Trust the Pros at NDS with Your IT Upgrade

If you have the slightest inkling that it may be time to upgrade your business IT services, you’re probably right. Technology is evolving more rapidly than ever before, and it is crucial for companies to maintain the tools necessary for employees to work at peak performance.

The most important factor when planning an upgrade is determining what you need technology to do for your business. Then you can choose the solutions to help reach your goals. And Network Data Services, with its top-notch IT consulting services, is committed to making sure you meet and exceed those goals.

Regardless of how many options there are, some things remain constant.

  • Hardware – Although sometimes we can integrate solutions into your IT plan that don’t require new hardware or limited hardware, this is an essential part of an effective technology plan. Desktop computers, laptops, mobile phones, printers – the list goes on and on – provide the proper tools to save time and work more efficiently. Hardware should be easy to use and rugged enough to withstand your working environment.
  • Software – The growth in Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) products online has given small businesses access to powerful software at lower prices. From hosted email to accounting software delivered over the Internet, SaaS is flexible and growing, and can be a good companion to traditional software. When selecting software, consider ongoing fees and upgrades, read reviews, and talk to other business owners.
  • Marketing – The use of IT in marketing is bigger than ever before, particularly among social media outlets. Businesses can email newsletters, take advantage of mobile marketing, and maintain websites that provide a global reach. It is important to set your marketing goals, and find the appropriate technology to support them.
  • Upgrading – When IT begins to negatively affect productivity, it’s time. Consider an upgrade cycle, perhaps every two to four years, due to ever-improving software and tools. Technology should allow you to use the best solutions for the job.

Call us today at 501-758-6058 to discuss a custom solution for your business, or contact us here.

Industry Experts Address 2014 Networking Trends

As Little Rock’s leading provider of computer network solutions, Network Data Services is dedicated to staying ahead of the latest technology trends. Because our team has extensive knowledge of current approaches to networking services, we can guarantee our clients the best IT experience possible for their businesses.

This year’s Interop conference recently was held in Las Vegas. It is an exclusive networking event for professionals to examine the industry and the direction IT is heading in the future.

There was much discussion concerning many issues. But we’ve narrowed it down to three topics that seemed to create a common theme, in terms of what consumers can expect in 2014.

  1. A mobile workforce is no longer an idea – it’s a reality. Your company’s IT team should be focused on embracing this mobility. One mistake to avoid, however, is dictating the technology workers can use. Instead, experts suggest offering employees choices in technology approved for work.
  2. The cloud is rapidly emerging as the dominant model for delivering services. The movement was spurred by the Software as a service (SaaS) market, which allows companies to use applications and software through a web browser. Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is predicted as the next major cloud adoption, allowing businesses to outsource their compute processing and storage needs. Platform as a service (PaaS) is a method of building and running applications in the cloud.
  3. Industry experts say data centers will continue to be necessary, but there is an enormous demand for distributing processing on a global basis. In a cloud-based environment, the network must be able to evolve and handle the load from a world of connected devices. One technology for accomplishing this, which was spoken of at great length, is through a relatively new networking model called software-defined networking (SDN). More companies are developing SDN products, but it remains a fragmented market.

We provide computer network solutions that are best suited to your business, offering custom solutions for all your IT needs. Call us at 501-791-7902, or click here for more information.

(Sources: networkworld.com, itbusinessedge.com, abiresearch.com, computer.org, baselinemag.com)