For Orange County small business owners, sometimes it can seem like their IT people speak in a completely different language. “Your problem, Mr. Jones, is that your SaaS is locking up because your network doesn’t have enough bandwidth to send the data to the server.” (What??)
Server
A computer or software program that “serves” data to other computers on the network. Most websites and email exchanges are hosted on servers. Larger companies may have their servers onsite; most small businesses host their websites on external servers provided by whatever company is hosting the site.
Firewall
A piece of hardware or software designed to monitor your network and block suspicious types of traffic.
Bandwidth
This refers to the amount of data that can be transmitted over a network at any given time. The more people you have using the Internet at once, the more bandwidth you need to keep things running smoothly.
Cloud Computing
The practice of accessing and managing data, software and other IT services on remote computers (i.e., the “cloud”) via the Internet. A growing number of businesses are turning to cloud-based services because it is more cost-effective.
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Essentially, software that is rented on a subscription basis instead of purchased outright. SaaS products have become more common thanks to cloud computing. Updates are usually included and automatic, and subscription models make expensive software much more accessible to small businesses.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
A software program (often a Saas) that helps companies track and manage interactions with their clients and/or prospects.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
An encrypted internet connection that gives the user an added layer of security when using public or unsecured Internet networks (for example, when working on the wi-fi at a coffee shop).
Managed Services
Any service or function of your business that is outsourced to a third-party company, either for a small monthly fee or on a pay-as-you-go basis. Internet technology has made it much easier for Orange County businesses to outsource services ranging from payroll and bookkeeping to human resources and recruiting. NetServ offers managed IT services to businesses who don’t want the headache of configuring, maintaining or troubleshooting their own technology.
Even if you consider yourself to be technically challenged, NetServ is committed to helping you understand how to use your technology to your best advantage. If we can help, call us at 1-877-NetServ.