needs that you place in front of those of others. This should include providing your customers with the information they need, effectively solving their tickets, communicating with them about problems and changes affecting the company and generally being easily accessible when they need them. at your place

End users will ultimately want to be treated as human beings, rather than as custodians of IT resources and ideally as customers (of IT support).

Providing Accurate Reports That Demonstrate Performance, Drive Improvement and Prevent Issues 

Reporting is an essential activity for any IT supports service.

Reports can show the performance of help desk personnel (both individually and collectively), the number of incoming incidents and requests from the company faces, whether service level agreements (SLAs) are respected or not, which resolving teams do not return enough tickets quickly, etc. They can also highlight problems that cause repeated accidents, identify ticket trends and display ongoing escalations.

Reports are also useful for tracking data and performance over time and you should use it to show how IT support levels are improving.

Share and Exploit Your Collective Knowledge 

Having knowledge management and knowledgebase capability is a great way to share the knowledge gathered by the IT Help Desk Services, both individually and collectively. A knowledgebase will provide relevant information to end-users and technical teams. Knowledgebase articles in the knowledge base can also be role-based, which means that they are accessible only to those in need and may be allowed to use them. By sharing knowledge, the helpdesk will be able to prevent incoming calls, reducing ticket volumes and workloads and simplifying the lives of customers and agents.

Top 10 Ways a Help Desk Can Help You

What is Help Desk Software?

Support software can help companies solve technical problems faster and help IT departments work more efficiently. Such as? In short, an ithelpdesk organizes information, simplifies workflows and eliminates many manual processes. With help desk software (often a subset of service desk software), a technical support specialist will no longer need to record problems by hand scrupulously, rummaging through disorganized emails. to get to the end of a problem, manually follow the status of the problems or let the requests slip through the cracks.

A help desk system automates workflow for troubleshooting, centralizes information and keeps everyone up to date with email alerts. Instead of looking for someone in technical support for help, employees can simply send a ticket to the help desk team via e-mail or through a customizable web form. The help desk software will automatically receive, record and assign problems to the appropriate help desk technicians, making the process more convenient for everyone involved.

Not only do they help desks simplify communication, but they also keep detailed records of all problems sent, making it easy to keep track of updates and report on the work done (convenient for year-end exams). As you can see, the helpdesk can simplify your life in different ways and make your business more productive. It is no wonder that the use of technical support software is considered one of the best IT practices that can benefit almost any company. Here are 10 fantastic ways that assistive software can simplify office and IT life

10 Ways a Help Desk Helps You

Work more efficiently

Employees can easily send problems and solve technical problems faster, allowing everyone to spend more time being productive and less time moving their thumbs. IT saves less time on unnecessary manual processes, freeing up valuable time for larger jobs.

Smarter multitasking, even on the go

Technical support systems make it easier for IT professionals to prioritize and classify problems, allowing them to sequence the problems they have to work on. For example, a technician might want to handle several similar problems on a single trip from the server room, making better use of his time.

A place for all IT requests

Most help desk systems include a user portal that offers users a single place to create tickets, view the status of open problems and close tickets once they have been resolved. A portal can also be used to transmit important information to users (such as scheduled downtime), which can reduce unnecessary tickets.

Customize to meet your needs

At a basic level, a support ticket includes a title and a description of each problem. For more detailed information and better categorization, a company can create custom fields like department, building location, plan number or peanut butter preference ... and then create reports based on this data.

Analyze IT trends, improve overall workflow

Because helpdesks can help you keep track of metrics, like the average time taken to resolve tickets, IT managers can run detailed reports to find trends. For example, if you find that certain technology is good for a specific task, you might want to give them all the associated tickets for maximum efficiency.

Give priority to important tasks

Different notes justify different answers depending on the gravity. Replacing an old mouse for a person is much less important than repairing a failed server that affects the entire company. With a help desk system, technicians can easily establish the order of priority and sorting of tickets, so high severity tickets are processed quickly and are less likely to fall into cracks.

Automatic assignment of support tickets

The best support software can analyze tickets and automatically assign problems based on specific criteria. For example, you can send all hardware problems to Steve and all software problems to Bob. Or you can assign all accounting or marketing tickets to Sally and every ticket with the word "password" to Mary.

