Thin Client Network

August 29th, 2007

A customized Server-Based Computing Solution can reduce the cost of desktop computing. A solution that should not be overlooked in your IT strategy is the Server Based Computing approach which delivers critical business applications to end-user devices through the use of Thin Client computing technology.
With this approach, it doesn’t matter if the client device is a full-featured PC, a Macintosh system, a UNIX workstation, or a true thin client device like a Windows-based terminal or hand-held (wireless) information appliance. With server based computing solutions, all of the applications and data reside and execute on the server.

Server Architecture
The cost of desktop computing can be reduced by this computing approach. Application installations, updates and additions are made only once on the server and after that, they are instantly available to all users anywhere, with exceptional performance. Applications can be managed by the IT professionals on the network from a single point and also provide enterprise-level security for data and applications.

Service Offerings
Networkz IT Solutions’ Server Based Computing Offerings are designed to maximize the benefits inherent in the technology. The major benefits of Server Based Computing technology include:
- Curtailing support and maintenance costs for the applications
- Centralization and security of applications.
- Ability to deploy new and upgraded applications to the entire intended user base rapidly.
- Ability to provide the applications via the internet without expensive applications modifications.
- Understanding the necessary requirements to maximize the cost per user for a Server Based Computing application.

Clients are given a flexible, cost-effective way to explore a thin client solution for either a specific group/department or for the entire organization by Networz IT Solutions server based computing offerings. Our service offerings include:

Architecture, design and Implementation of Server Based Computing Solutions
The architecture, design and Implementation of each solution are fundamental to all of our service offerings. The architecture and design of your solution is done so as to ensure the solution is integrated into your IT environment seamlessly, effectively, and efficiently.

Computing Pilots
Server based computing pilots
Those businesses exploring new ways to do business, or those businesses with a need to simplify and consolidate administration efforts, the pilot program is best suited for them

The pilot program can clearly demonstrate the advantages of a Server Based Computing approach to the problems of application delivery.
The pilot offering can be done with a minimum investment in hardware commensurate with the complexity of the application. In many cases, Networkz can assist the clients through the use of evaluation hardware.

Following the pilot, an architectural document describing a full Server Based Computing environment deployment is delivered to our clients.Lastly, the pilot offering also ensures that the applications desired by our clients will perform in a Server Based Computing environment.

Upgrades and Migrations
The migration service that is provided by Networkz IT Solutions is designed for those businesses that have been using a Server Based Computing solution and now wish to migrate their existing platform to a newer platform. Ensuring uninterrupted service of the business applications throughout the upgrade and transition process is a significant goal.

Networkz provide the planning and deployment know-how to make the transition a smooth one regardless of whether the migration is due to a software publisher improving the applications or an inherent platform migration for functionality improvements,

Validation & Testing
Application validation and testing
This offering is mainly for those clients that have experience with a Server Based Computing environment, but did not have the ability or resources required to determine such things as Cost per User or Will this new application work? or even What can I do to improve my application or environment? Networkz IT Solutions has significant experience to assist business clients and software publishers in answering these questions.

Our test offering is a structured test program designed with your applications and environment in mind. Networkz provides our clients with the necessary information to determine:
- The Return On Investment (ROI) or Cost per User
- The tuning needed to maximize the benefits of their environment
- (For software publishers) What can be done to improve the software being developed so that it maximizes their users’ ROI or cost per seat.

Installation
The installation offering is specially for businesses that have a clear understanding of the benefits of Server Based Computing.

A fully functional Server Based Computing environment engineered and tailored to the requested business functionality will also be provided to you through this service offering. Once completed, your applications will be made available to your designated users in a structured environment that is maintained easily and successfully in your business context.

A vital component of our service is the knowledge transfer, and we made efforts in ensuring the knowledge of the installation and maintenance efforts are understood by our clients.

