If you’re thinking about partnering your business with an expert-managed IT service provider like M247, understanding the differences between these network types is crucial. We have our own selection of managed WAN services, easily tailorable to your own business needs and requirements. 

In this blog, we’ll explore the key differences between WAN and LAN, showing you just how M247 can help modern businesses utilise these network types effectively. By the end of this page, you should have a much clearer understanding of LAN vs WAN, hopefully able to choose the right solution for your business needs.

If you’d like to find out more about our managed IT services, our expert team will be happy to help you – just get in touch here and we’ll see what we can do for you!

What Are the Key Differences Between WAN vs LAN?

Before we dive deeper into the world of LANs and WANS, it’s time to run you through the main question at hand: what are the key differences between WAN and LAN?

Both networking options are essential tools for modern businesses and organisations, but they differ significantly from one another. Here’s a detailed comparison of LAN vs WAN:

1. Geographical coverage: The main difference between WAN and LAN is that LANs are limited to a small area, whereas WANs can span across large geographical areas.
2. Speed and performance: LANs tend to perform better, as when using a WAN, the data often has to travel across large distances. WANs tend to be slower than LANs, with the latter offering high data transfer speeds and low latency.
3. Pricing and cost: WANs are more costly to set up and maintain than LANs, as they often require specialised equipment and the use of third-party services.
4. Ownership and control: LANs are typically owned and managed by your organisation, whereas WANs tend to rely on third-party managed IT providers.
5. Cyber security: LANs are easier to secure due to their limited reach and scope. As WANs need to protect your data over long distances, they usually require additional cyber security protection measures.
6. Best use cases: LANs are more suitable for internal communications and sharing resources within one location. However, WANs are best suited for connecting multiple locations together or people requiring remote access.

Hopefully, you should now have a better understanding of the difference between WAN and LAN. Next, we’ll explore these two network types in greater detail, which should hopefully help you decide which option is most appropriate for your business needs. 

We also offer our own managed WAN services, if you’ve already made a decision as to which solution is best for your company – please speak to our team on 0808 253 6500 to find out more.

What Is a LAN?

The term LAN stands for local area network – it’s a form of private network that connects devices within a limited geographical area.

LANs are specifically designed to facilitate communications and resource sharing among devices that are in close proximity to one another. In most cases, LANs are privately owned and managed, making them ideal for internal use within a small area like a home, an office or a building.

Here are the main characteristics of a LAN that you should be aware of:

• Limited geographical scope: LANs have a limited geographical scope, always covering a small area – usually within a single building, office or campus.
• High data transfer speeds: LANs also offer high data transfer speeds – in most cases, these speeds can range from 100Mbps to 10Gbps, such as our 10Gbps fibre leased lines.
• Low cost: Setting up a LAN is relatively inexpensive – particularly when compared to the cost of setting up and maintaining a WAN.
• Centralised ownership: LANs are usually owned, controlled, and maintained by the organisation using them, although this isn’t always the case. 
• Common devices: Common devices that can be connected to LANs include (but are not limited to) computers, video game consoles, printers, servers, and IoT (Internet of Things) devices.

How Are LANs Used?

LANS have many purposes, but they’re often used to connect devices within a limited area, such as a home, office, or school. LANs enable efficient communication and resource sharing within these spaces, allowing employees to easily share files, access centralised databases, and collaborate in real-time. Shared hardware items like printers, computers, and scanners can also be used via a LAN, reducing your operational costs and improving your overall efficiency.

In the home, LANs are more commonly used to connect devices like computers, smart TVs, video game consoles, and smartphones to a single internet connection. This approach allows multiple users to browse the internet at once, without needing several connections.

LANs can also be used to support smart home systems that use cloud services, enabling easy use of devices like security cameras, thermostats, and smart lighting tools. Whilst these technological advances are often used in the home, they may also have a purpose in the working environment. Overall, LANs can enhance productivity and simplify connectivity in one location, suitable for both personal and business settings.

What Are the Main Advantages of LANs?

Local area networks offer numerous advantages for the savvy business owner, making them perfect for resource sharing in the professional workspace. Let’s take a look at some of the main benefits when using these managed IT services for business:

As you can see, there are many pros and cons to using a LAN for your business. Now it’s time to move onto the world of wide area networks, hopefully helping you to make the right decision for your organisation.

What is a WAN?

A wide area network (WAN) is a type of network that spans a large geographical area, making it rather different to a LAN. A WAN can connect multiple networks together (including, but not limited to LANs), with many different types of WAN available, including managed SD-WAN services and MPLS IPVPN. 

WANs are specifically designed to ease communication, resource sharing and data exchange over long distances, making them particularly suitable for businesses with multiple locations or remote workers.

These are the main characteristics of a wide area network:

• A vast geographical scope: Unlike LANs, WANs cover large areas, such as cities, countries, or even continents (in some cases).
• Lower transfer speeds: WANs generally have lower data transfer speeds when compared to LANs, although this is highly dependent on the technology used.
• High costs: Setting up and maintaining a WAN is usually more expensive than a LAN, due to the need for specialised equipment and managed IT services.
• Third-party ownership: It isn’t always the case, but WANs often rely on third-party service providers like the skilled M247 team to manage their infrastructure and connectivity.
• The number of devices connected: WANs can connect multiple LANs, routers, and switches across different locations, combining numerous devices together.

Find out more about what is a WAN in our in-depth blog.

How Are WANs Used?

WANs have many purposes in the business world, enabling you to connect multiple devices and offices across several locations. Essentially, a WAN links a range of smaller networks together across large geographical distances. These connections are achieved through the use of switches, routers, satellite links, and fibre broadband cables. 

Your business data is broken into small data packets (with each packet containing source and destination addresses) – these packets are then sent on different paths across the network, depending on factors like congestion or availability. By doing this, WANs enable organisations and businesses to share resources, communicate effectively, and operate seamlessly across multiple locations around the world, making collaboration much easier.

Find out more about the different examples of WANs in our insightful blog.

What Are the Main Advantages of WANs?

There are many benefits to using a WAN for your business, enabling you to easily connect and communicate with other people in your organisation, no matter where they are located. Let’s take a look at the main advantages and disadvantages of WAN:

LAN vs WAN: Making the Right Choice for Your Business

The debate of LAN vs WAN isn’t necessarily about which option is better – instead, it’s about finding out which solution is more suited to your current and predicted business needs. It can be a difficult decision to make, but we’re sure that after reading through this blog, you’ll be much better placed to choose the right service for your company..

If your organisation seeks out expert guidance and support, partnering with a managed service provider like M247 could make all the difference, enabling you to focus on other pressing business matters. As a premier managed WAN provider in the UK, we offer a range of tailored solutions for our clients. Our solutions include proactive management, and 24/7 support, designed to ensure your network is always reliable, secure, and ready to meet the demands of your business.

The expert team at M247 has the expertise and tools to help you succeed in growing your business – contact M247 today to learn more about how we can drive your business forward.

The post WAN vs LAN: What’s the Difference Between Them? appeared first on M247.

Understanding the main discrepancies between SD-WAN and MPLS is key to making the right decision for your company and its network infrastructure. Both alternatives have their own unique benefits, making them suitable for different business requirements and needs. 

If you’ve already decided which option you’d like to integrate into your business, we can help you put your plan into action, as we offer both managed SD-WAN and MPLS services for our clients – just get in touch with our team to find out more.

What is MPLS?

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) is a form of networking technology that has been used for decades, with its popularity showing how important MPLS IPVPN can be for your business. MPLS directs data from one network node to the next, based on short path labels, instead of using longer network addresses. Using these labels speeds up your traffic flow and reduces latency, showing a major benefit of using this form of communication.

We offer a selection of tailored MPLS IPVPN services for our clients, providing a secure network that connects multiple locations using the internet.

How Does MPLS Work?

As previously stated, MPLS uses labels to create predetermined paths for data packets, instead of using typical network addresses. This process ensures an efficient and reliable delivery of your data, whilst also providing secure internet access.

The labels used are assigned to data packets at the ingress point of the network – routers along this network path use the labels to forward these data packets to their final destination. Not only does this process eliminate the need for complex lookups in routing tables, but it also results in a much faster and more predictable performance for all.

What Are the Main Pros and Cons of MPLS?

We’ve already briefly touched upon some of the advantages that MPLS can grant your business. However, there are a range of other pros and cons you need to be aware of that should hopefully help to make your decision easier.

What is SD-WAN?

SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) is a networking solution that uses software-defined networking principles to optimise your WAN management. Essentially, SD-WAN is a software-defined version of a typical managed WAN service. SD-WANs are different from MPLS as they use software to control and direct traffic across the network, whereas MPLS relies on hardware-based routing.

Find out more about what is a wide area network in our insightful blog.

How Does SD-WAN Work?

SD-WANs use software to connect networks across large distances. Multiple connection types can be used to do this, including MPLS, fibre broadband, and LTE, giving you many choices. 

SD-WAN was specifically designed to solve many of the problems associated with traditional WANs (wide area networks), improving network performance, redundancy, and bandwidth, whilst also centralising management.

What Are the Main Pros and Cons of SD-WAN?

SD-WAN has many tangible benefits for modern businesses and organisations, explaining why this WAN solution has become so popular in recent years. Let’s take a look at some of the key benefits and drawbacks of SD-WAN that you should be aware of before making your decision.

SD-WAN vs MPLS: The Key Differences

Hopefully, now, you should have a greater idea of what SD-WAN and MPLS are, which should have given you some understanding of which network solution is best for your company. 

When comparing SD-WAN vs MPLS, there are several key differences that may influence your decision:

1. The Cost of Each Service

One major difference between SD-WAN and MPLS is the cost of each service, as MPLS is typically more expensive to use. This is because it has a dedicated infrastructure that requires high reliability to run effectively. On the other hand, SD-WAN is more cost-effective, as this form of WAN allows businesses and organisations to use cheaper internet connections.

2. Network Performance

How well your chosen service performs is another important factor to consider, as it can massively affect your network performance. Technically, MPLS offers a more consistent performance, due to its low latency and high reliability, which makes it ideal for real-time applications.

SD-WANs can also provide a decent performance, but this isn’t always a given. With this WAN solution, you get dynamic traffic routing, which can improve performance in some cases. However, this largely depends on the quality of the internet connections you decide to use.

3. Scalability and Flexibility

If your business is predicted to grow shortly, you’ll likely want to seek out a service that offers a high degree of both flexibility and scalability. MPLS is a little less flexible than SD-WAN, due to its static, hardware-based architecture.

Scaling can be harder and more expensive with MPLS, as you may require additional hardware configurations to make it work properly. On the other hand, SD-WAN is highly scalable, offering you the ability to add new connections and locations quickly and efficiently.

4. Cyber Security

Cyber security is another main consideration when deciding between SD-WAN vs MPLS. Whilst both options can be made secure, MPLS is inherently safer, as it uses a private network architecture. 

However, SD-WAN usually requires additional security measures (like encryption and managed firewall services), to ensure your data is always protected. This is largely because SD-WAN can use the public internet – if you’re using SD-WAN over a private network or a business leased line, you may not have these security concerns.

SD-WAN vs MPLS: The Best Use Cases

Another factor that should be considered when deciding between SD-WAN and MPLS is what you expect to use your new service for. If your business uses a lot of sensitive data and you have a lot of information that must be kept safe, then you may want to choose MPLS over SD-WAN. Equally, if your industry has strict compliance and security needs (for example, if you’re based within the healthcare or finance sectors), you could benefit from an MPLS network. 

Likewise, if your company relies on the use of real-time applications like video conferencing functions and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), MPLS’s reliability makes the choice a no-brainer. If your network requirements are relatively static, MPLS can also be useful in providing consistent performance, without needing frequent adjustments over time. 

However, there are many situations in which SD-WAN might be the best choice to make. When using SD-WAN, you’re not tied to a specific internet connection. This means you can leverage an affordable connection to reduce your overall WAN costs – without compromising on performance. 

If your business has frequently changing network demands, then the flexibility of SD-WAN could also be for you – particularly if you have numerous branch offices or cloud-based services. If you’re heavily reliant on cloud services, SD-WAN is likely the best service for you, able to easily optimise traffic routing to and from the cloud for you. 

Can MPLS and SD-WAN Co-Exist?

SD-WAN and MPLS are often positioned as opposing forms of technology, but in the real world, they can co-exist and even complement each other, in some cases. For example, hybrid WAN solutions that integrate MPLS’ architecture now exist, combining the reliability of MPLS with the flexibility and price of SD-WAN. Taking this approach will enable you to use the strengths of both forms of technology.

There’s also nothing to stop you from implementing MPLS and SD-WAN into your business at the same time. For instance, if your business has mission-critical tasks that require guaranteed performance, MPLS may be the best choice. However, if you’re dealing with less sensitive data, or simply browsing the web, then SD-WAN may be useful.

Making the Right Choice for Your Business

Choosing between SD-WAN and MPLS ultimately depends on the specific requirements, budget, and long-term goals of your business. It can be a hard decision to make, so we’ve collated some key considerations together here to help you make an informed decision for your company:

• Assess your network needs: You should first assess what your network needs are, by determining the different types of applications and traffic your site relies on, as well as your managed cyber security and network performance requirements.

• Create a budget: Next, you need to work out what your budget is, taking care to think about the cost of software, hardware, and ongoing maintenance.

• Plan for the future: If you run a small business and there’s a chance your company may need to scale upwards in the future, it’s important to think about your scalability needs. 

• Consult with the experts: If you want to evaluate your connectivity options and design a solution that is tailored directly to your business, you should speak to a trusted networking provider like the expert team at M247.

The Final Verdict: SD-WAN vs MPLS

We’re down to the final verdict: which option should you choose – SD-WAN vs MPLS? 

Both options have their uses in the modern world of business – MPLS is a reliable private network for organisations that prioritise security, stability and network performance. However, SD-WAN is more modern, offering a flexible and cost-effective alternative for businesses with an existing WAN infrastructure. 

In the meantime, if you’d like to discuss your options further with our team to determine the best solution for your needs, we’ll be happy to help. Just remember – it’s not ‘one-size-fits-all’. However, we can still tailor your plan directly to your business, able to evaluate your current and future requirements carefully to always find you the best deal.

If you’re ready to get started, please don’t hesitate to contact our expert IT team for more information.

The post SD-WAN vs MPLS – What’s the Difference? appeared first on M247.

Understanding what is a managed IT service is key to your business success, as these services can take the hard work out of your hands, allowing you to focus on other more important business matters. For example, if you’re searching for managed SD-WAN providers, you will not have to spend your own time and resources managing your SD-WAN plan.

At M247, we’re a managed IT service provider, offering a vast range of solutions for our clients. Our specialist connectivity packages can be tailored and scaled to your every need, ensuring you get the exact services you require for your business.

If you’d like to find out more about how we can help your company grow, please get in touch with our expert team today.

What Is a Managed IT Service?

In layman’s terms, the phrase ‘managed IT service’ refers to the practice of outsourcing certain IT tasks and responsibilities to a third-party provider, usually known as a managed service provider (MSP). An MSP will proactively manage your IT operations, ensuring everything runs smoothly while also preventing potential issues from arising before they disrupt your business operations.

The managed services definition covers a wide range of IT functions and solutions, including:

• 24/7 network monitoring

• Data backup and recovery

• Managed cyber security services

• Cloud management

• Other IT services

Your MSP will be responsible for maintaining, monitoring, and securing the IT systems and processes you’ve included in your package, which enables your employees to work on other things. This approach to business continuity allows your organisation to focus on its core business functions, whilst still gaining the benefit of expert external IT support.

By using a managed IT service company like M247, you can reduce your business downtime, enhance your overall cyber security protection, and improve your overall efficiency as an organisation, showing that there are many benefits to these services. Most managed service providers work on a proactive basis too, which means they can identify and fix potential problems before they even become an issue.

Managed IT services also ensure that you don’t need to hire and rely on an in-house IT team that may struggle with complex issues. Instead, your business will benefit from round-the-clock support with a set SLA (service level agreement), the latest in cutting-edge technology, and a spectrum of specialised expertise.

We hope that this in-depth managed services definition has helped you to understand why these solutions can be so useful for modern businesses and organisations.

How Do Managed IT Services Work?

Naturally, every situation and business is different, which means that the managed IT service package you’re offered with one provider might differ from those provided by another company. However, some things usually stay the same.

Managed IT services typically operate on a subscription-based model – you’ll typically pay a fixed retainer fee each month for continuous IT support. Most providers use a proactive approach to IT, differing greatly from the traditional break-fix model, in which your IT support is only implemented when an issue arises. Instead, a good MSP should offer proactive ongoing maintenance, real-time monitoring, and strategic IT planning, stopping problems in their tracks before they’ve even started.

