Networks > Getting A Network

Do you need a network?

By Lasa Information Systems Team

Not sure whether or not your organisation needs a network? This short article gives a brief rundown of the benefits.

An advice centre is located in an office split over three floors. The advice appointments diary was frequently lost because it was moved around so much. Standard letters were written and rewritten by all the advice workers, each creating their own copies. Half the workers had to carry floppy discs down to another floor to a computer that had a printer connected in order to print documents.

The answer to this organisation's situation may well be a network, also know as a Local Area Network (LAN).  This is a group of computers (usually) connected by cables within a limited area, such as an office or building. Here are some reasons why an agency might consider networking the office:

• Shared access to a database may make maintenance much easier and ensure that everyone has the most up-to-date details
• Templates for standard letters could be created to stop duplication of work.
• Connecting to the Internet via a network gives everyone Internet access
• E-mail access via a network can improve your ability to communicate both inside and outside the organisation
• Sharing printers across a network builds an environment more secure from viruses, often spread by floppy disc
• Backing up data on individual machines is both time consuming and unreliable - having the backup system installed on the network server can ease the process and give reliable results
• Antivirus software can sit on the network server, systematically checking incoming emails and individual PCs for signs of infection.

However, a network will not run without firm management. Procedures explaining how to backup, how to install Antivirus software and how to add new users onto the network are essential to the successful running of such a system. It is a complex process and somebody in the agency needs to take responsibility for carrying out the general tasks. For ideas on how to organise this have a look at the knowledgebase article Allocating and recognising responsibility for IT.

Developed in collaboration with Lasa's Rightsnet service