Innovation Network Technology

Network Attached Storage (NAS) is a fast growing innovation that is being utilized by most major companies today. This technology was meant to deal with the challenge that companies had, where several applications and files were competing for the same processor resources. In other words, network attached service is the technology that allows the saving of data onto another computer system that is attached to the company computers through a network, or onto a special server that is attached to the network.

This service follows a client-server design that is much like the traditional file servers, where a single hardware device acts as the interface between NAS and network clients, or remote computers. The hardware device is called the NAS box or NAS head, but unlike the traditional file servers, requires no hardware to access. These servers run an embedded operating system, and one or more disks or drives can be attached to many NAS systems to increase the total capacity.

Usually, when a company uses network attached storage, there is a mainframe computer that is linked to a number of workstations. This mainframe is used to save all the files, and the workstations get access to it through special links. This technology offers a practical alternative to the traditional file server approach, providing an effective system that ensures that processes are fast. The network attached storage can be compared to a computer that is specifically set up for file storage only, excluding the space needed to run applications.

The network attached storage is normally accessed using a browser, and is also a way to secure data. Since the data is stored on the NAS computers rather than the file servers, this means that there is less risk of lost or breached data. In addition, it also reduces the cost of hardware that would have otherwise been required to provide storage space for data. The cost of maintenance for this particular service is cheaper than that of file servers. Continue Reading

For many companies network procurement services provide a vital role, helping them to continue day to day functions whilst outsourcing critical IT activities. This is particularly the case for companies that do not possess the IT resources internally to allow them to capably procure and manage their networks or network devices.

Ultimately procuring enterprise level networks can be a challenging task, particularly if the skills and knowledge within an organisation are insufficient. This is where utilising a network provider can offer significant benefits in terms of understanding the more technical aspects of networks and how certain technologies could deliver the competitive advantage to a business.

When building an IT network there are myriad considerations to make, not purely logistically but also in regards of the actual technologies that you plan to utilise. Choosing the right hardware is however challenging, without the knowledge of which technologies actually deliver innovation it is easy to make the wrong choices and end up with a network that is prone to errors, costing the business more in the long term.

Once again a network procurement services can help a company through this process. Not only do they have the expertise on hand to find the hardware that is suitable for your business’ current needs, but they also have the knowledge to shape a network that will be robust enough to withstand the future, allowing for the growth of your business and technological developments. Whilst it is tempting to undertake this process alone, it is worth bearing in mind that the short term savings can soon be outweighed by the long term costs of an ineffective and faulty network. Continue Reading

In 2007, a rogue computer network impacted the majority of Estonians by taking out Estonia’s essential electronic infrastructure. This bogged down government communications and crippled banking systems, name servers, media websites, and Internet Service Providers. In the cyber domain, which knows no borders, a teen-aged hacker working out of a basement with a hand-held device or a laptop possesses the potential to bring down a nation’s defense systems and cripple its critical infrastructure. The Internet, originally designed and intended to encourage open communication, has introduced an asymmetrical vulnerability that knows no borders. International collaboration can help stimulate economies, encourage job growth, and vastly increase our collective knowledge base about the cyber domain. This man-made cyber domain belongs to everyone, not just government! Why not engage a neutral entity overseeing local, national, and international collaboration efforts?

The complexity and risk of the cyber domain

We are sharing information about the cyber domain, but neither on the necessary scale nor speed required. We are not dealing with traditional armies-on the contrary, but asymmetrical threats of highly skilled and clever individuals or teams with ability to create infinite damage. A relatively small investment and small number of people can inflict infinite damage at lightning speed. No rules govern this global threat that crosses easily from individual privacy to nation states without constraint. To address this, the U.S. government acknowledges the enormity of this risk by establishing the cyber threat as a separate domain in addition to land, sea, air, and space.

The risk is immense. Whether we personally transact business over the Internet or not, cyber thieves may ransom our medical histories, empty our personal bank accounts, and ruin our credit ratings. Our economies and critical infrastructures depend upon the Internet. Clever cyber wizards can use any piece of technology with an IP address to damage our critical infrastructure, knock out dams and power systems, steal money from private and public financial institutions, wreak havoc with our supply chains, and, of course, damage our computer networks. Cyber criminals and nation-states have stolen untold amounts of intellectual property national defense secrets. Continue Reading