What network?

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Quote: Power networking involves the development of a team of powerful, proactive referral partners capable of producing a steady flow of referrals for your business.
In this chapter:
o Examples of power networking
o Defining networking
o 7 Myths and truths about networking
Before we talk about networking, let's take a look at some examples of the results that some have achieved by applying the principles of effective networking. The examples we cite are mostly from Local Business Network simply because these are the individuals with whom we have worked and whose stories we know. In most cases, you can replace LBN with the words "structured networking organization".
We share these stories to help you understand how truly powerful networking can be for anyone who is willing to learn the principles of power networking and to apply them consistently. Many who do so achieve rewards totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars. For many, business from referral partners account for 25% to as much as 90% of their sales. We hope these examples will encourage you to read further and to consider seriously the principles we teach.
Website Design Firm Finds Structured Networking its Most Powerful Business Growth Tool
Steve Hyer started IGD Solutions, a website development firm, in 1999. In 2000, he joined Local Business Network, a structured business referral organization. Steve was not only new to business, but new to networking.
For the ensuing three years, LBN referrals accounted for an average of 38% of his business. In real dollars, that amounts to six figures each year. Forming strategic and referral partner relationships with members of his own chapter and with those in other chapters helped Steve create a continuous referral stream and thus a continuous stream of new leads and new clients. Steve found the regional mixers particularly helpful in finding and developing referral partner relationships with those in the technology field.
Steve writes that, "LBN is the single most effective method we have used to promote our business. The structure of meeting twice a month and really focusing on sharing referrals makes it extremely effective."
From Corporate Cast Off To Successful Business Owner In 1 Year
Mark Raymond was laid off abruptly from his information technology job when his company was bought out. The IT market was slow and Mark knew he needed to find additional sources of income. He knew it takes time to grow any business.
Mark had an entrepreneurial background. He had owned a number of different businesses before, ranging from working as a disc jockey, to being a truck driver, to operating as a multi-media expert with auto shows. Fortunately, he had built a successful real estate rental business and owned more than ten properties. Still he needed to replace his IT income.
Mark joined Pre-Paid Legal Services as an Independent Associate. He focused on the sales aspect instead of building a team, but needed prospects and referral partners. His target markets were companies and small business owners, but he did not know where to start.
His wife, Tricia Raymond, a real estate agent, already belonged to a Local Business Network and she encouraged him to use the networking to promote his business. Mark only knows one way to go - full speed ahead. He became the President of his LBN chapter and aggressively built referral relationships.
Within one year of joining LBN, he sold over 400 Pre-Paid Legal memberships. Nearly half, 180 memberships, came directly or indirectly from LBN. Today he has a rapidly growing nationwide network of business associates helping to grow his business.
Sales Agent for a Title Insurance Company Receives over 60% of Her Business Through Networking Group Referrals
Sandra Maurer enjoyed networking, but didn't realize how powerful it could be when she joined the Birmingham, MI chapter of Local Business Network. Her sales were strongly dependent on relationships with mortgage lenders, attorneys and real estate agents.
Sandra began visiting as many LBN chapters as she could to meet key referral partners and build relationships. She attended every regional mixer to meet other members and build more relationships. She became an extraordinary referral generator, giving as many as 50 or more referrals every month.
Within two years, the relationships she had built within LBN were generating over 60% of her income. When she changed jobs, she took those relationships with her and had an immediate sales base even though she was selling different products and services.
Accountant Gives and Receives Over $100,000 in Referrals Annually
Norm McKee is an accountant and business consultant. During his first year in LBN, referrals from LBN members accounted for about 25% of his business. The second year it grew to 40%. Partnering with other LBN professionals, he also began an employee benefits firm with the potential to generate even more profit than his already highly lucrative accounting practice.
Norm receives eight to ten new client referrals a month from his referral partners. He receives over $100,000 in referrals annually and gives at least that amount to his referral partners.
Norm says, "We selected LBN as our networking group because of the structured/instructional based program offered, providing all members with basic direction over their networking activities. We found LBN members to understand the importance of relationship marketing and how to utilize relationships to create a marketing avenue for their businesses.
Residential Cleaning and Janitorial Service Reports 90% of Sales Come From LBN Members or Their Referrals
Mary Youtz was downsized by a major software development firm. She had worked in the accounting department in a thankless job for a thankless boss. After being let go, she and her husband started their own business and elected to use networking as their primary means of promoting it.
After six months, the firm was in the black and 90% of sales had come through members of her Local Business Network. Mary immediately recognized the value of visiting as many chapters as possible and became a regular visitor to half-a-dozen chapters in communities near her place of business. She attended every regional networking event and built relationships with those in a position to send her referrals. She brought referrals to every meeting she attended.
Mary also grew personally. She had never been required to speak in public and initially expressed concerns about having to do a sixty second commercial at her local chapter meeting. She quickly outgrew her fear and even became a speaker at regional networking events. Her friends saw an extraordinary transformation in her self-confidence and demeanor. She recently took on a role as an officer in her local chapter.
And there are hundreds of additional stories but we don't have time to tell them all. Here are some quick recaps of a few more.
o Jim Motley started a new computer repair business with $250,000 in sales his first year largely through referrals; doubled his business the second year; then doubled it again the third year.
o Jeannie Kime, a marketer of promotional items spent two years in another networking organization before joining LBN without much success, then tripled her business in her first year in LBN.
o John Gentilia of Perfect View Blinds reported 35% of his business from LBN referrals his first year, growing to 40% his second year.
o Doris Benson of Comfort Zone Heating and Cooling developed 100 new customers in her first six months in LBN.
o Ed Koerner, a mortgage lender, got 36 referrals in his first six months in LBN.
o Brian Jenks, a commercial lender, received referrals for real estate financing for projects of $12 million and $5 million.
o Sharon Quarters, a Realtor, received leads totaling over $2 million in her first three weeks in LBN.
o Attorney, Brian Rolfe got a lead for a $50,000 client within a few weeks after joining LBN.
o Julie Greene, a financial planner, reported commissions of $20,000 on leads from her LBN group and expectations that that number would double the next year.
We could go on forever with stories of these types, but the important thing to understand is that the principles of power networking work for any legitimate business person, representing a valid product or service that is being marketed to the general public or to other businesses. The question is not whether the system works, but rather whether you are willing to learn and to apply the principles of power networking.
What is Power Networking? Webster's Dictionary defines networking as, "the developing of contacts or the exchanging of information in an informal network as to further a career." In its broadest sense, practically any type of social interaction could be considered networking. Most business people are familiar with the informal networking that occurs in Chambers of Commerce and other business organizations. But in a business environment where increased sales are the ultimate objective and "time is money", informal and unfocused networking is inadequate. It is necessary to move to the description and definition of a more formal and focused type of networking.
