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The connection quality under an SD-WAN is vital: here is why…

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The connection quality under an SD-WAN is vital: here is why…

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SD-WAN (or 'software defined area networking') is a changing the way multi-site businesses (or those with homeworkers) connect and build their networks. This post will discuss the importance of a good connection for SD-WAN and the benefits of the technology.

What is SD-WAN?

SD-WAN is a virtual overlay that can be applied to the already existing wide area network. The term 'software defined' simply means that changes across the network can be made using software. Prior to the development of SD-WAN, changes across the network would be more time consuming as they would need to be done by manually altering hardware in multiple locations.

The importance of a good quality connection for SD-WAN

Software suppliers are increasingly moving their technology to The Cloud, which (in turn) means that is highly reliant on the quality of its connection. The software layer of the network is only as solid as the network connections they are built on. Consequently, a good internet connection is essential for SD-WAN.

SD-WAN uses the same connections that you would with any other network, however as the intelligence is built in at the software level, it means the routers can be much more basic. This has a huge implication on the hardware cost meaning for the same price, you can sometimes get multiple times the bandwidth.

You can also have your resilience built in at the software level meaning automated fail over of load balancing if the underlying connections are capable.

It is also important to mention the need for SLA (or 'service level agreements'). These are commitments by your service provider. These typically are better with higher quality circuits and will be based around response times if the service goes down (note it is almost never fix times!), up time for the core network and things like time to get engineers on site. When you have so much critical infrastructure powered in the cloud, the quality of connectivity, SLAs and resilience are paramount.

The benefits of SD-WAN

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Flexibility

One of the most apparent benefits of SD-WAN is its versatility. Networks can be altered extremely easily and quickly. Separate parts of the network can be altered using algorithms alone, with traffic prioritised or re-routed based on a whole series of criteria or even machine learning.

Efficient

The control that SD-WAN gives you over your network is also makes it incredibly efficient. Both from the reduced costs of lower levels of human interaction and programming, but also software companies can now apply learnings between networks. This means that changes can be implemented instantly across multiple locations, new sites added much more easily and changes rolled back if required.

Security

Security is vital in today's digital landscape. SD-WAN has built in features such as firewalls, encryption and content filtering which will stop dangerous traffic from entering your site. It also has superb recovery capabilities. Having a centralised internet breakout and centralised monitoring means reduced number of firewalls and if a hack does happen, patches can be rolled out network wide in milliseconds.

Cost Effective

SD-WAN will save your business money as it doesn't rely on expensive to maintain equipment and it has a much-reduced cost of time to maintain. We have seen some businesses make savings of 90%, however, 50% is a much more conservative estimate of potential savings. In addition, the savings form other areas of the infrastructure by moving to the cloud can be even more significant.

For information on SD-WAN and its benefits please see our related blog posts.

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Why the connection quality under an SD-WAN is vital | TelcoSolutions

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SD-WAN (or 'software defined area networking') is a changing the way multi-site businesses (or those with homeworkers) connect and build their networks. This post will discuss the importance of a good connection for SD-WAN and the benefits of the technology.

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What to consider when moving your business data to The Cloud

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What to consider when moving your business data to The Cloud

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Cloud technology has revolutionized business practices with a flexible and scalable service that adapts to your business needs. This is because cloud computing is a vast concept thatinterlinks many technologies. In its simplest form, it allows large computers in data centres to store data and run applications which are then accessed locally on desktops. Previously, computers had to have extensive hardware capabilities to allow them to run sophisticated software. However, with cloud systems, all that processing power is aggregated and stored centrally.

There are several benefits of cloud-based computing for businesses. Take a look at some of the main features of this innovative application.

Work from anywhere

As teams grow and businesses expand into global markets, The Cloud is enabling a streamlined approach to communication and productivity. Organizations can collaborate on projects and gain access to information at the touch of a button. Cloud computing also connects people more efficiently than ever before with features such as video conferencing and document sharing, such as Google Drive in real-time. The Cloud can also be accessed in an offline mode, which is ideal for remote staff that may drop in and out of internet connectivity.

Scalable data storage

Historically, data storage was limited to how much space you had on on-site servers. However, the introduction of cloud storage has seen data storage become entirely scalable with 'pay as you use' being a core of the commercial landscape. In turn, this also helps you to save money in the long term. Not only has the pay as you use option helped business to scale up and down, but for suppliers, it makes it much easier to forecast demand. This means less unused capacity and therefore lower costs.

More efficient use of processing power

Processing power has historically been dropping in price. As Moore's Law suggests, the processing power available for the same price has dropped by~50% a year, every year. Alongside this reduction in cost, the usage of processing has become more efficient when shared between large groups. If you think of everyone having their own PC, people use most processing power when they boot up, very little when they are typing an email, and a lot when they are playing the latest video games. By aggregating this over thousands of devices, you can have much less powerful machines as everyone has different usage patterns. This is at the core of why cloud computing has changed the tech landscape.

