Implementing an Office Network
Networking generally can be defined as the act of creating or maintaining links between people, offices, organizations, processes, facilities, computers etc, for the sole purpose of interchanging support and information. In this instance, office networking basically refers to interlinking offices, organizations or markets, so as to on one hand mutually multiply the flux of business activities within bodies and raise profit, or on the other hand interchange useful information between remote terminals (i.e. office - office, office - client) to ensure synchrony, enable monitoring, and enhance productivity within an organization. In organizations nowadays, intranet, local area networks (LAN), enterprise private network, ad hoc networks, and a host of others are some of the mediums employed in networking offices within an organization, while Internet protocols (IP), wide area networks (WAN), internet servers and internet service providers (ISPs) are more advanced mediums for linking into a broader society, i.e. the internet offers a platform for dissemination and acquisition of information to and from a larger recipient and as well, help maintain a link between remote offices within an organization or between organizations.
In setting up an office network, whether within a small office or between remote offices, many factors are considered; some of the key factors are network security, reliability of the network system and usability of the network. Network security consists of the provisions and policies adopted by a network administrator to monitor, control and prevent unauthorized access, use, modification, or challenges in accessing the network-permitted resources. Network security helps to secure users' identity and allow access to only authorized data in a network. To ensure network security, users choose or are assigned a username and password or other authentication details that allows them access to information and programs within the network. Network security is useful for different computer networks, i.e. public and private, that are used in everyday jobs, conducting transactions and communications among businesses, government agencies and individuals. Insecurity or breach in an office network may result in serious problems, some of which might lead to bankruptcy or worse; a total collapse of the organization. Hence, network security is employed in many organizations, enterprises, and other types of institutions to secure the network, and as well, protect and oversee operations within the network to avoid breach. The most common and simple way of protecting a network resource is by assigning to it, a unique name and a corresponding password.
Secondly, reliability of the network is another important factor that must be considered. Generally, reliability is the ability of a system to perform and maintain its functions in routine circumstances, as well as in hostile or unexpected situations. In computer networking, a reliable protocol is one that provides reliability properties with respect to the delivery of data to the intended recipient(s), as opposed to an unreliable protocol, which does not provide notifications to the sender as to the delivery of transmitted data. A reliable network enables a user receive information, send information, and also keep record of information transferred through it. Many organizations nowadays employ permanent IT management staff to keep track of network progress in order to insure reliability of the network. Reliability is of much importance as security of the network in that a network break during an online transaction between remote offices or organizations may result in an unbalanced transaction, and probably may lead to loss of client credibility, if the occurrence becomes frequent over a long term.
Lastly, Usability is the ease of use and learnability of a network, it is a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use. The word "usability" also refers to methods for improving ease-of-use during a network design process. Usability is defined by five quality components:
‚¬ Learnability: How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design.
‚¬ Efficiency: Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?
‚¬ Memorability: When users return to the design after a period of not using it, how easily can they reestablish proficiency?
‚¬ Errors: How many errors users make, how severe are these errors, and how easily can they recover from the errors?
‚¬ Satisfaction: How pleasant is it to use the design?
A network being a link between offices, allows for information sharing within and outside its domains, hence usability of a network is necessary as it defines the ease at which data is transferred from one terminal to the other. For example, considering an organization that operates with customized software, sharing information and synchronizing activities between its corporate office and a remote branch office, usability is important to ensure ease in carrying out the operation, otherwise some tedious but necessary processes may take too long to accomplish, causing a lag in information transmission and as a result, reduce the collective speed at which the job is being carried out in both terminals.
Some of the major impacts of network in the office are;
‚¬ Communications facilitation: Using a network, people can communicate efficiently and easily via email, instant messaging, chat rooms, telephone, video telephone calls, and video conferencing.
‚¬ Permit sharing of files, data, and other types of information: In an office network, authorized users may access data and information stored on other computers on the network. The capability of providing access to data and information on shared storage devices is an important feature of many office networks.
‚¬ Share network and computing resources: In a networked environment, each computer on a network may access and use resources provided by devices on the network, such as printing a document on a shared network printer. Distributed computing, uses computing resources across a network to accomplish tasks.