Whatever services you decide to implement into your package, they’ll usually be managed remotely by your MSP team, using advanced monitoring tools and software to detect and resolve issues before they escalate. On-site support can also be provided by some operators when needed, which can ensure your business receives comprehensive IT assistance around the clock, regardless of your location or the time of day. 

However, if you require something specific like on-site support, it’s best to check if your provider can offer this first, before committing to a contract. For example, if you’re searching for managed WAN services, you need to ensure your chosen provider can offer these solutions.

Ultimately, the managed IT services model offers a great deal of scalability and flexibility for modern organisations, allowing them to expand and reduce their IT support based on their evolving needs and seasonal changes.

Managed Services Examples: What Do They Usually Cover?

As we’ve briefly touched upon above, the scope of managed IT services can vary dramatically, depending on your chosen provider and the specific needs of your business. There is a wide range of services that can be included within your package, with each one usually being completely scalable to your organisation.

Here are some common managed IT services examples:

Network and Infrastructure Management

One of the main tasks your managed service provider can do for you is to monitor and maintain your network and your infrastructure, ensuring optimal performance and improved security for both your hardware and software. This service will usually include managing your servers, routers, switches, and data storage solutions, as well as offering managed colocation services and the use of data centres (if required).

At M247, we use a proactive approach to help us identify potential issues before they become a problem, helping businesses avoid costly downtime and connectivity problems.

Cyber Security Solutions

According to the National Cyber Security Centre, cyber threats are sadly on the rise, so it’s never been more important to implement managed cyber security services into your business. These solutions can implement a selection of security measures for you to safeguard your all-important business data., including:

• Managed firewall services

• Antivirus software

• Intrusion detection

• Secure internet access

• Vulnerability assessments 

If necessary, we can also provide employee training on the best security practices for your team, reducing the risk of phishing attacks, data breaches and other threat actors from having an effect.

Cloud Computing Services

The cloud is an important piece of office software used by most organisations in the present day. Managed cloud services provide businesses with a highly scalable and secure cloud infrastructure, which often includes cloud storage, virtual desktops, and an array of disaster recovery solutions.

Our cloud-based services also allow for remote access, facilitating a much more flexible and efficient work environment for your team.

Full Help Desk Support

Another service you should get included in your package is full help desk support, with 24/7 technical support usually offered by most MSPs to minimise the risk of disruptions.

Your employees will also receive much-needed assistance with software troubleshooting, hardware malfunctions, and system errors, ensuring productivity always remains high.

Data Backup and Disaster Recovery

Regular data backups and disaster recovery planning are essential, ensuring your business can recover critical information in case data breaches, system failures, or natural disasters occur. 

A good managed service provider should be able to offer secure, off-site storage solutions and automated backup scheduling to protect all your valuable business data.

Software Updates and Patch Management

Ensuring your software and applications are up to date is essential for the safe running of your business, reducing vulnerabilities and improving your system efficiency. These features may include things like operating system updates, security patches, and tools that optimise your performance.

Compliance and Regulatory Support

If your business operates in regulated industries (such as the healthcare or finance sectors), a managed service provider is essential for ensuring compliance with industry standards and data protection laws like GDPR. Not only will this help you comply with the law, but you can also avoid potentially hefty fines.

If you choose to sign up with an innovative managed service provider like M247, you’ll get a well-managed IT environment that covers each of the solutions mentioned above.

The Benefits of Using Managed IT Services

Now that you understand more about what a managed IT service is, you likely want to find out more about the main benefits it can provide your business.

Outsourcing your IT management offers the savvy business owner several tangible advantages:

1. Cost Savings

One of the biggest benefits of using a managed IT service provider is cost efficiency. Whilst you will have to pay your monthly subscription fees, your business can reduce any expenses related to hiring, training, and maintaining an in-house IT team. Your IT costs are also predictable, due to the subscription-based pricing model used.

2. Proactive Maintenance

Instead of waiting for things to go wrong, MSPs take a proactive approach to data management. This allows them to identify and resolve potential issues before they cause significant disruptions, reducing downtime and productivity losses.

3. Enhanced Security

With cyber attacks becoming more sophisticated in recent years, having a dedicated IT security team for your business is essential. Managed service providers can offer robust cyber security solutions, ensuring all your data remains protected from malware, ransomware, and other types of cyber threats.

4. Scalability and Flexibility

If you run a small business, there’s a good chance you’ll want to scale in the near future. Managed IT services offer flexible solutions for businesses looking to grow, able to easily scale up or down based on your unique business requirements. 

It doesn’t matter whether you’re expanding your operations or implementing new technologies either, as we can provide the necessary support for you regardless.

5. Access to Expertise

Another major benefit of using an MSP is that your organisation can take advantage of the knowledge and experience of a team of IT professionals who are experts at what they do. Your business will receive specialised assistance for complex technical challenges, without the hassle of having to train up an in-house team.

6. Improved Productivity

Productivity is a key part of any business, but it can be difficult to keep your team productive if they have too many tasks to juggle. If you have a reliable service provider handling your IT tasks, your employees can focus on your core business operations without worrying about IT-related disruptions.

7. Business Continuity

Business continuity planning is extremely important for modern organisations, and having a strong IT infrastructure is crucial for these tasks. Your managed service provider can provide backup and disaster recovery solutions, ensuring your company can recover quickly if unforeseen events like cyberattacks or hardware failures occur.

You can find out more about the other benefits of managed IT services here.

Is a Managed IT Service Right for Your Business?

We hope now that you understand how important a managed IT provider can be for your organisation. However, if you’re still weighing up whether you need one for your business, this next section may be of use. 

A managed IT service can be a valuable solution for businesses of all sizes, but determining if it’s the right fit for your organisation requires careful consideration before committing. If your business often experiences IT issues like slow systems, network outages or other technical issues, a managed IT service could be ideal, helping you to prevent these disruptions.

Regardless of whether you’re a small startup or a large enterprise, integrating managed IT services into your business can provide significant value if your company lacks the resources to maintain an in-house IT team. This point is particularly beneficial for small to medium-sized businesses – particularly if they don’t have the budget available to hire a specialised IT team.  

Another deciding factor for your business may be based on how much your organisation is predicted to grow in the near future. Scaling your company can be difficult, whether that includes expanding your team, opening up new offices, or increasing customer demand. You need to be able to keep on top of everything, and your IT infrastructure must keep up with the pace. Using a managed IT service can help you scale your business effectively, able to adapt easily to your changing needs. 

To determine whether a managed IT services provider like M247 is right for your business, you should start by assessing your current IT capabilities, as well as your business goals and pain points. If you’d like to improve your IT capabilities or you’ve found your business suffering from a selection of particular IT challenges (like frequent downtime or regular cyber attacks), your MSP could provide the full support and expertise your business needs to operate. If you specifically require something like managed wi-fi services, you should seek out a company that offers those solutions.

How Do I Choose the Right Managed IT Provider?

Once you’ve decided you’d like to hire a managed IT provider, it’s time to choose which company is right for your business needs. Selecting the right MSP is crucial for maximising the benefits of these connectivity solutions, with the team at M247 being experts in the field.  

Here are some key factors to consider:

• Service offerings available: First, you should ensure your chosen provider offers the exact solutions you require. Some MSPs specialise in certain industries or focus on particular IT functions, so it’s important to check this first.

• Experience and expertise: You should also look for providers with proven industry experience and technical certifications. A managed service provider with a strong track record is more likely to handle complex IT challenges better than a brand-new company.

• Opportunities to scale: If your business will need to scale in the near future, you should choose a provider capable of growing with your business. A flexible MSP should be able to adjust its services as your IT requirements evolve.

• Cyber security standards: Cyber security threats are constantly evolving, so you should always verify that your preferred provider follows the best cybersecurity practices surrounding data protection, encryption, and compliance with industry regulations.

• Support availability and response times: A reliable managed service provider should have fast response times and offer 24/7 support., like the team at M247. You should check out their service level agreements (SLAs) in their terms of use to find out more about your desired provider’s response times.

Ultimately, the decision is yours. However, if you decide to work with M247, we can help you to future-proof your business operations, reduce risks, and allow you to focus on growing your company whilst we do the hard work.

Hire M247 for All Your IT Needs

Hopefully, you should now have a much greater understanding of what managed IT services are, as well as whether they’re right for your business at this time. Essentially, they’re a strategic partnership of sorts between your organisation and a team of IT experts, providing a multitude of benefits for your business.

If you’re looking to streamline your IT operations and scale your company up, a managed IT service might be just the solution you need at the moment. As technology continues to evolve, we expect to see these solutions becoming even more important, so you can ensure your business stays ahead by adopting a reliable managed IT service provider. 

