A computer network is the nerve center for any modern company, and small businesses should be no exception. However, the cost of computer technology can be prohibitive for many small business owners. Not only must you account for the costs to set up your network, but also the costs associated with ongoing support, upgrades and maintenance of your computers and software.

News reports of security flaws and network attacks are on the rise, but these are just the tip of the iceberg. The stories that make the news usually involve either a vandalized web site, or denied service for a popular web destination. These attacks are easy to detect and swift action can minimize the damage, but what about the attacks that go undetected? Is your network prepared to guard you against the new generation of threats?

Unfortunately, since the problem has been growing for some time, the attackers have an advantage.

Providing employee access to small business network resources from distant locations is becoming a competitive necessity. Remote access solution enables people to work as productively from home or while traveling, as they do while in the office.

The type of services available range from a simple, but reliable direct-dial connection, to the more functional VPN or Terminal Services connection.

As a business owner, you understand the importance of your data, and thus the importance of keeping your data safe. While virus software, firewalls, and other security measures are all a vital component of proper computer and network maintenance, the only way to ensure that your data will always be safe, is to back it up.

An increase in the use of laptop computers, combined with an increase in worker mobility , has fuelled the demand for wireless networks. Until recently, wireless technology was a smorgasboard of incompatible systems from a variety of vendors. Recently though, this has changed.

If you have to work from home, it is important to make sure that your home computer is up to the task. A reliable computer and a broadband connection to the Internet can help you work more efficiently, send and receive your office eMail, even retrieve files or data from the office.

From among the thousands of networking products on the market today, Impact BT have chosen a small group of software and hardware vendors that we feel are 'best of breed' in the core networking categories. Of course, these products do not always suit every situation, but are a general indication of the quality products that Impact BT installs for our customers.

At Impact Business Technology, we're not just fixing your computers, we're helping you sell more product, create better documents, or save you and your customers more money. Simply put, we help you run your business more efficiently, without the day to day problems that computers sometimes bring.