Reliable backups

With cloud technology, data can be automatically synced so that you have a backup available at all times in the event of data loss. If your hardware is damaged or stolen, backups can be transferred easily to new equipment. A great consumer example of this is when data is restored to an iPhone after being saved in iCloud storage.

In cloud environments, the data is mirrored in multiple locations with multiple access routes. This means that any single event is much less likely to destroy the data.

Enhanced security

The Cloud is typically much more secure than traditional computing. As the data is all held centrally, the investment in security such as firewalls and detection equipment are much greater. Cloud companies live and die by their ability to ensure uptime and security, so this is typically a huge investment for them. Many of the issues with end user security remain, but with the ability to remotely kill devices or lock them down, the users are also more secure as well.

Top things to consider before moving your data to The Cloud

Many companies are moving their data and applications to the cloud, but before you start the migration process, there are a few things to consider before the switch...

Security and location

Data security is an essential element when choosing a service provider. As you are handing over the inner workings and information of your company, you have to be sure they provide a legitimate service that has built-in security processes to protect your data. Knowing the location that your data will be stored is another vital metric. For companies that operate in Europe, recent GDPR regulations require users to know where their data is stored. This is also often a requirement for US based businesses as well, especially with larger companies.

Service guarantees

Service-level agreements are a contract between you and a service provider. This agreement determines the level of service you will receive, and includes elements such as:

· Reliability - percentage of up-time and downtime

· Responsiveness - responses to requests

· Not meeting service obligations -consequences and compensation of not meeting agreement

This will enable you to compare suppliers and determine overall reliability. This tends to be most important when reviewing smaller cloud companies who may lack the infrastructure or your most valuable critical infrastructure. There is often a cost implication when higher availability services are required, so more companies are looking at hybrid arrangements that allow lower value applications and data to be stored in lower cost environments.

Contingency plans

In the event your company experiences downtime or in more extreme cases, data loss, what contingencies do you have in place? Alongside cloud backups, you should also be able to rely on your service-level agreement as part of the reliability and resilience element of your contract.

The core advantage of the cloud is that the points of failure are reduced. However, the key ingredient is always the human element. Will teams be prevented from reaching their normal place of work? Can the teams work from other locations, such as home or a disaster recovery site? How will 'normal'communication be impacted by the change in locations?

Jason Carolan from Flexential adds that it is important to have a recovery plan. "Many cloud providers may publish above average up times or availability numbers, but there are always related issues that may require a DR scenario - e.g. a bad code deployment, a natural disaster, ransomware attack, etc. that may render a single cloud instance un-usable. Even some clouds may require independent backup technology to help protect the data. It is a best practice to understand these scenarios and make sure that you have appropriately protected data and the services you provide based on your business risks."

Long-term scalability

As your business grows, so will your cloud computing requirements. This option is an ideal transition from your current licensing, which will become out-dated and unsuitable for your data needs. By upgrading to The Cloud, you can also take advantage of an infinitely scalable solution that provides improved economies of scale for your business.

Choosing the best service for your data needs

These are just some of the benefits of moving to The Cloud. If your business is ready to take advantage of flexible and powerful cloud computing services, contact TelcoSolutions and get a free quote.

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What to consider when moving business data to The Cloud | TelcoSolutions

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Cloud technology has revolutionized business practices with a flexible and scalable service that adapts to your business needs. This is because cloud computing is a vast concept that interlinks many technologies. Take a look at some of the main features of this innovative application.

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Ergonomics of a home office: ensuring productivity in remote workers

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Ergonomics of a home office: ensuring productivity in remote workers

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Remote working is something that has changed the workplace environment. However, alongside its many positives, the concern is how to promote productivity in remote workers who are away from a typical office environment on a day-to-day basis. Due to this, some large firms have been moving their teams back into an office environment. There are many drivers behind this, so the stats are slightly misleading. However, given remote working is here to stay, the key challenge of productivity must be tackled.

Nicholas G. Muscat from Aussie Money Man states that "remote working is becoming increasingly common with the rise of the laptop lifestyle. Because of this we need to adapt to find new ways to assure productivity."

Additioanlly, as a 2017 poll shows, part-time remote workers have risen from 39 percent in 2012 to 43 percent in 2016. No doubt, some of your teams work remotely some or all of the time. The good news is that technology and culture have evolved to breakdown the barriers to really effective remote working.

Finding the right remote workers can be challenging, and when you do, keeping them motivated and excited can be hard if you don't have strong communication channels. I recommend interviewing them well, and starting with a test project before hiring them for ongoing work.

When you do find someone great, it is a real win-win. Today, more and more people want the freedom of working from where they want when they want, and for your business it saves the expense of providing office space and equipment.

Dr. Kelly Wade thinks "all businesses can benefit from hiring remote workers. Many businesses worry that it becomes too hard to keep up communications but in my experience remote workers tend to get more work done sooner. There are many reasons for this but the most prominent are that remote workers can often work around commitments that would normally take them away from their desk and there's much less pointless chatter and fewer unnecessary meetings when working with remote staff."

