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As your business grows so does the need for increased communications, which may include rationalising your data systems. This may include office to office, whether remote or local, or business to business, which could lead to upheaval not to mention expense.
As a systems integrator we specialise in supplying innovative, leading-edge products and solutions to ensure increased efficiency and a return on investment. Cost efficiency is achieved by making the best use of systems that still provide perfectly good service but are legacy or are not easily portable. We will ensure systems "talk" to each other efficiently without the need to change your business logic or fear of losing essential data.
We are both an Authorised Partner and an approved Enterprise Partner of Draytek, ensuring that we are at the forefront of the latest Internet and Network connectivity technologies.
Networking
In today's digital world networking has become an essential in the daily organisation of a business. A network allows seamless communication between many computers and peripherals in your offices. ACT can install and configure a new network (or upgrade your existing network to the latest specifications) ranging from a simple network connecting two computers, to a server-based large scale network installation capable of supporting the communication between over 100 client machines.
At ACT we retain high awareness of future developments and ensure that any network designs and installations we carry out meet every necessary standard to adapt, if applicable, to any future hardware acquisitions. All the networking hardware and cabling we use conforms to IEEE specifications.
Voice Over IP
Voice over IP (VoIP), sometimes referred to as Internet Telephony, is the routing of voice conversations over the Internet or any other IP network. VoIP is an excellent alternative to traditional telephony which offers many benefits:
- VoIP offers many features in addition to fundamental voice communications. End users are able to send and receive files whilst in conversation, integrate address books, and receive online notifications. VoIP is also ideal for audio conferencing; all participants can make use of a whiteboard application in parallel to the voice discussions.
- VoIP has lower infrastructure and usage costs. Traditional telephony systems require two wiring systems; one for voice and one for network. VoIP, however, integrates both into the use of one connection. In addition to this, voice calls using VoIP cost less than that of traditional telephony.
- As VoIP is based on software protocols, any future advances will be easily adapted to, without the need for a hardware upgrade overhaul.
Wireless Networking
Wireless networking is already becoming a mainstream technology; one that many businesses can ill afford to overlook. "Going wireless" is guaranteed to bring many benefits to your company:
- Productivity in the workplace will improve as employees will have access to the network and its resources whilst roaming throughout the building. They are continually connected to the network without losing a connection or needing to log in to the nearest machine repeatedly.
- Access to required information, from any location, at any time, is achievable with wireless networking.
- Wireless networking, by its nature, removes the need for multiple network cables throughout your premises. This obviously removes the visual eyesore of tangled cables, but will also improve safety and return on investment, whilst adding further machines to the network is a simple procedure and cables do not need to be continually sourced or replaced.
Virtual Private Networking
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) will allow you, and your employees, to access the office network remotely at the click of a mouse. A VPN allows you to share information with colleagues and clients and access all your network resources; you can even print to the office printers.
ACT can install and configure a VPN, which is guaranteed to bring many benefits to your business:
- Increased productivity and flexibility; employees are able to work during all hours from home or using an internet connection anywhere.
- Provides secure connectivity; unauthorised access is prevented whilst varying privileges can be granted to each employee account.
- Connect one or more sites to improve efficiency of information sharing.
Serial communications
In the early years of PC's, most computers were equipped with one parallel and two serial ports. The parallel port was usually used for connecting your printer and the serial port for connecting communications devices such as a modem or even another computer.
There are two basic types of serial communications, synchronous and asynchronous. With synchronous communications, the two devices initially synchronize themselves to each other, and then continually send characters to stay in sync.
Synchronous devices synchronise themselves initially and then continually send characters to stay in sync. Communication requires no start or stop bit therefore data transfer is faster.
Asynchronous ("no synchronization") does not require sending and receiving idle characters but must have start and stop bits to identify each byte of data.
Serial ports, most of which are asynchronous, are now mainly to be found in legacy systems as they are rapidly being replaced by USB ports.