Dear Metro,
Thank you for putting together this blog. It is nice to be able to get straight answers.
Can you tell me: how is data transmitted with a DS3 line?
Brian M.
Dear Brian,
You are welcome--it is nice to be able to provide answers in this way. Feel free to comment (below) on any of the Q & A as well.
If you were looking at installing or utilizing a DS3, it would be because you are large business or institution that needed a high-speed, professional solution for access to the Internet. DS3's have very high capacity connections (45 Mbps digital service) above and beyond a T1 and would be a dedicated private line service.
To answer your question, a DS3 transmits data over fiber optic cable. So it is not available every where. You would have to have a fiber optic connection available nearby, or right to your building, or one would have to be installed for you to take advantage of a DS3. This can be costly, but the benefits of a DS3 for a larger business are enormous.
I hope this answers your question--If you would like to know if a DS3 is a good solution for your business, please call us at 1.866.738.1662
Metro
CNSG-USA.com
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
What is Colocation?...and Why You Need it
Do you think you might need colocation? For many businesses it makes sense to utilize colocation, because having web-based applications securely housed on a server can be mission critical. And while some choose to have their own data center, it is not feasible for others to take on the added expense of building and maintaining a data center.
Colocation is a common business scenario where a company or organization chooses to rent space in another organization's networked facility. This is a common practice for smaller technology companies and businesses needing web hosting, as it allows a business to put their equipment into a controlled, safe, reliable, networked environment without the cost of having their own data center.
By renting colocation space in one or a few data centers throughout the country, your company could not only save money, but provide added security and stability to your site(s).
Many companies choose a collocation company with multiple physical locations. This is done to capitalize on optimal performance. Often swings in internet traffic come from one part of the country or one area may have severe weather, or other emergency situations that affect connectivity. Businesses with data centers in multiple locations are better able to deal with these situations and continue to provide web-based applications to visitors, customers and employees.
The most important benefit to colocation may be cost. By renting space in another company's data center, you can simply move your equipment into that location and set it up. The colocation company takes responsibility for climate control, power and access to the internet.
If your company currently has a server on-site, and would like a back-up, are having problems with security or keeping it online for whatever reason, colocation is a great option.
(c) 2009 CNSG-USA
Colocation is a common business scenario where a company or organization chooses to rent space in another organization's networked facility. This is a common practice for smaller technology companies and businesses needing web hosting, as it allows a business to put their equipment into a controlled, safe, reliable, networked environment without the cost of having their own data center.
By renting colocation space in one or a few data centers throughout the country, your company could not only save money, but provide added security and stability to your site(s).
Many companies choose a collocation company with multiple physical locations. This is done to capitalize on optimal performance. Often swings in internet traffic come from one part of the country or one area may have severe weather, or other emergency situations that affect connectivity. Businesses with data centers in multiple locations are better able to deal with these situations and continue to provide web-based applications to visitors, customers and employees.
The most important benefit to colocation may be cost. By renting space in another company's data center, you can simply move your equipment into that location and set it up. The colocation company takes responsibility for climate control, power and access to the internet.
If your company currently has a server on-site, and would like a back-up, are having problems with security or keeping it online for whatever reason, colocation is a great option.
(c) 2009 CNSG-USA
Saturday, December 6, 2008
How much does a T1 cost?
Dear Metro:
My business has grown tremendously in the last year and we are investigating having a T1 line. Can you tell me how much a T1 costs on average?
Ben K.
Dear Ben,
Congratulations on your business success. The cost of a T1 line varies a bit but you can expect a T1 line to cost between $1,000 and $1,500 per month.
A T1 line needs to be connected to a web server, and your total cost will be a combination of the fee the phone company charges and the fee the ISP (Internet Service Provder) charges.
If you would like more information about T1 lines, and if this is a good option for your business, please call Converged Network Services Group at 1.866.738.1662.
Metro
CNSG-USA.com
My business has grown tremendously in the last year and we are investigating having a T1 line. Can you tell me how much a T1 costs on average?
Ben K.