Better to set expectations with deadlines

Defining, tracking and reporting changes to the deadlines of problems is easy with a help desk, useful both for the IT professional who handles the problem and for the employee you send. Expiration dates can be assigned automatically or manually and help desk technicians can order tickets by project completion date.

Don't reinvent the wheel

Some technical problems recur regularly. With a help desk system, you can save relevant notes on any ticket and even download the files needed to help solve the problem. Subsequently, any member of the ithelpdesk team can consult the old tickets for assistance with similar problems.

Show what you're worth

With help desk reports, you can easily generate reports to show how many tickets have been resolved in the last week, month, quarter or year for yourself or for the entire IT department. These reports are great for identifying problematic technology areas and showing the value that IT professionals bring to a company.

Is a Help Desk Right for me?

If it is not yet clear, a help desk is designed to make life easier for IT professionals. Thanks to the help desk functionality, interactions are simplified, information is organized and processes are leaner.

Most companies find it useful to use a helpdesk once they start to see a healthy volume of problems happen and need more organization around the requests.

The main obstacle for some companies in implementing a help desk system are the cost of the software ... with some options that cost thousands of dollars. In the long term, helpdesk software helps companies work more efficiently, saving money over time.

Fortunately, a free ithelpdesk software like Spiceworks simplifies the risk-free trial, especially with a cloud-based service, where configuration can be performed in minutes. If your company does not use the help desk now, download it for free, try it for a while and see if it works for you.

What to look for in an Outsourced NOC service provider

You weighed pros and cons, Small Office Network Setup Cost and Benefits. You can now outsource your NOC services. If you are looking for an outsourced NOC partner, look for a partner that offers a variety of custom options. Your needs are unique and your business faces its own challenges.

Below is a list of criteria from our free ebook "Choosing a NOC Partner": Everything you should consider when outsourcing your monitoring services. To meet your requirements, your NOC service provider must prove:

The ability to monitor your complex network environment

This feature includes not only the Network Setup but also the latest virtual, distributed, cloud-based environments and all intermediate hybrids. Older devices and current operations must also be supported because they are still dependent on them - and they work.

The ability to perform synthetic transactions

Synthetic transactions test the availability and functionality of your system. These transaction functions are generally outside the scope of business monitoring software platforms. Your NOC provider should provide these services.

Flexibility, as NOC notifies you

Your NOC partner should provide alert options that include a variety of options, depending on who needs to be notified and how serious the problem is.

Flexibility when NOC notifies you

Your NOC partner must be able to consider your internal business hours, holidays and office hours. You must be able to withstand notification delays that occur due to time or persistent thresholds, and you must be able to suspend the alert during known maintenance windows.

Level 1 Renovation

Monitoring and discovery are just the first steps in keeping your network alive. The goal of NOC is to prevent interrupts (and bring them back online when interrupts occur). Look for a NOC partner with a history of troubleshooting and resolving interrupts and deficiencies.

Support Around the Clock

If you need support and quick response around the clock, look for a partner who can answer your calls around the clock.

Attention to continuous improvement

A qualified NOC partner needs to continually improve monitoring to learn more about their Small Office Network Setup, and their people.

15 Questions You Should Ask Your NOC Provider

If you think you have found the right NOC provider, you should ask the following 15 questions:

1. What is the supplier's main business? Is the provision of NOC services the main service or a "compliment" to another main offer?
2. Is your location in the US? (Tip: Think about financial issues and outsourcing compliance issues abroad.)
3. Can they be scaled to support your business? Is there a minimum that you should buy?
4. Are your employees on duty or on-site? When is NOC?
5. How will your NOC access your network? Is there a portal to ensure uninterrupted monitoring?
6. Is the platform flexible and customizable or limited to out-of-box functionality?
7. How are run books developed and maintained?
8. Does the NOC provide subcontracting?
9. How do you alert NOC and handle interrupt escalations? How can you communicate with NOC?
10. How fast can you diagnose and fix problems?
11. Can the NOC monitor existing and new technologies?
12. Do you (the customer) need to open and manage merchant or carrier travel tickets? Or can the NOC handle it?
13. How long does the implementation of an outsourced solution take?
14. Is the outsourced NOC price fixed, staggered or varies with use?
15. Can I see a demo? How about a free trial?