Development of Win-win Relationships - In his book, Endless Referrals, Bob Burg defines networking as, "the development of mutually beneficial win-win relationships." Bob says that, "all things being equal, people will do business with and refer people to those they know, like and trust." Networking therefore is about developing relationships with others who will do business with you and will send referrals to you because they know, like and trust you. Bob's goal is to transform networking from an "informal process" to a "formal" process focused on generating referrals that result in sales and increased income.
Note that there is a requirement that the individual giving you the referral first know, like and trust you. It is necessary for you to allow others to get to know you, and they must like what they see and have trust in you before they will send you referrals. When building a referral network it is necessary for you to develop relationships of trust.
Selling Through Networking Partners - Power networking involves selling "through" those who are your networking partners not "to" them. There are two components of the business you derive from networking as Mr. Burg describes it, business from those you know and business from those they know. The latter is far more critical than the former, because the potential represented is hundreds of times greater - assuming every business person knows literally hundreds of people. The ultimate objective of formalized networking is not to sell "to" those who know, like and trust you, but rather to sell "through" them to the hundreds of people they know.
Power networking is therefore selling to people you don't know with the help and cooperation of those you do know. It is "collaborative marketing" predicated on the assumptions that:
1. With minimal proper training you and a partner can effectively prospect for each other, and that
2. It is easier for each of you to prospect for the other within your sphere of influence than it is for the other person to prospect with those same individuals.
This definition points out another critical aspect of formal business networking. You must train others to promote your business for you. Clearly, however, in order to train others to promote your business, you must first understand how to promote it yourself. Effective networkers must not only understand who their prospects are and how to promote to them, but must also be adept at teaching others how to identify prospects for their products or services and how to create the opportunity to make a presentation to those prospects.
Referral Partners - But why would this person, your friend who is generating referrals for you, want to work so hard to promote your business to others? What is in it for him or her? Obviously, he/she expects something in return and although that reward could take any form, the ideal form of remuneration is the referral of someone who could use his/her products or services. This reciprocity must exist in order for formal networking relationships to endure. And this concept of reciprocity leads us to yet another definition of focused business networking: it is the creation of personal wealth through the capture and exchange of referrals. If you want to receive referrals from others, you must be willing and able to give referrals in exchange for those you receive. If you do not give in return, the relationship will not endure and you will no longer receive referrals.
We refer to these special types of relationships where referrals are exchanged on a regular and ongoing basis as "referral partner relationships". They are the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the mother lode! One such relationship can result in hundreds and even hundreds of thousands of dollars of referrals. The majority of your business networking efforts should be focused on finding and developing these relationships. Several such relationships can result in a flow of referrals sufficient to satisfy your needs for the lifetime of your business.
Strategic Partners - Closely allied to the "referral partner" concept is that of the "strategic partner". A "strategic partner" is an individual who offers a product or service complementary to your own and who is willing to work together with you to offer your products together or to collaborate on marketing efforts. By collaborating with a "strategic partner", you can broaden the range of products or services you are able to offer your clients, thereby increasing sales or broadening your customer base or, you can leverage marketing expense through joint marketing efforts, thereby reducing marketing costs or creating the opportunity for marketing efforts you might not otherwise be able to afford. Because they are dealing with the same or similar customers to your own, "strategic partners" can also be "referral partners".
Traditional Networking versus Power Networking - Traditional networking, a style of networking where you market yourself by allowing others to get to know you and hoping that at some point in time they will either use your products or services or will refer someone else to you, is being replaced by what can be called "power networking". Power networking is a style of networking where you market your business through the development of powerful, proactive partners who market your business for you in return for your help in promoting their businesses. Structured networking groups, both formal and informal organizations designed to teach referral based networking and to assist in the development of teams of referral partners, have sprung up to assist in this process. In this book, we will explore the nature of structured networking groups and their role in helping you apply the principles of power networking.
Myths and Truths about Networking
Myth #1: Networking is just belonging to a 'Good Old Boys Club' and is solely for the purpose of camaraderie and fellowship.
Truth: With proper training, networking can be focused to develop business relationships leading to significant referral business, rather than just meeting other people over a social lunch or at the bar during 'happy-hour'.
Myth #2: Networking is a waste of productive time.
Truth: Networking with the purpose of developing referral partner relationships can be far more productive than spending time selling. One effective referral partner can result in hundreds or even thousands of sales over the lifetime of the relationship.
Myth #3: Networking is only for aggressive, loud-talking salespeople.
Truth: In networking, aggressive, me-oriented people seldom succeed. They find it difficult to build respect and trust which are the underpinnings of any referral partner relationship.
Myth #4: Networking brings people together who are struggling and have no real influence in the marketplace.
Truth: Networking attracts both successful and experienced business owners and professionals, as well as relatively less experienced individuals. The important point to remember is that everybody has a database of contacts with whom you have interest in connecting.
Myth #5: Networking takes too much time with little or no result.
Truth: Networking is a highly leveraged activity as you meet a number of professionals in a very short time. Those you meet are attuned to the development of referral partner relationships. As illustrated earlier, the results can be extraordinary.
Myth #6: Networking is expensive.
Truth: Networking is one of the least expensive forms of marketing available. Local Business Network (LBN) charges around $30 per month for members. Many members can recoup their expense for an entire year with one good referral. For some, the benefit to cost ratio runs in the hundreds.
Myth #7: Networking is primarily for small, non-professional businesses.
Truth: Networking can benefit all types of businesses. Experienced professionals like accountants and attorneys, technology firms, small retailers, home based businesses and others are a few examples.
Key points:
To summarize what we have learned in Chapter One:
1. Focused business networking involves the development of mutually beneficial win-win relationships called "referral partner relationships".
2. These relationships are built on trust and involve collaborative marketing to those within each other's sphere of influence.
3. To be effective, they require education and training on how to recognize prospects and generate referrals.
4. Referral partner relationships must be balanced and require both parties to consistently generate and exchange referrals.
5. Strategic partners are individuals who offer complementary products or services to customers similar to those you serve. Collaboration with them can broaden your product offerings, expand your markets, and create opportunities to leverage marketing expense.
6. Power networking refers to the marketing of your business through powerful proactive "referral" and "strategic" partner relationships.
7. Structured networking groups are designed to help you develop these partnering relationships.
Action Plan:
1. Read Bob Burg's book Endless Referrals.
2. Take a look at your current business situation. Can networking help you?
3. Are you ready to commit to networking as another way to grow your business?
4. If you are already using networking, are you satisfied with your results? If not, continue reading with a commitment to master networking.
Would you like to see Chapter 2? For a free copy of the next chapter, visit http://www.networkto100000.com

