Business Facts and Information

What's A Network?
A network is a group of two or more computers that are able to communicate with one another and share data (text, sound, images), files, programs, and operations.
The computers are able to communicate and exchange information because they use software that observes the same set of parameters, or Protocols.

Why Network?
Most offices start with one computer. When you start to grow and add more people workstations, working together becomes a problem. At some point, trading diskettes to share files becomes a pain. And moving a printer from computer to computer to view output can be annoying.

Establishing a computer network can help solve these problems. But it's not a simple purchase. There's quite a bit involved, and you'll often have to rely on the expertise of a consultant to do the job fully.

When it comes down to it, there are primarily two reasons to network your computers.

Share resources and equipment. Printers and digital copiers can be shared across all the computers in your office. So can files. Networks allow you to share files without having to copy the file onto a disk, or to send and receive amyl attachments.

Managing data and equipment. Having a networked system means it's easier to manage files and workstations. All key files can be stored in one common location, which allows for much easier backup. Networks can also allow your IT people to identify system errors on other computers without having to leave their desk.

David Conda