This Article is extracted from a research work titled IMPACT OF ICT IN OFFICE DEVELOPMENT. To read the full paper, click on the link: http://www.academia.edu/Papers/in/Impact_of_ICT_in_Office_Development
REFERNCE:
1. wikipedia Encyclopedia
In setting up an office network, whether within a small office or between remote offices, many factors are considered; some of the key factors are network security, reliability of the network system and usability of the network. Network security consists of the provisions and policies adopted by a network administrator to monitor, control and prevent unauthorized access, use, modification, or challenges in accessing the network-permitted resources. Network security helps to secure users' identity and allow access to only authorized data in a network. To ensure network security, users choose or are assigned a username and password or other authentication details that allows them access to information and programs within the network. Network security is useful for different computer networks, i.e. public and private, that are used in everyday jobs, conducting transactions and communications among businesses, government agencies and individuals. Insecurity or breach in an office network may result in serious problems, some of which might lead to bankruptcy or worse; a total collapse of the organization. Hence, network security is employed in many organizations, enterprises, and other types of institutions to secure the network, and as well, protect and oversee operations within the network to avoid breach. The most common and simple way of protecting a network resource is by assigning to it, a unique name and a corresponding password.
Secondly, reliability of the network is another important factor that must be considered. Generally, reliability is the ability of a system to perform and maintain its functions in routine circumstances, as well as in hostile or unexpected situations. In computer networking, a reliable protocol is one that provides reliability properties with respect to the delivery of data to the intended recipient(s), as opposed to an unreliable protocol, which does not provide notifications to the sender as to the delivery of transmitted data. A reliable network enables a user receive information, send information, and also keep record of information transferred through it. Many organizations nowadays employ permanent IT management staff to keep track of network progress in order to insure reliability of the network. Reliability is of much importance as security of the network in that a network break during an online transaction between remote offices or organizations may result in an unbalanced transaction, and probably may lead to loss of client credibility, if the occurrence becomes frequent over a long term.
Lastly, Usability is the ease of use and learnability of a network, it is a quality attribute that assesses how easy user interfaces are to use. The word "usability" also refers to methods for improving ease-of-use during a network design process. Usability is defined by five quality components:
‚¬ Learnability: How easy is it for users to accomplish basic tasks the first time they encounter the design.
‚¬ Efficiency: Once users have learned the design, how quickly can they perform tasks?
‚¬ Memorability: When users return to the design after a period of not using it, how easily can they reestablish proficiency?
‚¬ Errors: How many errors users make, how severe are these errors, and how easily can they recover from the errors?
‚¬ Satisfaction: How pleasant is it to use the design?
A network being a link between offices, allows for information sharing within and outside its domains, hence usability of a network is necessary as it defines the ease at which data is transferred from one terminal to the other. For example, considering an organization that operates with customized software, sharing information and synchronizing activities between its corporate office and a remote branch office, usability is important to ensure ease in carrying out the operation, otherwise some tedious but necessary processes may take too long to accomplish, causing a lag in information transmission and as a result, reduce the collective speed at which the job is being carried out in both terminals.
Some of the major impacts of network in the office are;
‚¬ Communications facilitation: Using a network, people can communicate efficiently and easily via email, instant messaging, chat rooms, telephone, video telephone calls, and video conferencing.
‚¬ Permit sharing of files, data, and other types of information: In an office network, authorized users may access data and information stored on other computers on the network. The capability of providing access to data and information on shared storage devices is an important feature of many office networks.
‚¬ Share network and computing resources: In a networked environment, each computer on a network may access and use resources provided by devices on the network, such as printing a document on a shared network printer. Distributed computing, uses computing resources across a network to accomplish tasks.
This Article is extracted from a research work titled IMPACT OF ICT IN OFFICE DEVELOPMENT. To read the full paper, click on the link: http://www.academia.edu/Papers/in/Impact_of_ICT_in_Office_Development
REFERNCE:
1. wikipedia Encyclopedia