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How to be truly successful in network

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Networking and work-of-mouth marketing has become an essential business skill. We tend to intuitively realize this. However, how well do we do it? Do we set goals and objectives like we do for other business projects and marketing initiatives? When I speak with other business professionals I find that most fully realize the value and power of networking but that they often have a hap hazard approach to networking. Here are some thoughts and advice on how to be spectacularly effective as a networking professional.
Image that you are getting spectacular networking results.
What would that mean? What goals would you have achieved? Who would you be networking with? What problems would these spectacular networking results be solving? These are important questions and your networking activity should be based on the answers to these questions.
Have you ever gone to a networking event and mingled around a bit, talked to a few people and then left? These results were certainly less than spectacular. Have you left without any appointments? Have you left after getting only a few business cards from people to follow up with or perhaps even none? Have you left without even the thought of following up with anyone? If so then you have wasted your time attending the event.
I suggest an approach at a networking event that is virtually guaranteed to boost up your networking to the spectacular level.
Here is what I suggest:
Don't even think about trying to sell at a networking event. Focus on building your network. Focus on helping others to build their network or to help others reach people that could use their product or service. In short, help others. If you try to sell at the event then you a playing a hit or miss game. If people do not need or want what you are selling you have no chance to make a sale and if you continue to try then you will only turn people off and they will close up to you. This is the last thing you want to have happen. It is a rare networking event that gives to the opportunity to sell and I hope that this is not news to you.
Imagine changing your thoughts about networking into ones of building your network rather than ones where you try to make a sale. What would happen if you changed your approach in networking from "selling", to getting to know as many people as possible, and then getting them to introduce you to someone who can use your product?
People usually respond well to anyone who will help them achieve what they want. So, shouldn't you be trying to find out how you can help as many people as possible? Become their referral source. If you help them they will respond in kind by helping you reach more people. Learn how to help the people you meet.
Once you have replaced the "selling" attitude with the "helping" attitude. You are ready to move onto the next phase. This is where things can really get interesting. Now it is time to focus on networking with right people. For spectacular results you need to be networking with the right people.
What are the characteristics of the right people - the right people for you?
o Network with people that think like you do. They are not there to sell but rather to help others and to expand their network.
o Network with people that are good at helping others.
o Network with people that know the people you want to do business with.
o Get together with people that know lots of other people. For example business leaders usually know lots of other people and they know other business leaders.
Where do you find these people?
o Choose events where networking is not only expected but encouraged.
o Join a networking group. One such group is BNI. BNI is a formalized networking organization and the focus is to not sell to the group but rather to increase a member's network and to generate sales outside of the group.
o Attend networking events where everyone is not trying to sell to everyone else.
o At an event observe people that appear to know many other people. These people have dedicated significant time to building their network. They can be extremely helpful once you get to know them.
o If an event has a host or people to help with introductions then ask to be introduced to the people you want to meet. Remember that you want to meet people that can help you build your network. You want to meet with people that you can help by expanding their network.
o Always be on the lookout for "Power Networkers". Power Networkers are the people with all the right characteristics.
How do you meet these people?
o Building a network is the same as building a relationship. Always keep this in mind.
o Ask to be introduced and then make a genuine effort to learn about the other person. If you cannot be introduced then introduce yourself. Always be genuine and learn about the other person.
o Make arrangements to meet again to find out how you can help that person with network building. As long as you remain on target about helping the other person you soon enough will be asked how you can be helped with referrals for business or to expand your network. This activity powers up this relationship and it benefits both parties.
o Set goals for a networking event. For example, have a goal to meet 10 people and come away with two follow-up lunches or two follow-up meetings.
o Do not be too quick to offer referrals. Protect your contacts and only refer when you know more about the people you have just met. This is why a follow up meeting is so important. Show an interest in learning more about the other person, the products and services and their ideal clients.
o Offer to meet on a specific problem they may have mentioned to you. Again, if you approach this with the intent to help the post-event meetings will be easier to arrange.
Some Ideas on How to Maintain Your Network
Set up a way to stay in touch.
o Use e-mail to send ideas and additional networking thoughts and tips.
o If you publish a newsletter then put your new contacts on your distribution list after asking their permission.
o Once you get to know them better send a note or card on their birthday. Birthdays are often ignored and you can stand out by being the one that has remembered. Also note that people are flooded with Christmas and Holiday cards. It is harder to stand out from the rest by sending a card during the holidays.
o If you find an interesting article cut it out and send it with a short note. This simple act goes a long way.
o For people that you want to get to know better invite them out to lunch.
o Invite them to networking events and ask them to invite you to networking events. At these events help them with introductions and they will help you when you go to their events.
Final Comments
Business building activities take time and attention. Building relationships does not happen over night and with no activity. You get from a relationship what you put into it. What levels do you need to achieve? My studies indicate that in order to have a nice network operating for you that you will need somewhere between 80 and 120 people that you maintain regular contact with. At this level this channel will be a major part of your marketing. You will be able to count on it for significant business.
The bigger your network the more it will perform for you and if you will be able to maintain proper contact with 300 or 400 people then I suggest that your will not have to do any other marketing as your network will be big enough to provide you will all the business you can handle.
So stop selling at networking events, and start building your network. Go to networking events most conducive to network building (rather than selling events).
Set specific goals for networking events relative to people to meet, types of people to meet and follow-up meetings made.

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Network-4 step your network plan

Ing network is one of the most important skills that you'll never know. I think the question is "what is ing network?" indeed network ing is designing or building a relationship with people who you don't know. Art network ing is developing its own network, which is simply a group of people, where you can share your ideas, information, resources, plus you can enter your network to each Member of your network towards a common goal.
In the book, think and grow rich Napoleon Hill talks about creating your network your mastermind group, which is simply exquisite network which will help you in your quest obscene wealth and success: there are many examples of people in the book of think and grow rich, built their own network s to help them succeed.
In this chapter, desires, Napoleon Hill said as Edwin With Barnes was a desire to become a business partner of Thomas Edison.It reached its goal by creating network that helped him get to the point where he was treated and become a partner of Thomas Edison.
Knowing where and how to build network is challenging below I put the four main stages, as part of your network ing plan.
Step 1.Define your desires
Napoleon Hill has taught us to think and grow rich, that you can be reached only what you really want to, and this also applies to network ing. What is your desire to build your network and people in your network?
For example your wishes your network could network business associates, such as might be the Builder and your network you want to build may include painters, decorators, architects, loan officers, etc.Wish your network can bring your business into 60% network.
Essentially what you should do when you start to build network is to determine what you wish your network will make sure your desires at the top of the page, so you can easily visualize, what is your desire.
Step 2: set your goals
After you clear the desire, your next step is to determine the purpose, desire. Previously, I've given you an example network you might desire as a builder. Desire builders network was among artists, decorators, architects, specialists in credit network.For more information, see the four step process, you must define specific goals.
Chapter Napoleon hills Autosuggestion, he argues that for you for your desire to be something that you can see how the material will be just having rich will never allow you to achieve anything but having a desire to make $ 400000 money are real desires and goals, you can achieve. The same applies to network ing.
If you build your network, you must declare your goals specifically what artists, decorators and architects, you want to be separate from your network. you must write these measurable targets, because these are the people you want to build your plan around to reach your network.
Step 3.Develop your plan
The third step in your network ing plan should work, how are you going to network with these people object. your plan includes a lot of research to find out where they spend their time and how you are going to meet them at network environment ing.
For example, your goal may be a member of the Rotary architect so your plan, you may find that you develop through your current network to join a group of Rotary, the architect of your goals is a member.In your plan, you can determine what will go to four meetings and introduce yourself four times before requesting a coffee with this person, or to respond to some other functions to get to know them better.
Before configuring these meetings in stone, you need to do some research on their business, but also the right questions to ask them, the key to the primary network er is to trust and believe that it is important to ask them about their business.It shouldn't be on your agenda to promote your business down their throats. you will find that after a period they naturally will ask you about yours, and if this happens, it's your turn to your business.
One of the other tasks that I recommend that you, as part of this move is in the delivery of your questions.I also recommend that you lock your questions into memory before meeting with people, the you must do this practice is to provide a natural rather than being staged delivery of your questions: I urge you to ask a colleague helps you master these issues and to practice as you deliver them to the function ing network.
Step 4: Implement your plan
Once you have developed its plan, the final step is to implement the plan and go out and start meeting people, you want to make a separate from your network.
The bottom line is network ing is an art form like any skill will take time, and why you should follow the four steps that elite swimmers don't win Olympic gold in the absence of a clear plan and lots of practice and network ing is to finish off, I want to see just the outline of the four steps in ing plan your network.
Step 1: Define your desires
Step 2: set your goals
Step 3: Develop your plan
Step 4: Implement your plan

