Upgrading Network Infrastructure: 4 Common Mistakes

One of the primary requirements for growing businesses is that their network infrastructure must be continually upgraded to keep up with additional demands for storage, increased traffic, and processing. It is often during these upgrades that 4 common mistakes are made that can result in increased downtime, security risks, and/or poor performance. These mistakes include:

 

* Staying with old equipment – While the constant increases in computer processing speeds have slowed somewhat from those defined by Moore’s Law, advancements in both hardware and software will eventually render old equipment as obsolete. Considering that one of the primary objectives of an upgrade will be to optimize the utility of the network, dragging down its performance with aged equipment doesn’t make sense.

* Buying substandard equipment to save a couple of bucks – This is not to say that searching for the best deal is a bad thing, but make sure you’re looking for the best deal on the best infrastructure components for your network. Making initial purchasing decisions based on price alone will virtually ensure that subsequent purchases will have to be made to bring the network up to speed.

* Building a patchwork network – A network that is built in a randomized fashion will eventually run into two problems; interfaces that perform poorly or don’t work at all and a convoluted path to fixing network problems. Instead, upgrade your network with new equipment that will integrate efficiently with the existing infrastructure. 

* Forgetting about network security – The weakest security aspect of a network that is being upgraded is often the new equipment. Each time a new piece of equipment is added to a network, be sure to change default settings, particularly for access points and other components that may be used by outsiders to gain entry to the network.

 

In the rush to upgrade network infrastructure, mistakes can be made that can result in a variety of issues. Instead, take the time necessary to assess the components that will integrate with your existing system, replace aging gear, and make sure that the new components match the security profile for the rest of the system.