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Giga-Corp > Services > Small Office Network

We know it can be a challenge to implement TCO practices in a way that actually reduces cost. Giga-Corp solutions can help bridge the implementation gap through the use of technology, improved processes, and subject matter experts.

Our goal is to create financial advantage for our customers. We're committed to delivering a total cost of ownership that's among the industry's lowest, while providing the highest-value IT solution.

Increase revenue by reducing total cost of ownership
It’s ironic that as the price of system hardware drops, the real cost of owning and maintaining PC systems continues to rise. Industry experts estimate that purchase price accounts for only twenty percent of the total cost of ownership for personal computer systems. Learn how you can increase revenue by reducing the hidden costs of ownership for your IT resources.

Total cost of ownership—save money today and tomorrow
There's a lot of noise in the world around you affecting the strategic decisions you make today. Corporate mergers and acquisitions…market conditions that constantly change…industry efforts to attract and retain critical technical staff…internal pressures to reduce IT costs. Strategic planning for your IT resources has never been so involved.

You know that the price tag is only one way to measure the cost and weigh the real value of your IT resources. But do you realize the drastic impact other factors have on the real cost of your IT resources?

It costs more than the price tag says
GartnerGroup estimates that purchase price accounts for 20 percent or less of the total cost of ownership for a personal computer system. Ironically, though the price of system hardware has dropped, the real cost of owning and maintaining PC systems continues to rise. Industry experts say that a fully-loaded PC system could cost more than $10,000 (US) yearly to support and maintain—over and above its initial purchase price.

Companies spend approximately 4.5 percent of their total annual revenue on IT, according to GartnerGroup. To enjoy a higher profit margin and continue to grow your business, you must decrease your spending or increase your revenue. Research shows that to make a profit, you have to increase revenue by $100 (US) to return $7.50—but you only have to decrease your spending by $1 to realize gain of the same amount.

Scrutinizing your IT resources to find the best ways to control cost means that you have to get the facts about the real cost of owning and managing your IT systems.

Protect your business from hidden costs
Total cost of ownership includes direct costs—easily recognized and tracked—and indirect costs. Indirect IT costs actually have a bigger impact on your bottom line than direct costs, though it's harder to determine and measure them.

Direct IT costs include routine expenses for capital expenditures, labor, consulting fees, outsourcing, initial purchase prices, upgrades and maintenance.

Indirect costs cover an assortment of items you have to consider to assure optimal operation of your enterprise. These include:

  • Time your employees spend trying to support their own systems and their neighbors' systems
  • Down time
  • Insufficient IT support
  • Planned and unplanned outages
  • Securing systems against tampering and theft
  • Tracking assets for inventory and accounting
  • Preparing systems for business use
  • Customizing applications for your system
  • Customizing systems for various users
  • Integrating systems with your enterprise
  • Upgrading for more functionality
  • Protecting from viruses
  • Recovering from common failures or disaster
  • Retiring your older systems

Building your network for no-risk E-Business
Don't cut corners with cheap clone parts and unsupported hardware. Money saved on bargain buys, is like the tip of an iceberg -- you will be getting a lot more problems than you bargained for! Giga-Corp makes strong recommendations on types of hardware and software to purchase, so you will have a computing environment that causes no-headaches and cost little to operate. Our interest is not to make money by selling selling and selling. There is absolutely no problem if you purchase hardware and software that we recommend from other vendors, and still use our services to set them up for you. However, we can offer combined leasing rates and maintenance plans on entire solutions obtained in whole from us. Plus, things purchased from us are eligible for a full credit refund on any items that are inadequate for your needs.

There are two simple rules we direct our customers
#1 Knowing what your organization really needs. If both of us cannot justify a purchase of a product or service, and cannot find some way that the decision will benefit your needs, then it's of no value to you, and you don't need it. We have seen businesses waste thousands on a tape backup system that was difficult to use and it didn't even work.
#2 Going with the best of breed. Quality is more than just Total Cost of Ownership. It's the foundation that binds your organization together as a whole and makes it better and stronger than before. If your daily tasks depend on your computers to run it, this is where you have got the most to gain by making it the best. A machine only needs to break once to turn your day into a nightmare. All of the products and services we offer either come with free telephone technical support, or fee-based per-incident support. You will never be stranded with something you can't understand, and not be left with something that won't work.

Network Switch
The switch is box with a bunch of network ports it in, this is where we plug anything networkable into it. This is practically "the network". The switch directs electronic traffic from one device to another, such as a print command from your computer to the printer. A high quality switch ensures a reliable network that will always work. It's not funny to have your printer fail at 4:50pm, and you still have about 150 more Powerpoint pages to print out before UPS comes at 5:00pm to pick them up.

Network Switch Shopping List
> Kingston EtheRx 8-Port 10/100TX Fast Ethernet Workgroup Switch KNS800/WG
> 3Com OfficeConnect Dual Speed Switch 16 (10/100BASE-TX autosensing ports) 3C16735B
> Intel® Express 410T 24-port Standalone Switch ES410T24

Existing Network Hub
Older network boxes look similar to a network switch, and can be as old as 10 years. Although they share the same purpose as a switch, they work quite differently and are very unefficient. When we must, we can mix them to the new network.