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Introduction to IP addresses and networks

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NETWORKING BASICS
A network can be defined as the interconnection of autonomous computers linked together to facilitate communication while networking is the simple concept of connected computers.
Networks and networking have grown exponentially over the last 15years; they have evolved at light speed just to keep up with huge increases in basic critical user needs such as sharing data and printers, as well as more advanced demands such as video conferencing.
TYPES OF NETWORKS
LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN)
A LAN (Local Area Network) is a group of computers and network devices connected together, usually within the same building. A Local Area Network (LAN) is a high-speed communication system designed to link computers and other data processing devices together within a small geographical area, such as a workgroup, department, or building. Local Area Networks implement shared access technology. This means that all the devices attached to the LAN share a single communications medium, usually a coaxial, twisted pair or fibre optic cable.
METROPOLITAN AREA NETWORK (MAN)
Metropolitan area networks or MANs are large computer networks usually spanning a city or a town. They typically use wireless infrastructure or optical fibre connections to link their sites.
The IEEE 802-2001 standard describes a MAN as being: "A MAN is optimized for a larger geographical area than is a LAN, ranging from several blocks of buildings to entire cities. MANs can also depend on communications channels of moderate to high data rates. A MAN might be owned and operated by a single organization, but it usually will be used by many individuals and organizations. MANs might also be owned and operated as public utilities. They will often provide means for internetworking of local networks. Metropolitan area networks can span up to 50km."
WIDE AREA NETWORK (WAN)
Wide Area Network (WAN) is a computer network that covers a broad area. A WAN in compares to a MAN, is not restricted to a geographical location, although it might be restricted to a geographical locations, it might also be confined within the bounds of a state or country. A WAN connects several LANs, and may be limited to an enterprise (a corporation or organization) or accessible to the public.
The technology is high speed and relatively expensive. The INTERNET is an example of a worldwide public WAN.
NETWORKING DEVICES
ROUTERS
Routers are used to connect networks together and route packets of data from one network to another. Routers, by default break up a broadcast domain, which is the set of all devices on a network segment that hear all broadcasts sent on that segment.
Routers also break up collision domains. This is an Ethernet term used to describe a network scenario where one particular device sends a packet on a network segment, forcing every other device on that segment to pay attention to it. At the same time, a different device tries to transmit, leading to a collision, after which both devices must retransmit one at a time.
Routers run on the layer 3 of the OSI (Open System Interconnection) reference model.
SWITCHES
Switches are used for network segmentation based on the MAC addresses. Switches look at the incoming frame's hardware addresses before deciding to either forward the frame or drop it.
Switches break up collision domains but the hosts on the switch are still members of one big broadcast domain.
HUB
A hub is really a multiple port repeater. A repeater receives a digital signal and re-amplifies or regenerates that signal, and then forwards the digital signal out all active ports without looking at any data. An active hub does the same thing. This means all devices plugged into a hub are in the same collision domain as well as in the same broadcast domain, which means that devices share the same bandwidth. Hubs operate at the physical layer of the OSI model.
IP ADDRESSING
An IP address is a numeric identifier assigned to each machine on an IP network. It designates the specific location of a device on the network. An IP address is a software address and designed to allow host on one network to communicate with a host on a different network regardless of the type of LANs the hosts are participating in.
IP TERMINOLOGIES
Bit: A bit is one digit, either a 1 or a 0.
Byte: A byte is 7 or 8 bits, depending on whether parity is used.
Octet: An octet, made up of 8 bits is just an ordinary 8 bit binary number. In most cases byte and octet are completely interchangeable.
Network address: This is the designation used in routing to send packets to a remote network. For example 10.0.0.0, 172.16.0.0, and 192.168.10.0 are network addresses.
Broadcast address: The address used by applications and hosts to send information to all nodes on a network is called the broadcast address. Examples include 255.255.255.255 which is all networks, all nodes; 172.16.255.255, which is all subnets and hosts on network 172.16.0.0.
HEIRARCHICAL IP ADDRESSING SCHEME
An IP address consists of 32 bits of information (IPV4). IPV6, a new version of IP consists of 128 bits of information. The 32 bits IP is divided into four sections referred to as octet or bytes each containing 1 byte (8bits).
An IP address is depicted using any of these 3 methods.
Dotted decimal, as in 172.16.30.56
Binary, as in 10101100.00010000.00011110.00111000
Hexadecimal, as in AC.10.1E.38
All this examples represent the same IP address. But the most commonly used is the dotted decimal. The Windows Registry stores a machine's IP address in hex.
The 32 bit IP address is a structured or hierarchical address, as opposed to a flat non hierarchical address. Although either type of addressing scheme could have been used, hierarchical addressing was chosen for a good reason. The advantage of this scheme is that it can handle a large number of addresses, namely 4.3 billion (a 32 bit address space with two possible values for each position that is either 1 or 0 gives 237, or 4,294,967,296).
The disadvantage of the flat addressing scheme relates to routing. If every address were unique, all routers on the internet would need to store the address of each and every machine on the internet. This would make efficient routing impossible.
NETWORK ADDRESS RANGE
The network address uniquely identifies each network. Every machine on the same network shares that network address as part of its IP address. In the IP address of 172.16.30.56, 172.16 is the network address.
The node address is assigned to and uniquely identifies each machine on a network. This number can also be referred to as host address. In 172.16.30.56, 30.56 is the node address. Class A network is used when a small number of networks possessing a very large number of nodes are needed. Class C network is used when numerous networks with a small number of node is needed.
CLASS A ADDRESSES
The first bit of the first byte in a class A network address must always be off or 0. This means a class A address must be between 0 and 127, inclusive.
0xxxxxxx.hhhhhhhh.hhhhhhhh.hhhhhhhh
If we turn the other 7 bits all off and then turn them all on, we'll find the class A range of network addresses.
00000000 = 0
01111111 = 127
Class A format is network.node.node.node, so for example in the IP address 49.22.102.70, the 49 is the network address and 22.102.70 is the node address. Every machine on this particular network would have the distinctive network address of 49.
CLASS B ADDRESSES
The first bit of the first byte must always be turned on, but the second bit must always be turned off.
01xxxxxx.xxxxxxxx.hhhhhhhh.hhhhhhhh
If we can turn the first bit on and the second bit off and if the other 6 bits all off and then all on, we'll find the class B range of network addresses.
10000000 = 128
10111111 = 191
Class B format is network.network.node.node, so far in the IP address 132.163.40.57, the 132.163 is the network address and 40.57 is the node address.
CLASS C ADDRESSES
The first and second bit of the first byte must always be turned on, but the third bit can never be on.
110xxxxx.xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxx.hhhhhhhh
If we turn the first and second bit on and the third bit off and then all other 5 bits all off and all on, we'll find the class C range of network address.
11000000 = 192
11011111 = 223
Class C format is network.network.network.node, for example in the IP address 195.166.231.75, the 195.166.231 is the network address and 75 is the node address.
CLASS D AND CLASS E ADDRESSES
The address between 224 and 255 are reserved for class D and E networks. Class D (224-239) is used for multicast addresses and class E (240-255) for scientific purposes.
PRIVATE IP ADDRESSES
Private IP addresses are those that can be used on a private network, but they're not routable through the internet. This is designed for the purpose of creating a measure of well-needed security, but it also conveniently saves valuable IP address space. If every host on every network had to have real routable IP addresses, we would have run out of IP addresses to hand out years ago.
Class A 10.0.0.0 through 10.255.255.255
Class B 172.16.0.0 through 172.31.255.255
Class C 192.168.0.0 through 192.168.255.255
TROUBLESHOOTING IP ADDRESSING
Here are the troubleshooting steps in resolving a problem on an IP network.
1. Open a DOS window and ping 127.0.0.1. This is the diagnostic or loopback address, and if you get a successful ping, your IP stack is considered to be initialized. If it fails, then you have an IP stack failure and need to reinstall TCP/IP on the host.
2. From the DOS window, ping the IP addresses of the local host. If that's successful, then your Network Interface Card (NIC) card is functioning. If it fails, then there is a problem with the NIC card. This doesn't mean that a cable is plugged into the NIC, only that the IP protocol stack on the host can communicate to the NIC.
3. From the DOS window, ping the default gateway. If the ping works, it means that the NIC is plugged into the network and can communicate on the local network. If it fails, then you have a local physical network problem that could be happening anywhere from the NIC to the gateway.
4. If steps 1 through 3 were successful, try to ping the remote server. If that works then you have IP communication between then local host and the remote server, you also know that the remote physical network is working.
5. If the user still can't communicate with the server after steps 1 through 4 were successful, then there's probably a resolution problem and there is need to check the Domain Name Server (DNS) settings.
NETWORK ADDRESS TRANSLATION
Network Address Translation (NAT) is used mainly to translate private inside addresses on a network to a global outside address. The main idea is to conserve internet global address space, but it also increases network security by hiding internal IP addresses from external networks.
TABLE 3: NAT ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
ADVANTAGES
Conserves legally registered addresses.
Reduces address overlap occurrence.
Increases flexibility when connecting to internet.
Eliminates address renumbering as network changes.
Translation introduces switching path delays
DISADVANTAGES
Loss of end-to-end traceability
Certain applications will not function with NAT enabled.
TYPES OF NAT
Static NAT: This type of NAT is designed to allow one-to-one mapping between local and global addresses. Static NAT requires that there is one real internet IP address for every host on your network.
Dynamic NAT: This version gives one the ability to map an unregistered IP address to a registered IP address from out of a pool of registered IP addresses.
Overloading: This is also known as Port Address Translation (PAT). It is the most popular type of NAT configuration. Overloading is a form of dynamic NAT that maps multiple unregistered IP address to a single registered IP address by using different ports. With overloading thousands of users can connect to the internet using only one real global IP address.
NAT TERMINOLOGIES

