If you run a business, chances are you’ll have a few computers in your office connected to a LAN or Local Area Network. The LAN, in turn, is connected to the Internet, so that you and your colleagues can surf the Web.
You might have a server attached to your network, responsible for sharing files amongst all the network users. That sounds like a good computer setup, right? The only downside to many computer networks these days is the speed. Or, should I say, the lack of speed!
Have you ever noticed that, when someone gets a large file, everyone’s network connections slow down? Especially if that transfer is taking place from a storage device attached to your network!
The good news is that you can turbocharge your organization’s network and computer systems. Want to know how? Keep reading to find out!
Workstation upgrade
Even if your network is super-fast, it won’t have much effect on a ten-year-old PC. It never ceases to amaze me how many businesses operate computers that got considered obsolete years ago.
Before you do anything with your network, you need to make sure your workstations are performing at their best.
Here are a few key upgrades you should perform in case they aren’t fast enough for today’s needs:
- RAM – I recommend running at least 8GB of RAM if you’re using the latest version of Microsoft Windows or Apple OS X;
- Processor – where possible, upgrade your CPU to the fastest one available for your budget. If you’re running an Intel Core i3 dual-core, consider an upgrade to a Core i5 quad-core;
- Storage Drive – most systems won’t need a huge amount of storage space, especially if they keep their files on a server or in the cloud. With that in mind, upgrade each drive to a solid-state drive (SSD);
- Network Port– computers usually have a built-in gigabit Ethernet port at the back of them. If your systems don’t, you can buy PCI cards that you slot into the motherboard that offer this functionality.
Server upgrades
If your workplace has a server attached to the network, you can apply the same upgrades to it as you would your workstations.
You might also be running a database on your server that your staff use on a daily basis. If your users are finding it slow to access or run queries on, you should consider migrating to an in-memory database.
Check out the FAQs over at Altibase.com to find out more about how they work. But, in a nutshell, they use your server’s RAM for data storage instead of a hard drive. Don’t worry; you can backup the data stored in RAM in case your server suffers from a power loss.
Network upgrades
The final thing you can do to speed up your network is to upgrade its technology! As mentioned earlier, gigabit Ethernet ensures faster data transmissions. You’ll need to change your routers and switches for models that support gigabit Ethernet.
Last, but not least, upgrade your Internet connection to a fiber-based one. Your network users will thank you for it!