10G Ethernet has been an approved standard for over five years but has been slow to be adopted. While 10G will eventually become common in all data centers, most small enterprises should wait for the prices to drop further before adoption. For small enterprises that use high bandwidth applications, struggle with too many cables, or need dedicated remote site connectivity, 10G offers a solution...

Ethernet network access services offer enhanced flexibility and quantifiable savings for small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs). IT decision makers should understand the benefits of Ethernet for broadband network connectivity and plan to leverage emerging services.

Every company must refresh its LAN infrastructure at some point – the trick is doing it at the right time. Businesses grow in both size and IT sophistication, and with growth comes new business requirements. Consider business and technology drivers for a LAN refresh, and understand when the time is right to invest in updated LAN technology.

Virtually every business today provides some way for remote employees, partners, and contractors to access the corporate network and applications. Secure Socket Layer (SSL) VPN solutions can reduce the complexity of providing secure remote access. Network managers are well-advised to explore SSL VPN technology today.

There are several business and technology drivers that can incite a LAN refresh. In order to meet these growing demands, small enterprises must refresh their LAN infrastructure at some point. This tool will help assess when the enterprise will need to consider a LAN refresh.

Growing enterprises often face the challenge of supporting multiple locations, and providing adequate WAN connectivity between sites can be costly. WAN optimization technology can significantly improve WAN performance between sites and save the enterprise money.

The current performance leader for Ethernet technologies, 10G Ethernet, provides high bandwidth and reduced cabling for enterprise networks. For small enterprises the cost of 10G Ethernet switches and NICs is still a barrier to a cost effective implementation. However, for enterprises with high performance network requirements, cabling restrictions, or remote sites connected by dedicated fiber...

Most businesses provide some way for remote users to access internal corporate networks and applications. As the demand for remote access grows to include partners and contractors, as well as employees, managing different remote connectivity requirements becomes more difficult. Evaluate SSL VPN solutions to ease administrative burden and save money.

Desktop virtualization is evolving to represent a compelling option for remote access and business continuity/disaster recovery scenarios. SSL VPNs are an ideal solution for most companies, but Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) will address some of the limitations of SSL VPNs and other technologies. VDI is emerging as an option that warrants attention.

Unexpected network interruptions are inevitable and proper planning for network disaster situations is critical. Network failures caused by power outages, device failures, natural disasters, etc., can impact an enterprise for days unless viable network recovery plans are available and service providers meet their contractual obligations.

Organizations often perform a financial analysis prior to committing to spending on IT infrastructure. In the case of the corporate LAN, business value should be the key driver. Meeting the current and future business needs should be the primary concern when planning for a LAN refresh. Plan carefully to ensure maximum value is derived from the LAN infrastructure.

Aligning current needs with strategic objectives will help enterprises make appropriate decisions when evaluating network options for a new remote office. Ensure that network plans support enterprise requirements for remote office services, availability, performance, and security.

Determining the actual costs and benefits of a WAN optimization implementation requires several quantitative and qualitative factors to be considered. Use this tool to determine the TCO and ROI of a WAN optimization deployment.

WAN optimization technology has rapidly matured in the past two years, and current solutions will have an enormous positive impact on WAN performance and bandwidth utilization. Businesses connecting multiple locations together over a WAN that are facing capacity and performance issues should evaluate WAN optimization.

Info-Tech is seeing a wave of corporate server centralization as companies gain greater control over IT infrastructure and simplify management. While there are compelling reasons to consider centralization, many companies overlook the increased demands on network infrastructure. Understand the network implications of server centralization, and prepare the network for the evolving demands put on...

The secondary market for network equipment has evolved considerably in the past decade. Perfectly good used and refurbished network equipment can be purchased on the secondary market at less than half of the cost of new gear, resulting in big savings.

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is rapidly becoming a very compelling option for remote access and business continuity/disaster recovery scenarios. In the past, such an implementation required a connectivity infrastructure along with VDI, but that is starting to change. VMware is leading the charge to integrate connection brokering and VDI with its VMware Desktop Manager (VDM) solution....

Changing telecom providers can be a complex and costly endeavor for companies of all sizes. Whether changing providers for one or more sites or one or more services, the change must be carefully planned and managed. Mitigate risks and reduce costs by thoroughly understanding the implications of changing telecom providers.

New business requirements and greater dependencies on network services are driving enterprises towards more effective IP address management practices. Enterprises must reassess existing procedures and be prepared to pursue more advanced IP address management solutions.