A LAN design and construction services firm is someone you should consider hiring to design your network. It is not hard to build a simple network. It’s also relatively inexpensive to buy LAN equipment. However, if your LAN network encompasses many employees, applications and network devices, your network becomes complex. This is when a LAN design services firm should come in.

A LAN construction services firm consists of professionals who know how to design a LAN. One main reason for hiring a LAN management system company is security. The LAN design firm should recommend the best firewall software and firewall hardware, and implement layers of defense in your network infrastructure. If you’re looking to expand your network, this is where a LAN construction services firm can be of great value to you. LAN construction companies know what and how many devices should make up your network.

Below are the following reasons why you should consider hiring a LAN design company:

1. LAN design and construction services will design your network with LAN design software.
2. LAN design service ensures security for your network.
3. LAN construction services consist of experienced and licensed professionals.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Have your LAN construction company design your LAN with redundancy in mind

You want LAN construction companies to design and implement a network that will be redundant. Your LAN design company has several options when it comes to designing your network. The best option is to have your LAN design services design your network based on the star topology. That way, if a network device fails, it will not impact the network as a whole. Your network will continue to operate.

I recommend: Axis Technology designs LAN systems with redundancy. You will also want to check out AT&T. If you’re looking to upgrade your phone system, AT&T specializes in LAN-based IP telephony platforms.

Ensure your LAN construction services firm installs a software firewall application

You'll want the LAN network company to deploy a reliable firewall. Your LAN construction services can install a software firewall to protect your network. Use the firewall software as a wire LAN management system. You can set up what applications you want to be blocked from communicating on the Internet, and block uninviting traffic coming from the outside. Firewall-based software can block worms or viruses from spreading throughout your network.

I recommend: Look at Check Point Software Technologies' website; Total Internet Security is not just a firewall application, but it contains anti-virus, anti-spyware and identity theft protection components. Symantec Corp. makes Norton Internet Security. In addition to being a 2-way firewall application, it also has intrusion detection and advanced phishing protection.

Make sure your LAN design services firm installs a hardware firewall appliance

The LAN services firm should install a hardware firewall between the modem and network. It will be hard for a hacker to infiltrate your network because the hardware firewall device sits in front of your network. Features to look for in a hardware firewall device are content filters, Virtual Support Network support, and built-in stateful packet inspection. One main feature you must have is Network Address Translation services, which prevents your individual computers from being exposed to the Internet.

I recommend: Check out Secure Computing’s Secure Firewall (Sidewinder), which contains several features, including VPN support, employee filtering, and others. Many corporations use Secure Computing’s products, including telecommunications, banking, and health care. You should also look at Barracuda Networks’ Web Site Firewall. This product will protect your web applications and website; it improves your network performance and it’s also scalable.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Keep all of your anti-virus and anti-spam software applications up-to-date within the LAN design.