At M247, we’re a dedicated team of IT professionals who have been working in the field for many years. We can tailor your plan to your every need too – just get in touch with us to see how it all works!

The post What is a Managed IT Service? M247 Explains appeared first on M247.

For example, using managed SD-WAN providers gives modern companies access to expert IT support, a range of advanced technologies, and a proactive approach to managing their network infrastructure, enabling them to focus on more pressing matters. In this blog, we’ll explore the main 15 advantages that we believe our managed IT solutions can bring to your business.

If you’d like to sign up for some of our managed services, we can tailor a plan to your every need – please get in touch with our expert team to find out more.

Our Top 15 Benefits of Managed IT Services

It’s fair to say that managed IT services have truly revolutionised the way businesses handle their technology and connectivity needs, providing a flexible and scalable solution for all. 

If you’d like to find out the answer to the question of ‘what is a managed IT service? please see our useful blog.

By outsourcing your IT management protocols to a trusted provider like M247, your company can instead focus on its core objectives, while also enjoying dedicated support from our team of experts. Below, we’ve outlined our top 15 benefits of managed IT services that can really help your organisation thrive in the modern world of business. 

From budget-friendly managed WAN services to enhanced cyber security and beyond, these advantages help to showcase why our managed IT services are a real game-changer for companies of all sizes – no matter your industry.

1. Multiple Cost Savings

Managed IT services for businesses offer a cost-effective solution, providing predictable monthly costs that eliminate all the unwelcome financial surprises associated with maintaining an in-house IT department. 

Not only does this affordable model save you money in the long run, but it also allows your organisation to expertly allocate your IT budget more strategically. Your resources can be focused on your core business offerings, instead of wasting time and money on smaller, less important tasks. 

2. Access to Our Expertise

If you choose to use a dedicated IT company for their managed services, you will automatically gain access to a team of highly skilled IT professionals who are dedicated to what they do.

At M247, our expert team has all the skills needed to manage your IT infrastructure effectively, using our technical skills to conduct proactive monitoring that always fits with industry best practices. This expertise ensures that your systems and network are always maintained, updated, and optimised for the best performance, regardless of which services you decide to include within your plan.

3. Strong Cyber Security Measures

Cyber security threats are constantly evolving, which means you have to work hard to keep up with them. It can be a difficult task to achieve, which is where our managed cyber security services come in. 

We can help your business stay ahead of common cyber security challenges and threat actors by implementing advanced security measures, monitoring your systems 24/7, and responding to incidents swiftly to protect your data and network.

We provide 24/7 support with ongoing monitoring and regular cyber risk assessments to ensure your network is never compromised. If required, we can also teach your team with our cyber security awareness training, showing your employees how to check for vulnerabilities and prevent security breaches.

4. Guaranteed Uptime

Downtime can be highly detrimental to your business operations, potentially leading to financial losses and decreasing employee morale. This is another area in which managed IT services for businesses really shine, ensuring continuous monitoring and a quick resolution of any issues that crop up. 

Our proactive IT support system helps you to achieve guaranteed uptime and reduce the risk of network downtime, ensuring business continuity. Why not use our downtime calculator to see how our services can help your business?

5. Proactive Maintenance

Instead of waiting for something to potentially go wrong, a managed IT service provider will take a proactive approach to maintenance, identifying and resolving potential issues before they escalate into something serious. 

Not only does this approach help to avoid costly business disruptions, but it also reduces the chances of downtime and the risk of sensitive data falling into the wrong hands. Find out more about our managed firewall services here and see how we can help you stay secure with our 24/7 support.

6. A Selection of Scalable Solutions

As your business grows, your IT needs will likely evolve with it. One of the best things about using a managed IT service is that they usually provide scalable solutions, allowing you to adjust resources on the fly, without the need for major infrastructure changes.

When working with M247, we can tailor your plan to your every need, adding an extra layer of flexibility to every package. 

7. Focus on Your Core Business Activities

Outsourcing your IT management frees up your internal team, enabling them to focus on your core business objectives and other strategic initiatives. This approach should boost the overall productivity and efficiency of your workforce and organisation. 

Your IT infrastructure will still remain robust, but your business will now be able to allocate its resources and time more efficiently.

8. Gain Access to Advanced Technologies

One of the main benefits of managed IT services is that you’ll gain access to a range of cutting-edge technologies, ensuring your business stays ahead of the competition by deploying new innovative tools. 

Any good service provider will have access to the latest technologies and tools. What’s more is that they can handle all the updates, software patches, and system upgrades, so you don’t have to worry about falling behind or losing track of your software.

9. Full Compliance Support

Navigating the wealth of industry regulations and standards in your industry can be challenging, particularly if they’re complex. 

By using a verified managed IT provider, you can ensure your systems and network always comply with the relevant guidelines and legal regulations, protecting your business from fines and other legal issues. Not only will this compliance support reduce the risk of potential fines and penalties, but it will also ensure your business retains a positive reputation for your clients.

10. Centralise Your IT Management

Utilising managed IT services for businesses can also enable you to centralise your IT operations, allowing you to create a unified system that is easier to monitor and manage. 

This streamlined, centralised approach to IT management and managed wifi should make running your business much less complex and make things much easier to control in the long run. 

11. Improved Disaster Recovery and Backup Solutions

Having an advanced backup and disaster recovery strategy is imperative for every organisation utilising online connectivity, ensuring your data is always protected. Innovative disaster recovery services can ensure all your data and software can be restored quickly, in the event of a cyberattack or a total system failure.

When using a managed IT solution, you should gain access to a comprehensive data backup and disaster recovery plan, which your service provider will manage for you.

12. Better Vendor Management

Maintaining vendor relationships is an important part of your business operations, but dealing with multiple hardware and software vendors and providers can be frustrating and time-consuming.

However, when using a managed IT provider, you’ll have just a single point of contact, streamlining all your vendor communications and negotiations in one place. Your managed IT team will also act as a vendor management service, allowing you to put your time into more important business matters. 

Find out more about our partner programme here.

13. Increased Employee Productivity

Keeping employee morale high should be a key factor in your IT approach. After all, the higher their morale, the more productive your team is likely to be.

Using reliable IT systems managed by an external IT service provider can reduce many of the frustrations caused by downtime and technical issues. This means that your employees can work more efficiently on key tasks with fewer interruptions, leading to a much higher level of productivity.

14. A Variety of Customisable Solutions

One of the best things about using managed IT services for businesses is that they are not a one-size-fits-all solution. Most providers will offer a broad range of customisable packages that can be tailored to your unique business needs, ensuring you only pay for the services you require.

This is also useful if your business is expected to grow over the next few years, as we can scale our services depending on your expectations and requirements. Regardless of whether you require managed colocation services or are simply looking for business leased lines, we’ve got you covered.

15. Get the Competitive Advantage Over Your Rivals

With so many businesses and organisations out there at the moment, ensuring your brand is ahead of the competition can be a difficult task to achieve.

By using a managed provider with reliable IT support and access to advanced technology solutions, your business will have the skills needed to innovate, adapt to predicted market changes, and stay ahead of your rivals more effectively.

Invest in a Managed IT Provider Today

As we’ve now seen, there are many key benefits of managed IT services, which can help your organisation stay relevant and competitive in the modern business world. If you decide to use a managed IT provider like M247, you’ll get all these benefits and more, making for a scalable solution packed with enhanced security features and cost savings. 

Partnering with M247 will enable your team to focus on their core business operations, whilst still ensuring your systems remain optimised and compliant, unlocking a wide range of advantages for your company. 

If you think you’re ready to start reaping the benefits of using a managed IT service, we’ll be happy to help you streamline your IT operations – please contact us here or get in touch at 0808 253 6500 and we’ll get started!

Additional Reading:

• Understanding What a Firewall Does
• The Types of Cyber Security Available
• Colocation or Cloud?
• Leased Line vs Broadband?

The post 15 Benefits of Managed IT Services appeared first on M247.

A point-to-point (P2P) network enables communication between two distinct points, evolving as a fundamental part of both business and home connectivity. This blog will fully explore point-to-point networks, showing you how they work, what their key advantages are, and how they can be applied in modern communication infrastructures.

If you’d like to learn more about M247 and how we can benefit your business, we’ll be happy to help – please get in touch today on 0808 253 6500.

What Is a Point-to-Point Network?

As previously stated, a point-to-point network is a direct connection between two network devices (often two computers), providing a dedicated data transmission path. P2P networks make communication straightforward and efficient, as they involve a one-to-one link, offered by a range of dedicated internet providers. 

