Q. Internet Connections vs. Ethernet?
A. The reason businesses use T1 lines vs. Ethernet is because of the differences between these two services. Fast Ethernet refers to internal network traffic whereas a T1 line is an external to internal network connection. The following are advantages of deploying a T1 line over Ethernet.
1. Dedicated - A T1 line is dedicated, while your home network is shared, meaning that depending on the data usage in your area, your speed will fluctuate. For a home user, this is not an issue, but for a business where servers are mission-critical, this is an issue. T1 lines provide dedicated access and often have a higher priority when it comes to uptime and maintance.
2. Technology Limitations - Ethernet through CAT cable has a limit of 100 meters (328FT). T1 lines can expand further. That's why ISPs can't hook your house up with CAT cable. It's too far.
3. Cheaper - In general, a T1 line is about the cost of an Ethernet line, but this is only a generalization and it all depends on the location of the network being set up.
2. Technology Limitations - Ethernet through CAT cable has a limit of 100 meters (328FT). T1 lines can expand further. That's why ISPs can't hook your house up with CAT cable. It's too far.
3. Cheaper - In general, a T1 line is about the cost of an Ethernet line, but this is only a generalization and it all depends on the location of the network being set up.
Q. How Does a T1 Line Work?
A. In order for your office to have a T1 phone line, your local phone company would have to bring in a fiber optic line into the office. A T1 data line can hold 24 digitized voice channels, or it can send data at 1.544 megabits per second. To use the T1 line for telephone conversations, it only needs to plug into your office's phone system. However, if the T1 line is carrying data it would then plug into the network's router.
T1 services are more reliable than an analog modem and can usually carry several people, depending what tasks they are doing. Example: If 100 people are only surfing the internet, a T1 can easily handle this. However, if all 100 people were instantaneously downloading MP3's or video files, this would cause a strain on a T1 service.
Q. To VoIP or Not To VoIP? That is the Question:
A. VoIP has become a popular network application in the last few years in the internet and communications world. While it brings major benefits for both consumers and businesses that use it, the decision of whether VoIP is right for their needs are a difficult one. Many businesses may not know the benefits of VoIP either.
Consumers and businesses are aware that implementing a VoIP network can save them money. For those that make a lot of long distance calls, the savings increase substantially. For those that wonder how the savings occur, you first have to understand how VoIP works. VoIP calls are transmitted along your broadband internet connection, bypassing your regular telephone service provider. The cost savings are from not being charged the numerous taxes and other charges that your regular phone line incurs. Saving money from long distance calls can result in a massive savings for businesses.
Q. How Many Phones Lines Does Your Business Need?
A. Depending on the size of your company, the number of phone lines your business will need can vary. While you certainly don't need one phone line per employee, you also don't want to cut too many corners and DID's are always an option.
To help you decide how many phone lines your business will need, consider the following:
The majorityof your employees are in the field: If you have a construction company with 50 employees and only 4 of them work in the office, you don't need 50 phone lines. Instead you would be wise to purchase four lines for your office employees, plus one voicemail line and one or two lines for your fax machines. You can vary this configuration of course.
" You have a large volume of incoming and outgoing daily calls: If you own a telemarketing company with 25 employees, each making phone calls 8 hours a day, you should consider purchasing 35 or 40 lines just for the calls your employees make. Adding another 2 lines for faxes is a good idea as well.
As a rule of thumb, if your business has 15 employees you should consider purchasing one phone line for every employee who makes calls. But if your business has more than 15 employees, a cheaper solution is to move to a dedicated circuit that contains 24 phone lines.
" You have a large volume of incoming and outgoing daily calls: If you own a telemarketing company with 25 employees, each making phone calls 8 hours a day, you should consider purchasing 35 or 40 lines just for the calls your employees make. Adding another 2 lines for faxes is a good idea as well.
As a rule of thumb, if your business has 15 employees you should consider purchasing one phone line for every employee who makes calls. But if your business has more than 15 employees, a cheaper solution is to move to a dedicated circuit that contains 24 phone lines.
