Archive for the ‘DIA’ Category

Dedicated Internet Access Overview

If your business depends heavily on the Internet, now is the time to choose a Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) service. As the name implies, Dedicated Internet Access is a very dependable and scalable Internet connection. With the right DIA solution, your business is guaranteed an excellent connection dedicated solely to you. With this kind of access, corporate customers can easily manage their office network with first-rate speed, low latency, and overall around-the-clock, reliable performance.

Dedicated Internet Access Service supports data and web-based applications – such as the Internet, e-mail, audio, video and other mission-critical network applications. An ideal solution to answer to the growing needs of your company, DIA is engineered to provide secure and reliable point-to-point connectivity between Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and corporate customers at minimal costs. The service is typically IP-based, so a connection can be made to any ISP.

EasyT1.net can assist you in choosing the most suitable DIA solution for your business needs.

Service Benefits of Dedicated Internet

High Quality Solution

DIA is designed to meet the vital needs of the e-commerce business. The quality of connections that businesses receive is monitored tightly, so they may host their own servers such as web, e-mail, FTP, reservation, intranet and extranet at the contracted guaranteed dedicated bandwidth.

Performance Excellence

Large files can be transferred between domestic and global locations with the support of DIA, minimizing or altogether eliminating your company’s incidents of data loss, jitter, and latency usually attributed to route congestion. Service Level Agreements may be given by DIA providers to benchmark service quality.

Quality Communications and Access Service

Access to servers are allowed even from distant locations. High speeds are available, and are scalable from 10Mbps to 10Gbps. With DIA, a foundation for Virtual Private Networking is created. If you already have VPN, DIA can be easily connected to the existing IP-VPN network.

Quality Support for Bandwidth-intensive Applications

Multimedia activities such as internet streaming, videoconferencing, distance learning, and webcasting are made possible via DIA.

Low Cost

Network costs are usually based on flat-rate tariff, making them predictable.

AT&T’s Managed Internet Service

AT&T’s Managed Internet Service (MIS) helps your business bloom with a secure and dedicated Internet connection that’s both resilient and optimized to continue serving your business needs in the face of infrastructure and hardware failures.

AT&T achieves this high-speed T1 capability with their unique, industry-leading OC48 / OC 192 IP Backbone. The multiple-ringed network is protected by a variety of security features to ensure the safety of both the hardware and the infrastructure of the line that your Internet relies on, making it ideal for any business that desires on a high-speed Internet solution bundled with world-class service.

Multiple Options

Your direct Internet access (DIA) option is designed to meet all of your critical broadband needs. AT&T has taken into consideration the possibilities of network failure and found ways of working around them. In the event of a failure, your continued network service will be achieved through AT&T’s Managed Access Redundancy Options (MARO) service, which gives your network multiple backup options.

Tech support experts are provided to assist you in setting up your redundancy solutions and designing the rerouting of your network when your main line fails – ensuring your traffic flow requirements are met. With AT&T, you can set up multiple routers for your line without having to leave the comfort of your office, and STILL get the unique network solution that works just for you.

AT&T provides a series of reliable rerouting points that let you isolate the error in your line without having to disrupt the rest of the network connection. You can set up:

  • Backbone node redundancy points, giving you the widest array of choices for your connectivity
  • Access router redundancy points, because sometimes the errors happen when you’re trying to access various sections of your line (which could occur at your own physical mainframe or in the access routers that connects your office to AT&Ts main network)
  • Automatic load-balancing options, letting you segregate your traffic through two circuits. This works as a backup solution for your main line, or backbone and access router redundancy points

Ease of use

Once your network has been set up, all you need to do is connect to the Internet and browse. You will never have to keep an extensive IT staff to take care of your DIA because AT&T’s customer support staff is available 24/7. Once you have an AT&T connection, you can rest assured that your business is in good hands.

Top 10 Things to look for when choosing an Internet Service Provider

When it comes to choosing an Internet service provider there are a multitude of options – both for the provider you choose, as well as the type of service. Before signing up with an ISP, take a close look at what each one has to offer, in order to be sure you get the services you need at a price you can afford.