Various connection mediums can also be utilised, including:

• Fibre optic cables

• Copper wires

• Radio connectivity

• Satellite links

Point-to-point networks are commonly used to establish communications between sites that require constant and reliable data transfers. Common examples include connecting two offices, two data centres, or a company headquarters and their branch offices.

Two managed SD-WAN providers can also be linked if each site has an SD-WAN edge device that establishes a dedicated connection with the other site, linking both points together.

The Key Characteristics of Point-to-Point Networks

P2P networks have several key characteristics that may be an advantage to your business:

• A dedicated connection: You’ll always have a dedicated communication path between two endpoints when using a P2P network, ensuring your data is sent directly without any interference.
• Simplified communication: As only two points are involved with these networks, you can easily simplify the communication process, enhancing your data transmission speed and reducing latency.
• A private network option: Point-to-point networks are often used to establish private communication channels – these channels are usually secure and resilient to external threat actors.
• Increased reliability: Point-to-point networks are less susceptible to congestion and failures caused by other forms of network traffic, due to their dedicated connection.

As you can see, there are many reasons to integrate a point-to-point network into your business operations.

The Different Types of P2P Networks

There are three main types of P2P connections available, with each one serving a set of unique needs and purposes:

• Wired point-to-point networks: As you might expect from the name, wired P2P connections use physical cables to link two devices, such as Ethernet or fibre-optic cables. They’re often used for business applications relying on high-speed data transfers.

• Wireless point-to-point networks: Wireless P2P networks use radio waves, microwave frequencies, or satellite signals to communicate. They’re often used in places where it may be difficult or costly to lay physical cables, such as in remote rural areas.

• Virtual point-to-point networks: Virtual P2P networks are usually created using VPN (Virtual Private Network) technologies over the internet. They offer both flexibility and security, simulating a dedicated point-to-point connection over a public medium.

How Do I Set Up a Point-to-Point Network?

Setting up a point-to-point network can be a complex task, as it requires careful planning and the right combination of equipment, which will depend largely on the type of P2P network you want to set up. There are several considerations you’ll need to take into account to ensure your network is suitable for your business needs.

1. Choosing the Right Equipment

Choosing the right equipment for your P2P network is imperative to its success. For wired connections, you’ll need to integrate high-quality cables (such as fibre optic or Ethernet cables), as well as devices like routers or switches to manage your data flow. Ethernet cables are often used for shorter, high-bandwidth needs, whereas fibre optic cables may be utilised for long-distance, high-speed connections.

If you’re setting up a wireless P2P setup, you’ll need to acquire antennas, wireless transmitters and receivers. You’ll also need to ensure your equipment is compatible with the distance you will be covering, as well as the frequencies available in your location.

2. Ensure You Have Adequate Bandwidth

Having the correct amount of bandwidth is a critical factor for your point-to-point network, ensuring the connection you choose can handle your data management needs. 

If your company has high data demands, fibre-optic or high-speed wireless options may be ideal. Underestimating the amount of bandwidth you require can lead to a poor user experience and slow performance, so it’s important to get this right the first time around.

3. Optimise Your Network for Cyber Security

Cyber security is a primary concern when setting up any new network, and point-to-point connections are no different. When setting up wired networks, physical security measures (for example, secure cable management and restricted access to network hardware) are essential security tools. 

For wireless point-to-point networks, you should instead integrate encryption protocols like WPA2 or WPA3, safeguarding your data during transmission. VPNs can also add an extra layer of protection when using virtual P2P networks. 

4. The Testing and Troubleshooting Stage

Once you’ve set up your new P2P network, it’s time to implement the testing and troubleshooting stage. You should run a series of diagnostic tests to check for several key factors that affect your network performance, including your signal strength (when using wireless networks) and your data transfer rates. 

You should also troubleshoot any issues that arise relating to signal dropouts, interference, or hardware malfunctions, ensuring optimal performance for your brand.

What Are the Advantages of Point-to-Point Connections?

Point-to-point connections offer several key advantages for the savvy business owner, making them a popular choice for modern organisations. Not only do these networks provide secure, reliable connections with minimal interference, but they also ensure data is transferred quickly, giving you a range of business benefits. 

In this section, we’ll highlight the main benefits that make point-to-point networks an efficient solution for all your networking needs:

• High speeds and low latency: P2P networks are ideal for businesses that need ultra-fast connections, such as 10gbps internet. They offer high-speed data transfers with minimal delays and low latency, making them suitable for real-time applications like video conferencing and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). 
• Increased security: Point-to-point networks are extremely secure, due to their dedicated link. The risk of data interception or unauthorised access is low, as no other devices can access the connection, unlike shared internet access connections.
• Cost-effective for remote locations: Laying traditional wired cables can be expensive and difficult in remote and rural areas (particularly if the existing broadband infrastructure is limited), making wireless P2P networks much more affordable and efficient. 
• Scalability and flexibility: Point-to-point networks are flexible and scalable, as they can be easily expanded by adding more dedicated links. Your network infrastructure can be scaled upwards as your business needs grow, without significantly altering your existing setup.

As you can see, these advantages make point-to-point connections extremely beneficial when implemented into your business operations. 

The Main Applications of Point-to-Point Networks

Point-to-point connections have a broad range of applications in the business world. These networks provide businesses with a tailored solution for a variety of diverse industries, regardless of whether you need to link several remote offices or facilitate the secure communication of sensitive data. 

Here are some of the main applications of P2P networks: 

• Business communications: Point-to-point networks are widely used in corporate office settings, connecting multiple office locations and data centres. This approach ensures that critical communication and data exchange remain consistently secure and highly efficient. 

• Internet service providers (ISPs): Point-to-point connections are often used by ISPs to deliver internet services to customers – particularly in rural or remote areas. P2P networks can provide a stable and reliable internet connection without having to depend on traditional fibre broadband methods.

• Telecommunications networks: Telecom providers may use point-to-point network technology to create backhaul links between cell towers, ensuring that mobile data services remain fast and reliable.

• Disaster recovery and backup systems: Point-to-point networks can also be used to create backup connections between data centres and link your disaster recovery sites, ensuring all your business operations can continue uninterrupted – even in the event of an outage.

If you want to find out more about the difference between a leased line or broadband, our in-depth guide may be of use.

The Future of Point-to-Point Networks

As we’ve now discovered, point-to-point networks are a vital part of the modern communication infrastructure, providing businesses and their customers with a reliable, secure, and high-speed data transfer solution. We expect that point-to-point connections will become increasingly more versatile and accessible as time goes on, due to upcoming technology advances.

Whilst P2P networks do come with their challenges, the benefits far outweigh the negatives, making them a popular choice for various sectors across the business world. Their scalability and flexibility make these networks suitable for organisations seeking to expand globally in the future too, offering a robust communication solution to boost your organisation. 

If you believe your business could benefit from a dedicated P2P network, we may be able to help you – please get in touch with our expert team and we’ll see what we can do.

Additional Reading:

• What is Dedicated Internet Access?
• The Difference Between Gigabit & Gigabyte
• Dark Fibre Explained

The post Point-to-Point Networks Explained appeared first on M247.

We’ve created this blog to give you all the information you could ever need to know about wide area networks, exploring the various advantages of WAN, as well as some of the key challenges this form of technology can bring.

In the meantime, if you’d like to find out a little more about how our WAN solutions work, we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have – please make an enquiry with our dedicated team here.

What Is a Wide Area Network (WAN)?

Before implementing a WAN into your business, it’s important to understand exactly what is a WAN and how this form of internet technology works.

A wide area network (WAN) is a type of network that spans a large geographical area, allowing its users to share numerous resources (such as files, servers, and applications) across the globe. This factor means that WANs are a crucial form of internet technology for businesses with remote offices, international teams, or global operations.

One of the main defining factors of WANs is their ability to transmit data by using a variety of public and private communication channels, including dedicated business leased lines, fibre optic broadband cables, satellite links, and other types of internet connections.

The Advantages of WAN

There are several key advantages of WANs that can benefit modern businesses and organisations, particularly companies seeking to connect multiple locations. As you’ll see in the examples of WAN below, these networks enable organisations to expand their reach (both nationally and globally), improving their operational efficiency as part of the package.  

Let’s explore some of the key advantages that make WANs an essential solution for modern businesses.

1. Global Connectivity

One of the key benefits of WANs is their ability to seamlessly connect multiple locations across the globe. Regardless of whether your business has offices spread across various cities or whether it operates in several countries, a WAN ensures seamless connectivity for everyone, due to its extensive global network reach.