Q. Is MPLS the Right Choice For Your Voice & Data Network?
A. MPLS is an excellent choice for businesses with multiple locations using a large amount of bandwidth for voice and data traffic. However, there are several things to consider choosing MPLS vs. other options:
1. Security - MPLS has numerous security benefits. Data is held in IP packets, providing secure isolation of these packets from other traffic over the same physical link. Some carriers even offer to make the MPLS data/traffic more secure by holding it on a private IP Backbone. All sites on your network are managed with a single point premium firewall between the Internet to the MPLS cloud.
2. Scalability - Compared to other network systems, MPLS offers more scalability. If you are considering a "Do It Yourself" deployment of MPLS in your business, the edge routers, firewalls and multiply access methods around the MPLS cloud can be useful information to obtain from your MPLS carrier. This is of particular importance when taking into account the management of the network equipment, as well as your disaster recovery options should any of the network equipment fail.
3. QoS - While it's a known fact that you will get more true bandwidth for your money from a DSL or cable connection, a reliable MPLS carrier offers excellent QoS (quality of service) in terms of networking engineer help.
4. Cost - Every business considering a migration to or deployment of a new network system is thinking, "How much is this going to cost me?" While MPLS is, in general, cheaper than Frame Relay (which is quickly becoming the dinosaur), as well as ATM, DSL and cable usually offer more bang for the buck. On a cautionary note though, DSL and cable are more complicated to manage as well as generally harder to troubleshoot.
2. Scalability - Compared to other network systems, MPLS offers more scalability. If you are considering a "Do It Yourself" deployment of MPLS in your business, the edge routers, firewalls and multiply access methods around the MPLS cloud can be useful information to obtain from your MPLS carrier. This is of particular importance when taking into account the management of the network equipment, as well as your disaster recovery options should any of the network equipment fail.
3. QoS - While it's a known fact that you will get more true bandwidth for your money from a DSL or cable connection, a reliable MPLS carrier offers excellent QoS (quality of service) in terms of networking engineer help.
4. Cost - Every business considering a migration to or deployment of a new network system is thinking, "How much is this going to cost me?" While MPLS is, in general, cheaper than Frame Relay (which is quickly becoming the dinosaur), as well as ATM, DSL and cable usually offer more bang for the buck. On a cautionary note though, DSL and cable are more complicated to manage as well as generally harder to troubleshoot.
Q. Bandwidth Choices For Large Enterprises:
A. With much to consider when deciding what to base your large business' voice and data network infrastructure on, the task can be complicated and frustrating. Determining which network to use - T1, DS3, OCx, fiber, Ethernet, etc. - is an important business decision.
With each office becoming a cheap Ethernet port for connectivity, the emphasis is on end-to-end Ethernet architecture at all layers. In common areas like the executive lounge, lobby and other areas, broadband wireless will be accessible.
When talking about backhauling traffic back towards the service provider, it's important to know that service providers have invested heavily in their E1s and T1s. While end-to-end Ethernet infrastructures are promising, a lot rides on the service provider overhauling their access networks.
Something else to remember is the demand for such products and services. Managing Ethernet SLAs in a similar fashion as E1s and T1s therefore demands an equivalent to the smartjack devices. While they are available now, an increase in the demand for such products is currently needed to reduce the cost.
Q. OC3 Vs. OC12 Vs. OC48 - Cost, Speeds and Advantages & Disadvantages
A. Making the right choice for you business' needs is challenging with so many variables to consider. To help you understand the differences between OC3 vs OC12 vs OC48 bandwidth choices, each is described below in terms of: Bandwidth Type, Speed & Description, Application, Advantages, Disadvantages and Cost.
OC3 Circuit
Speed & Description: An OC3 circuit is a network line with transmission speeds of up to 155.52 Mbps using fiber optics.
Application: Large enterprises with significant bandwidth requirements or as an ISP backbone.
Advantages: OC3 benefits include super fast connectivity for critical internet needs as well as burstable bandwidth up to 155.52 Mbps.
Disadvantages: Very costly
Cost: The price for OC3 lines can vary depending on the carrier, location, and which application is used.
OC12 Circuit
Speed & Description: An OC12 circuit is a network line with transmission speeds of up to 622.08 Mbps.
Application: OC12s are commonly used by ISPs as WAN connections.
