Synopses & Reviews
A businessperson's guide to network technologies
- Written for any business professional. Understand the purpose and business value of network technologies in order to know which ones to adopt.
- Assess the benefits. Provides criteria that help you ask the right questions of vendors and other advisors to make technology choices and prepare budget justifications.
- Apply advice for your business. See which network technologies are best suited to your priorities and processes and the tradeoffs between various alternatives.
- Covers the technologies you need to know. Topics include wireless networks, IP telephony, managed services, network security, and other enabling technologies.
- Become more competitive. Learn from benchmark examples of how technologies are adopted and employed by others to create differentiation for your organization.
Small-medium businesses (SMBs) cannot grow without finding more effective ways to streamline their processes, develop differentiated products and services, deliver them to the right customers, and work collaboratively with partners. Growth-directed SMBs must set themselves apart for success by adopting innovative yet proven tools to improve efficiencies, stimulate productivity, be more responsive to customers, and boost the bottom line. Network technologies can help do that and more.
The challenge is knowing where to begin.
Power Up Your Small-Medium Business: A Guide To Enabling Network Technologies addresses the need for clear, business-aware technical information. It explores the relevance and business value of network technologies and how to gauge what's right for your organization. The book also provides a high-level primer on network technologies in plain English. It defines the technologies and how they work in accessible language.
Beyond that, Power Up Your Small-Medium Business: A Guide to Enabling Network Technologies provides advice on proven network technologies as business enablers, arming you with the right questions to ask of yourself and your vendors when planning new or enhanced networks. With this book as an educational resource on networking, you will be better prepared to invest in network technologies and shape your own success.
This volume is in the Network Business Series offered by Cisco Press. Books in this series provide IT executives, decision makers, and networking professionals with pertinent information on today's most important technologies and business strategies.
158705135403152004
About the Author
As technical marketing officer for the Commercial Segment at Cisco Systems,
Robyn Aber defines thought leadership around the strategic and business uses of network technologies for small-medium sized business markets.
Prior to joining Cisco in May 2000, Ms. Aber had more than 25 years of IT, marketing, and strategic business development experience in pharmaceuticals/chemicals, retail, telecommunications, and data networking companies, including 3Com, Bellcore, OneWorld Systems, Sandoz, Inc. (now Novartis), and Halston. Her areas of expertise include venture development for emerging technologies, strategic alliances, and mergers and acquisitions. She also has an extensive background in broadband services.
Ms. Aber holds MBA and MS degrees from New York University and the University of Illinois, respectively, and has completed course work toward a JD degree. She has served on the boards of the SMDS Interest Group, the Corporation for Open Systems' ISDN Executive Council, and the VDSL Study Group of the DSL Forum. She also has been active in the Wi-Fi Alliance, ANSI T1E1.4 and ITU standards groups. Her more than 75 articles and white papers have been published in trade and business journals both in the U.S. and internationally. She is a frequent invited speaker at conferences on emerging technologies.
Table of Contents
Introduction.
I. THE VALUE OF NETWORKING. 1. Performing with a Net: Becoming a Network-Centric Business.
The Business-to-E-Business Evolution. The Business Value of Internet Technologies. Strategic Network Planning Considerations. Justifying Internet Technology Investments. Summary.
II. Network Basics. 2. What Is a Computer Network?
Key Components of a Network. Types of Networks. Network Configuration Types: Topologies. Bandwidth. The Internet. How Information Travels Across the Internet. TCP/IP and UDP. OSI. Evolution of Networks in Businesses. Summary. 3. Local Area, Metropolitan Area, and Wide Area Networks.
Wired LAN Technologies: Ethernet Explained. WAN Access and Technologies. Broadband WAN Access. High-Speed WAN Access Services. Summary. Network Foundation Technologies-Switching and Routing
The Value of a Business-Class Network. LAN Switching. Intelligent LAN Switch Adoption Considerations. The Role of Routing in Computer Networks. Access Routing Adoption Decision Criteria. Measuring the Success of a Network Foundation. Summary. 4. Network Security Basics.
The New Environment. Costs of Network Security Breaches. Sources of Security Risks and Vulnerabilities. The Defense-in-Depth Security Solution Approach. Basic Considerations for Wireless LAN and IP Telephony Technologies. Comprehensive, Business-Class Network Security. Network Security Decision Criteria. Summary. 5. Intranets, Extranets, and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
The Internet. Intranets. Extranets. The Business Value of Intranets and Extranets. Applications Best Suited for Intranets and Extranets. Intranet and Extranet Selection Criteria. VPNs. Benefits of VPNs. How VPNs Work. VPN Deployment Options. Summary.
III. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES. 6. Wireless LANs (WLANs).
Wireless Networks and Their Components. WLAN Applications. WLAN Business Value and IT Benefits. WLAN Technology Basics and Issues. WLAN Security. WLAN Adoption Considerations. Summary. 7. IP Telephony and Multimedia Communications.
What Is IP Telephony? IPT Applications. Business Benefits of IPT Systems. IPT Technology Overview. IPT Adoption Considerations. Summary. 8. Emerging Technologies.
Storage Networking. Metro Ethernet. Mobile IP. Content Delivery Networks. IPv6. Summary.
IV. IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS. 9. Managed Network Services.
Managed Network Services. Advantages and Disadvantages of MSPs. Service Level Agreements. Adoption Considerations. Summary. 10. Vertical-Industry Case Studies.
Education: University. Financial Services: Community Bank. Financial Services: Insurance Company. Government: County Government. Government: Police/Public Safety Department. Healthcare. Manufacturing Company. Professional Services: General Contractor. Professional Services: Graphic Design Firm. Professional Services: Law Firm. Professional Services: Real-Estate Business. Retail Shop. Travel and Hospitality: Hotel. Wholesale Business. Summary. Appendix A. Abbreviation List
Appendix B. References
Index.