Communication culture

Communication is key. Clear, effective communication is more vital to remote workers than it is to those in the same workplace. Nuances that are picked up in a face to face conversation can be lost over email, chat or phone.

Instructions must be clear, and tasks should be clarified and checked by both the employee and the delegator. It is not only important to establish good communication early on, but throughout the various stages of all tasks.

"We have ensured that the team are set up with the right tools and still feel connected with the other team members. We use Slack, Zoom Conferencing and email to stay in touch. Every quarter, we have State based team catch ups and every 6 months we fly everyone to Brisbane to bond." - Gemma Lloyd, CEO, Work180

Process can aid communication. Using workflows, project management tools and automation can deliver huge benefits in consistency and outcomes.These benefits can only be realized, however, if they are backed up by an open culture where questioning inputs and inconsistencies is welcomed.

Technology stack

Continuing with the theme of communication, it is essential to provide the same technology ecosystem to home works as to office bound teams. This means when employees do travel between offices or the home and office, they can focus on their job, and not on working out how to connect!

"A core element of the modern work environment is solid internet connection." - Aodhan MacCathmhaoil, waster.com.au

Fiber and Copper Ethernet or T1 will have SLAs that enable better uptime and fixes if sites do go down. Over the last few years, companies have been rolling out SD-WAN with the infrastructure cost savings being pushed into remote workers. The virtual overlay that allows the company network to be managed using software alone.This means that security and control is as effective as it would be if the employee was onsite.

Additionally, a VOIP telephone service now doesn't differentiate between onsite and remote users. Employees can log into physical handsets or desktop clients and have thefull suite of functions and correct Hunt Groups.

The move to cloud computing is another crucial part to managing a remote workforce. Most critical applications are now available as SaaS and having a document management system (DMS) provides a mutual place to store work and collaborate. Some great examples of this include Google Drive and MicrosoftOneDrive. These are fantastic as they allow colleagues to save and edit in real time.

Cloud services also provide a great back up platform,ensuring all important documents are stored securely.

Social

In addition to general communication, keeping remote workers social is crucial. Regular meet ups, group calls and video conferences ensure the team is on the same page and that they are working together efficiently. This boosts moral, and allows all workers to participate at all times, which in turn improves their productivity. Chat platforms, such as WhatsApp or Slack are particularly useful for communicating quickly, and they can also be linked to project management systems mentioned below.

Management

Trello or Teamwork are great systems that allow employees and employers to communicate and manage their time, workload, and targets. This is essential, as well managed work from all parties is very important to successful remote working. Time management is key and can be made easier by using the apps mentioned above. However, it is also important for employers to manage their own expectations and progress.

Setting targets based on outcomes, rather than inputs is vital for remote management of teams. Regular updates using methodologies such as AGILE have also shown to be effective. Sherry Richert Belul, a high performance coach from Simply Celebrate states that "managing remote workers takes planning. It is a huge help to get a remote force to plan their working week by clarifying the biggest goals and most important projects." Sherry adds that "many people are highly organized, but they skip the essential step of knowing what is essential versus non-essential".

Remote working is on the increase and due to developments in technology it's only going to become more popular and more capable. When bringing remote working into the office, it is important to make sure you're prepared to manage the workforce.

Additional tips and advice...

There are pros and cons to do so and it's not easy to manage. But we do and we've grown the business and won many national and international awards for it.

Pros - I get access to amazing talent at an affordable price with minimal
overheads. We deliver quality results with impact.

Without the distractions and constant interruptions I was able to power through my work, and was definitely more productive in a quiet environment, and completed the work faster.

As an employee who is allowed to work remotely, I'd love to share my thoughts on remote working.

First of all, remote working is great for anyone who dreams of working in a
certain company but can't travel to the country this company is located in.
Also, people who want to travel and keep working can greatly benefit from
remote working.

Over the years I have picked up and developed little tricks to maximize my time each day. I very rarely have ever worked after dark and always get everything done that I need to, including exercise and personal time. - Janice Formichella,

Working from home has helped me to have a successful career whilst managing a chronic illness. Working from home means that I don't have to commute so can conserve energy, and can fuel myself with the food I need at the times I need it. This gives me time and space to then focus on the work in hand, as my recovery is more easily looked after.

The hype around remote work is real. For employers it enables you to access a broader and more competitive talent market. While there are challenges managing remote employees, the benefits more than outweigh the cons once you get a handle on the right management strategies and are able to build a strong culture.

Remote working isn't for everyone. It takes a great deal of motivation and focus
to do so, I am fortunate that my last full-time role required me to travel
frequently, so I was used to getting tasks done on my own schedule. But if
there is any doubt in whether an employee has this attribute, make sure you set
very clear boundaries and expectations and trial the work style before
committing to it being a long-term solution.