Internet Sharing Modem
In the past, there have been many "software tricks" to share internet from one modem, like WinGate, SyGate, etc., and the biggest problem they face is that they require the reliability of all the computers they are installed on. Today there are special modems that are designed for internet sharing--with one internet account. They don't cost much more than a regular modem, and they are easy to use because there is no software to install on all computers that wants to use it.

Internet Sharing Modem Shopping List
> 3Com OfficeConnect® 56K LAN Modem 3C886A
> 3Com OfficeConnect® ISDN LAN Modem 3C892A

External Hard Drive Server
In the past, we needed a whole computer to be a "File Sharing Server". Not only was a whole computer a waste of money, this resulted in high maintenance costs, difficult troubleshooting, and if the computer crashed, everyone lost access to their files. Today, we have hard drives no bigger than a shoebox, that plug straight into your network, no mess, no brains required, just turn it on and it's a hard drive for everyone to use!

Network Hard Drive Shopping List
> Quantum Snap Server 1000 15Gb 5325301103
> Quantum Snap Server 1000 30Gb 5325301105

Printer Sharing Server
In the past, we needed a whole computer to be a "Print Sharing Server". Not only was a whole computer a waste of money, this resulted in high maintenance costs, difficult troubleshooting, and if the computer crashed, everyone lost access to their printer. Today, we have inexpensive little boxes that allow us to network your printer, that plug straight into your network, no mess, no brains required, and it's a printer for everyone to use!

Printer Shopping List
> Intel® NetportExpress™ 10/100 Print Server PCLA4461
> Hewlett Packard Jetdirect 300X External 10/100 Print Server J3263A
> Xerox Docuprint P1210 100S11380
> Xerox Docuprint N2125 N2125N
> Xerox Tektronix Phaser 850N Z850/N

Windows Server
The Server is a very powerful component of a network, and most people buy them for the wrong reasons. In the past, just about all "servers" were being used mainly for file and printer sharing. Now we have inexpensive devices that handle that on their own. Servers today are used for controlling password security in a network, they can have a tape to backup files, they can be a file sharing server with anti-crashing hard drives, they can be used as a back door for your network--something our technicians use to give remote technical support services. Because Windows Servers cost more than most other components in a network, its cost must be justified to be beneficial.

Server Shopping List
> Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 227-01439
> Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server 4.0 063-00256
> Microsoft Windows 2000 Server C11-01358
> Citrix Metaframe 1.8 for NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition ENCMET18015
> IBM Netfinity x-Series Servers with MS Windows 2000 Server
> Compaq Proliant Servers
> Mendax Intel Custom Power Servers

Windows Workstation
This is a business-class computer using either Windows NT or Windows 2000, and is as bullet-proof as it can be with minimal crashing (almost never) without reboots. Passwords protect the computers from unwanted users. Computers with Windows 95 or Windows 98 or Windows Millenium are not considered business workstations. Windows 95/98/ME is a home operating system, running computers in full throttle with the "pedal to the metal", which is great for speed but reliability is sacrificed. Choosing between Windows 95/98/ME and Windows NT/2000 is like choosing between driving your Ferrari to work or taking the city bus. We don't expect a city bus to get into an accident. This does not mean Windows NT/2000 is slow, imagine those city buses that move at 200 miles an hour.

Windows Workstation Shopping List
> IBM NetVista with Windows 2000 Professional
> Mendax Custom Power Workstation

Old Computer as a Windows Workstation
If there are old Pentium-class computers in the network, we can upgrade them from Windows 95/98 to Windows NT/2000, provided they meet the requirements. Since the reliabilty of Windows NT/2000 is compromised with old-hardware, this upgrade is not guaranteed.

Workstation Upgrade Shopping List
> Intel® PRO/100 S Desktop Adapter PILA8460C3
> Kingston's EtheRx PCI 10/100 Fast Ethernet Adapter (KNE100TX)
> Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
> Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional

Old Networkable Computer
Computers too old to be upgraded to Windows Workstations can be left as they are, provided they have a reason reason so stick around: they must still be useful and cannot cause continual harm to your organization. They can be simple machines used to surf the internet or check email, something that can hang around so people don't start borrowing your computer "because they want to check their email". Because these computers won't be using Windows NT/2000, they offer zero password security, and can be used to gain unwanted access to your network if left unattended. Schools often make the mistake by leaving old computers in the library "for student internet use", meanwhile a student uses it maliciously to change his school grades.

Specialty Appliance Server
There are special computers that are manufactured for just one task. Good examples are web servers, email "hotmail.com" servers, video broadcasting servers, and backup servers. They don't need a keyboard or a monitor, they get plugged into the network, and you just turn them on to get them to work. That's an appliance, right?

Server Appliance Shopping List
> HP SureStore AutoBackup C7444A
> Borderware Mail Gateway Appliance Server
> Symantec Antivirus Solution Appliance Server
> Onset Thrufax Appliance Server
> Artisoft Televantage Appliance Server
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