Windows Server 2003 Support

August 29th, 2007

Our windows server 2003 support provides your business with windows server 2003 help by our engineers who have vast experience in developing Microsoft-based solutions for businesses with multiple sites, remote workers, and mission-critical applications.

We can plan and implement a configuration that supports your business requirement if you are looking to deploy 2003 server.

With years of experience in supporting and implementing software applications in a wide range of client environments, we have built a reputation for our expedient and expert service. Our software support team surely has the ability to respond to your needs quickly and has the knowledge to start making it work for your business or enterprise.
Please contact us to explore the broad range of server 2003 solutions we can deliver for your business.

Virtual Application Server

August 29th, 2007

Virtualization technology allows customers to run multiple operating systems concurrently on a single physical server, where each of the operating systems is running as a self-contained computer.
There are many situations whereby users have a legacy application which they want to move natively to Windows Server 2003 or plan to end-life that application which is running on old hardware.

If you want to upgrade that hardware to run Windows Server you can put a Virtual Server on it and run that legacy application on a legacy machine and have the flexibility of upgrading on your own schedule.

Usage Scenarios for Virtual Server is designed for running enterprise server operating systems and applications.

Some scenarios for using Virtual Server include the following:
Server Testing
Virtual Server can be used in situations that require rapid and frequent server reconfiguration. For instances, you can use it for development and testing, product demonstrations, or training.

A library of virtual machines can be created in different server configurations without the need to dedicate a physical computer to each configuration.

Your virtual machines can be easily deployed from this library with a few clicks of the mouse. Virtual machines can be set up to use undo disks as the changes can be discarded, or differencing disks can also be used to create a variety of configurations from one base disk. This is useful especially in situations where you have to test software or certain software configurations before you actually deploy them.

This approach is useful for you if you need to test the effect of a software update before deploying it to your organization. In addition, you can quickly create virtual networks that simulate physical networks. After that, you will be able to test real-world scenarios in your virtual network.

Server Consolidation
Many companies have departmental and branch office servers that are underutilized because different departmental or branch office applications were written for different operating systems or different versions of the same operating system.

You can migrate these applications and operating systems into virtual machines running under Virtual Server on a single physical server in order to reduce the number of physical servers you maintain.

Application Migration
Many companies have server applications that require an older operating system, such as Microsoft Windows NT® Server 4.0.

Upgrading to a newer, more resilient system would require rewriting the applications. However, this can be very costly. Moving older operating systems and server applications into virtual machines running under Virtual Server and a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system would be a more cost-effective and manageable approach.

Basic File Architecture
 The same file types for configuration and resource files are being used by both virtual pc and virtual server. For example, virtual hard disk files are .vhd files, saved state files are .vsv files, and virtual machine configuration files are .vmc files . Virtual machines (within certain limitations) are allowed to be shared between Virtual PC and Virtual Server by this common file architecture .

Networking
Both virtual pc and virtual server allow networking between virtual machines and physical machines. With Virtual Server, however, virtual networks can be created and configured.

Virtual machine control options.
Both virtual pc and virtual server have the same options for controlling virtual machines, such as starting, stopping, shutting down, and saving state.

Disk features.
Undo and differencing disks are available in both Virtual PC and Virtual Server.

SQL Server Help

August 29th, 2007

Achieve the highest levels of performance and scalability for your databases.
Businesses today demands a different type of data management solution. Even though performance, scalability, and reliability are essential, businesses are now expecting more from their key IT investments.

Sql server is a comprehensive database platform providing enterprise-class data management with integrated business intelligence (BI) tools. Sql server exceeds dependability requirements and provides innovative capabilities that increase effectiveness of employees, integrating heterogeneous IT ecosystems, and also maximizing capital and operating budgets. SQL Server provides the enterprise data management platform that your organization needs in order to adapt quickly in a fast-changing environment.

The rapid development of enterprise-class business applications which can give a critical competitive advantage to your company is supported by Sql server.

Benchmarked for scalability, speed, and performance, SQL Server is a fully enterprise-class database product which provides core support for Extensible Markup Language (XML) and Internet queries.