We have 6 remote workers dotted around the world, while in the main it's a good thing for us one of the cons is cybersecurity.

Cybercrime is a huge problem globally, and if you have a remote team, it's
tough to find a balance between productivity and security.

We employ staff that work with us remotely. So we are both the employer, and in a sense the employee of a remote workspace. In my opinion, it definitely helps productivity as long
as you're in an environment that allows for it and you've got a mindset of success.

For the remote team, communication is critical but there can be a sense of overwhelm and excess communication can backfire, leading to confusion and frustration for the team.

From my perspective, working remotely is almost all positive. I get to live where I want, work at
the times and places that suit me (I spend a lot of time in cafes) and I really enjoy that flexibility.

We love the flexibility and from a business owners point of view I find productivity is
higher. They work when and where they want as long as they meet their
deadlines.

If you would like to know more about how we have helped other businesses support their remote teams, please contact us.

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Home offices: ensuring productivity in remote workers | TelcoSolutions

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Remote working is something that has changed the workplace environment. However, alongside its many positives, the concern is how to promote productivity in remote workers who are away from a typical office environment on a day-to-day basis. Due to this, some large firms have been moving their teams back into an office environment.

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Don’t let hackers ruin your Christmas: Lock down your VOIP system

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Don’t let hackers ruin your Christmas: Lock down your VOIP system

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Christmas is the time of year when even the busiest of people get time to step back from work and relax. During this time, most workplaces shut down, and workers take time away from the office to enjoy the festive period with their loved ones; which is why the last thing that anyone expects is a security breach! However, while there is no one in the office, the dangers for companies are still very much real.

Hackers will target VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) systems over the Christmas break precisely because teams are less likely to be in and because any frauds they commit can be run for much longer without the business being aware.

How you could be at risk

Fraudsters looking to attack businesses can gain access via a business's phone system, for example, through a voicemail login. Once in, they use the voicemail to dial out. This can rack up huge phone bills by calling premium numbers often in foreign countries. It has been known that over the space of a weekend, companies have been charged hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many of these calls are made to developing countries such as Nigeria or ex-soviet bloc countries where the regulation and enforcement is not as effective as in the US.

How to protect yourself

First, it is important to know that premium carriers invest huge sums in ensuring the security of their systems. These help to detect fraud and prevent it before it racks up too many costs. Smaller carriers often do not have the money to invest in this infrastructure so while they may seem more aggressive commercially, they often are less secure.

Even with this added protection, it is still sensible to ensure you teams take precautions.

Passwords

It is important to make sure all passwords are up to date and are not the original ones that were set. This will prevent hackers from having an easy choice when it comes to signing in as a member of the team. It is also important to change passwords on a regular basis, and certainly following the departure of an employee.

Keeping on top of your bills

Early billing notifications are a good way to ensure that you are on top of your business's outgoing payments. These will highlight any large amounts leaving your bank account along with any unusual payments that are planned be taken. Importantly, this will allow you to review all payments leaving your account.

In the same sense, it is important to check your business account throughout (and following) the Christmas period. It is understandable that over the Christmas period everyone wants to switch off, though ideally, it is important to monitor outgoings. However, if having some time away is essential to your Christmas experience, it is absolutely pinnacle that you check your bills as soon as you return to work.

Disallow risky calls

Depending on the nature of your workplace, limiting call access to certain countries or dial codes can help to limit the chances of getting hacked. If your business doesn't deal with international clients or partners, then you can simply block international dialling. However, if you do have to conduct business internationally, an option is to disallow dialling to certain areas and dial codes.

Work with your carrier

If you are receiving a disproportionate number of missed calls, this shows people are calling a lot and potentially trying to crack passwords. This is something that should be reported to the carrier so that they can investigate it further. It is also important to stay alert for calls from you carrier. The carrier could very well get in touch with your company if there are any changes or important information that you should know.

Private Connections

Setting up VOIP to work on Cable, DSL or T1 is the norm for homeworkers. By using a private connection that is 'on net' with your carrier, not only can you improve quality, but you can also provide better control for rolling out and configuring access to the handsets.

Updated security protocols, password changes etc. can all be done centrally meaning less room for hackers to exploit.

No matter what your business, it is essential to have sufficient cyber security. For more information on connection and security for your business's telecoms, please contact us.

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Secure your business over Christmas | Lock down your VOIP! | TelcoSolutions

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Christmas is the time of year when even the busiest of people get time to step back from work and relax. During this time, most workplaces shut down, and workers take time away from the office to enjoy the festive period with their loved ones; which is why the last thing that anyone expects is a security breach!

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Don’t let fraudsters ruin your Christmas

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Don’t let fraudsters ruin your Christmas

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Cybercrime has risen significantly in the past decade. Both businesses and consumers fall foul to attacks every year as criminals are regularly devising intelligent systems to trick individuals into clicking a link or downloading malicious files.