This form of global connectivity gives your teams the ability to collaborate in real time, enabling them to share resources and access centralised data, regardless of their physical location at any given time.

This level of connectivity is invaluable for modern companies, enabling seamless and efficient operations across borders. Another major benefit of WANs is the fact that customer service can be improved massively, enabling employees and consumers to access vital information quickly, no matter where they’re based.

2. Resource Sharing is Made Easier

Using a WAN enables businesses to centralise their key IT infrastructure, sharing resources easily across multiple locations. These resources can include hardware equipment such as servers and databases, as well as software applications, all of which can be hosted in a colocation data centre or the cloud.

This form of centralised resource management can reduce duplication and improve productivity and consistency throughout your organisation, as all employees will have access to the latest data and tools required to do their jobs properly.

In addition to this, a wide area network also allows for easier data backups and disaster recovery protocols – in case of emergencies, critical information can be stored centrally and accessed remotely.

3. Increased Scalability 

Another key advantage of WANs is that they are highly scalable, which is essential for businesses expecting to grow and expand in the future. As your company opens new locations or hires remote employees, your wide area network can be easily expanded to include new branches or facilities, without having to make significant changes to your existing network infrastructure.

This form of scalability makes your business much more flexible and is particularly beneficial for companies with existing long-term growth plans. This is because your WANs can be easily adapted to meet an increased demand, without requiring a complete overhaul of your network infrastructure.

4. Enhanced Cyber Security

Although cyber security concerns are sometimes raised about WANs, they’re often designed with robust security measures, ensuring that your data is always protected. By using the right security protocols (such as managed firewalls, encryption, and VPNs), your data can be protected from unauthorised access and a range of other cyber threats.

Private WANs are particularly useful in this regard, as they offer a much higher level of security than public networks that use the internet. With a private WAN, you can guarantee the use of dedicated connections (such as wireless leased lines), which are not shared with other users, ensuring your data remains secure and reliable at all times.

5. An Affordable Price Point

While the initial setup cost of a wide area network can be expensive to start with, over time it should become much more cost-effective. With a WAN, you can centralise your resources and reduce the need for separate internet systems in each business location, allowing your company to save money on its IT infrastructure, maintenance, and operational costs.

If you decide to transition to a cloud-based WAN or a software-defined WAN (known as SD-WAN), you may find your system is even more affordable. Managed SD-WAN providers use public internet connections and software to optimise the traffic routing procedure, making for an even more cost-effective service.

The Main Disadvantages of WAN

As you can see, WANs offer many tangible advantages for the savvy business owner, although there are also several drawbacks you should consider. From potentially high setup costs to network performance issues, your organisation must weigh up the main disadvantages of WAN to decide whether it’s the right choice for your business needs.

1. Increased Installation Costs

We’ve already seen that WANs can be cost-effective in the long run. Whilst this is still true, the initial setup costs and ongoing maintenance fees can be expensive. If the necessary infrastructure needs to be installed (including things like leased lines or fibre optic broadband cables), the cost can be significant, especially if your business uses several locations. 

Additionally, you’ll also need to hire a team of skilled IT personnel to monitor performance, manage security, and troubleshoot any issues. These upfront costs can be a huge barrier to small businesses attempting to adopt a wide area network, although it can provide a good return on your investment as your network needs increase.

2. Navigating Network Complexity

WANs can be rather complex to manage and configure – particularly when you’re connecting multiple locations and integrating different technologies into your infrastructure. This means that your organisation must ensure that all parts of your network communicate efficiently with one another, which may require specialised expertise and dedicated resources.

This network complexity can be further increased if you opt for a hybrid network or want to incorporate cloud computing services into your network infrastructure. You’ll also likely need to have a team constantly monitoring and adjusting your network to ensure nothing hinders your performance, regardless of the number of devices and platforms being used at once.

3. Latency and Performance Issues

Another factor that can negatively affect network performance in WANs is congestion and high latency. If you have several devices and users accessing your network at the same time, this can lead to your bandwidth becoming strained, which in turn leads to slower speeds and reduced efficiency. 

These performance issues can be particularly problematic for businesses that rely heavily on WANs to transfer large amounts of data or run cloud-based applications. However, you can mitigate these issues by investing in innovative solutions like MPLS or SD-WAN – the latter can prioritise traffic and improve performance, even during high-demand periods.

4. Vulnerability to Cyber Threats

Although they can be easily secured using encryption tools, firewalls, and VPNs, WANs remain vulnerable to cyberattacks – particularly if you’ve only implemented weak security measures. In these situations, hackers can target different points within the network, allowing them to breach your cyber security and gain access to sensitive data.

To mitigate these risks, you need to invest in advanced protection tools, employee training and regular security audits. We also offer our own managed cyber security packages, if you’d like our help with managing malicious activity. Please see our handy guide to find out more about the benefits of managed IT services.

5. Dependence on External Service Providers

When setting up a WAN, most businesses rely on external service providers for their WAN infrastructure. Whilst there are many good vendors out there like M247, relying on third-party providers can be a drawback if your provider experiences technical issues or outages, as these issues may also affect your performance.

This dependence on external providers can make businesses particularly vulnerable to external factors outside of their control, so it’s important you choose a highly rated provider like M247 to set up your new wide area network. 

Weighing Up the Benefits and Drawbacks of WAN

As we’ve seen, there are many advantages of WANs, as these networks can offer tremendous benefits for organisations that need to connect multiple locations and streamline their business operations. WANs provide global connectivity, scalability and the ability to resource share, making them critical in today’s digital world. 

However, businesses must also consider the disadvantages of WANs, including high setup costs, their relative complexity, and the potential performance issues that can come with managing these networks. By carefully assessing your business needs, you can ensure that you find the right solution for your needs, whether that’s through MPLS IPVPN or a managed SD-WAN service. We have a variety of managed IT services available, able to tailor your package to your every need.

At M247, we offer a wide range of managed WAN solutions, able to create the perfect package for your business needs. If you’d like to find out more about how it all works, please get in touch with our expert team today.

The post The Advantages & Disadvantages of WAN appeared first on M247.

Otherwise known as a WAN, a wide area network is an important form of internet technology that is designed to connect a range of devices, systems, and people over large geographical areas. WAN services offer many tangible benefits for modern businesses, including the ability to easily share information quickly and securely in multiple areas across the globe.

In this blog, we’ll explore the key fundamentals of wide area networks and assess their advantages and real-world applications, helping you understand why these connectivity solutions are so important in the modern business world.

If you’d like more information about how our managed WAN services work, our expert team will be happy to help – please get in touch to find out more. 

Wide Area Networks: Explained

If you’ve found yourself wondering, ‘what does WAN stand for?’, it’s simply the abbreviation for wide area network. A wide area network is a form of network technology that spans across large geographical areas. WANs usually connect a range of smaller networks, such as local area networks (LANs) or metropolitan area networks (MANs). 

However, LANs are often confined to a single location like an office or a home. In contrast, WANs enable communication and data sharing between users and systems located across multiple cities, countries, or continents, offering greater connectivity for your organisation.

Wide area networks rely primarily on telecommunications infrastructure to transmit their data, including things like satellites, fibre optic broadband cables, and mobile networks. This makes a WAN ideal for companies reliant on seamless global operations, remote offices, and employees working from different locations. In fact, the internet itself could be considered to be the largest example of a WAN, connecting millions of smaller networks around the globe.

Understanding what a WAN is and how it works is the first step towards grasping its significance in global communication, enabling modern businesses, governments, and individuals to stay connected – regardless of their location.

How Does a WAN Work?

Typically, wide area networks function by linking a range of smaller networks together, using a variety of innovative technologies and protocols.

WANs usually utilise the following connectivity solutions:

• Dedicated leased lines: Dedicated leased lines provide a private, high-speed connection between different locations, usually with high SLAs (service level agreements).
• Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS): MPLS is a method that directs data efficiently through a network, able to speed up and manage network traffic quickly and efficiently.
• Virtual Private Networks (VPNs): VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) are used to create secure, encrypted connections over public internet infrastructure, protecting your privacy.
• Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN): SD-WANs are a form of advanced WAN technology that uses software to intelligently manage WAN traffic. Find out more about our managed SD-WAN services here.

