Overview
Most SMEs use modems or ISDN to access the internet, and broadband differs from these technologies in a number of ways:
- Broadband is effectively permanently connected to the internet. Modems require initiation and take up to a minute to connect, while even ISDN connections have some latency.
- Broadband is flat rate so you do not have to worry about being permanently connected, and you can start using tools such as instant messaging which require a permanent connection. With modems and ISDN, even if your ISP will allow you to be permanently online these connections are much more likely to break.
- Broadband is high-bandwidth, and can transmit data at least ten times faster than a fast modem, and over five times faster than single-channel ISDN.
- Broadband allows you to use the same line you use for making phone calls
- Broadband connections can be shared more easily than modem or ISDN connections. Typically this just involves plugging your broadband ‘hub’ into your office network and configuring your computers accordingly. Broadband connections can also be shared wirelessly.
In these documents some of the activities we describe would be easier if you had broadband, often because of its speed. Others activities absolutely require broadband as it is ‘always-on’.
Thinking differently
If you check email a few times a day, and access the web once or twice from the same computer, your business probably will not benefit much from broadband. But broadband represents a different way of thinking about how you run your business - as different as personal computers were from typewriters and filing cabinets.
You should not think about using broadband in the same way you thought about using a modem to connect to the Internet. Even for standard internet tasks broadband can make a great difference.
Email can be checked as often as you like, without you needing to think about dialing up. New emails just appear, and queued emails are sent in the background.
Big attachments are no longer a hassle. In the past maybe you compressed files in order to send them quickly. With broadband you can just attach them and send, without this hassle, and without worrying about whether your recipient can uncompress them at their end.
It is quick to get on the web. Links to websites sent to you by email can be clicked on and before you know it the page is on your screen. No more worrying about whether you are already connected.
Large files can be downloaded at any time, as can software updates. No more waiting till first thing when no one is using the phone and ‘the Americans are not online’.
Beyond these advantages broadband facilitates new ways of doing business: collaborating with your colleagues, procuring goods and managing your accounts, marketing and selling your products, liaising with and supporting your customers, and managing your business, employees and IT. All businesses now appreciate that LANs are important as a platform for sharing resources and communicating within a company. Having always-on, fast, and reliable access to the internet means that the internet can become your new operating platform, with its thousands of applications, services and protocols, and its library of documents and information, ready to support your business operations.
Security
There are a number of broadband-related security issues to consider. The more you are sharing data the greater the possibility of your information or security being compromised. This is true with traditional forms of communication and collaboration as well, and is really an issue of ensuring you are well-informed about and understand the risks involved.
Network access
If you have broadband the connection is always-on and available for an unauthorised party to try to access your network. The standard way of protecting your network from hostile intrusion is with a product called a firewall. You should not economise on this aspect of security, but neither should you assume that just because you have a firewall you are permanently protected. If you have employees working from home using broadband, or any permanent internet connection, it is advisable for them to also use a firewall to protect their computers from unwanted intrusion.
IP addresses
Some broadband connections use fixed IP addresses, which give computes a unique and permanent identity on the internet, and are necessary for in-house server hosting and some other activities. Lower cost broadband connections use dynamic IP addresses, which change every time your network reconnects to the internet. If your broadband connection uses a dynamic IP address you will be less vulnerable to interference, though you will still need to properly consider security issues.
In-house servers
If you host publicly-accessible servers on your network make sure your firewall is located such that the servers are isolated from your main network, to prevent them being used to gain access to other machines.
Logins and passwords
Setting up logins and passwords is a typical way in which organisations protect internal resources from unauthorised access. You should beware of the false sense of security offered by passwords, as they are easy to compromise, particularly if your staff have too many and choose to write them down, they use easy-to-guess passwords, or they give them out to the people who are able to gain their trust.
Keep checking
You should make appropriate and regular checks to ensure your security has not been compromised. If there are changes to your network, your computer setup, or the software you are running, check that they have been addressed in your security setup. You should also review system and web logs regularly, and ensure you investigate and fix system problems and suspicious web activity.
Tools
Symantec Security Check
Checks for vulnerability to hacking resulting from open TCP/IP ports, and to ‘trojan horse’ applications.
Platform: browser-based
Cost: free to use
securitysymantec.com
Glossary
ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)
An always-on, high-bandwidth connection to the internet that uses existing telephone lines, while allowing them to be used for simultaneous voice calls. ADSL is available in at a number of bandwidths, and the amount of data actually transmitted is partly determined by the contention ratio, ie: the number of other users sharing the same bandwidth. Also the bandwidth coming in is greater than the bandwidth going out, hence the term ‘asymmetric’. A Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL) connection has equal bandwidth in each direction, and will be more suitable for organisations hosting well-used servers in-house.