Dear Ben,
Congratulations on your business success. The cost of a T1 line varies a bit but you can expect a T1 line to cost between $1,000 and $1,500 per month.
A T1 line needs to be connected to a web server, and your total cost will be a combination of the fee the phone company charges and the fee the ISP (Internet Service Provder) charges.
If you would like more information about T1 lines, and if this is a good option for your business, please call Converged Network Services Group at 1.866.738.1662.
Metro
CNSG-USA.com
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Do I Want Colocation?
Dear Metro,
My business partner and I are looking at some ways to save some money and the idea of colocation has come up. Can you explain the advantages and the disadvantages of colocation and if this is something that CNSG can do?
Nick T.
Small Business Owner
Dear Nick,
Colocation is generally a good idea for small businesses to consider--it gives you the benefits and features of a large IT department without the cost.
Large corporations have the infrastructure to host their own servers and have a team of IT professionals to manage and design and maintenance of the site. Small businesses and sole proprietorships do not.
To host your site, you have a range of options from simple hosting with a hosting company to running your own Web servers off of a dedicated Internet connection. One attractive option is colocation.
Colocation allows you to put your server in someone else's rack and share their bandwidth as your own. It generally costs more than standard Web hosting...since you buy the server, but less than a comparable amount of bandwidth into your place of business. And you don't have to share the space with other sites that the hosting vendor may set up on the server, (which could cause several issues including speed).
Once you have a server configured with your site and other hosted programs, you physically take it to the location of the colocation provider and install it in their rack, (or you can rent a server from the colocation provider depending on your specific needs and budget).
The company you are co-locating with then provides an IP, bandwidth, and power to your server. With co-location you will have access to the server whenever you need to.
The biggest advantage of colocation is the cost for bandwidth. Depending on the amount of servers and and the type of Internet connection you have. But the back-up and outage protection that a Colocation facilities can offer can save a business serious finanical and operational angst. Another advantage is that the business you colocate with may offer you IT services, so if or server needs management or maintenance, they can take care of this for you at an additional cost.
Disadvantages would include distance to the colocation facillity, and the cost over the amount you would pay for basic hosting.
If you would like to speak with someone about how colocation would work for your business, please give us a call at 1.866.738.1662 or go to our website at http://www.cnsg-usa.com/
Metro
My business partner and I are looking at some ways to save some money and the idea of colocation has come up. Can you explain the advantages and the disadvantages of colocation and if this is something that CNSG can do?
Nick T.
Small Business Owner
Dear Nick,
Colocation is generally a good idea for small businesses to consider--it gives you the benefits and features of a large IT department without the cost.
Large corporations have the infrastructure to host their own servers and have a team of IT professionals to manage and design and maintenance of the site. Small businesses and sole proprietorships do not.
To host your site, you have a range of options from simple hosting with a hosting company to running your own Web servers off of a dedicated Internet connection. One attractive option is colocation.
Colocation allows you to put your server in someone else's rack and share their bandwidth as your own. It generally costs more than standard Web hosting...since you buy the server, but less than a comparable amount of bandwidth into your place of business. And you don't have to share the space with other sites that the hosting vendor may set up on the server, (which could cause several issues including speed).
Once you have a server configured with your site and other hosted programs, you physically take it to the location of the colocation provider and install it in their rack, (or you can rent a server from the colocation provider depending on your specific needs and budget).
The company you are co-locating with then provides an IP, bandwidth, and power to your server. With co-location you will have access to the server whenever you need to.
The biggest advantage of colocation is the cost for bandwidth. Depending on the amount of servers and and the type of Internet connection you have. But the back-up and outage protection that a Colocation facilities can offer can save a business serious finanical and operational angst. Another advantage is that the business you colocate with may offer you IT services, so if or server needs management or maintenance, they can take care of this for you at an additional cost.
Disadvantages would include distance to the colocation facillity, and the cost over the amount you would pay for basic hosting.
If you would like to speak with someone about how colocation would work for your business, please give us a call at 1.866.738.1662 or go to our website at http://www.cnsg-usa.com/
Metro
Monday, December 1, 2008
What is IP? (Internet Protocol)
Dear Metro,
I am new to the technology world (just started a new job) and I was wondering if you could explain IP to me. I know it is an acronym, but I thought it stood for "intellectual property." But I think that in the context of technology, IP must have a different meaning.
