magic1host.com/blog

With the public sector actively evaluating the idea of shared network resources, it makes sense for them to choose dedicated fibre as the enabling technology.

Across the public sector, from local authorities to central government departments, various public sector policies and a number of other business drivers have led to an explosion in the amount of data these organisations need to network.

In addition to this increased level of data traffic, the cost of managing this new infrastructure has had to be delivered using existing rather than new budgets.

It is a familiar story for public sector bodies, well used to facing demands for better front line services while back office budgets are under constant scrutiny and constraint.

A solution to this data networking impasse currently being considered at local and national level is the adoption of a shared service infrastructure, allowing traffic from separate departments and authorities to be aggregated in order to achieve best value.

It is now understood that a logical way to operate this shared service model is over one dedicated fibre network, allowing an important degree of control not delivered using a mishmash of existing bandwidth suppliers.

It is also clear that it is not only the largest public sector networks that can benefit from such a model, but also smaller communities within the public sector that share the same drivers and can gain from an integrated infrastructure that reduces overall operational complexity and cost.

Across the range of public sector organizations, fibre is now the fundamental transport platform for large scale data transfer. It has practically unlimited capacity capability, and by controlling exploitation of the dedicated network, the ability to deliver significant capacities at exponential growth rates is created.

Some of the benefits of a shared infrastructure model that uses a dedicated fibre network for transport include:

Future-proofing: Dedicated fibre is a platform built for the future, designed to take advantage of technological transformations easily and at no additional network cost. An investment in fibre is a long term investment.

Easy budgeting: Cost attribution across a network between member organisations with different usage patterns and budget constraints is easy. Owning and controlling a dedicated fibre network, allows users the flexibility to allocate costs across multiple drivers. The most obvious method is usage based attribution. A dedicated fibre network allows different levels of segregation of service, with clear initial and growth cost parameters, making accounting for cost much more straightforward than traditional network management.

Wide partner involvement: As well as central and local government, partnership organisations are easily admitted to the community of interest. The increasing number of PPP initiatives means that the circle is widening and greater demand for synergies of operation among like-minded organisations is a reality. Being able to segregate into discrete and secure ‘networks within a network’ allows this to happen.

High security: A shared infrastructure involved no compromise in security. A dedicated fibre network is the most effective solution combining the inherent security advantages of optical fibre (difficult to intercept, potential to detect all major methods of intrusion), with completely segregated and secured electronics.

Sharing for success

A shared service infrastructure model may be adopted locally, with adjacent local authorities sharing a network in order to bring data communications costs down. This could then be extended across a whole county or metropolitan area and include education, healthcare and emergency services within the region. This will enable a shared infrastructure model to make the best use of money invested.

The basic principle of shared infrastructure underpinned by a single dedicated fibre network is equally relevant to central government. The Government Communication Network (GCN) is an existing example of how different departments can agree on the procurement of a network on a national basis.

A track record

Shared service networks can not only deliver cost reductions but also aid regeneration of areas by enabling local access.

Geo has a track record in delivering both these benefits, and builds networks that benefit diverse users across a wide area. FibreSpeed, for example, is a high performance, open access network that Geo is currently constructing in North Wales with investment funds from the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and central government.

FibreSpeed is a good example of a public sector-funded project designed to be open to many different users, stimulating social and economic development in a part of the UK not well served by next generation communications networks.

No Comments »
Filed under: Computers & Technology

Whether you are male or female, a mom or a dad, balancing career and family can be really difficult. When you’re a woman, though, the choices you have to make seem especially difficult and the responsibilities all the more great. For some reason, women are guilt-ridden with their career decisions and the choices they make about working while trying to raise their children, providing nutritious meals for their family, keeping a respectable house and keeping their husbands happy. Last on the list, of course, is finding some time for themselves. So how does a woman find time to actually feel happy with her daily activities while keeping up with all of the responsibility?