What we can offer
Besides providing planning, installation, and configuration support for your organization’s microsoft sql server deployment, Networkz can help by coming up with creative, customized solutions that address your organization’s specific needs in order to optimize the business impact of your sql server investment.

Networkz works with companies large and small, spanning a multitude of industries, helping to leverage their intellectual capital and empowering their employees through effective knowledge-sharing and communication.

With our expertise in collaborative technologies such as .net and exchange server, and also with a deep understanding of knowledge management practices and business process optimization, we are able to provide robust, integrated microsoft sql server solutions.

As a Microsoft Partner, we are kept informed of microsoft’s plans and future developments. By partnering with us, you can benefit from this knowledge as we regularly review with our customers how new versions of software or new products can be incorporated into the solutions we have not only already delivered but also future installations.

Networkz’s range of services include:
- microsoft sql server support
- microsoft sql server development
- microsoft sql server 2005 deployment
- microsoft sql server hosting
- microsoft sql server reporting
- microsoft sql server planning
- microsoft sql server configuration
- microsoft sql server optimisation
- microsoft sql server application integration
- microsoft sql server application migration support
- microsoft sql server data integration
- microsoft sql server 2000 upgrade to microsoft sql server 2005
- microsoft sql server performance tuning
- microsoft sql server web integration
- microsoft sql server custom database design
- microsoft sql server security
- microsoft sql server load balancing
- microsoft sql server installations
- microsoft sql server troubleshooting
- microsoft sql server capacity and scaling
- microsoft sql server clustering
- microsoft sql server management

Using microsoft sql server, Networkz IT Solutions can deliver solutions that not only enhance business user productivity, but also reduce operational costs.

Lan Setup

August 29th, 2007

A local area network (LAN) is a group of computers and associated devices that share a common communication line and also the resources of a single processor or server within a small geographic area (for example, within an office building). The applications and data stored in the server are usually shared by multiple computer users.

A local area network may serve only two or three users (for example, in a home network) or as many as thousands of users (for example, in an fddi network).

The main local area network technologies are:
Ethernet
The most widely-installed local area network (LAN) technology is ethernet. Specified in a standard, IEEE 802.3, Ethernet was originally developed by Xerox before being developed further by Xerox, DEC, and Intel.

An ethernet LAN typically uses coaxial cable or special grades of twisted pair wires.
Ethernet is also used in wireless LANs. 10BASE-T are most commonly installed Ethernet systems and  transmission speeds of up to 10 Mbps are provided

Devices are connected to the cable and access is competed using a Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) protocol.

With transmission speeds up to 100 megabits per second being provided, fast ethernet and 100BASE-T are typically used for LAN backbone systems, supporting workstations with 10BASE-T cards.
Gigabit ethernet provides an even higher level of backbone support at 1000 megabits per second (1 gigabit or 1 billion bits per second).10-gigabit ethernet provides up to 10 billion bits per second.

Token Ring
A token ring network is a local area network (LAN) in which the all computers are connected in a ring or star topology and a binary digit or token-passing scheme is used in so as to prevent the data between two computers that want to send messages at the same time from collision.

After ethernet, the token ring protocol is probably the second most widely-used protocol on local area networks . The IBM Token Ring protocol led to a standard version, specified as IEEE 802.5. Both protocols which are very similar are used.

The IEEE 802.5 token ring technology provides for data transfer rates of either 4 or 16 megabits per second.

Very briefly, here is how it works:
Empty information frames are continuously circulating on the ring. When a computer has a message to send, a token is inserted in an empty frame (this consist of simply changing a 0 to a 1 in the token bit part of the frame) and a message and a destination identifier is also inserted in the frame.

Each successive workstation then examined the frame.If the workstation is the destination for the message, the message from the frame is copied before changing the token back to 0.