So what is IP?
Lawrence S.
Dear Lawrence,
Congratulations on your new job and thank you for asking an easy one! (The holidays are coming and my brain is already thinking about my Christmas list!)
Simply put, IP is Internet Protocol, or the set of techniques used by many hosts for transmitting data over the Internet. (How we get the info from "point A" to "point B."Essentially it is broken into pieces and sent, then put back together at the end--at least this is the goal. Once in a while a packet will get lost, but that is a story for another time...
The current version of the Internet protocol is IPv4, (Internet Protocol Version 4--yes we tech people are tricky with those names aren't we!) which provides a 32-bit address system.
Internet protocol is considered a "best effort" system, meaning that no packet of information sent over it is assured to reach its destination in the same condition it was sent. We try our best. Often other protocols are used in tandem with the (IP) Internet protocol for data that must have extremely high fidelity--high quality. For example, if the data is highly important or highly confidential.
Every device (a computer, wireless device, or computer-like or containing device like printer) connected to a network, on a local area network (called a LAN) or the Internet, is given an Internet protocol...IP number. This is the IP address. This address is used to identify the device uniquely among all other devices connected to the extended network. IP addresses can be static (meaning they are assigned) or not, (meaning they change). This is determined by the Internet provider and system set-up.
Most of the time, the users of the systems, devices, etc. will not know the IP addresses that they interact with daily, and instead will give other names to the servers, devices and computers, to make it easy to keep straight.
I hope this helps - and keep those technology questions coming!
Metro - The Tech Answer Guy!
CNSG-USA.com
http://www.cnsg-usa.com/services-data.php
I am new to the technology world (just started a new job) and I was wondering if you could explain IP to me. I know it is an acronym, but I thought it stood for "intellectual property." But I think that in the context of technology, IP must have a different meaning.
So what is IP?
Lawrence S.
Dear Lawrence,
Congratulations on your new job and thank you for asking an easy one! (The holidays are coming and my brain is already thinking about my Christmas list!)
Simply put, IP is Internet Protocol, or the set of techniques used by many hosts for transmitting data over the Internet. (How we get the info from "point A" to "point B."Essentially it is broken into pieces and sent, then put back together at the end--at least this is the goal. Once in a while a packet will get lost, but that is a story for another time...
The current version of the Internet protocol is IPv4, (Internet Protocol Version 4--yes we tech people are tricky with those names aren't we!) which provides a 32-bit address system.
Internet protocol is considered a "best effort" system, meaning that no packet of information sent over it is assured to reach its destination in the same condition it was sent. We try our best. Often other protocols are used in tandem with the (IP) Internet protocol for data that must have extremely high fidelity--high quality. For example, if the data is highly important or highly confidential.
Every device (a computer, wireless device, or computer-like or containing device like printer) connected to a network, on a local area network (called a LAN) or the Internet, is given an Internet protocol...IP number. This is the IP address. This address is used to identify the device uniquely among all other devices connected to the extended network. IP addresses can be static (meaning they are assigned) or not, (meaning they change). This is determined by the Internet provider and system set-up.
Most of the time, the users of the systems, devices, etc. will not know the IP addresses that they interact with daily, and instead will give other names to the servers, devices and computers, to make it easy to keep straight.
I hope this helps - and keep those technology questions coming!
Metro - The Tech Answer Guy!
CNSG-USA.com
http://www.cnsg-usa.com/services-data.php
Sunday, November 30, 2008
What is the OSI Model
Dear Metro,
What is the OSI Model?
--John C. NY
Dear John,
Almost all computer networks today are based on the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) standard.
OSI was developed in 1984 by the International Organization for Standardization (known commonly as "ISO"), a global federation of national standards organizations which represents approximately 130 countries.