Local addresses: Name of local hosts before translation.
Global addresses: Name of addresses after translation.
Inside local: Name of inside source address before translation.
Outside local: Name of destination host before translation.
Inside global: Name of inside hosts after translation
Outside global: Name of outside destination host after translation.
LAYER2 SWITCHING
Layer2 switching is the process of using the hardware address of devices on a LAN to segment a network. The term layer2 switching is used because switches operate on the data-link layer which is the second layer of the OSI reference model.
Layer2 switching is considered hardware-based bridging because it uses specialized hardware called an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). ASICs can run up to gigabit speeds with very low latency rates.
Switches read each frame as it passes through the network, the layer2 device then puts the source hardware address in a filter table and keeps track of which port the frame was received on. The information (logged in the switch's filter table) is what helps the machine determine the location of a specific sending device. After a filter table is built on the layer2 device, it will only forward frames to the segment where the destination hardware is located. If the destination device is on the same segment as the frame, the layer2 device will block the frame from going to any other segments. If the destination is on a different segment, the frame can only be transmitted to that segment. This is called TRANSPARENT BRIDGING.
When a switch interface receives a frame with a destination hardware address that isn't found in the device filter table, it will forward the frame to all connected segments. If the unknown device that was sent the frame replies to this forwarding action, the switch updates its filter table regarding that device's location.
ADVANTAGES OF LAYER2 SWITCHING
The biggest benefit of LAN switching over hub-centred implementations is that each device on every segment plugged into a switch can transmit silmatenously whereas hubs only allow one device per network segment to communicate at a time.
Switches are faster than routers because they don't take time looking at the Network layer header information. Instead, they look at the frame's hardware address before deciding to either forward the frame or drop it.
Switches create private dedicated collision domains and provide independent bandwidth on each port unlike hubs. The figure below shows five hosts connected to a switch, all running 10Mbps half-duplex to the server. Unlike the hub, each host has 10Mbps dedicated communication to the server.
LIMITATIONS OF LAYER2 SWITCHING
Switched networks break up collision domains but the network is still one large broadcast domain. This does not only limits your network's size and growth potential, but can also reduce its overall performance.
FUNCTIONS OF LAYER2 SWITCHING
There are three distinct functions of layer2 switching, these are
Address learning.
Forward/filter decision
Loop avoidance.
ADDRESS LEARNING
When a switch is first powered on, the MAC forward/filter table is empty. When a device transmits and an interface receives the frame, the switch places the frame source address in the MAC forward/filter table, allowing it to remember which interface the sending device is located on. The switch then has no choice but to flood the network with this frame out of every port except the source port because it has no idea where the destination device is actually located.
If a device answers the flooded frame and sends a frame back, then the switch will take source address from that frame and place that MAC address in its database as well, associating this address with the interface that received the frame. Since the switch now has both of the relevant MAC addresses in its filtering table, the two devices can now make a point to point connection. The switch doesn't need to flood the frame as it did the first time.
If there is no communication to a particular address within a certain amount of time, the switch will flush the entry from the database to keep it as current as possible.
FORWARD/FILTER DECISIONS
When a frame arrives at a switch interface, the destination hardware address is compared to the forward/filter MAC database. If the destination hardware address is known and listed in the database, the frame is sent out only the correct exit interface.
The switch doesn't transmit the frame out any interface except for the destination interface. This preserves bandwidth on the other network segments and is called FRAME FILTERING.
LOOP AVOIDANCE
When two switches are connected together, redundant links between the switches are a good idea because they help prevent complete network failures in the event one link stops working.
Redundant links are extremely helpful but they often cause more problems than they solve, this is because frames can be flooded down all redundant links silmatenously creating network loops.
Switches use a protocol called STP (Spanning Tree Protocol) created by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) now Compaq to avoid network loops by shutting down redundant links. With STP running, frames will be forwarded only on the premium STP-picked link.
CONFIGURING THE CISCO 2950 CATALYST SWITCH FAMILY.
The 2950 switch is one of the Cisco Catalyst switch family's high-end model. The 2950 comes in many flavours and run 10Mbps all the way up to 1Gbps switched ports with either twisted-pair or fibre. They can provide basic data, video and voice services.
2950 SWITCH STARTUP
When the 2950 switch is first powered on, it runs through a Power-on-Self-test (POST). At first all port LEDs are green, and if upon completion the post determines that all ports are in good shape, all the LEDs blink and then turn off. But if the POST finds a port that has failed both the system's LED and the port's LEDs turn amber.
However, unlike a router, the switch is actually usable in Fresh-out-of-the-box condition. You can just plug the switch into your network and connect network segment together without any configuration.
To connect to the Cisco switch, use a rolled Ethernet cable to connect a host to a switch console serial communication port. Once you have the correct cable connected from your PC to the Cisco switch, you can start HyperTerminal to create a console connection and configure the device as follows:
1. Open HyperTerminal by clicking on start button and then All programs, then Accessories, then Communication, then click on HyperTerminal. Enter a name for the connection. It is irrelevant what you name it. Then click OK.
2. Choose the communication port either COM1 or COM2, whichever is open on your PC.
3. Now at the port settings. The default values (2400bps and no flow control hardware) will not work, you must set the port settings as shown in the figure below.
Notice that the bit rate is set to 9600 and the flow control is set to none. At this point click OK and press the Enter key, and you should be connected to your Cisco switch console port.
Here's the 2950 switch's initial output:
--- System Configuration Dialog ---
Would you like to enter the initial configuration dialog? [Yes/no]: no
Press RETURN to get started!
00:04:53: %LINK-5-CHANGED: Interface Vlan1, changed state to administratively down
00:04:54: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface Vlan1, changed state to down