10 Steps to Follow:

  1. Determine your budget. The faster your internet speeds, the higher the cost. Those on a tight budget have the more economical options of dial up or even a light version of DSL. Also, phone companies often give discounts for bundled internet and phone services.
  2. Look for ISPs with good ratings in your specific area. A number of ISPs may have great ratings in one area of the country but fail miserably in yours. A good idea is to talk with your neighbors or local businesses to find out how they feel about their ISP.
  3. Once you’ve begun narrowing your list down to the ISPs within your budget and with positive reviews in your area, check to see which of those offer special deals on bundled services. Most cable and phone companies offer bundled deals when you purchase phone, TV, and Internet services together, and give incentives for signing up for specific times, or contract lengths. But, as always, buyer beware – typically once that year is up you’ll find yourself paying regular price, which can be almost double.
  4. Next, take a look at customer support. Is it offered 24/7; how are they rated? Remember that a computer isn’t limited to breaking down from 9am to 5pm, and even the best and most expensive connections can experience technical issues or downtime. Know whether you will receive live support and/or email, and if they charge a fee.
  5. Decide the speed you need. Most ISPs offer plans with prices based on download speeds. Slower DSL (also known as DSL light) or cable speeds are the most cost-efficient for those only wanting to browse the web and utilize email. That being said, if you’re looking to play online games, transmit data or stream movies and TV, you’ll definitely want a faster Internet.
  6. Subsequently, see if they offer a free email account. Most ISPs offer at least one free email address. Others may provide more or charge a small fee for additional email addresses.
  7. Then, see which ISPs provide anti-virus email protection. Many viruses sneak onto a computer via email, and having it scanned before reaching your inbox offers an added level of security.
  8. Don’t automatically omit dial-up. With all the new advances in Internet services, dial-up has been given a bad reputation for quite some time. The truth is, there are still many parts of the country where dial-up is the only option, particularly rural areas. Aside from dial-up, satellite is a good – but expensive – alternative.
  9. Avoid usage caps. Occasionally ISPs will limit the amount of time you can use the Internet. Although not all ISPs have this, make sure to read each policy carefully to avoid any inconveniences.
  10. Look for a company that has an online bill payment option. Most large Internet providers do, while smaller providers, especially dial-up services, do not. Paying online is quick, saves paper, and just makes life a lot simpler.

10 Things to Consider When Choosing an Internet Service Provider

Having a small remote or home office can be a great productivity enhancer. That being said, it can quickly become an island without establishing a connection to your company’s main network. Although choosing an Internet Service Provider (ISP) might sound easy, there are many important yet often overlooked topics to consider in order for you to find your ideal ISP match.

Determine your needs

With the abundance of ISPs today, it may be tempting to just go with the quickest or cheapest option. While that could save you money in the short term, doing so could wind up causing you a lot more headaches—and lost productivity—over the long term. These are the 10 main points to consider when choosing your ISP:

  1. Price: Price is important, however, it should not be the single determining factor.
  2. Connection options: A dial-up connection is no longer your only option. There are many different speeds to choose from to meet your connection requirements, such as ISDN, cable, DSL and satellite.
  3. Features: Just like other vendors, ISPs vary in the options their packages include. For example, some ISPs offer static IP addresses, while others use only DHCP-assigned ones.
  4. Customer/technical support: Even the best connections experience problems, and chances are you will have a question or problem you need to address, which is why it is vital to have a professionally trained and dedicated staff capable of solving any problem at any time. BroadbandReports.com is a good place to go to find out about an ISP’s reputation for support, as well as performance.
  5. Performance: Whether you’re paying for a high-speed connection or just using dial-up, you should check the ISP’s track record for such things as uptime and overall throughput. For example, even when using 56-Kbps dial-up modems, you can often only connect at 28.8 Kbps or 33.3 Kbps because of the modems used at the ISP. Likewise, one ISP may provide three e-mail addresses for a single account, while another may offer five.
  6. Local access numbers: In most major cities, you won’t have a problem finding local dial-up numbers for an ISP. However, if you travel or if your remote office is located in a rural location, you may face long-distance charges.
  7. Viability: When selecting your ISP, do some checking to see how long the company has been around, their track record, and whether or not they received any awards. You might find a good ISP now, only to have it go out of business, forcing you to not only restart your search but modify configurations and transfer your Website and/or domain name.
  8. PC and MAC compatibility: It goes without saying that everything is PC compatible, but not all services are compatible with the Mac OS. If you know how to configure your remote access (dialer), you can make any of these services work, but few offer the accelerated service for Macs. If you are a Mac user, look for a service that gives good instructions on how to set-up your Mac for using their service.
  9. Email or Web Browser Advertising: Does the service include advertising at the bottom of your e-mails? Does the ISP insert any advertising or solicitation material on your web browser? Services that require you to download their software (other than a dialer configuration) will often alter your browser to be able to serve ads to you as you surf.
  10. Cancellation Policy: We seldom think of how to cancel when signing up for a new service, but it is something you should consider. Do they tell you on their web site how to cancel? Is there a penalty for early cancellation? Do they offer a 30 day money back guarantee? Some services are set as 12 month contracts and there is an early cancellation penalty. Make sure you know the policy and also the procedure to cancel before you sign up.

Make a list of all of your requirements and prioritize them. Then, compare those requirements with several ISPs that can meet those needs. Keep the list simple—don’t overwhelm yourself with too many choices and you’ll be sure to find the ISP that meets all of your unique requirements.

Verizon Internet

One thing average direct Internet access solutions have always lacked is full control over what goes into the connection and how it works. Verizon’s Internet service lets you chose the kind of service that is right for your business. In today’s fast-paced online marketing and e-commerce arena, having an economical solution custom-fitted to meet your needs is the edge you can use to gain leverage over your competitors.

Verizon allows you to configure your entire network, from protocol to circuitry. They offer a large variety of things you can customize on your line and guarantee the best service available– all with just a simple tweak of a few settings in your line. It’s that simple; and the rewards that you reap are the fruits of a system that works seamlessly with you to bring in maximum results.