Always-on
A connection to the internet that is permanently available and ready for use. By contrast a typical modem connection needs to be manually initiated each time you wish to use it.
Application Service Provider (ASP)
A company that ‘rents’ access to software and services that a company might otherwise purchase and configure for themselves. Web ‘hosting’ is the most common service offered by ASPs although they also offer more complex services such as shopping carts or payment systems. A future role for ASPs may be to rent typical office software on a pay-as-you go basis.
ASP (see Application Service Provider)
Backend (see Client-side)
Bandwidth
The rate at which data can move along a connection. Higher bandwidth allows for faster access to email, file downloads, and website browsing.
Client-side
Client-side refers to any processing or activity that takes place on a user’s computer rather than on the server-side (often referred to as the ‘backend’). Client-side applications are generally more powerful and offer a better user experience than server-side applications (generally accessed via a web interface). However server-side applications are always up-to-date, and can be access from almost any computer. With the spread of high-speed internet access the different between client- and server-side applications will tend to decrease.
Domain name
A domain name represents the ‘space’ on the internet at which your organisation exists. You will tend to receive email at (@) your organisation’s domain name. Any servers you have online will tend to be identified by your domain name, prefixed by a ‘host’ name, most often ‘www’. These servers will have fixed and unique Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, which map to the host name. Thus ‘www’ is the host name for the bt.com webserver, and www.bt.com is the address of that server. Like a telephone number these allow them to be directly reached. (For instance the IP address for www.bt.com is 62.7.244.127.) With broadband you can have fixed IP addresses (which tends to cost more) or a dynamic (variable) IP address. Even if you have fixed IP addresses you may choose to have dynamic IP addresses on your local network, but if you host servers that need to be externally accessible by a changing audience they will need to have fixed IP addresses.
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)
A way of structuring purchasing-related data such that orders between two organisations can be exchanged and processed with the minimum of human intervention.
Encryption
Encoding of information to prevent unauthorised access. Data moving across the internet between a most web browsers and certain webservers can be encrypted using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
Extensible Markup Language (XML)
XML allows data to be stored in ways that it can be flexibly combined and re-combined, searched, sorted and exchanged. In XML data is marked up with semantic tags that indicate, in human readable form, the nature and measure of that information, for instance that it is a last name, or a price in a specific currency. In future the majority of data-driven products are likely to be based on, or interchangeable with, XML data.
Extranet (see Intranet)
Firewall
A firewall is a system for restricting unauthorised access to resources on your servers or on your network. Firewalls also log attempted accesses to help you further secure your network. They can take the form of a dedicated box or a server running firewall software at the gateway into your network. Firewalls can also be run on individual users’ computers.
Flash
Flash is a file format that allows presentation of vector-based animation, along with time-based media, via web browsers that have the appropriate plug-in.
Host name (see Domain name)
HTML
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) describes the codes for formatting documents to be displayed by a web browser, and the structure documents need to follow. Emails can be sent using HTML-formatting, which allows for some text styling, embedding of links, and inclusion of images. Not all email clients will display these emails properly and HTML-formatted email should be used with caution.
Intranet
An internal document and information sharing system built using web technologies, primarily a webserver but often including shared task and contact management, and calendaring. An extranet is an intranet that is externally accessible by clients, partners or suppliers.
IP addresses (see Domain name)
ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)
A way of sending data over a digital connection between a computer and a remote network using a standard telephone line. A basic ISDN connection moves data about twice as quickly as a fast modem. Like phone calls ISDN calls are billed based on time connected.
ISP
A company offering access to the internet, typically over a dialup modem or ISDN connection, ADSL, or leased line. ISPs often offer web site hosting and other services such as domain name management.
Java
A programming language created by Sun Microsystems that can be used to create applications that work over the internet (often via a web browser). Although many Java applications are stored server-side they have a lot in common with client-side applications.
LAN (Local Area Network)
A network of computers and other devices (including ‘routers’ and printers) that are in the same geographical location. Connections are typically made over Ethernet, but can be made using wireless technologies. A WAN (Wide Area Network) connects two or more ‘local area’ networks that are geographically separate.
Linux (see Unix)
Local Area Network (see LAN)
Narrowband
Slower internet connections, typically below 500 kilobits per second, generally made over a modem connection.
