5.1. IT - Setting up your IT system

Buying IT unwisely increases costs and reduces system effectiveness. Aim to acquire a solution which meets your business needs and you feel comfortable managing. IT-related services can be as important as the hardware and software themselves.

This briefing covers:

• Using your requirements to develop a suitable specification.
• Hardware, software and services you need.
• How to source your IT solution.

For the increasing number of employees who spend time working away from the office — at home, travelling, or simply attending a meeting — mobile computing can be a powerful tool.

This briefing covers:

• Understanding the options available.
• Choosing the right mobile device to suit your needs.
• Key management issues.

Central command

Most businesses with three or more computers will benefit from having a computer network (see Networks and communications, IT 11).

The network server is the computer that manages the network. It is also where all your shared files are stored.

Buying a network server is more complicated than buying normal PCs. The server will be used more heavily than any other computer in your business and you cannot afford to have it fail.

This briefing covers:

• What a server is used for.
• How to specify a server.
• How to protect your server against failure.
• The types of software network servers use.

Working together

A network can link all the computers in your office, allowing users to share files, programs and resources such as printers and modems. Even businesses with fewer than ten computers find they benefit from installing a network.

This briefing is aimed at users who are planning to install a new network or upgrade an existing small network. See Network servers, IT 10, for information on choosing a network server to manage your network.

This briefing covers:

• Types of network.
• The equipment you need.
• Small, medium and large networks.
• Managing your network.

Show your work to the world

There is a huge choice of printers available to businesses. Different models of laser, inkjet and impact printers offer different speeds, qualities – and prices.

Every business must have at least one printer to produce high quality letters. Most will also benefit from a fast, reasonable quality printer for drafts and long documents. The key is to get the printer or printers which match your requirements.

This briefing covers:

• Matching your printer to your work.
• Choosing the right quality printer.
• How to connect and share a printer.
• How to judge a printer's running costs.

Key productivity tool

Today's telecoms technology can do more than simply save time and money. Alongside computing, telecoms forms the backbone of an efficient business. The technology allows you to talk, leave messages, hold conference calls, send data, use the Internet and handle large volumes of inbound or outbound communication quickly and professionally. So you can do more and sell more, yet keep your costs down.

This briefing covers:

• Using free and low-charge calls to attract customers.
• Linking offices together, including ISDN, leased lines and conference links.
• Call management, including voicemail.
• Call centre and telemarketing solutions.
• Mobile phones.

Every business should specify and source an IT solution which meets its immediate requirements, but which can also act as a base for expansion as the business grows.

This briefing covers:

• Basic requirements.
• Using software.
• Networking.
• Security.
• Budgeting and buying.

Connecting to the Internet can vastly improve your business’s communication with the outside world. Every firm, however small, should consider using email at the very least.

And there is a mass of invaluable business information freely available through the Internet.

This briefing covers:

• What you can achieve by going online.
• Getting the right connection.
• Avoiding the pitfalls.

For most firms, a direct connection to the Internet is too expensive. Instead, an Internet service provider (ISP) acts as a gateway, providing the link between your own computer system and the Internet.

An ISP can also host your website, making it permanently accessible to other web users. But you should choose your ISP carefully. The quality and range of services ISPs offer and the way they charge can vary widely.

Getting the right ISP is essential if you are going to make the most of the Internet.

This briefing outlines:

• Working out what you want from your ISP.
• Finding the right ISP.

The Internet's biggest benefit

Email is a cheap, easy-to-use and fast communication tool. It can improve productivity and help with marketing. This briefing is aimed at users who are looking to install a new email system or to upgrade an existing internal system to link to the Internet.

This briefing covers:

• The benefits of email.
• The cost of email.
• How to make the most of your email.
• Accessing email away from the office.