Advantages: Bandwidth can be added as business grows without any major system overhauls. OC12s also have a higher performance, lower latency, and increased liability versus Ethernet
Disadvantages: Very costly
Cost: The price for OC12 circuits are based on the carrier, location and which application is used.
OC48 Circuit
Speed & Description: An OC48 circuit is a network line with transmission speeds of up to 2488.32 Mbps.
Application: OC48 connections are used as the backbone of many regional ISPs.
Advantages: OC48 circuits are faster than OC3 and OC12 connections, even surpassing gigabit Ethernet.
Disadvantages: Incredibly high costs.
Cost: As with OC3 and OC12 circuits, the price of OC48 circuits are based on the carrier, location and which application is used.
Q. How Much Does an OC3, OC12, OC24, OC48, OC96 or OC192 Circuit Costs?
A. Bandwidth is generally billed at either a flat rate (4.54 megabits/second for a whole moth), or at a per-unit rate ($1.00 per gigabit). The units can be measured over a period of time, or can be peak units. Each bandwidth provider has their own methods.
Factors that can raise or lower the cost include volume needed and QoS (quality of service). Additionally, location is going to have a lot to do with bandwidth charges. In a major metropolitan area with many bandwidth providers, the cost are going to be lower because of competition. However in rural areas, getting high bandwidth will cost a significant amount more, simply because there are very few providers and the line charges are more.
Q. OC48 Advantages For Large Businesses, Hospitals and Universities
A. Just two sizes down for the giant OC192 circuit, the OC48 provides most large-size companies with all the stability and robustness they need for data transmission. OC48 lines run at 2.5 gigabits per second and have been around long enough that plenty of architecture exists for it. This type of circuit makes an excellent communications and data backbone for companies with thousands of phone lines and a need for robust data transmission in both directions. OC48 circuits are faster than all OCx circuits below this level and are even faster than a gig Ethernet system.
OCx circuits are optical carrier cables, basically like giant T1 lines. These fiber optic systems are the true backbone of the internet, and the ultimate speed of the web is limited by the fastest commonly-used OC cable - OC192, just two steps up from OC48.
OC48 circuits are more than enough for most large businesses, hospitals and universities, even those spread across large campuses. With connection speeds that are lightning fast, OC48 lines can handle today's voice and data loads as well as ensure reliability and sturdiness no matter if there are thousands of sharing users.
Q. How to Get the Best Service Contract For Your T1 Line, VoIP, MPLS, Metro Ethernet or OCx Circuit:
A. One thing to keep in mind about the telecom world is that everything is negotiable. Thousands of carriers out there want your business, so if you are planning on spending $100,000 in usage every month, you can probably deal with the carrier to get the installation fees, as well as the small monthly recurring charges waived. Be sure to check out a handful of carriers to get them to start a bidding war for your business.
The following tips will help you find the right telecom product for your business:
Timing is important:
Avoid locking into a lifetime contract with your carrier. There is a lot of competition in the telecom world.
Dedicated circuits can take approximately two months for your carrier to install. Contract negotiations can also take a month or so to make sure all the wording is correct.
The point is to allow more, not less time for setting up or switching your service contract with the carrier. For companies in remote locations, it can take an additional 3 months to install dedicated services.
Using LCR (Least Cost Routing) with Multiple Carriers
if you have a large business that can benefit from using several dedicated circuits, your savings can increase substantially by adding on more long distance carriers. The good thing about long distance services and prices is that they can very from one carrier to another.
Some carriers offer better U.S. rates than international rates, it depends on which areas. If your company has at least two or three dedicated circuits and a good phone system, you can identify which carrier has the best rate by building a least cost routing (LCR) table. This allows you to then route calls by using the appropriate carrier. Two words of caution: Making sure you are Meeting Carrier Commitment Levels - Check with your old carrier to make sure you will meet your commitment levels. While most long distance contracts give you a great per-minute rate, they require a monthly minimum. Setting up the LCR table correctly - Check with your carrier for different breakout pricing. Some carriers may charge a flat rate for all calls within your state while others may charge a flat rate for all calls out of state. No matter where you dial, what time of day you dial, what day of the week you dial, etc., the rate is always the same.
