Any business that wants to be successful must access the internet and use modern technology in their daily operations. Not only does it help them reach a wider audience of customers, but it helps streamline processes that would be difficult or time-consuming to do by hand. If you’re getting your own business off the ground, here are the essential devices for building a small business network.
Infrastructure Planning
You don’t want to go into network building without an idea of how you’re going to organize your hardware. Study your floor plans to get a good understanding of the layout and where it would be best to place the new network’s hardware. Make sure your business has network jacks and room for cables to run safely throughout the building.
Networking
The basic building blocks of a network are a modem, router, and switch. The modem connects your business to the wider internet while the router creates the local network inside your business. It transmits and receives data to and from the modem and the local network.
Finally, the switch connects all your devices to your business’s network, so you want to be sure you acquire an ethernet switch that can support all the devices you need for your business. You’ll also want to use shielded cables to connect to the switch.
Server Storage
The server is an essential device for building a small business network because it is the place where you store and organize your business’s data. It also supports business applications maintained onsite, backing up data, user security authentication, and so much more. Think of it as an electronic filing cabinet.
Cybersecurity
While not a device itself, security measures like firewalls are an important addition to the other pieces of hardware. This will prevent viruses or malicious actors from breaking into your business’s network and wreaking havoc. It’s always a good idea to invest in security early rather than waiting until it’s too late.