The core of this standard is the "OSI Reference Model," which is a set of seven layers that define the different stages that data must go through to travel from one device to another over a network. In this standard, control is passed from one layer to the next: 1) Application, 2) Presentation, 3) Session, 4) Transport, 5) Network, 6) Data-Link, and 7) Physical. There is generally little variation from this standard.
Metro
The IT Guy
What is the OSI Model?
--John C. NY
Dear John,
Almost all computer networks today are based on the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) standard.
OSI was developed in 1984 by the International Organization for Standardization (known commonly as "ISO"), a global federation of national standards organizations which represents approximately 130 countries.
The core of this standard is the "OSI Reference Model," which is a set of seven layers that define the different stages that data must go through to travel from one device to another over a network. In this standard, control is passed from one layer to the next: 1) Application, 2) Presentation, 3) Session, 4) Transport, 5) Network, 6) Data-Link, and 7) Physical. There is generally little variation from this standard.
Metro
The IT Guy
Thursday, November 27, 2008
What is an Ethernet?
Hi Metro!
My boss was joking around the other day and called the ethernet the "alohanet." I thought maybe he was saying this because the data went through back and forth--or like "hello, "goodbye," the way "aloha" means both. But the more I thought about it, the more I figured maybe he knew something more and I got very curious. Now it has been a couple days and I didn't want to ask, so I was wondering if you could explain what he meant and what an ethernet really does.
THANKS & Aloha!
Robert S. -- Clueless in Charlotte
Hello Robert,
Simply, an Ethernet connects computer systems creating a network. Ethernet is the most widely-installed local area network technology (called a "LAN") and is found nearly everywhere there is more than one computer.
Today's Ethernet was originally developed by the Xerox Corporation from an earlier type of connection called "Alohanet" (for the Palo Alto Research Center Aloha network)--which is why your boss used that rather obscure reference!
An Ethernet LAN will generally use coaxial cable (just like your cable wire to set up cable on your TV) or special grades of twisted pair wires, (which is similar to the wire used for your power connection for your laptop, or more simply, your toaster!) But, Ethernet is also used in wireless LANs--it is the type of connection, not necessarily how the connection is made.
So next time your boss pulls that little bit of technology trivia out... feel free to share this one:
Ethernet was named by a gentleman, Robert Metcalfe, (one of Ethernet's developers), for the passive substance called "luminiferous (meaning: light-transmitting) ether" that was once thought to exist all over the universe, carrying light throughout. Ethernet was named this to describe the way that cabling, also also a passive medium, could similarly carry data everywhere throughout the network.
Have a great day,
Metro
The IT Guy
(and tech trivia guru!)
My boss was joking around the other day and called the ethernet the "alohanet." I thought maybe he was saying this because the data went through back and forth--or like "hello, "goodbye," the way "aloha" means both. But the more I thought about it, the more I figured maybe he knew something more and I got very curious. Now it has been a couple days and I didn't want to ask, so I was wondering if you could explain what he meant and what an ethernet really does.
THANKS & Aloha!
Robert S. -- Clueless in Charlotte
Hello Robert,
Simply, an Ethernet connects computer systems creating a network. Ethernet is the most widely-installed local area network technology (called a "LAN") and is found nearly everywhere there is more than one computer.
Today's Ethernet was originally developed by the Xerox Corporation from an earlier type of connection called "Alohanet" (for the Palo Alto Research Center Aloha network)--which is why your boss used that rather obscure reference!
An Ethernet LAN will generally use coaxial cable (just like your cable wire to set up cable on your TV) or special grades of twisted pair wires, (which is similar to the wire used for your power connection for your laptop, or more simply, your toaster!) But, Ethernet is also used in wireless LANs--it is the type of connection, not necessarily how the connection is made.
So next time your boss pulls that little bit of technology trivia out... feel free to share this one:
Ethernet was named by a gentleman, Robert Metcalfe, (one of Ethernet's developers), for the passive substance called "luminiferous (meaning: light-transmitting) ether" that was once thought to exist all over the universe, carrying light throughout. Ethernet was named this to describe the way that cabling, also also a passive medium, could similarly carry data everywhere throughout the network.
Have a great day,
Metro
The IT Guy
(and tech trivia guru!)
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