Some recent commercial cases have highlighted the impact of such breaches, including one of the biggest data breaches in history at Yahoo. Back in 2014, it was reported that approximately half a billion users had information stolen including passwords and phone numbers, plus a further 3 billion in the previous year. The cost of this to Yahoo? A staggering $50 million settlement to approximately 200 million affected users.

For businesses, this type of breach can have serious and costly effects in the long-term. Not only do you have to protect your systems and reputation, but you also have a duty of care to protect that of your customer's information too.

This type of crime can happen at anytime. However, during the holiday season businesses can be exposed to a greater risk of malicious activity. Take a look at why and how you can prevent it in your company:

Why are businesses vulnerable to cyber attacks during the festive season?

The holiday season often brings a period of shutdown for many businesses. Many companies are closed for a week or more. However, although your staff deserve a well-earned break during this time, a full closure could potentially open you up to unscrupulous attention while your premises and systems are unmonitored.

Other activity to watch out for in the lead up the Christmas

In many cases, malicious activity isn't immediately obvious. As people get into the festive mood, a momentary lapse in judgment could mean an email is opened or file downloaded that contains a virus. Spend the time to make everyone aware of how fraudsters may target you.

Some examples to watch out for and monitor include:

· Holiday e-cards from clients or customers

· Phishing emails

· Employees accessing unsecured websites on company computers

· Downloading fake upgrades

It's also important to note that mobile devices are not exempt from cyber attacks and could potentially open up your network to hackers. Ensuring your company policies and mobile device management software are up to date can prevent or detect and issue before hackers have time to do too much damage. For example, you can improve your data security by using an access rights manager tool.

The steps you can take to reduce risks to your business

Although cybercrime can happen at anytime, it's essential to remain vigilant during times of shutdown such as the festive period. To help reduce any malicious activity while you enjoy your turkey, take a look at some of the steps to consider:

Risk assessment

Every business should complete regular security audit which includes IT infrastructure. Alongside the theoretical side,it is also important to physically test the security. Penetration testing and ethical hacking should both be regularly done to ensure measures are effective.

Contingency plans

Alongside your risk assessment, a contingency plan needs to be in place to mitigate loss and provide alternative solutions. If you have a plan B, any breaches can be dealt with swiftly and stemmed before causing further disruption.

Building resilience into regular working practices is makes switching to a disaster recovery plan much less disruptive.

Proactive network monitoring

Detecting an intruder, or Distributed Denial of Service (DDos) attack early can limit the impact. Having network sniffers checking for any unusual activity will assist with this. Using SD-WAN or SD-LAN, you can now implement much smarter algorithmic based warning systems to detect changes. These can now use machine learning to understand the 'business as usual'ebb and flow of your networks and be far more effective in finding issues.

Skeleton staff cover

Depending on your company size, it maybe helpful to have a skeleton staff over the festive period. This provision ensures that systems and premises are monitored, and any issues are highlighted immediately to avoid interruption to operations.

The number of data breaches in the US saw nearly 179 million records exposed during 2017. Also, the average loss to businesses in 2015 equated to approximately $28 million. These staggering figures showcase just how important it is to implement effective systems and cybercrime prevention in all company processes.
Sources: http://fortune.com/2018/10/24/yahoo-settlement-data-breach/ https://www.statista.com/topics/2588/us-consumers-and-cyber-crime/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/273550/data-breaches-recorded-in-the-united-states-by-number-of-breaches-and-records-exposed/

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How to protect your business from fraud at Christmas | TelcoSolutions

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Cybercrime has risen significantly in the past decade. Both businesses and consumers fall foul to attacks every year as criminals are regularly devising intelligent systems to trick individuals into clicking a link or downloading malicious files. Some recent commercial cases have highlighted the impact of such breaches, including one of the biggest data breaches in history at Yahoo.

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All new technologies hit the market with a boom, leading to widespread discussion, opposition, excitement, and in some cases, disappointment. Early adopters tout the benefits, but many are sceptical about the impact or reliability of the technology. SD-WAN is no exception.

Knowing the amount of hype, naysayers and potential misinformation, we wanted to put together a guide that cuts through the noise, making sure you are asking the right questions and have the right expectations of what SD-WAN can do for your business.

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What is different about using SD-WAN to MPLS connectivity?

Very simply, SD WAN (of software defined wide area network) moves all the intelligence from the hardware (such as the routers) and to the software. Think of it like a new thermostat in your house. Previously, you needed to walk to the thermostat and change the temperature on the hardware (as you need to do with MPLS). However, with new technologies like Google's Nest, you can change the temperature or build and set off planned timings programs remotely.

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The hype of SD-WAN

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There will be huge cost savings!

Verdict: Partially true

The cost savings by moving to SD-WAN from an MPLS estate are made by not needing very complex routers at every site. Since the programming on the network is all done at the software layer, you don't need to spend on every site.

As there is still a cost implication for the software, the cost savings are maximised on larger multi-sites where high bandwidth, complex deployments (like running QoS or prioritising traffic) meant expensive routers were needed. For smaller businesses, there should still be a cost savings, but it will not be as significant.