Seeing that the token has been changed to 0 and that the message has been copied and received when the frame gets back to the originator, the message is then removed from the frame. The frame continues  circulating as an “empty” frame, ready to be taken by a workstation when it has a message to send.

The token scheme can also be used with bus topology LANs. The standard for the token ring protocol is Institute of electrical and electronics engineers (IEEE) 802.5. The Fibre Distributed-Data Interface (FDDI) also uses a token ring protocol.

Arcnet
ARCNET is a widely-installed local area network (Lan) technology which uses a token-bus scheme for managing line shared among the workstations and other devices that are connected on the lan.

The lan server circulates empty message frames on a bus continously (a line in which every message goes through every device on it and a device using only those with its address).

Whenever a device wants to send a message, it inserts a “token” (this can be as simple as setting a token bit to 1) in an empty frame in which the message is also inserted.

The token is reset to 0 when the destination device or lan server reads the message, so that other devices can reuse the frame again.

The scheme is especially efficient when traffic increases as all devices are afforded the same opportunity to use the shared network. ARCNET can use coaxial cable or fiber optic lines.

FDDI
FDDI (Fibre Distributed Data Interface) is a set of ANSI and ISO standards used for data transmission on fibre optic lines in a local area network (Lan) which can extend up to 200 km (124 miles) in range. The FDDI protocol is based on the token ring protocol.Besides being large geographically, an FDDI local area network is able to support thousands of users. FDDI is usually used as the backbone for a wide area network (WAN).

An FDDI network contains two token rings and in case the primary ring fails, the other can be used as a backup. The primary ring offers up to 100 Mbps capacity. If the secondary ring is not needed for backup, it can also carry data, extending capacity to 200 Mbps. The maximum distance can be extended by a single ring; a dual ring can extend 100 km (62 miles).

FDDI is a product of American National Standards Committee X3-T9 and conforms to the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model of functional layering.It can be used to interconnect lans using other protocols.

The capability to add circuit-switched service to the network so that voice signals can also be handled is added in FDDI-II, which is a version of FDDI.

A suite of application programs can be kept on the lan server and users who need an application frequently can download it once before running it from their local hard disk.

Through the applications running on the lan server, users can order printing and other services as needed. While a user can share files with other users at the lan server; the read and write access is maintained by a lan administrator.
A lan server can also be used as a Web server if there are safeguards taken to secure internal applications and data from outside access.

Wan Setup

August 29th, 2007

A wide area network (wan) is a group of devices located remotely and connected through some electronic means, i.e. telephone system, satellite link, etc.
What this actually means is a large group of computers linked together via hardware and software in an unlimited area.

This network may be across town, between cities or between continents. The network normally has one or more lans containing servers for file and print applications, printers for document output and a number of workstations for the end users.

All of these resources are normally physically connected  via some form of cables (i.e. coaxial, twisted pair, etc.) to a hub and/or router before being connected to a telephone system, satellite link or other form of electronic transmission. The key word is unlimited, the network becomes a lan when computers are connected locally.

Allowing an organization to share data and hardware throughout all its locations so as to maximize the company’s data processing investment is the purpose of a wan.

Ideally, the WAN should improve the following:
- Communications/Productivity of Employees
- Information management
- Reduction/control of costs
- Standardization of hardware/software usage
The WAN should be transparent to the user and also manageable by network professionals.

Network Attached Storage Servers

August 29th, 2007

Nas servers eliminate server I/O (Input/Output) bottlenecks to enhance network performance. LAN clients access these devices over standard network protocols such as TCP/IP and files can be shared simultaneously across different protocols such as CIFS, NFS and HTTP, which means they are server and operating-system independent. This makes it easy for system administrators to add, maintain, and access large amounts of storage capacity.

Nas systems are not just limited to read/write disk systems, but also include optical media systems such as CD-ROM and DVD-ROM servers.

Besides the basic file service, NAS can also be used for specialised tasks such as e-commerce, web caching, local storage, remote storage or caching in a Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM) environment. NAS servers are engineered for high performance as they are designed from the ground up as storage devices.

