network upgradeTechnology innovations today enable businesses to work smarter and faster than ever before thanks to their technology. Companies can now achieve unprecedented flexibility, scalability, and productivity through cloud and mobile technology.

Although there are many opportunities to help your business, an outdated network can cause problems for your company. However, upgrading your network could seem expensive and time-consuming. And it may cause disruption to business operations. To determine whether it’s time to upgrade your network, companies should conduct a risk/benefit analysis.

Signs are  that your organization needs to upgrade its network.

The Data Center is evolving. Both the throughput as well as the volume of data have changed in the networking and data center. The hyperconverged technology used to build data centers today has grown from 1GB to 50GB to 100GB and even larger environments. You should not rely on networks that were built before hyperconverged or even the 1st generation of hyperconverged. They are simply not designed to handle today’s traffic. You will notice that your applications are slowing down and that the network is unable to handle the traffic. This is because it lacks intelligent routing and packet optimization which is inherent in new networking standards. An aging network can slow down productivity and eventually cause lost data.

Networks are becoming more fragile from the sheer volume of devices. It was easier to manage a network when there were only a limited number of computers on the network. The modern workplace is changing the paradigm with mobility. Users expect to be free from the constraints of being tied down to one location. With more devices using bandwidth, network managers have to make tougher decisions. Network professionals today need the right technology and tools in order to manage the huge number of devices that are connected to their network. Constant bandwidth problems with an aging network infrastructure, especially wireless networks, can lead to increased costs and complexity. The newer infrastructure, on the other side, is specifically designed to support many devices and give network administrators better tools for managing the network.

 Network maintenance leaves no time for innovation. Any enterprise-grade network will require some maintenance. If your team is constantly putting out fires and end users continue to complain about inability to work, you might want to ask yourself if the company is really paying more for aging tech. Exceeding maintenance can result in frustration and decreased innovation. You should be looking at your TCO carefully and considering upgrading if you’re constantly maintaining outdated infrastructure.

cyberattack rock hillPoor visibility can put organizations at risk of cyberattacks. Do you have visibility into your network’s activities? Are you able to see who’s accessing your network and what device they use? Networks were not designed with security in mind before the emergence of cyber-attacks. That’s why firewalls and UTM systems came into play.

Organizations need to know who is using your network and what they’re doing in your environment, given the level of sophistication today. The complexity of IoT and the ageing of wireless infrastructure was simply not designed for today’s technology. Cybercriminals can also gain access to smaller networks, such as multi-function printers and IoT wearables.

You need to be aware of who is connecting and from where. Failure to do so could result in data loss and operational disruptions. Adtek Advanced Technologies provides a view to your network that allows you to see who is connecting to your network and helps identify vulnerabilities. Security concerns are grave when networks age. By increasing visibility and context in your network, updating your network can greatly improve your security posture.

Persistent latency issues can be a problem. It is common for latency issues to persist during peak times or busy hours (e.g. Network delays are normal during peak periods or busy hours (e.g. holiday shopping, viral articles), If network latency becomes more frequent, it is a sign that it is time to upgrade. When employees are unable to get work done, and customers are frustrated by delays in your applications, then your organization is at a crossroads. Modern network equipment is capable of handling traffic spikes at higher speeds, allowing your users to be more productive and happy.

Your network equipment is far too old to receive consistent carrier support. Network systems are not the only technology on the verge of obsolescence. A network that is older may have been a good solution for your company’s technology needs. Your output might not be affected at all. As network providers improve their technology offerings, they cease supporting older equipment and make it difficult to find replacement parts. This makes support and maintenance extremely costly. There are usually better deals available for equipment that is past its prime. It can save money over trying to support old technology by upgrading your network. We must not forget that technological obsolescence could easily lead to organizational obsolescence.

Integration with new technology is a challenge for your network. Your network needs to be able adapt to the rapid changes in technology. Traditional networks continue to face challenges due to the constant evolution of technology such as cloud integration, application requirements, and diverse data sets. The new integrations required by aging technology are too complex for older technology and require a lot of manual maintenance. Due to the volume of data being sent through your network, to and from the cloud, and to the application, bottlenecks are common. Intelligent routing technology provides better performance and faster speeds for modern businesses.

Although upgrading your network may seem daunting and expensive, it will not cause any major disruptions to your operations. But ask yourself if you are paying more for aging equipment. It is becoming more difficult to upgrade your network as legacy networks become less relevant. If you notice any problems, it’s important to act quickly so that costly and damaging problems don’t occur.

Adtek Advanced Technologies can help you minimize business interruptions, increase TCO, and build a network that allows for innovation rather than maintenance. Adtek will perform a customized assessment of your network to identify areas for improvement. Reach out to us today to speak with one of our network architects experts.