Teleworking Top 10
Questions to think about before you set up your teleworkers.
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"Time is money" is as true for teleworkers as anyone else. So when the vice president of marketing comes in demanding to be set up for a corporate connection at his home, or the accounting department has decided to let its 30 members begin working from their homes, you'll need to know what works to prevent the bottom line from crashing.
During the next several months, we will explore the top 10 computer-related issues for teleworkers, not only from the network manager's eyes, but also through the eyes of the business analyst. Our goal is to provide you with a clear picture of the interrelated capabilities of today's critical, must-have technologies, and how your adoption of those technologies can help or hurt your bottom line. This article serves as an outline - future articles will look at each item in depth on this checklist:
High-speed Internet access
Whether or not to get broadband is the most common question facing those who haven't upgraded their Internet access. The promise of faster 'Net access is alluring, but do you need it? If so, how much speed do you need?
There may be alternatives out there - alternatives that will do more for your bottom line than you may realize.
Firewalls - why do you need one?
By the time someone realizes they need a firewall, it's probably too late. More importantly, depending on your business, you might find that the hole through which you've inadvertently been sharing data with the rest of the world just cost you a lot more than some downtime.
Power supply
You've seen the ads and read the flyers. All say the same thing: You need power backup! "No problem," you thought, throwing them away. "I've got my trusty surge protector!"
Right you are - for now. But sometime next week, month or year, you'll experience a power problem that will cost you far more in lost time and income than the preventative cure. We'll give you the lowdown on good power practices.
Portable, schmortable
Not everyone needs a laptop, but some do. Some questions to ask when buying include whether you want to stare at a grainy, 14-inch screen as opposed to your old 17-inch monitor. We'll also explore the differences between docking stations and port replicators.
Phone home
Communication is your lifeline to the outside world. While e-mail, Web sites and electronic meetings remain the rage, there's often nothing quicker at resolving those complex problems than a quick phone call. Did you know that most asymmetric DSL installations include a free second phone line? If you need a dedicated phone for your home-based business, that should be a major consideration.
What about voice messaging? Can your computer handle it? Why bother, when there are stand-alone units that cost no more than the software? But if your business requires integrated telephony, you'll need the facts.
Wired or wireless?
Wireless has its uses, but the average Category-5 installation is about 100 times faster than Bluetooth. You'll also need to know about emerging wireless standards, others that support copper and even fiber into the home.
Faxes, scans and prints...
It does almost everything well, often for less cost. So why would anyone buy separate peripherals? Several reasons, including having most of them in perfect working order while the one that died is in the shop getting repaired.
If your business needs are average, you'll do fine with average peripherals, whether they're all-in-one units or separates. But you may want to look at an all-in-one design if you have specific needs, space constraints or a small budget.
Another issue you may not have considered is ongoing costs. Laser printers aren't cheap, but did you know that over the life of your laser printer your toner costs could be several times the original cost of your printer? If your printing needs are modest, you can get by with an inkjet for less cost over the life of the printer, even though an inkjet costs more per page than a laser jet.
Ergonomic excitement
Let's face it, we're not getting any younger. Ergonomics are one of the most overlooked aspects of setting up a home office, or configuring a teleworker's station. Reports indicate that improper ergonomics may be one of the more costly components of teleworking.
For want of a better chair, padded elbow supports or a lowered keyboard, workers across America are ceasing to be workers. Has your IT staff factored in the cost of training replacements into its ergonomic accessories budget?
Software headaches
Standard, Small Business, Professional and Premium. These are the four versions of Microsoft Office 2000. Which one is right for you? And why? Do you even need to upgrade? Perhaps Microsoft Works or another product is sufficient for your needs.
If your primary business is video and photo editing, do you really need Office 2000 Premium? Probably not, if you've got the Adobe Web Collection.
To PC, or not to PC?
One question many people ask is "Why don't I just build my own machine? It's cheaper, right?" Not necessarily. Depending on your intended use, you can save thousands over preconfigured PCs of comparable performance and reliability. Or you could lose your shirt. Either way, it's in your best interests to know the basics about building your own PC, and where to turn for help.
Putting it together
Most of these topics are interrelated. Your choice of firewall, for example, may affect the rest of your network's layout. If you decide to purchase a PC with a built-in SCSI port, you may later decide to buy a SCSI-based scanner. Finally, your choice of high-speed Internet access may affect everything from your firewall to your printer - even your power supply, which is why the next article in this series will focus exclusively on Internet connections for the home office.
Related links
Janss is the president of Jansys Information Systems, a consulting firm specializing in IS technologies for small busi-nesses. He can be reached at bizcom@jansys.com.
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