You will get more bandwidth!

Verdict: not true, but you may utilize it better.

As with any service, you pay for what you get. If you get a 100Mbps line, it will be the same capacity whether in an MPLS or SD-WAN deployment.

If you have had the connectivity installed for a long time, there may be a cost benefit to revisiting the costs, and chances are you will get more for your money.

SD-WAN does, however, allow you to make better use of available bandwidth. By understanding your traffic profile, you can not only choose what to prioritise (which you can do on MPLS) but you can do it much smarter way and in real time. You can base optimisations off algorithms or even machine learning. Once the intelligence is moved to the software layer, you also future proof yourself for any further innovations as changes are just an application update away!

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It's more secure!

Verdict: True; it can be more secure. You can deploy patches and updates quicker, but security is still a huge concern.

There are no formal deployment standards for SD-WAN, so the way the network is deployed makes a big difference. Many companies are using SD-WAN to replace MPLS VPNs that funnelled traffic to a central location and then passed through a firewall. Instead, with SD-WAN, you can push internet traffic or application traffic straight out. This means you need to know what applications you need to support, and ensure that holistic security procedures are in place at every end point.

"You still need to look at how you deal with security concerns such as malware, intrusion detection and prevention and user related security." - Digital Pigeon
If you are thinking about if (and how) to deploy a Software Defined Network, while ensuring you get the maximum benefit, why not give the TelcoSolutions team a call

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Is this the golden age of SD-WAN? | Business Telecoms | TelcoSolutions

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All new technologies hit the market with a boom, leading to widespread discussion, opposition, excitement, and in some cases, disappointment. Early adopters tout the benefits, but many are sceptical about the impact or reliability of the technology. SD-WAN is no exception.

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In the last 50 years, technology has connected the world and changed it in ways we could never have imagined.

"With technology continuously evolving, and the recent move to cloud-based applications, there is an ever-increasing demand for bigger, more reliable connectivity." - Digital Pigeon

It is important to keep up with new innovations, and this blog hopes to outline the newest innovations in connectivity.

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Mobile

Mobile connectivity can now handle 19.01 exabytes every month. That is 1 quintillion bytes (and yes, that is a real number!) 4G LTE-Advanced can now, in theory, reach 300Mbps download and 150Mbps upload speeds. In practice, these speeds reach highs of 42Mbps download and 25Mbps upload. To put mobile speeds into perspective, 3G could theoretically reaches speeds of 7.2Mbps download and 2MBps upload. However, in practice this is more like 3Mbps and 0.4Mbps.

"5G is only going to improve mobile capability. In theory 5G should allow users to download a HD movie in about 10 seconds. The end goal is to have 5G reaching speeds of 100 Gbps. Currently, 5G is not widely available, but this is certainly the next step in the future of connectivity." - Alpine Security

Additionally, it is now possible to run sim enabled devices using fixed IPs. This allows mobile devices to have a similar connection and performance to hardwired devices. This removes such devices' reliance on mobile coverage. Additionally, connecting to a fixed IP reduces the chance of disruption as connecting to the same IP is easier than connecting to a new one.

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Fiber

Fiber infrastruture is now becoming commonplace as copper lines are upgraded. Fiber internet connections are now being installed throughout the network to the buildings themselves. Having your fiber connection come right into your premises makes a great difference. The first fiber services advertised only featured FTTC (fiber to the cabinet) and used copper connections to do the last mile. Copper is not as efficient at carrying data as fiber, and therefore FTTP (fiber to the premises) allows for much faster internet speeds.

FTTP carries data all the way to your premises using fiber lines. This makes it around 10 times faster than FTTC, with speeds of up to 1Gbps.

T1 is still one of the most common last mile connection types. This is why we offer a number of T1 options to suit your business needs. However, with Ethernet now dropping in price, we see businesses regularly replacing T1 Circuits and upgrading.

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Software Defined Networks

A superb innovation in connection technology is the move to software defined networks (SDN). This allows for more flexibility than ever before. By moving the intelligence to the software layer, changing and altering networks has become easier and more efficient.

SD-WAN or software defined wide area networks allow for entire networks to be controlled remotely simply using software. This means that there is no need for specialists to manually alter hardware.

What does this mean for connectivity? Well, as more businesses are moving to a cloud-based model, essential, software defined networks allow this infrastructure to be controlled centrally, meaning bandwidth can be better utilized, made more secure and this means the potential for large savings. With that in mind, it's no surprise that reviewing SD-WAN is on every CTO and IT Director's hit list for 2019.

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The latest news and innovations in connectivity | TelcoSolutions

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With technology continuously evolving, and the recent move to cloud-based applications, there is an ever-increasing demand for bigger, more reliable connectivity. It is important to keep up with new innovations; here are the ones you should keep on your radar.

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Will customers demand live video from sales and service teams in the future?