Switch>
THE CONFIGURATION
The switch> prompt is called the user exec mode and it's mostly used to view statistics. You can only view and change configuration of a Cisco switch in privileged exec mode which you get into with the enable command.
Switch>
Switch> enable
Switch#
Switch# disable
Switch>
The global configuration mode can be entered from the privileged mode by using the configure terminal command or config t for short.

Switch# config t

Enter the configuration commands, one per line, End with CNTL/Z.

Switch(config)# hostname zenith

Zenith(config)#
The hostname command is used in naming the switch. The hostname of a switch is only locally significant but it's still helpful to set a hostname on a switch so that you can identify the switch when connecting to it.
SETTING THE ENABLE MODE PASSWORDS AND LINE PASSWORD.
Zenith> enable
Zenith# config t
Enter the configuration commands, one per line, End with CNTL/Z.
Zenith(config)# enable password bank
Zenith(config)# enable secret middle
The enable password bank command sets the enable password as bank and the enable secret middle command sets the enable secret password as middle. The enable secret password is more secure and it supersedes the enable password if it is set. The enable secret password and the enable password cannot be the same on the 2950 switch.
Zenith(config)# line ?
First line number
console Primary terminal line
vty Virtual terminal
Zenith(config)# line vty ?
First line number
Zenith(config)# line vty 0 15
Zenith(config-line)# login
Zenith(config-line)# password alex
Zenith(config-line)# line con 0
Zenith(config-line)# login
Zenith(config-line)# password malouda
Zenith(config-line)# exit
Zenith(config)# exit
Zenith#
The line vty 0 15, login and password alex commands set the telnet password to alex and the line con 0, login, and password malouda commands sets the console password to malouda.
SETTING IP INFORMATION
You don't have to set any IP configuration on the switch to make it work. You can just plug it in. But there are two reasons we set IP address information on the switch.
To manage the switch via Telnet or other management software.
To configure the switch with different VLANs and other network functions.
Zenith(config)# int vlan 1
Zenith(config-if)# ip address 172.16.10.17 255.255.255.0
Zenith(config-if)# no shutdown
Zenith(config-if)# exit
Zenith(config)# ip default-gateway 172.16.10.1
Zenith(config)#
The IP address is set to 172.16.10.17 and the no shutdown command must be applied to enable the interface.
CONFIGURING INTERFACE DESCRIPTIONS
You can administratively set a name for each interface on the switches with the description command.
Zenith(config)# int fastethernet 0/ ?
FastEthernet Interface number.
Zenith(config)# int fastethernet 0/1
Zenith(config-if)# description Sales LAN
Zenith(config-if)# int f0/12
Zenith(config-if)# description Connection to Mail server
Zenith(config-if)# CNTL/Z

Zenith#
You can look at the descriptions at any time with either the show interface command or the show running-config command from the global configuration mode.
ERASING AND SAVING THE SWITCH CONFIGURATION

Zenith# copy running-config startup-config

Zenith# erase startup-config
The first command copies the configuration into the NVRAM (Non-volatile RAM) while the erase startup-config command erases the switch configuration.
Zenith# erase startup-config
Erasing the nvram filesystem will remove all files! Continue? [confirm] [Enter]
[OK]
Erase of nvram: complete
Zenith#
VIRTUAL LAN (VLAN)
A Virtual LAN (VLAN) is a logical grouping of network users and resources connected to administratively defined ports on a switch. When one create VLANs, one creates smaller broadcast domains within a switched internetwork by assigning different ports on the switch to different subnetworks. A VLAN is treated like its own subnet or broadcast domain, which means that frames broadcast onto the network are only switched between ports logically grouped within the same VLAN.

By default, no hosts in a specific VLAN can communicate with any other hosts that are members of another VLAN.

5.1 ADVANTAGES OF VLAN
A group of users needing security can be put into a VLAN so that no user outside the VLAN can communicate with them.
As a logical grouping of users by function, VLANs can be considered independent from their physical or geographical locations.
VLANs can enhance network security.
It can block broadcast storms caused by a faulty NIC (Network Interface Card) card.
VLANs increase the number of broadcast domains while decreasing their sizes.
VLAN MEMBERSHIP
VLANs are usually created by the administrator, who then assigns switch ports to each VLAN. Such a VLAN is called a static VLAN. If the administrator wants to do a little more work up front and assign all the host devices hardware addresses into a database, then the switch can be configured to assign VLANs dynamically whenever a host is plugged into a switch. This is called dynamic VLAN.
STATIC VLANs
Static VLANs are the usual way of creating VLANs, and they're also the most secure. The switch port that you assign a VLAN association to always maintain that association until an administrator manually changes that port assignment.
DYNAMIC VLANs
A dynamic VLAN determines a node's VLAN assignment automatically. Using intelligent management software, you can base assignment on hardware addresses, protocols, or even applications to create dynamic VLANs.
An example is the VLAN Management Policy Server (VMPS) service used to set up a database of MAC addresses that can be used for dynamic addressing of VLANs. A VMPS database maps MAC addresses to VLANs.
FRAME TAGGING
As frames are switched through the network, switches must be able to keep track of all the frames. Frames are handled differently according to the type of link they are traversing. The frame identification method uniquely assigns user defined ID to each frame. This is sometimes referred to as the "VLAN ID".
Each switch that the frame reaches must first identify the VLAN ID from the frame tag, and then it finds out what to do with the frame by looking at the information in the filter table. If the frame reaches a switch that has another trunked link, the frame will be forwarded out the trunk-link port.
Once the frame reaches an exit to an access link matching the frame's VLAN ID, the switch removes the VLAN identifier. This is so the destination device can receive the frame without having to understand their VLAN identification.
There are two different types of links in a switched environment, they are:

Access links: This type of link is only part of one VLAN. Any device attached to an access link is unaware of a VLAN membership; the device just assumes its part of a broadcast domain. Access link devices cannot communicate with devices outside their VLAN unless the packet is routed.