When using a WAN, all data is transmitted in packets across the network, travelling through routers, switches, and any other devices used until it reaches its destination. WANs are known for being particularly resilient (even if hardware failures occur), ensuring that your data can always be rerouted through alternate paths, and maintaining connectivity throughout the entire network.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Wide Area Networks

Now you should have a greater understanding of what a wide area network is, which may help make the decision process easier for you. However, if you’re still not sure whether a WAN is right for your organisation, it may be worthwhile to go through the main advantages and disadvantages of these networks to ensure you get the best solution for your business needs.

Let’s take a look at some of the main advantages and disadvantages of WANs.

The Key Benefits of WANs

WANs have remained popular since their inception, offering numerous benefits that make them essential for modern businesses and organisations:

• • Seamless global connectivity: WANs are essential for enabling seamless communication across the globe, allowing numerous systems, offices and teams to connect with each other across multiple locations. This means that businesses can operate much more efficiently, regardless of where they’re based.
  • Centralised data management and resource sharing: When using a WAN, your network can be managed from a central location, making maintenance and cyber security much easier. Resources such as servers and applications can also be shared across multiple locations, simplifying collaborative tasks.
  • Scalability and flexibility: WANs are both flexible and scalable, easily adapting to your company’s growth in real-time. New locations and users can also be connected without having to make significant infrastructure changes, enabling consistent communication and a high network performance.
  • A cost-effective solution: WANs often use cloud computing services and optimised technologies, which means there is less of a need for expensive physical infrastructure and hardware. This makes a WAN a practical solution for businesses of all sizes.
  • Innovative security features: Another major benefit of using a WAN is that it usually comes with a selection of high-security measures and features (like managed firewalls and encryption), protecting sensitive data at all times. 

As you can see, WAN technology can be extremely beneficial to your business, regardless of its size.

Understanding the Challenges Associated with WANs

Whilst WANs clearly offer many benefits for modern organisations, there are some drawbacks that you need to consider before implementing a new wide area network into your business plan.

Some of the main challenges associated with WANs are:

• High infrastructure costs: Setting up and maintaining a WAN can be expensive – particularly if you use a WAN with advanced features like SD-WAN. Specialised hardware may also be required to correctly implement your choice of WAN solution.
• Potential security risks: Whilst WANs do come primed with cutting-edge security features, they can also be prone to cyber security threats, due to the number of connections in use at any given time. 
• Network complexity: Managing a WAN can be difficult, often requiring specialised skills due to their complexity. This is particularly true for larger networks that utilise fibre broadband, the cloud and MPLS IPVPN services.
• Latency and performance issues: Transmitting lots of data over long distances can sometimes result in delays, impacting performance and leading to latency. Video conferencing and VoIP calls may be affected by slow connections.

Whilst these challenges can cause issues for your business, investing in advanced technologies and skilled personnel can help you reduce the risk of problems arising, alongside regular monitoring.

How Are WANs Used in Everyday Life?

WANs are an integral factor in various industries, enabling global business operations to flourish. WANs have many applications, but they’re often used within the following industries:

• Healthcare: WANs are often used within the healthcare world to connect multiple hospital locations, share patient data securely, and facilitate telemedicine platforms.
• Education: Universities and schools in the education sector rely on WANs for centralised learning materials, including online learning platforms and resource sharing.
• Retail: WANs are used by retail chains to manage inventory, process transactions, and monitor business operations across their stores. WANs can also be used to monitor the supply chain, offering real-time tracking for orders.
• Finance: Financial institutions like banks and building societies rely on WANs for real-time transactions and secure internet access around the world.
• Government: WANs are also extremely useful for global governments, supporting seamless communications and data sharing, no matter the distance.

These examples highlight just how important WANs are in supporting a variety of industries and applications across the globe.

Wide Area Networks: The Backbone of the Modern World

Wide area networks play a major part in modern connectivity, giving both individuals and businesses the opportunity to communicate with each other across large distances. Hopefully, by now, you should have a greater idea of what a wide area network is and why they’re so important, giving you the knowledge needed to source the best WAN solution for your business needs.

Regardless of the size of your organisation, WANs are the backbone of the modern world, enabling businesses to scale effectively as needed. Whilst there may be some challenges that need to be overcome, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks, offering a flexible solution for both global enterprises and small businesses. 

At M247, we’re experts in the world of connectivity, offering a vast range of internet services and solutions. Two of our main WAN solutions are our managed MPLS IPVPN and managed SD-WAN offerings, with each option having its own set of advantages.

If you’d like to see how we can help your business, our expert team will be happy to help – please get in touch with us here. 

Additional Reading:

• Examples of WANs
• Dedicated Internet Access Explained

The post What is a Wide Area Network (WAN)? appeared first on M247.

The Everything ICT Framework streamlines procurement, allowing for competitive bidding or direct awards to acquire hardware, software, AV, and cloud services while ensuring compliance with UK procurement regulations. With over 6,000 education institutions already utilising the framework, public sector organisations can rely on its value-driven and compliant solutions.

Our comprehensive portfolio includes ultra-fast and secure connectivity, scalable cloud hosting, advanced cybersecurity, proactive managed IT support, unified communications, and IoT technologies. These solutions are designed to enhance efficiency, bolster security, and support digital transformation for public sector organisations.

Pete Wakelam, Managing Director at M247, commented: “Joining the Everything ICT Framework marks a significant milestone for us. It enables M247 to deliver secure, scalable, and innovative ICT solutions across the UK public sector. This partnership underscores our commitment to providing technology that drives value, efficiency, and collaboration.”

Everything ICT Spokesperson
“We’re pleased to have M247 on board with the Everything ICT framework. With expertise in connectivity and cloud services, backed by 24/7 support, we think they’ll be a valuable addition to our network of 200+ approved suppliers.”

The post M247 Approved as a Supplier to Everything ICT: Delivering Cost Effective ICT Solutions for the Public Sector appeared first on M247.

Both terms refer to two unique approaches to tackling the challenge of efficiently managing, organising and extracting value from your data, with each method differing from the other in several ways. There’s nothing to worry about if you’re new to the world of data mesh and data fabric though, as we’ve created this page to guide you through each concept in full.

At M247, we offer a wide range of solutions for modern businesses and organisations, including data management & cutting-edge colocation data centre services. To find out more about how we can help you, why not get in touch with our team?

Data Mesh vs Data Fabric: What’s the Difference?

So, data mesh vs data fabric – what are these two data products and how do they compare to one another?

Essentially, data mesh takes a decentralised approach to data management, focusing primarily on domain-driven design. Instead of relying on a central team or a data lake (which is a centralised system that stores, processes, analyses and secures huge amounts of data), data mesh principles empower individual business teams to own their data as a product.

In simple terms, data mesh is an approach to managing data and data products where each team in your company is responsible for handling their own data. Every team handles their own part of the data, instead of having one central team to manage it all, making the process much easier to use. With this approach, your teams can work independently from one another, using the power of big data to make key decisions.

A data mesh approach offers a great deal of scalability and flexibility for modern organisations, based on four key principles:

• Domain-driven decentralisation: This principle ensures your data is owned by those users who understand it the most
• Data as a product: Data is treated as a product (instead of using data management as a service), whilst other teams within your business are treated as customers.
• Self-service data platform: A self-serve design is used that allows decentralised data domains to communicate with each other
• Federated governance: Data governance standards are implemented to allow the many decentralised domains and data products within your data mesh design to work together.

How Does Data Fabric Compare?

Data fabric, on the other hand, is a unifying logical architecture designed specifically to create seamless data integration across diverse systems and environments. Advanced technologies like AI (artificial intelligence), automation, and metadata management can be used to create a connective layer that enables data to be accessed and used in real time. Your data operations can be simplified with a data fabric approach, ensuring that all your data, (regardless of where it came from) is interconnected and readily available to all users and applications who might need it.

In layman’s terms, a data fabric system connects all the different data sources in your business, helping your teams to find and use data from anywhere in your company – even if some of the data is stored in different formats or systems. Essentially, this form of data platform architecture works like a network of data, making it much easier to analyse and share as needed.

Both data mesh and data fabric help businesses and organisations to use and manage their data more effectively, but in different ways. 

How Do Data Mesh and Data Fabric Differ?

Both data fabric and data mesh are different ways in which businesses can address the challenges that arise in data management and architecture. However, one of the main differences between both data processes is that data fabric largely uses a centralised model, with data mesh instead advocating for decentralisation and a domain-driven design.