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Will customers demand live video from sales and service teams in the future?

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Customers are always right... right? Well, most of the time they are. Customers are demanding and can make life difficult; however, they are also the lifeblood of every business. We can try and tell our customers what they want and what they need but when it comes to it, customers will interact with businesses exactly how they want to and depending on their choice this can make a difference to your business. The most useful thing we can say is that business is about listening to your customers and being able to adapt to gratify their needs.

How customer sales and service has changed

The way that companies have interacted with customers has changed a lot in recent years. This is largely due to developments in technology and the adoption of such technologies by customers.

"Technology itself has given the customer more power and a 'louder' voice." - Digital Pigeon

"There is an expectation by younger, more tech savvy consumers and business people who have grown up using Facetime, Hangouts, WhatsApp and other instant messaging and calling apps that a face to face experience is possible and that you can see whom you're speaking with." - Andy Abramson, Comunicano

We have moved a long way from the days of face to face customer service and sales. The move to phone, then SMS, and now Whatsapp, social media messaging and even chat bots has certainly changed the process that customers go through and in turn altered their expectations. The point to take away form this is that now the customers want to interact with you easily and efficiently. Therefore, you need to be available for them to contact you in a way of their choosing, if you are not, then your competitor certainly will be.

Video: the emerging game changer?

Demand for video is increasing in all industries.

"Facebook is making huge efforts to become a video only platform by 2020 and it is already video dominated with an average of 8 billion daily video views." - I Heart New York

Alongside this...

"YouTube is now the second largest search engine signifying the growing demand for the medium." - Detail Central

We have noticed a growing demand for live video in sales and customer service. We can also see why, take for example high value complex sales such as booking luxury holidays.

"No matter how much you look at pictures of a hotel or holiday home online you cannot get a true representation of the location." - Showtime Digital

Reviews help but they are always varied and everyone has a different experience when they are on holiday. The ability to take a live tour around the complex by those at the hotel is a great benefit. With this option there is very little option to perfect and sugar coat the location and experience. Additionally, you want experts at the other end securing your sale, the more natural and intimate your relationship can be the more comfortable a customer feels.

Another example would be mortgage brokers who work for numerous banks in different areas. It is tricky for that one broker to travel and meet everyone that needs their services. With a live video chat system, that broker can remotely talk customers through their options. It is much the same case with pension plans and other investments. When it comes to these more complex services, customer reassurance is even more important. Nothing is quite as good as a face-to-face physical meet however a live video call is certainly the next best option.

It is not only the customers who are pushing for these technologies. Businesses know that if a live video platform can provide a more intimate experience, then this is likely to improve the close rate.

"It is important for customers to feel at ease and to feel that they can put total trust in the people who are making the big decisions for them." - Da Ricardo's

Platforms such as Talkative that offer live web chat, web calling, video calling and co-browsing are proving to be very successful. The more that these platforms are adopted the more likely that there will be a growing demand for in-house platforms. These platforms are likely to be the customer service and sales teams of the future. For most businesses we would say that live video currently isn't necessary, however for the more complex and potentially high-risk industries live video is certainly a way for customers to feel far more secure and for businesses to capitalise on this.

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Will customers demand live video in the future? | TelcoCompare

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Customers are always right... right? Well, most of the time they are. Customers are demanding and can make life difficult; however, they are also the lifeblood of every business.

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What California’s new data protection rules mean for you

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What California’s new data protection rules mean for you

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Many businesses have recently been through a process of proofing their operations to comply with the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that were put into effect in May 2018. If you are one of these businesses, we're sure you are feeling super happy that this is over and done with... but unfortunately, we might have some bad news for you. California has passed a new law, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which is due to be implanted in 2020. This piece of legislation has been compared to GDPR and will require businesses to make changes so that customer information is more secure and private.

What does the California Consumer Privacy Act entail?

The new act was approved last year, though it has recently jumped back into the news. On February 22nd , a motion was filed that stated consumers would be able to sue businesses for damages if the business was accused of breaking the law. With concerns growing over the safety of public information, this act is simply another step in the right direction when it comes to data safety. Nonetheless many companies will be concerned over what this means for their operations.

Currently this is uncertain, and this is where the issue lies when it comes to CCPA. Although the legislation has been passed, the specifics of the regulations will not be published until 2020. This means that the regulation will be continuously changing as the end date draws nearer. This also means that companies will be guessing how they can best prepare for this introduction of the legislation. So far, we know that:

- Transparency is key. Transparency is a term that is popular at present, yet this is for good reason. We would say that legislation is being put in place for two reasons; to keep public information safe and to keep the public happy. Transparency is the element that keeps the public happy and allows them to understand exactly what is happening with their information.

- Consequently, businesses must tell customers exactly what information they are collecting from them. In addition to this, they must also be totally transparent about how it is being harvested and if it is being shared.

- Companies must also make it clear that the public can ask that the business deletes all personal data that is held on them. Importantly, this also means that it is down to that business to ensure that data is deleted from any third-party organisations.