A world of various choices

When you ask Verizon to help you set up a dedicated Internet connection, Verizon’s representatives will sit down with you and go over everything you’ll need. This means, for example, they will ask you what kind of dedicated access service you will need. If you’re looking for a low-end solution for your network, they will demonstrate how a T1 or a multilink frame relay service will do the job for you. On the other hand, if you’d rather go with a non-traditional connection method, they will help you set up an Ethernet connection for your system.

Should problems occur with the line at any time during the day, Verizon makes sure you are fully aware of how you can keep your connection alive – circuit redundancy is one way of ensuring your connection stays intact after a system fluctuation.

Connection rescue options

Verizon recommends you choose from three unique circuitry setup options for your connection. As before, the choices would depend greatly on what your business needs – if you can survive system downtimes once in a while, you can opt for a double circuit solution for your bandwidth. This is the simplest and most cost-effective way of transferring data.

A diverse circuit configuration supplies a redundant connection that reroutes traffic through another channel if your main line breaks up.

The best solution, however, is the shadow circuit, wherein a second line with speed equal to your main line is assigned to function as a backup solution when your network crashes. If this is what your business is looking for, then Verizon’s Internet solutions is what you need. Sit down with one of their customer support agents and find out just how much they can do for you.

SAVVIS Internet

SAVVIS is a provider of quality direct Internet access solutions, and it is their goal to ensure that once you connect to the web you won’t ever experience detrimental down time. Thanks to the power of their Tier-1 network, SAVVIS assures all of their customers they can provide an optimal solution to suit their unique requests. As far as their infrastructure, SAVVIS provides a connection sophisticated enough to adapt to the kind of Internet solution your business needs.

Tried and tested

SAVVIS has a history of being a valued wireless communication provider. Formerly known as Cable and Wireless America, SAVVIS owns one of the largest IP networks in the world. Their customers have access to SAVVIS’ network around the globe – from SAVVIS data centers within the wide area network, to hotel networks that are affiliated with SAVVIS.

If you have a small business with less than thirty employees regularly connected to the web, you won’t need a connection faster than your average T1 setup. The bigger your company is, and the more you rely on the Internet, the more you’ll need a faster, more versatile connection. SAVVIS works with you to find the ideal solution for your company.

No matter what the connection, SAVVIS will give you the choice to manage the network on your own or not. If you feel you need more assistance, SAVVIS will send you a team of specialists to put your connection in place. Also, technical support representatives are available online 24/7 to help resolve any issues.

Satisfaction from end-to-end

SAVVIS also provides their customers the opportunity to choose between two methods of payment. The first method involves a metered or usage-based way of calculating your expenditures. The second method is imposing a flat rate on your subscription regardless of usage. SAVVIS strives to offer their customers the most cost-effective way of staying connected and staying ahead of the competition.

Dedicated Internet Access

The fact is you cannot run a lucrative business these days without getting a high-speed dedicated Internet access for your office. Depending on how big your outfit is, you will need both a dedicated Tier 1 network and an Ethernet connection that will work for the specific needs of your office environment.

As far as Internet access goes, DIA connections are hands-down the best and most reliable options you can choose. The name itself says everything you need to know about the service – it’s a dedicated line for a variety of purposes designed to serve your office’s communications needs without having to rely on sub-par performance delivered by DSL or wireless broadband alone. This is because you’re connected directly to your ISP’s core network infrastructure, ensuring that you receive only the best in terms of performance and bandwidth scalability that you can get for your money.

Speedy surfing

T1 connections let your entire network access the Internet with a variety of speeds, depending on the structure and nature of your business. If you’re a company depends on regular surfing to get by, a standard T1 connection (1.5Mbps) will work, or if you really want a fast connection for all your units, go beyond T1 with an NxT1 option.

Of course, e-commerce outfits won’t be able to get by with just your standard T1 connection. That’s where the heavy hitters come in: DS-3 dedicated lines give you speeds of 45Mbps. Higher speed requirements will mean that you need to get a synchronous optical networking (SONET) line, reaching speeds of up to 2488Mbps burst.

You can also have an Ethernet system installed. These DIA solutions offer similar speeds as a digitally multiplexed system, and can be just as dependable. You can choose from a standard Ethernet connection, to a 10 Gigabit Ethernet system that will let you channel record speeds of 1000Mbps.

Do you need a DIA?

Asking yourself this question before buying a DIA might mean you need a high-speed Internet connection. But here are several other things you should ask yourself before looking through the available DIA products:

  • Are you running a business that relies heavily on streaming media?
  • Do you host your own unique servers?
  • Would you like to make the transfer of documents and information from one of your offices to others easier?
  • Do you rely on internal communication applications such as e-mail and web-based programs?
  • Are you interested in creating a virtual private network (VPN)?
  • Do you run a business that is in anyway dealing in e-commerce services?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, you will likely benefit greatly from a DIA setup. Take a look around, you’re sure to find the best service for your business.