Open source software
Software for which the source code (the code from which the final application is ‘compiled’) is publicly available and can be modified by anyone providing they also make their modifications publicly available. The most well known open source projects are the operating system GNU/Linux and the Apache webserver software. Open source software is free to use and access to the source code allow more flexibility in its application. There is no formal support for much open source software, and while it is economical to use only more IT-savvy businesses should seriously consider it.
Operating system (OS)
The ‘guts’ of a computer, which manages files, allows for input (keyboards and mice) and output (video and audio), and provides common services to applications (such as internet access). Common personal computer operating systems include Microsoft Windows, Apple MacOS, and Unix. Applications are created and ‘compiled’ for particular operating systems, and even the experience of using the web varies between operating systems.
OS (see Operating system)
Performance
The responsiveness of a web site to requests for pages. Performance encompasses webserver and network speed, as well as the speed and accuracy with which the page displays in the user’s browser.
SDSL (see ADSL)
Server-side (see Client-side)
Staging server
A private server on which material for publishing on a live server (typically a webserver) is assembled, reviewed and tested. Also referred to as a ‘development’ server.
Time-based media
Media which is rendered over time, including audio, video and animation.
Unix
An operating system, like Windows or MacOS, though in fact considerably older. It has been extensively developed upon elsewhere including Sun Microsystem’s Solaris, Apple’s MacOS X, and the ‘open source’ Linux (properly known as GNU/Linux) that has been adopted by IBM among others. Unix has traditionally been used on workstations and servers, and much of the early development of internet protocols and applications was done on Unix platforms, including the first webserver and browser.
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
A ‘wide area network’ that uses connections over public telecommunications infrastructure (including the internet) while retaining private communication using encryption and other techniques.
WAN (see LAN)
Webserver
A computer permanently connected to the internet that runs webserver software (such as the open source apache, or Microsoft Internet Information Server) to allow web pages that you place on it to be accessible on the web.
Wiki
A series of editable web pages that allow readers to add or edit copy, add new pages and links, and upload documents. They are typically used within an organisation, between collaborators on private websites. Further information:
www.wiki.org/wiki.cgi?WhatIsWiki
WiFi
A standards for wireless networking between computers. WiFi (also known as IEEE 802.11) is typically used in within organisations but is increasingly available in public areas, particularly coffee bars.
XML (see Extensible Markup Language)
Learn on
For further glossary definitions see:
The Business Europe Technology Glossary. For more business-oriented definitions.
www.businesseurope.com/cmn/res/gloss.jsp?cat=tc<r=a
The UK Online for Business Jargon-buster. Also for business-oriented definitions.
http://www.ukonlineforbusiness.gov.uk/cms/template/general-content.jsp?id=41699
WhatIs.com
For more technology definitions.
whatis.techtarget.com
BT Exact BT Technology Journal
Focuses on state-of-the-art technologies.
www.bt.com/bttj
Next steps
Where to go
For specific advice on which applications discussed might fit your business needs, or on finding and evaluating suppliers and products, you can contact your local, government-funded, Business Link service (www.businesslink.org).
Other sources of advice might include IT or business consultants, experts within your company, business partners or friendly competitors, online resources and communities, particular suppliers (including IT, networking and telecommunications suppliers), your local Chamber of Commerce, government and local authority-related agencies, industry or trade bodies and publications, IT and business supplements in other publications, and family and friends.
Look for IT consultants at:
uk.dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Business_to_Business/Computers/Services/Consulting
and
Learn on
Resources
UK Online for Business
This has useful and more in depth material in the Technology - the lowdown section of its site. See also its case studies , and ‘Be Online for Business’ resources.
www.ukonlineforbusiness.gov.uk
Business Europe
Well-considered and -written information for small businesses.
Cost: free to access, but registration required
www.businesseurope.com
e-consultancy.com
UK-focused news, articles, case studies and white papers, along with high-quality discussion and live roundtable events.
Cost: £99 for one year
www.e-consultancy.com
Publications
Guardian Business Online
In the archive of the Guardian’s long running monthly supplement you can find many articles that address the themes of these white papers.
Cost: free to access, but registration required
www.guardian.co.uk/sme
NetImperative
Cost: free to access, but registration required
UK-focused news, summarised in a weekly newsletter.
NetImperative also publishes commentary, features, case studies, research and statistics.
www.netimperative.com
Books
The Executive’s Guide to Information Technology
Jon C. Piot and John Baschab (John Wiley & Sons, 2003)
This book aims to help IT professionals and executives run cost-effective and efficient IT departments. Advice covers IT effectiveness, sourcing, costs and budgeting, dealing with vendors, and setting technical direction.
Copyright Nico Macdonald/BT plc © 2003