Trunk links: Trunk links can carry multiple VLANs. A trunk link is a 100 or 1000Mbps point to point link between two switches, between a switch and server. These carry the traffic of multiple VLANs from 1 to 1005 at a time. Trunking allows you to make a single port part of multiple VLANS at the same time. It also allows VLANs to span across multiple switches.
VLAN IDENTIFICATION METHODS
There are basically two ways of frame tagging.
Inter-Switch Link (ISL)
IEEE 802.1Q
The main purpose of ISL and 802.1Q frame tagging methods is to provide interswitch VLAN communication.
Inter-switch Link (ISL) Protocol: This is proprietary to Cisco switches, and it is used for fast Ethernet and gigabit Ethernet links only. ISL routing can be used on a switch port, router interfaces and server interface cards to trunk a server.
IEEE 802.1Q: Created by the IEEE as a standard method of frame tagging, it isn't Cisco proprietary so if you're trunking between a Cisco switched link and a different brand of switch; you have to use 802.1Q for the trunk link to work.
VLAN TRUNKING PROTOCOL (VTP)
This protocol was created by Cisco but it is not proprietary. The basic goals of VLAN Trunking protocol (VTP) are to manage all configured VLANs across a switched internetwork and to maintain consistency through the network. VTP allows an administrator to add, delete and rename VLANs on a switch, information that is then propagated to all other switches in the VTP domain.
Before one can get VTP to manage VLANs across the network, one has to create a VTP server. All switches sharing the same VLAN information must be in the same VTP domain.
One can use a VTP domain if there is more than one switch connected in a network, but if all the switches are in only one VLAN, there is no need to use VTP. VTP information is set between switches via trunk port.

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7 steps to wireless security

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Wireless networks, often abbreviated to "Wi-Fi", allow PCs, laptops and other devices to "talk" to each other using a short-range radio signal. However, to make a secure wireless network you will have to make some changes to the way it works once it's switched on.
The signal of any short-range radio transmission can be picked up by any device in range that is tuned to the same frequency. This means that anyone with a wireless PC or laptop in range of your wireless network may be able to connect to it unless you take precautions.
If this happens then your network and PC are vulnerable to any or all of the following:
Freeloaders - Most wireless networks are used to share a broadband Internet connection. A "Freeloader" may connect to your network and use your broadband connection without your knowledge or permission. This could have an impact on your own use. You may notice your connection slows down as it shares the availability of the Internet with more users. Many home Internet services have limits to the amount of data you can download per month - a "Freeloader" could exceed this limit and you find your Internet bill charged for the extra amounts of data. More seriously, a "Freeloader" may use your Internet connection for some nuisance or illegal activity. The Police may trace the Internet connection used for such activity it would lead them straight back to you.
Eavesdropping - As information is transmitted an "eavesdropper" may connect to your wireless network and view all the information as it passes by. This is entirely undetectable by the user as the "Eavesdropper" is only listening not transmitting. Such sensitive information as bank account details, credit card numbers, usernames and passwords may be recorded.
Hacking - Even when the security features of a wireless network have been switched on unless these features are set-up correctly then anyone in range can hack in to the network. All home wireless network routers have a standard username and password for the administration of the network. All a hacker has to do is go through the list of standard usernames and passwords until he gains access. A hacker may then use your network for any of the above or gain access to your PC - your firewall may not prevent him because, as he is connected to your network, he is within the trusted zone.
Most wireless network equipment, when it comes out of the box, is not protected against these threats by default. This means you have to configure the network yourself to make it a secure wireless network.
How to secure a wireless network
Although all wireless equipment marked as 802.11 will have standard features such as encryption and access control each manufacturer has a different way it is controlled or accessed. This means that the advice that follows may seem a bit technical because we can only tell you what you have to do not how to do it. You should read the manual or help files that came with your equipment in order to see how to make a secure wireless network.
1. Use encryption. This is the bedrock of any secure wireless network and means that the data that passes over the wireless can only be decoded with the correct system of encryption and the correct password. Currently there are three methods of encryption for wireless networks usually referred to by their acronyms: WPA2, WPA-PSK and WEP. Each method can only be used if all the equipment on the network has the capability. As WPA2 is the most recent method of encryption, unless you have recently obtained the latest PCs, laptops & network device you probably will not be able to use it. WPA-PSK is the next best and is available on most hardware. If you are using older access points and network cards, you may find that you can only use WEP. Each method requires a "key" (a word or phrase used to make the encryption work). Make sure you use a word or phrase that would not be easily guessed. For example, don't use your address as the key.
2. Set up your network infrastructure as "access point" and not "ad-hoc" or "peer to peer". These last two (ad-hoc and peer-to-peer) mean that network devices such as PCs and laptops can connect directly with each other without going through an access point. You have more control over how devices connect if you set the infrastructure to "access point" and so will make for a more secure wireless network.
3. choose an obscure name for the network - This important tip to having a secure wireless network is probably not used by about 99% of home users. The technical term for the name of the wireless network is "SSID". The default SSID is usually the name and model of the wireless router or Internet provider e.g. NetgearDG834G or Sky9091. If you leave the SSID like this it makes hacking very easy so change the SSID as soon as you set up your network. Don't use your address, house name or family name these are too easy to guess.4. Switch off the SSID broadcast. This tip goes hand in hand with No3 in creating a secure wireless network. This means that anyone wishing to connect to your wireless network must know its SSID i.e. the name of the network.
5. Change the name and password of the administration user for the wireless router but don't forget to make a note of what you change it to. A secure wireless network will have an admin user ID that is difficult to guess and a strong password that uses letter and numbers.
6. Unplug the wireless router whenever you are going to be away from home (or the office). It's also a good idea to set the time that the network can be used if the device allows it. For example, in an office you may not want to unplug the wireless router at the end of every day so you could set it to only allow connections between the hours of 7:30 AM and 7:30 PM.
7. Use MAC filtering If your wireless router or access point allows it, MAC filtering easily adds one more layer to make your wireless network secure. Every network card (the device installed in PCs and laptops that connect it to a network) has its own unique code, called a "MAC address". In Windows XP you can see the MAC address by right-clicking on the network connection, choose "status" and then the "support" tab. In the support window click on "details". The code labeled "physical address" is the MAC code for that network connection device. Make sure it's the wireless network connection you select as the LAN connection will have a different MAC address. Most wireless routers or access points allow you to list the MAC codes that you wish to use the network. This means that you must grant permission to any PC or laptop that wants to connect to the network.
If you can put all seven of these tips in operation you will have a very secure wireless network.

