IP-Private Networks

01. What sort of connections do we need into our premises?
02. Does the IP Network support telecommuting?
03. Who arranges installation of the data connections?
04. What sort of service level agreement (SLA) does IP Systems provide?
05. Do the SLAs apply if we use other carriers for the last mile?
06. Do you resolve issues related to third-party last mile services?
07. How easy is it to administer adds, moves and changes for workstations on our network?
08. How do you back up data?
09. Are there cost advantages from using an IP Private Network?
10. Will inter-office data be more secure on an IP Private Network?
11. Will we notice any difference in the speed at which data is transferred?
12. Will we notice any difference in the speed of Internet access?
13. What will slow the speed of our Private IP Network?
14. How can I be assured that all back-ups have happened?
15. Does the transfer of data for back-up remain behind my Managed Firewall?
16. Can I administer firewall changes from anywhere?

01. What sort of connections do we need into our premises?You can connect each location to your private IP network with anything from standard ADSL through to an Ethernet or optic fibre connection. Obviously it is dependent on the likely peak demand for combined voice and data traffic .

02. Does the IP Network support telecommuting?Yes, this is a significant benefit of an IP Network solution. A home worker, for example, could connect to your voice and data networks with a single ADSL connection. The savings and ecological benefits of this approach are significant. IP Systems can also offer on-the-fly video conference solutions, enhancing the productivity of home workers.

03. Who arranges installation of the data connections?IP Systems can organize all the necessary connections, or reconfiguring of existing connections and routers. You will be appointed a project manager to coordinate all aspects of the design and configuration of your network.

04. What sort of service level agreement (SLA) does IP Systems provide?SLAs are offered across our core network for availability, response times for faults, round trip ping time and packet loss. We also provide an SLA on Internet access availability to core DNS servers.

Whilst our SLAs are at the top-end of industry standards we exceed these agreements in most instances.

05. Do the SLAs apply if we use other carriers for the last mile?SLAs are usually offered for an end to end service provided you use a business-grade service for the last mile.

06. Do you resolve issues related to third-party last mile services?Generally IP systems commissions all points on network and takes full responsibility for resolving issues with all the third party providers, including last-mile providers.

07. How easy is it to administer adds, moves and changes for workstations on our network?The IP Systems network uses multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) , a protocol that creates virtual links between points on a network. That means you can move workstations freely across the network with no concerns about private address spaces.

08. How do you back up data?IP Systems can back-up all elements of your network and the data on it. Each day we record an image of all routers, so if ever a router fails we can quickly restore the configuration and minimize the impact on your business. Our secure storage centre can back up data from your own computers and servers, with the peace of mind that data transferred for back-up remains within the security of the IP Systems network.

09. Are there cost advantages from using an IP Private Network?There are three cost advantages. First, when you use your IP Private Network for data and voice you will save on call costs and the costs associated with maintaining two distinct networks. Secondly, you will benefit with the efficiencies associated with the centralization of your data and applications. Software that might have been duplicated at multiple locations can now be stored in one secure location. Similarly, data that may have been stored in one of several data centres can be centralized, reducing maintenance costs and simplifying data and document management.

10. Will inter-office data be more secure on an IP Private Network?Yes. All your data, including email, can pass between each of your business locations without travelling across the open internet. This reduces the need for data encryption and reduces the risk of confidential data being sent without any form of protection.

11. Will we notice any difference in the speed at which data is transferred?In most instances data between locations on-net will transfer more quickly than if you were to transfer it across the public internet. The speed is obviously determined by the bandwidth available across your network and the priority you allocate to various types of data.

12. Will we notice any difference in the speed of Internet access?The IP Systems network is only one/two hops from an international Internet gateway. The speed of your net access will, therefore, depend on the size of your connection to the IP Systems network and the number of consecutive users at any particular time. The IP Systems network provides excellent internet connectivity which, as a business network, is not subject to the peak demands of consumer networks. That means our customers don't experience those times when all net surfing seems to slow to a trickle! We also provide an SLA guaranteeing a high level of connectivity to DNS servers, and we use a range of international links to ensure the continuity of access.

13. What will slow the speed of our Private IP Network?Like anything involving IP, speed is influenced by too much traffic over too small a connection. We attempt to manage this by ensuring there is sufficient capacity at each point on your network, and between your network and IP Systems. Peak loads can be managed by, for example, distributing incoming voice traffic between various locations. Data intensive activities, such as data back-ups, can be scheduled outside peak time to avoid impacting users.

14. How can I be assured that all back-ups have happened?IP Systems provides an online utility that allows you to review backups. You can see what time backups occurred, at which locations, and drill down as far as individual files to see when they were last saved on the Managed-Backup servers.

15. Does the transfer of data for back-up remain behind my Managed Firewall?Yes. This is a significant benefit in using IP Systems for data backup. All data transfers remain on-net, protected by your own Managed Firewall and the security of the IP Systems network.

16. Can I administer firewall changes from anywhere?Yes. You can set-up your firewall to be accessible from any on-line location although it is a common security precaution to only allow access from inside your network.