Understanding Small Business Network Needs For this assignment, we are exploring

Question

Understanding Small Business Network Needs
For this assignment, we are exploring the unique needs of micro - and small businesses. To begin, you are going to create a purchasing budget for a traditional network configuration. Then, you are going to go shopping again to find a cost for similar needs, but only through as many hosted / cloud services as possible to match the services supplied through equipment purchased to be onsite.

Part 1 - Traditional Network

Create a small business network for an independent retail store or restaurant. They are looking for a company to give them a cost for equipment and software purchases.

Find pricing for:

1 Server (Design for RAID storage, 5 Users licenses, Data Backup, 8 GB of RAM min, Microsoft Server 2012 R2 Essentials, and Microsoft Exchange)

3 PCs with Monitor, included antivirus software solutions and backup solution for data stored on PC hard drive, Microsoft Office 2013 Home & Business version.

Network Router and Firewall with Wireless (802.11n)

Assume wiring and other infrastructure is already in place.

Accounting Software: Quickbooks Pro

The business wants to pump music into area where customers are, what solutions can you find for this?

At this time, you are are not going to price this out, but a consultant would also be concerned with broadband connectivity, telephone service and even possibly a telephone system.

Part 2 - Cloud Solution

Take previous budget and compare it to what you can do when you outsource services to a hosted / cloud environment. Put these services in the Hosting Budget - include initial price and then on-going yearly cost. If cloud service not available, what alternate solutions can you use if you avoid purchasing a traditional server? Some of the costs and/or equipment may be the same from the first budget.

1. File Storage and Backup
2. Email Services
3. Website Hosting
4. Accounting Software
5. PC solutions (3)
6. Antivirus
7. Office Productivity Software (i.e. Microsoft Office)
8. Wireless Router

Which solution would you recommend (Traditional Network vs. Cloud Solution) and why?

I know that this is out of the comfort zone for some, but work with what you know, and see what you can come up with. I have opened up the Forum for this project for you to be able to share ideas with classmates.
--You must use online sources only (no books).
--number of sources: as you need, there is no specific number, but it should be more than 10

Explanation / Answer

I would like to go with Part2- Cloud Solution Nowadays the cloud services are provided by various which in fact came into lime light because of their mobility, less care moreover we can say that by using Cloud solutions we can't have to maintain server and the problem that may come like DOS attack, overflow of data, deadlock there are many conditions that can make your work worse and had full for u to Handel than u have to hire an expert to Handel that/solution to that problem but in cloud Solution every thing is maintained by the service provider and if in future is u want just expand your business than in Part 1 you have to do more messing with the machines and software's again but in Cloud solution there already the person to maintain that just by one click u can expand or according to user visit they will automatically increase your system processing and handling so users won't have to face problem and you be paying for the time you use and their can many facilities provided by them they may differ from one to another, or form the one I listed but there is more benefit in using Cloud Solutions than Traditional Network.

1. New Software

With SaaS(technical term for Could), the latest versions of the applications needed to run the business are made available to all customers as soon as they’re released. Immediate upgrades put new features and functionality into workers’ hands to make them more productive. What’s more, software enhancements are typically released quite frequently. This is in contrast to home grown or purchased software that might have major new releases only once a year or so and take significant time to roll out.

2. Doing more with less

With help of cloud Solution, companies can reduce the size of their own data centers or eliminate their data center footprint altogether. The reduction of the numbers of servers, the software cost, and the number of staff can significantly reduce IT costs without impacting an organization’s IT although its capabilities can be increase.

3. Flexible costs

The costs of cloud computing are much more flexible than traditional methods. Companies only need to commission – and thus only pay for – server and infrastructure capacity as and when it is needed. More capacity can be provisioned for peak times and then de-provisioned when no longer needed. Traditional computing requires buying capacity sufficient for peak times and allowing it to sit idle the rest of the time.

4. Always-on availability

Most cloud providers are extremely reliable in providing their services, with many maintaining 99.99% up time. The connection is always on and as long as workers have an Internet connection, they can get to the applications they need from practically anywhere. Some applications even work off-line.

5. Improved mobility

Data and applications are available to employees no matter where they are in the world. Workers can take their work anywhere via smart phones and tablets—roaming through a retail store to check customers out, visiting customers in their homes or offices, working in the field or at a plant, etc.

6. Improved collaboration

Cloud applications improve collaboration by allowing dispersed groups of people to meet virtually and easily share information in real time and via shared storage. This capability can reduce time-to-market and improve product development and customer service.

7. Cloud computing is more cost effective

Because companies don’t have to purchase equipment and build out and operate a data center, they don’t have to spend significant money on hardware, facilities, utilities and other aspects of operations. With traditional computing, a company can spend millions before it gets any value from its investment in the data center.

8. Expenses can be quickly reduced

During times of recession or business cut-backs (like the energy industry is currently experiencing), cloud computing offers a flexible cost structure, thereby limiting exposure.

9. Flexible capacity

Cloud is the flexible facility that can be turned up, down or off depending upon circumstances. For example, a sales promotion might be wildly popular, and capacity can be added quickly to avoid crashing servers and losing sales. When the sale is over, capacity can shrink to reduce costs.

10. Facilitate M&A activity Cloud computing accommodates faster changes so that two companies can become one much faster and more efficiently. Traditional computing might require years of migrating applications and decommissioning data centers before two companies are running on the same IT stacks.

11. Less environmental impact With fewer data centers worldwide and more efficient operations, we are collectively having less of an impact on the environment. Companies who use shared resources improve their ‘green’ credentials.

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