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A business network is a useful tool for the management of programs and documents, shared resources (like printers and CD-ROM devices), and (heaven forbid it’s needed) recovery management. When a business owns several computers running separately, the employees may have to carry their information on diskette and move from computer to computer to use different devices. Time is wasted and wasted time leads to annoyance for the worker, employer, and eventually customer. Networks are such an integral part of new business that organizations without network support can be at a disadvantage against their competition and lose business.

One of the best uses for a network is offering a database for your workers to use. A database is a large container for information that easily managed and pulled interpret information. For example, let’s say that you run a cleaning and laundry business. You could use a database to manage all the records and accounts for your customers. Let’s take a particular instance where a customer comes in with a shirt to be cleaned. You enter the information about the customer (price of cleaning, date when shirt can be picked up) into the database. The database, checking the customer’s previous information, says that the customer has a pair of pants which haven’t been picked up. You can use a computer to ring up the transaction, including the database to record the information for future reference. Now you could find how many pair of pants have been cleaned in a certain timeframe, how much money in sales have been brought in (or if you record your costs and taxes with the database as well, how much is the current net profits for a certain timeframe), the record for any customer, or more complex information.

A network could also be used for storage for your employees documents. For example, if you had five computers that a worker could use, but you don’t want the worker to save files to one of those computers for fear of losing it, you could implement network directories for your workers. Then, a worker could save all documents to the network directory and access those documents from any networked machine.

Now that you know why, knowing how to do this is the next step:

There are two types of networks:

The most fundamental part of a network is a system that controls access to the network and monitors resources, files, and devices. This computer is called a server, but can be further classified. A dedicated server is one which runs continually and performs only the actions of monitoring people, devices, and files without a user being able to use it like he would use any regular computer (or "workstation"). Dedicated servers are generally designed to perform only server work and have been optimized to run constantly by the manufacturer. Often dedicated servers also have special hardware to be continually self-monitoring and can report any issues directly to an "administrator" before they cause major access problems for users.

A server can also be made from a computer which was originally designed for regular usage. This is useful for businesses that must run on limited resources and will not be using the server to perform heavy work constantly. This type of server can work almost on par with a system originally designed as a server, but may not run as fast.

Networks are everywhere. You may not realize it but you are actually looking at a server right now. Websites actually run on a special type of network server called a web server. In this case, you are a user who is utilizing the server to access files.

To connect your pre-existing or new computers to your server, you will need a network card, a hardware device that interprets between the computer and server, for each system. You will also need some cable wire that runs from each system to a hub, which directs all transactions between each system to a single line that goes to the network server. It can also run to switches or routers for special functioning.

Now the systems need a way to communicate with eachother. Windows 95 or 98 does not include advanced network management software, though it does provide the software needed for peer-to-peer networking. Microsoft’s version of a network operating system is Windows NT (or in the latest version, Windows 2000), but there are also Novell networks, UNIX-based systems, and others.

Once there is communication between the client (or user’s system) and server, you can add the devices for the functionality of the network. With a suitable amount of hard drive space on the server, you can develop a file system that individual users can employ for file storage. A CD-ROM device can be added for users to take advantage of (for example, a graphics library or something which contains an amount of information that would inappropriate to install permanently on a system). You can install a database system like SQL or DB2 for usage by your employees. You can install peripheral devices, like printers accessible to groups of users.

A very common component for businesses is interoffice e-mail, which is handled within the system for personnel to communicate conjointly. With the installation of a dedicated e-mail server and a service provider, an organization may open the e-mail system to include standard Internet e-mail as well.

Being an Internet-based company, we are obliged to discuss web servers. A web server allows access to outside users to some part of your information, be it specifically designed web pages like these, databasing functionality, or dial-up networking (the ability to communicate as a workstation within the network). Today, these specific types of servers are very commonplace and it’s certain that Internet servers will be even more important in the future.

See Commerce for more information on what can be done with a web server.

Mention an access point to your companies information from the outside and the words "safety and security" are sure to come to mind. Before we get into specific issues for web server access, it’s important to discuss that these issues are common for every server regardless of type.

Safety can be broken down into concepts of file maintenance, loss-of-power prevention, and anti-viral precautions.
File maintenance can be preserved by the use of backup procedures and systems on the server level. PCs have included backup software for years, and network backups are merely an extension of this. Back up software is commercially available from a myriad of vendors. Backup hardware generally involves removable storage mediums, which includes tape backup and Iomega-like devices (for hundreds of megabytes of information at a time on a single disk).
Loss of power and electrical spiking can be controlled by power backup devices, which involve suppression of power spiking (smoothing the charge to a level appropriate for the computer) and secondary power sources (basically car batteries in a box). Surge suppression should be used for both the server and for each individual computer, printer, etc.
Anti-viral precautions should always be taken for computers. Today, companies like McAfee and Norton produce software that can monitor and control for Internet transmissions and watching systems from the server level.

Security is the concept of limiting users of your systems to only information that they should be able to see or edit. Network operating systems offer some control of network access rights to users, but additional software is available for heightening security. Often, if Internet access is available to staff through the network’s resources, an organization may try to limit its employees to information that pertains to work. On the other side, web servers must monitor requests for information from the outside so that "hackers" don’t try to perform invasive or malicious actions. This monitoring is called firewalling, and can be performed with both software programs and hardware devices. Far more common that Internet hackers though is inside illegal activities. Highly sensitive information must be guarded from prying eyes and detrimental hands.

Considering the unique options that an organization may choose to implement, the cost of installing and running a network must be determined by the types of services and amount of hardware that we provide. However, installation of a network is said to pay for itself in time gained and increase in productivity within a year. Using this as a model, the amount of upgrade to be performed can be estimated against the value of it.

Once a network is put in place, training is available for your computer expert to act as a network administrator. We can also help you with placement of full-time or part-time educated network specialist. As a third option, Meshes Company can act by providing outside support of the systems you use.

On a currently installed network, we are available to perform the addition of devices and software, or upgrade of current systems.

As computers show up in homes like their TVs, there will be a need to connect these TVs together.

Though the rush for bandwidth and the ability to shop online seem to have the biggest buzz about them in the computing world, the quest for the multiple-computer home is right over the next hill. When the need to get information from one computer to another without a disk presents itself, Meshes will be ready to offer home solutions. The home network is a scaled-down version of a business network. A home network does not require the use of a dedicated server. It can be useful and inexpensive to network two to two hundred computers in your home.

Recently, we’ve heard Internet-technology specialists whispering about bringing the world of computers back to the local level, to connect neighborhoods together. One of the best reasons for this is the price of Internet service providers. With prices starting at 20 dollars a month, not including the telephone charges during usage, using a community-owned service provider (possibly even without any phone charges) can be far less expensive, more reliable, convenient, and opportune for small business. Remember that if you can get out to the Internet, people can come in to see you… or the website of your business, school, organization, etc. With the service within the community, you can not only get connected, but feel connected to the service. Trials for this have gone smoothly in several New England villages. To our knowledge, we do not know of one running in the Chicago-land area.