First, take time to smell the roses! Literally, you can take time to smell the roses but you can actually do this with no flowers in sight. Every day, try to look around and appreciate what you have, taking in the sounds of your child’s laughter, the wag of your dog‘s tail, the special glance of your husband as you tell a funny joke. Sometimes, the knowledge of what you have on your plate for the day will feel overwhelming, but a little perspective goes a long way. It may be a clich and a very tired phrase, but it truly does work. People tend to get lost in the mundane, day-to-day “functioning” instead of really living their lives. For example, next time you are worried about fitting in your exercise with your child’s play date at Little Gym, forego the Little Gym and head out with your son or daughter for a run. Strap the little one in the jog stroller or if he or she is old enough, ask them to put on the running shoes with Mommy and head outside! Once outside, you can literally stop to smell the roses. Just a few minutes of gratitude a day will work wonders for your soul and automatically make your life feel more balanced.

Along these same lines, try and give yourself some “me” time once a week. Once a week may not seem like much, but if you really allow yourself to soak it in and enjoy the time spent, it will make the stress of all of the rest of the hectic days melt away. Take a good block of time on a Saturday or Sunday – 2 hours, maybe – and mark this time in your calendar in pen, not pencil. Keep a standing appointment with yourself, and honor it as you would any other. Think you are too busy on a weekend to do this? You will feel much more productive the rest of the weekend allowing yourself this little ‘refresher’, rather than trying to cram some time in on a random Tuesday or other weeknight. For this special time, you can book a massage or a facial at your favorite spa. Take a couple of hours to go window shopping at your favorites stores, by yourself or with a friend. Take in a matinee with a couple of girlfriends. If your husband is willing to fly solo on a Saturday night, you can even book a girls’ night out once in a while and truly let loose! Even if your budget doesn’t allow for these activities once a week, you can lock yourself in the bathroom with a good book, a bubble bath and a nice glass of wine and feel good about your time alone – you deserve some!

Probably the most obvious way to balance career and family is to incorporate your family into what would otherwise be “work time”. If you have a short commute to work, for example, perhaps you can drive your kids to school each morning instead of having them take the bus. In the alternative, you could have your morning cup of coffee at the bus stop with them and spend a few minutes chatting about their day and what they plan to learn in school as you sip your cup of Joe and breathe in the morning air to mentally prepare for your own day ahead. If you normally exercise in the morning and leave the house very early, switch your workout time to lunch and leave the office to go to the gym, eating at your desk when you get back. You will have more time with your family each day and get a healthy break from your pile of papers to boot.

You may need to get a little creative with your schedule, but there are definitely ways to help balance career and family. Sometimes an extra few minutes each day or a once-weekly good block of time can go a long way in helping restore your peace of mind and help you feel less harried.

No Comments »
Filed under: Careers

While the Internet business niche has made many rich entrepreneurs, it is also full of deception. Because of this, it’s important to be wary in what they invest in. Luckily there are some fields that have proven time and time again that a quick profit can be made on a continual basis.

One of the biggest hyped markets in Internet business is affiliate marketing. This allows shops to offer a reward to individuals who manage to market the shop’s products and gain sales for them- much like a salesman. Affiliate marketing varies in nature, with some forms offering recurring income and others offering a per-sale income. Most major Internet retailers will feature an affiliate program- so be sure to take a look next time browsing for products.

The direct sale of products is another way of earning a quick dollar, although this takes much more work than affiliate marketing. Operating one’s own store usually requires contacting manufacturers, placing a minimum order that is usually very expensive, and then marketing the products by one’s self. It’s a tough process, but with the right tools and resources, the return on investment can be quite high.

Currency trading is another Internet business that can take investments to a new level- but the risk factor is what keeps most away from this option. Foreign exchange trading, as it is called, allows investors to put money into a foreign currency with the hope it will rise in value, in which time they can convert back and enjoy an easy profit. Market conditions can twist and turn wildly, so this practice is considered risky.

