Big tech for small networks

Four big technology challenges face IT managers who work at small to medium-size businesses. And guess what? The challenges look a lot like the ones confronting large organizations: VoIP, SANs, Gigabit Ethernet, and security. Few IT shops, big or small, would be crazy enough to tackle all four issues at once. Together, all this new technology may have reached the critical mass necessary for SMBs to think seriously about a network overhaul.

Vendors clearly see the opportunity to reach into the pockets of SMBs. For example, hardware giant Dell recently introduced switches and management software designed specifically for the SMB market, and the new Apple Xsan exemplifies the feasibility of simple and inexpensive SAN management.

SMBs constantly tell themselves that their smaller size gives them an edge: namely, the ability to gain competitive advantage by adopting promising new technologies faster. 

For IT managers in an SMB environment who consider their choices carefully, now is a time of opportunity.

Can You Hear Me Now?

The idea of putting voice traffic on the IP network and managing one infrastructure instead of two makes perfect sense. For SMBs, a wholesale transition is more feasible, although VoIP may not be for everyone. Most of the hottest apps are suited to call centers. If the PBX is working fine as it is, there’s no need for a rip-and-replace project. But it does make sense to look at network upgrades with VoIP in mind so you can plan sensibly for the future.

The first factor to consider when contemplating a VoIP implementation is the current state of the network. Network usage patterns must be identified and understood to prevent new VoIP traffic and existing traffic clogging each other’s bandwidth. Moreover, the state of existing cable plant may require that certain areas or even entire floors be rewired.

The most important part of the network equation is, of course, the switch. A lot of shops have cut corners over the years by using cheap switches to turn one network port into four or by using unmanaged stacks of switches in the wiring closet. Although some may wish to install a parallel network for VoIP traffic, it’s simpler to stick with one network and replace the old gear with newer boxes capable of supporting both.

By the time the real hardware costs get figured in, end-to-end VoIP may look like a wash in terms of cost savings. The days of VoIP without tariffs are ending, which means that the cost differential between POTS and VoIP will narrow from year to year. But there’s a lot to be said for taking advantage of an opportunity to upgrade network infrastructure. Ultimately, the main benefits for SMBs of the VoIP revolution may lie less in the cost savings on the phone bill and more in the economies derived from building more stable and more capable networks.

Papa’s Got a Brand-New SAN

Many IT managers at SMBs believe that they don’t need a SAN or that SANs are too complicated and expensive to justify. That may have been true in the past, but storage vendors now recognize that SMBs are the next big growth opportunity. They’re reaching for the golden apple by lowering prices of Fibre Channel equipment and improving management tools with ease-of-use and simpler FC networks. The need for accessible, flexible, and inexpensive storage is becoming just as acute for SMBs as it is for the Fortune 1000.