An enclosure, power supplies, cooling fans, network connection(s), hard disk drives, a backup device and a scalable controller are included in a  basic disk-based read/write NAS system.

NAS systems can be designed around nearly any operating system, from embedded real-time operating systems to Linux or compact operating system kernels that are optimised for file serving.

The tasks include managing the network connections, accepting file requests, sending and receiving data from the disk drives, returning data to clients and monitoring the overall health of the system.

Key Benefits
NAS brings ease of use to shared networked storage. NAS devices are as easy to add to a LAN as a PC or a printer.

Storage can also be added when needed without disrupting the network, eliminating downtime associated with server-attached storage.

NAS devices are plug-and-play ‘appliances’. The Set-up only requires connecting to the network, applying power, and performing a few mouse clicks.

As the fully integrated hardware and software are provided by NAS configurations, they are less complex to use than typical general-purpose network servers.

Performance. NAS systems off-load data from the network backbone by providing storage to a workgroup or a department on an independent, but connected, subnet or network division.

NAS separates file-serving services from application processing which is unlike Server-Attached Storage(SAN). NAS servers are not burdened by application function overhead, which improves the overall effectiveness of both the NAS and the LAN.

The application server is faster and the likelihood of a system crash is also lessened. In order to  automate backup functions and eliminate LAN backup traffic, administrators can use NAS-integrated tape devices.

Configure dhcp

August 29th, 2007

Here at Networkz IT Solutions, we have years of experience in performing the following tasks: - configure dhcp, setup dhcp server, configure dhcp server, dhcp troubleshooting.

DHCP resides at the very core of most organization’s infrastructure and can be a driving force in creating a productive, secure and reliable technology environment. A host of problems and associated costs may be created by a poorly designed and/or poorly implemented dhcp infrastructure.

Networkz helps customers avoid such problems by providing detailed design documentation, a comprehensive validation strategy, and a mature deployment plan, we also help you in assessing, designing and implementing the most effective solution for your organization.

Linux Server Support

August 29th, 2007

Our linux server support is available on all major Linux distributions, including RedHat Enterprise Linux (and its free alternatives CentOS and White Box), Debian, Ubuntu, SuSE, Mandrake, Slackware and Gentoo.

Linux server monitoring , linux restoring and linux recovery services are all offered by Networkz IT Solutions. With years of experience in supporting and implementing software applications in a wide range of client environments, we have also developed a reputation for our expedient and expert service. Our software support team is able to respond to your needs quickly and has the knowledge to start making it work for your business or enterprise.
Please contact us to explore the broad range of linux support solutions we can deliver for your business.

Software Requirement Specifications

August 29th, 2007

For software projects, according to the Standish Group, 31% of the projects are cancelled evn before the product is delivered to the customers, while 53% cost 189% or more of their original budgets. 40-60% of the software defects and failures are being attributed to poor requirements, thus reflecting the extent of the problem and the need to identify, communicate and manage software project requirements. That is why we at Networkz IT Solutions view the software requirement specification of any software project both large and small as a critical factor.

A software requirements specification is critical in order to understand the goals of the organisation and its customers and the transforming these goals into potential functions and constraints applicable to the development and evolution of products and services. Understanding the relationship between goals, functions and constraints in terms of the specification of products, including systems behaviour, and service definition are involved.

The motivation for programmes and projects are provided by the goals and they represent the ‘why’ and to a certain extent the ‘what’ in development terms. The specification provides the basis for requirements analysis, validating that they are indeed what your business stakeholders want, defining what needs to be delivered, and verifying the developed software product.

Establishing a common understanding between your business and Networkz is the aim of a software requirements specification so that all requirements can be addressed at an early stage in the project life-cycle and maintain control by establishing suitable base-lines for both development and management use. In short, a software requirements specification allows your business to know exactly what will be delivered, how it will be delivered and in what time frame.