Small Business Networks
Fault Tolerant Internet Connections
Connectivity to the Internet has emerged as a mission-critical
capability for many small businesses. The use of the Internet
to distribute information has mushroomed to the point that
many organizations are unable to perform day-to-day functions
without Internet connectivity.
Traditional applications such as internal email clearly
lose much of their value when they can’t be used to
communicate with customers or vendors, but as organizations
increasingly adopt Internet-based information delivery for
line-of-business applications, even core functions can grind
to a halt when Internet access becomes unavailable.
Until recently, only large organizations could afford to
build fully redundant and transparent Internet connections
that could survive a failed Internet link or router. Such
seamless fault tolerance requires T1-class Internet lines,
an option that in the past overstretched the budgets of most
small businesses. As T1 prices have dropped to as low as a
few $100 per month, and as alternative connections have become
available, the opportunity for small businesses to achieve
enterprise-class fault tolerance has become economically feasible.
But even though the cost for lines has become affordable,
the complexity of implementing these solutions has not.
Few small businesses have the in-house expertise required
to work effectively with multiple ISPs, coordinate the necessary
configuration steps with Internet numbering authority organizations,
and implement advanced routing protocols such as Border Gateway
Protocol (BGP) and Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP). DCI
offers Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) consulting
to help you apply the latest connectivity technology to implement
a cost-effective fault-tolerant solution.
Today multiple options exist for building automatic and
semi-automatic failover solutions. These can involve a mix
of T1, DSL and wireless Internet connections. The viability
of high-speed fixed-wireless links has recently opened up
new alternatives for achieving transparent fault tolerance.
By establishing diverse physical paths to the Internet, small
businesses gain insurance against costly outages caused by
events out of their control, such as a construction crew accidentally
digging up phone lines.
As companies rush to deploy VoIP solutions, the potential
productivity loss that could result from an interruption in
Internet access increases dramatically. This creates another
strong incentive to configure a fault-tolerant architecture.
Current technologies from Cisco and other networking companies
make it possible to build high-availability voice and data
solution that have even better uptime potential than conventional
voice and data services.
For small business with extremely limited budgets, fault-tolerant
failover solutions are possible by utilizing redundant, low-cost
DSL services. While not providing all the transparency of
more complex and expensive solutions, this alternative can
provide significant functionality and avoid costly productivity
loss in the event of line failure.
As companies have shifted away from dedicated leased T1 and
frame relay lines to Internet-based VPN connections, the demand
for fault-tolerant Internet connectivity has accelerated.
Businesses can apply the cost savings from retiring legacy
leased circuits to upgrading their Internet infrastructure
so that they will not only protect their connectivity to remote
offices but also the Internet connectivity of office users.
Absent those cost savings, many small companies are reluctant
to invest in fault-tolerant Internet configurations.
In addition to high-availability Internet connectivity consulting,
DCI's Microsoft and Cisco-certified experts can help you create
an affordable, fault-tolerant network solution that addresses
other critical issues covering a broad range of infrastructure
technologies and processes including:
- Server Clustering
- Load Balancing
- Data Center Solutions
- Interoffice Connectivity
- Disaster Recovery
Why Choose DCI?
Because DCI is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and offers
expert application support for a wide variety of business
applications, DCI can help clients in the Arizona, Southern Nevada, Southern California and Colorado Area, the California Central Valley and the Monterey Peninsula
find comprehensive IT solutions that maximize the business
value of your network. As a Registered Partner for Cisco Systems,
DCI offers the services of Certified Professionals and Specialists
with expertise in designing, implementing and troubleshooting
networking solutions based on Cisco technology. The depth
and breadth of DCI's technical experience and DCI's familiarity
with the needs of small businesses make DCI the ideal partner
for creating and maintaining an affordable, high-availability
fault-tolerant network.
How to Access DCI's Fault
Tolerant Network Consulting
To contact a DCI consultant with expertise in fault-tolerant,
high-availability networks, call (866)666-7731 or email
information@dcicorporation.com.
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