Getting a business up and running is no easy task. Trying to get it off the ground is even harder. For many small business owners, their primary focus is on their industry; they often manage operations themselves and are deeply involved in every aspect of their company. When you open up a shop or service industry, there’s a certain expectation that knowing your product is key to your success. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been true since the ‘90’s. Now, online marketing and networking take precedence over simply having a quality product. Though we may yearn for the days of the mom and pop shop where kind words, customer satisfaction and a smile could ensure repeat business, we are beaten down by the harsh reality that word of mouth does not carry too far anymore. Small business owners not only have to be masters of their craft, but now, more importantly, must become IT savants. What business owner has time to study up on technological mumbo-jumbo and run a company at the same time? Let’s face it, unless you are twenty-five-years-old or younger, networking systems is not your forte. Thankfully, Cisco has developed a dependable product line that can minimize your stress and micro-managing while optimizing and streamlining your small business. Here are three Cisco products guaranteed to make your life easier and give you that first foothold from which you can climb higher.
The Server
: Every business needs a mode of information processing and collecting. However, if this is your first time thinking about, let alone buying, a server, then culling through all the technical jargon can be intimidating and your search increasingly daunting. The Cisco Unified Compute System (UCS) C260 M2 is a rack server that is designed to handle everything from storage serving to online transaction processing and data warehousing. It also has the reputation of cutting computing costs by 40 percent (according to Todd Brannon, senior manager, Data Center and Visualization, Cisco). How can it cut costs, you say? First, the capital expenditure (a.k.a. the amount you have to spend before benefits are realized) is lower in comparison to other servers of like capacity and capability. Second, it reduces administrator time, so you can focus more on developing customers than sitting in front of a computer. Third, Cisco UCS’s are energy efficient as they combine the capabilities of multiple machines into one highly capable unit. Fourth, you will experience reduced software licensing costs as more workloads can be processed through fewer servers. Last, but not least, it supports the newest Intel Xeon processor. If, after having done your research, you find the Cisco® UCS C260 M2 is too much computer for your new company, consider that it gives you something to grow into. Let overstretching its capabilities be your aspiration and push this powerful machine to its limit. Or sit back, relax, and let it power through your workload.
The Phone: Furthermore, one cannot stress the importance of keeping employees connected and on the same page as well as possessing the ability to communicate with customers. Phones have the ability to either simplify your day or make it miserable. The Cisco® Unified IP Phone 6900 Series contains six different models of affordable phones designed to meet all small business needs and not limit you with high prices. These phones come with all the usual bells and whistles in addition to LAN and PC Ethernet connections, support for several dozen languages, multiple codecs and a deep-sleep option that enables it to consume 50 percent less power in off-hours. The last thing you want while speaking with a customer is to get tangled up in phone cords, screaming across the office for someone to tell you how to switch calls, while trying to find the hold button. A customer’s first impression of your professionalism is often gleaned over the phone. The smoother you operate, the better you can serve not only your own needs, but those of your customers.
The Web Security Appliance: Once you have spent the time and money on investigating and purchasing IT equipment for your company you are going to want to protect your investment. If all your electronics are properly optimized and interconnected through the same system and one part comes under attack by virus or a person with malicious intent, the entire network could come crashing down. The Cisco Small Business ISA500 Series Integrated Security Appliance is conceived with you in mind as the name suggests. Again, we have an affordable product that comes equipped with comprehensive email and web security, increases productivity by monitoring employees while offering them remote access, uses cloud based technology, and lowers your learning curve with simplified configuration flows and maintenance processes. This series can practically run itself, thereby reducing the time you have to spend on managing and monitoring security solutions.
Remember to keep your IT needs and equipment simple to avoid overwhelming yourself. Live by the “less is more” mantra and you will find yourself avoiding unnecessary headaches, giving you the leisure to concentrate on expanding your small business. If you cannot yet afford such newfangled devices, then used Cisco parts are a reliable second option. Many people are hesitant to buy refurbished computer parts however, if you do your research and know that a reputable company has repaired them, you need not worry. They can prove to be just as good an investment as new parts. Good luck with your small business and enjoy spending more time interacting with others and less time shut up in an office. Learn more about various types of electronic appliances and gadgets that can ease your business life, on this website: www.123top.info