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Computer Network Management

Today it is almost inconceivable for businesses do not have computers, whether it is a construction company or high technology firms. When a business has more than one computer, they almost always are linked together in a local network. These network s can be more or less developed and therefore more or less expensive.
Companies invest so much (in terms of money and time) in the local network s because there are many advantages that local network leads to business and how it is managed.
Some companies are using local network thus owes it always works.If network company, you will see all employees chatting away in the corridors, because they can't do their job.This means large losses for the company and it was stressed to all companies must consider their local network 's vital assets while avoiding downtime. This places huge demands on staff network keep such network s, works almost 100% of the time.
Advantages of computer management
One of the best aspects of installation and maintenance of the network is able to, they created to improve communication and collaboration between employees and customers.
Security: Security local network can help. Comprehensive security is advantageous because Central and secure data access strategy provides disaster recovery and all information is protected by designing and implementing security solutions network. On the other hand of interconnected computers on the local network s poses a security risk because it is so make technically possible for malicious users to access many machines in network.
Cost considerations: installing local network is rather costly project. Servers, cables, switches, routers and software can be expensive and should never be purchased without expert consultation. saving network, operation and a safe also requires a lot of resources and can be expensive.
Strangely enough local network could have several savings.Resource sharing eliminates the need to purchase equipment for everyone.More importantly, provide local network. data loss can cost your business is a lot of money, and in some cases, cause the business to complete the work as a whole. Computer management is regular backup data with regular quality reviews-practices that save companies huge amounts in the event of an accident.
NetworkComputer management: a preliminary analysis of stages
In the first stage managing computers network is to identify the source of the problem (preliminary study, which looks a bit different options may be useful here) and determine the specification of requirements that must be evaluated examples of various network operating systems, e-mail systems and other applications should also assess the choice of hardware components.At this stage usually is intended to establish that the system should do, not what it should do so.
Computer management network: design phase
The design Goal is to determine how requirements specifications must be met.The current approach for large and complex projects is to break them into smaller, more manageable subprojects.
Computer management network: implementation phase
This step includes the physical installation of the local network. Cables, install software and computers and other devices to put in place.
Computer management network: integration and test phase
At this stage commissioning network starts and procedures suited to users and service personnel should be validated systems, for example, to comply with the requirements laid down in the specification network and that it is stable enough to act as a central, it is in your organization.
Computer management network: operation and maintenance
Local network s have complex operating procedures; this is because there may be serious consequences if an error occurs, or unauthorized access to the many companies have employees devoted exclusively to the care and maintenance of computer network sec These systems administrators responsible for network, performance, reliability and security of hardware and software.
Computer management network: tools
Although your organization may have computer administrators on a site, they must also monitor network more than eight hours a day, in fact, some of the worst trouble arises from network s can occur at night when nobody used network. using the management tools the right computer network your organization can receive security knowing that problems will be provided to prevent and to take care of-and that administrator network can be notified at the time of notification, should anything go very wrong.

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Business needs and network Performance: critical issues With network managers

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Networking is getting tougher. Networks must deliver a growing range of services, from ERP, CRM and email to VoIP and web services applications, each of which has its own idiosyncrasies and requirements. Each new service introduced onto the network contends for available resources with every other service, impacting the network's ability to support the business.

Meanwhile, the network itself is constantly changing. New locations are added - some of which may be in another country or on another continent. Equipment is upgraded and/or re-configured. New management and/or security tools may themselves impact service performance. Decisions about data center consolidation and business re-organization also affect the network in different ways. All of this makes the network a highly dynamic environment where even subtle changes can have a major, unforeseen impact on application performance and availability.

Yet business users expect this complex environment to be as reliable as electricity - despite the fact that networking budgets are not being increased in proportion to these growing challenges. So network managers can't simply over-provision network infrastructure to make sure every service has all the bandwidth it needs. Moreover, over provisioning may not even solve the problem and/or ensure the required level of performance.

That's why network managers are facing many challenges, including:

1) Pinpointing potential network performance issues early in the development lifecycle

Ideally, the impact of the network on a new application or service should be dealt with from the very beginning of the development process - when potential problems are much easier and less expensive to fix. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Problems with an application's "networkability" are typically discovered only after its roll-out into the production environment is initiated. At that point, it's usually too late to make any significant changes in the application's design. So the problem gets pushed onto the shoulders of the networking team. That's why, in '05, smart network managers will focus on nipping these problems in the bud.

2) Validating new or modified applications and infrastructure before they are deployed in production

As the network becomes more complex and more critical to the day-to-day-operation of the business, network performance related risks associated with application and infrastructure change are continuing to rise. In fact, some of the worst business interruptions that companies have historically experienced have not been the result of unexpected equipment failure. They've been the unexpected consequence of a planned modification. Networking teams must therefore implement change management best practices in '05 that prevent them from having to put out fires that they accidentally started themselves.

3) Improved troubleshooting of intermittent/transient network problems

One of the most frustrating things for a network manager is dealing with a problem that keeps disappearing before it can be adequately understood and remedied. However, as the business's tolerance for network interruptions continues to drop, these intermittent problems will become a bigger management issue. So this year, network management teams need to develop more effective methods for capturing transient network conditions and discovering the root causes of these problems.

4) Accelerated time-to-benefit for new and/or upgraded applications

When C-level executives decide to make investments in new applications and services, they want to see those investments pay off quickly. That's why the slow, staged production roll-outs of the past won't cut it anymore. Instead, networking teams need to be able to quickly deploy new applications across the enterprise. This can only happen if caution and uncertainty about the actual behavior of these applications in the production environment is replaced by confidence and certainty in '05.

5) More intelligent planning for and support of business growth

Network managers constantly have to cope with change. They have to determine how increases in network utilization will affect application performance. They have to decide how to best engineer the network to support business expansion, re-organization or mergers and acquisitions. However, they can only do so if they have an effective means of performing capacity planning tasks and assessing a full range of "what-if" scenarios. Such scenarios are also critical for formulating realistic contingency plans that can ensure business continuity under a variety of possible conditions.

Looking at these challenges, it quickly becomes evident that conventional production network management tools alone are no longer sufficient for today's networking teams. These tools are great for monitoring the production network and discovering certain types of problems - but they don't enable network managers to validate new technologies and applications before they're deployed on the production network. They also force network managers to solve problems that should have been addressed in application design.

Conventional tools aren't very helpful for troubleshooting intermittent and/or transient network problems either, since they don't provide a means of reconstructing and analyzing such intermittent conditions. Nor do they help accelerate production roll-outs, facilitate experimentation with "what-if" scenarios, or support formulation of network contingency plans.

So what's an overworked, under-resourced network manager to do? The answer is to look at network modeling technologies. These technologies provide an environment in which new applications, technologies and problem-solving strategies can be safely and thoroughly evaluated. Because they allow an application's network behavior to be fully validated before it's deployed in the production environment, these technologies also empower network managers to perform more rapid, glitch-free roll-outs. Plus, modeling technologies are uniquely able to provide insight into any number of "what-if" scenarios - so network managers can make plans for growth, corporate re-structuring and/or disaster recovery.

"Empirical" modeling solutions offer today's network management teams particularly excellent business value, because of their accuracy and relative ease of implementation. This accuracy and ease is achieved by running the actual applications against a model that uses captured conditions from the production environment. The result is a clear understanding of the user experience well ahead of deployment.

To learn more, visit http://www.shunra.com. Shunra empowers enterprise organizations and technology vendors to eliminate the risks associated with rolling out complex, distributed, applications and services. The Shunra Virtual Enterprise (Shunra VE) solution provides accurate, highly granular insight into how networked applications will function, perform and scale for remote end-users. It creates an exact replica of the production network environment, allowing users to safely develop, test and experiment with applications and infrastructure in a lab environment before deployment in production.

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