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Back during the year 2000 many organizations were prompted to upgrade their aging IT infrastructures. Now those networks are past their fifth birthday and starting to struggle to support the wide array of more intelligent and integrated technologies for voice, video, wireless, security and other network operations required for high-intensity firms.

The network is an integral part to the business. ‘Just good enough’ networks put firms at a competitive disadvantage. To leverage all the new capabilities of today’s networking technologies, firms need to upgrade and implement the proper infrastructure.

Without updated networking infrastructures, businesses and other organizations cannot effectively take advantage of ongoing innovations, a lot has happened in five years.

It is important to find out what needs to be changed within your organization.  A network assessment allows you to make well informed decisions about upgrades. It is a great idea to know what areas on your network will need replacement if you want to expand your network to support more advanced technologies, such as voice-over-IP, integrated security and integrated wireless.

Traditionally, companies refer to their data networks as the "plumbing," infrastructure, or core. Often they refer simply to the component products that make up this infrastructure, such as routers and switches. In the market today there are integrated network infrastructure product suites, delivering much higher value than basic "plumbing" or standalone products. It is important to recognize the value in this more clearly.

Of course, viewing the core network infrastructure as the foundation for advanced business solutions is not a new message. By emphasizing the concept of the full service "network foundation" now, the goal is to reinforce  the strengths of core offerings to small-businesses, like yours, and to prepare them for future deployment of growth technology solutions.

A high value infrastructure is comprised of routers, switches, security solutions, and wireless LAN (WLAN) devices—that enable the intelligent, end-to-end movement of data, voice, and video across networks (between branches, over the Internet, and so on). The concept that intelligent services bring unique differentiation with end-to-end security, availability, and quality of service enhancements is central to a full service network foundation.

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As if we don’t already multitask enough, mobile technology makes us even more accessible to client service and other demands. Untamed, it leads to information overload, multiple interruptions throughout the day and more stress.

Does mobile technology free you from the office, or is it tethering you to it more tightly than ever before?

Consider how many devices and technologies are used to stay in touch: Blackberry; Wi-Fi-equipped laptops loaded with e-mail, office suite, (time entry and various practice applications for lawyers;) cell phones; Bluetooth-enabled hands-free headsets; a lot of cables (laptop power brick, modem, Ethernet, USB, FireWire, audio, iPod charger, cell phone charger and personal digital assistant charger); home, office and cell phone voice mail accounts; professional and personal e-mail accounts; office, PC and Internet faxes; text messaging; instant messaging; replicated e-mail account on your laptop’s hard drive for offline reading; Virtual Private Networks, Citrix or other remote access software; camera phones, digital cameras and portable scanners; and, of course, the prepaid Starbucks card for a liberal dose of Wi-Fi and caffeine.

That is a lot of technology to manage. It’s not uncommon to hear of a venture capitalist checking his or her e-mail in the middle of the night, while driving, during a children’s sporting events, and let’s not even dwell on the restroom scenarios. While some will deny these stories, trade publications and the general press has been full of them. The faster you respond, the faster your partners, limited partners, clients and co-workers expect you to respond in the future. Despite becoming a victim of your own success, all isn’t lost. There are a number of ways you can avoid mobile computing burnout and reduce information overload.

Decide Which Mobile Devices Work for You

When it comes to traveling, it’s not necessary to bring every gadget in your arsenal. Ask yourself what is truly necessary to be productive and if you really will use what you take along? If you are reasonably tech savvy and comfortable with different gadgets and access methods, it might be worthwhile to have alternative technologies at your command. If not, then only introduce one new gadget at a time. By doing this you will increase your chances of being comfortable with the device. 

A leading cause of tech-burnout is frustration from lack of know how. Spend a few extra minutes to learn the neat little tips and tricks of each device you own.

Also, give yourself the chance to absorb each new technology at a comfortable rate and use it on a regular basis. Don’t wait until you are on deadline or two hours before a flight to pick up a new mobile tool -  that only adds to an already high level of stress. Instead, plan ahead, test it and ask questions so you will be able to use it well before you leave.

As Murphy’s Law states – if anything can go wrong it will. Whether it be a dead battery or failed software, it is important for all of us to be prepared for these likelihoods. For example, if your cell phone or PDA dies, have a backup list of names and telephone numbers on your laptop or on a flash drive. Planning ahead for outages and problems is one of the best mobile stress relievers and while it’s never fun, knowing you still can communicate and work productively under pressure is a nice safety net.

Just as your mobile devices need a recharge, so do you. It’s alright to sleep every once in a while! We are all fortunate to have such a wider variety of mobile tools at our disposal, but we need to remember they are just that – tools. These gadgets are here to work for us, serving useful functions. The last thing you want is for the device to start managing you!