The other key differences between data mesh and data fabric you should know about are:

• A unique architectural approach: As previously stated, data mesh processes prioritise decentralisation, with data being owned by the individual teams that use this data the most. However, data fabric creates a centralised system that connects all potential data sources within your business into a data network.
• Distinct focus areas: Data mesh and data fabric also have distinct focus areas. With data fabric, modern technologies like AI and automation are used to collate and organise data, whereas data mesh is more concerned with how your teams are organised and work with your data.
• Scalability and flexibility: A data mesh approach usually suits businesses that have clear team structures and require flexible data needs. On the other hand, data fabric methods are often suited to companies with numerous, scattered data sources that need to be connected.
• Complexity and challenges: Data mesh implementation is complex and typically requires a significant cultural change for your business, as well as a high level of cross-team collaboration and teamwork. On the other hand, data fabric instead requires advanced technology and a suitable infrastructure, as well as expertise in automation and AI.

These are the main differences between these two forms of data technology. Hopefully, you should now have a greater understanding of which option is best suited for your organisation.

Data Mesh vs Data Fabric: Are There Any Similarities?

While data mesh and data fabric are both very different data solutions, they do share several key principles and goals, aiming to improve data usability and accessibility for the user:

• Data access: Both methods aim to make data more accessible to teams and stakeholders within an organisation, enabling them to use data and gain new insights with ease
• Scalability: As your business expands, so do your data capabilities. Both data mesh and data fabric are scalable, enabling your teams to handle more data as your company grows.
• Eliminate silos: Both approaches have a core objective of breaking down silos, connecting data across your business through either integrated data systems (data fabric) or team ownership of data (data mesh). Connectivity is promoted with both options, unifying data to make better decisions when required.
• Governance and security: Data governance is essential for ensuring compliance, governance and cyber security within your business. With both data solutions, you can ensure your data is always managed securely and complies with legal regulations, as well as keep your data private.
• Increased efficiency: Reducing the reliance on silos and streamlining your data processes naturally increases the efficiency of your business, removing unnecessary barriers and making data integration and accessibility much easier.

Data mesh and data fabric may involve two rather different methods but it’s clear to see that their long-term goals are largely the same.

The Benefits of Data Mesh vs. Data Fabric Explained

Now that you understand exactly what data mesh and data fabric are, we should go through the main advantages of both systems to ensure you utilise the right solution for your data needs. 

Data mesh has several key benefits, making it particularly useful for organisations that need to prioritise agility and domain-specific data management programs:

• Improved scalability: With data mesh, data ownership is spread across your team, enabling them to manage their own data and quickly scale as needed.
• Gain faster data insights: Decisions can be made much more quickly without waiting for central approval due to the decentralised data governance on offer with data mesh.
• Increased accountability: Each team is responsible for the reliability and quality of their data, fostering a positive work culture of accountability and honesty.
• Improved resilience: The risk of bottlenecks is decreased due to the decentralised ownership used with a data mesh approach, improving IT resilience. This means that your data mesh teams can operate independently from one another, so challenges in one domain do not slow down other teams.

However, data fabric also offers a range of unique benefits for organisations that manage diverse and distributed centralised data environments:

• Integration made seamless: With data fabric, all your data sources are connected smoothly to ensure a consistent flow of information across your systems and platforms.
• Real-time access on demand: Advanced technologies can be leveraged in real-time when using data fabric, ensuring that your users and applications always have access to the most up-to-date data, making for much faster decision-making processes.
• Reduced complexity: AI and automation-based processes are used to make managing complex hybrid and multi-cloud environments easier, saving you valuable time and resources.
• Get ready for the future: Data fabric is flexible enough to handle and manage new data challenges as they arise, adapting well to evolving data landscapes to ensure your business can meet future data challenges with ease.

Choosing between data mesh and data fabric will depend largely on your organisation’s goals, size, and technical capabilities, but it isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly. If your business prioritises domain-specific agility, then you may benefit more from data mesh. On the other hand, if you have several diverse data sources that require seamless integration, data fabric could be ideal.

You may even find that combining both approaches gives you a competitive edge in the market!

Making the Choice Between Data Mesh and Data Fabric

We hope this page has clearly outlined the key differences and similarities of these two data solutions, showing you which system might best suit your business needs. Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, as both approaches offer their own unique advantages and requirements. 

However, by understanding these differences, you should be able to determine which method is right for your needs. Regardless of whether you choose to go for data mesh or data fabric (or even a combination of the two), sourcing the best approach can help you modernise your data architecture and business.

At M247, we’re an expert team of connectivity and data consultants, using our combined skills to boost the stature of every business that works with us. We can help keep your data safe through our managed cyber security services, as well as offering data management for a range of companies.

Ready to get started? Just call our sales team on 0808 253 6500 or contact our dedicated team here.

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For most business owners and their employees, knowing the basics is often enough. However, understanding how these power systems work can help you choose the right services for your organisation, such as our full-service, innovative colocation hosting services. 

If you’d like to find out more about how our solutions work, we’ll be happy to help – please get in touch here for more information.

What’s the Difference Between Single Phase and Three Phase Power?

So, exactly what is single phase and three phase power?

The term ‘single phase power’ refers to an alternating current power circuit with two wires – one wire is the neutral wire, with the remaining wire being the single power wire (sometimes known as the one phase wire). Because there is only one power wire, single phase power provides one alternating current that flows in a consistent wave, useful for providing electricity and power to a standard home.

On the other hand, three phase power uses three power wires to deliver electricity. The electrical currents are staggered to provide a more stable and consistent connection for commercial and industrial purposes.

Single phase power typically operates at a lower voltage, making it more suitable for smaller loads. However, three phase power ensures a steady flow of power, which makes it particularly suited to industrial and commercial settings like power distribution units (PDUs) in data centres.

How Are Single Phase and Three Phase Power Applied in Practice?

1 phase and 3 phase power are usually used for different applications, with each one being suitable for different purposes. As previously stated, single phase power tends to be used for residential power supplies, whereas three phase power is more suitable for industrial buildings and commercial environments like colocation data centres.

In most cases, single phase power supplies are used for lighting and heating loads, whereas three phase power supplies will often be utilised for higher loads such as electric motors. A three phase power supply will also usually be used for situations where even brief power interruptions could be highly detrimental. 

Examples of these facilities include hospitals and power plants, both of which require constant power to function properly. 3 phase connections can also carry up to 415 volts (as opposed to the 230 volts that 1 phase power typically reaches), making it more suitable for applications requiring a higher voltage.

However, despite being largely used for domestic power distribution systems, single phase power can still be used for office environments. What’s even more interesting is the fact that three phase power can be converted to single phase power. If you only require one phase power, converting can have many benefits:

• If you have three phase power but need to use single phase equipment, converting can ensure your compatibility needs are met.

• Using three phase power can be expensive if it’s not required, so converting to single phase power can help you save money

• Converting to single phase power can also simplify wiring and make maintenance easier.

Which Power Configuration Do Data Centres Use?

Typically, data centres and colocation hosting facilities use 3 phase power. This configuration is commonly used to deliver electricity and power to data centres, as well as a range of other industrial buildings that have a high level of demand. 

Data centre design tends to be vast in terms of size, meaning that huge amounts of electricity are required, as well as a stable connection. This is because even the slightest interruption could have an immensely detrimental effect on the businesses involved. On the other hand, residential buildings are less vulnerable to power outages like this, so there’s little need for 3 phase power in homes.

It’s worth noting that three phase power supplies usually require higher insulation costs than their 1 phase alternatives, which may make it harder for homeowners to afford these configurations. However, with a data centre, the cost for the resources is split between the different companies hiring the facility, splitting the cost further.

Essentially, a three phase power supply is much more efficient than a single phase power supply, making it more suitable for facilities that require Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) like our colocation hosting data centres.

1 Phase vs 3 Phase Power: The Benefits of Each Power Configuration

There are many benefits to using 1 phase and 3 phase power – which one you choose to go with will depend largely on your own personal circumstances and business needs.

As you can see, both three phase and single phase power have their own unique advantages. However, we recommend using single-phase power for general home and office use, with three-phase power being more suitable for large industrial settings.

Make the Right Choice to Power Your Future

We hope that the dilemma of single phase vs three phase power has now been solved for you, with this blog acting as an in-depth guide into the subject. Unless you’re running a large facility where uptime is a must, you’ll likely want to choose single phase power for your business or office space.

If you’d like to see some of the benefits of 3 phase power but it’s out of your budget at the moment, our colocation hosting services may be of use. At M247, we’re a premier connectivity partner based in the UK, offering a range of innovative solutions for modern brands, including our business leased lines and our managed SD WAN services.

To see how we can help your business grow, please speak to a member of our dedicated team here.

Additional reading:

• What is a Hyperscaler?
• What is a Patch Panel?

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