- In align with the above, customers must be given the chance to opt in or opt out of having their data sold to third party data providers.

- If customers are under the age of 13, then the business wishing to sell personal information must get consent from a parent or guardian. It is notable to add here that it would be very hard to guarantee that consumers are of the age specified.

What does this mean for you?

This means that you need to be aware and up to date with all company activities that relate to the public's personal information. Under CCPA this is defined as "information that identifies, relates to, describes, is capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular consumer or household." This is something that you need to be aware of in the digital age whether this law directly relates to you or not.

Leading on from this you should check that this law does apply to your business. Your business must meet one or more of the following; it must generate an annual gross revenue in excess of $25 million, it must share personal information of more than 50,000 Californian residents, or it must derive at least 50% of its annual revenue by selling the personal information of Californian residents. The point to take away from this is that you do not need to be in California for this law to apply to your business.

What should you do?

As the legislation is still being decided, we cannot offer concrete insight or advice just yet. All we can say is that the best thing you can do is to prepare for what is to come. However, we would imagine that the new rules will align relatively closely with that of GDPR. We suggest keeping up to date with any changes in CCPA and prepare to make changes to your business data model.

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California's new data laws explained | Telco Solutions

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By now buisnesses are well used to meeting the requirements of GDPR, but there is a new law that could be impacting you. The California Consumer Privacy Act is a new digital privacy law that could impact your business if you use the data of Californian residents.

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Moving to The Cloud? Don’t let your internet be a bottleneck!

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Moving to The Cloud? Don’t let your internet be a bottleneck!

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Moving your business to the cloud is a big step. It will revolutionize your businesses operations. From how and when your business can access your critical applications, the works flows and productivity. Hosting applications centrally will increase accessibility and reduce costs of ownership. By implementing this change correctly and efficiently your employees will thank you, your customers and clients will thank you, and in turn so will business.

Computing has changed

Yes that's right, the world of computing has changed. Gone are the days where every company had to rely on expensive servers (with their associated high running costs).

"The cloud offers a platform for companies to work and store their data on. The massive adoption levels evidence just how effective it can be for business." - Solid Start Property Inspections

As well as individual companies hosting applications and data in the cloud, your software suppliers are all moving to a Software as a Service (SaaS) model. This has moved the costs to being Operational Expenditure (OpEx) as opposed to a Capital Expenditure (CapEx).

The benefits of the cloud

The reason that so many are adopting the cloud is because it offers many benefits. For example, having a software-based foundation instantly instils better security. From an infrastructure perspective, hosting providers spend incredible amounts of time, money and effort on ensuring they have the highest levels of security. As the guardians of information, it is down to them to keep it safe. An easy way to think about this is that Google are going to have better security protocols than your business could ever wish for or afford.

Additionally, SaaS and hosting companies invest incredible amounts on their architecture to ensure the resilience and speed of the service. In addition being SaaS means providers can ensure you are on the most recent version of software which massively increases the ability of providers to roll out security and software patches. Doing all this centrally reduces the costs of hardware and system maintenance costs.

Your end of the bargain

Service providers do a very good job of ensuring that their services are at peak performance. To get the best form this, and maximise user experience and subsequent performance, hardware and network connectivity are essential to get right.

Hardware

Slow and dated machines can cost 30 minutes of staff time a day, this equates to 15 days a year. As a business owner you can really see the impact of this when multiplying by the wage bill! In addition to this, slow machines really annoy your workers during stressful periods.

Connection

This is even more important. Both upload and download speeds are factors when using the cloud. Therefore getting the right connection for your business is crucial. Homeworkers are different from large offices as there is much less of a demand.

Ethernet must be a real consideration for businesses with 10-15 employees. This is because all those people could be requiring the connection to the cloud at the same time. This number is then reduced in a more creative and thus more demanding environment, for example video production.

Additionally, the ability to prioritise traffic is an incredible feature that is certain to help you get the biggest bang for your buck. Being able to prioritise important traffic such as a video conference call or VOIP over YouTube allows you to have enhanced capabilities and experiences with a lower bandwidth.

Similarly, backup is also reliant on connection.

"To use the cloud, connection is essential, and thus backup options are also essential." - QMAX Pumping Solutions

Diverse routing, sim enabled routers and mobile hotspots are all options that will provide you with that back up connection, in case your primary connection was to fail.

Finally, it is noteworthy to state that cloud computing and the ever-growing reliance on network connectivity is future proof. You will need to adapt with the times, but connectivity is certain. Data usage is only going to grow, and connectivity is only going to grow in accordance with the needs of businesses and users.

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Moving to The Cloud? Don't let your internet be a bottleneck!

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Moving your business to the cloud is a big step. It will revolutionize your businesses operations. From how and when your business can access your critical applications, the works flows and productivity. Hosting applications centrally will increase accessibility and reduce costs of ownership.