Much like affiliate marketing, one can also go into the business of reselling a service already in effect. This is most popular with the world of website hosting, where a reseller can buy a large amount of server resources, section it off, and sell it to individuals for a much higher cost. It solves marketing problems for server providers, and gives easy money to the middle man.

Lastly, we have Internet marketing. This Internet business essentially allows a business to buy a marketing package from a service, which consists of search engine optimization, ad campaigns, and email marketing. This is another large field that can lead to large profits, but usually takes a lot of work to build a good service, and even a longer amount of time to earn the trust of clients.

Closing Comments

Internet business is always a good field to get into. If not all at once, try implementing some ideas while working another job, and eventually switching over once things get stable. After all, if teens of today can do it, surely anyone can!

No Comments »
Filed under: Business

With college tuition skyrocketing, many people are asking themselves “just how important is a college education?” Is it really worth going $100,000 into debt for school loans? What will the payoff be? Well, just consider that a day rarely goes by when we don’t hear of a manufacturing company closing up shop and moving down south or overseas where labor is less expensive. Over the years, America has slowly been moving from its manufacturing roots to an economy based on knowledge. Thanks to the Internet, the world has gotten quite small and way more competitive. And, unless you’re planning a career pumping gas or washing windows, a college degree will be a crucial rung in your upward mobility.

In the past American workers were just competing with their neighbors for jobs. But in today’s smaller world, they’re competing with highly skilled talent from across the globe. A high school diploma is no longer sufficient as a tool to garner you quality opportunities in the job market. These days a college degree is imperative. Even if you don’t use it, its very existence on your resume will allow you access to opportunities that would have otherwise been unavailable to you.

In this tough economy a degree helps make you a valuable asset to your employer. According to a U.S. Census report, workers with a bachelor’s degree earned more than $25K per year more than their counterparts without a college degree. And that adds up to more than $1 million over a lifetime. However, the value of a college education can’t be measured in dollar signs alone.

College courses instill knowledge that creates a well-rounded mind. While sitting through a class on pre-civil war history and another on literature may bore you and seem downright useless, the information goes into the files of your brain and contributes to you becoming a well-spoken, interesting and knowledgeable individual in the future. College opens a person’s mind to what’s actually possible to achieve; to all the different peoples and cultures; to abstract thought and reasoning. Attending college affords a person the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life, and enjoy experiences that are unique to college life.

Financing a college education can be a creative challenge. But these days there are innumerable opportunities for loans, grants and scholarships. Do some research online and you’re likely to find that you are eligible for several types of assistance. If you’re fearful of going into debt to the tune of six figures or more, then consider the alternative. A college education should be considered an investment in yourself. Don’t sell yourself short.

No Comments »
Filed under: Business

Did you know that your favorite past time is now a great way for you to make some extra cash? That’s right. Whether you like baking delicious pastries or carving beautiful wood works, your hobby gives you an opportunity to start your own small business by opening up shop in Nevada craft shows.

If you have made up your mind that you want to start a small business out of your hobby, the first thing that you’re going to want to have is information. Lots and lots of information. Luckily for you, all the info you can ever need to start out safe is available in the Nevada craft trade fairs and festivals.

The calendar is an invaluable tool to anyone who wants to have a small business, or anyone who has a passion for joining arts and crafts show all over. It gives you everything you need to know, from the venues to the dates and from the possible fees and contest rules, if there is one.

The Nevada craft trade fairs and festivals database also allows you to save a lot of time. It allows you to plan months in advance before the actual event which not only heightens your products’ quality, but also gives you enough time to focus on more important things in life like your friends and your family.

It’s also very easy to find. You no longer have to scramble for a telephone just to drop a line to events coordinators, all you need to know to arrive prepared at the show is all listed there on the Nevada craft show database. All the updates you can ever need is just a few mouse clicks away.

So don’t waste any more time. Grab the opportunity to turn your hobby into a full blown business. You might never know the benefits of having your very own business at the comfort of your own home.

No Comments »
Filed under: Small Business