Basics of Business IT [Infographic]

Leigh-Ann Carroll http://www.exigentnetworks.co.uk 4m 970 #business

The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.

Everything You Need To Succeed In Business IT

The business landscape of is more technologically advanced than ever before. As new innovations continue to emerge it can often be difficult to track the basic IT tools your business needs. This infographic from Exigent Networks outlines the basics of Business IT. Discover the various operating system options, both desktop and networking, and learn about the various telephony options available to a modern business. This infographic from Exigent Networks covers everything business owners need to better understand their IT requirements.

Communication is key to almost every business, and a phone system is a must. There are two viable options, a landline or PSTN (public switched telephone network) or VoIP (voice over internet protocol). A PSTN system is an analogue system that runs over traditional telephone writing, while a VoIP system operates via the internet.

A network operating system (NOS) is a computer operating system that is designed primarily to computers that are connected on a local area network (LAN). In terms of operating systems, both network and desktop, there are three main providers: Windows, Mac & Linux. Today many desktop operating systems are emerging, such as Chrome OS, Steam OS and Android.

The business software market has emerged and adapted to meet the changing workplace. While Microsoft office remains as the king of the workplace software market various apps and software programs are emerging, often free and user friendly. Online, cloud-based programs are becoming more and more popular with programs like Tictail, Insightly and Asana growing in popularity.

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The basics of business IT

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO SUCCEED

Today’s business landscape is more technologically advanced than ever before, and with new innovations emerging everyday it can often be difficult to track the basic IT tools your business needs.

PHONE SYSTEMS

Landline (Public switched telephone network)
Rather than using an Internet connection, PSTNs are analogue systems that run via the telephone company’s traditional copper wiring.

VoIP
VoIP phone systems use the same Internet connection that a company is already using to get online.

NETWORK OPERATING SYSTEMS
A network operating system (NOS) is a computer operating system that is designed primarily to computers

Windows
With almost 90% of the workstation operating system market share, Windows is well known. Windows, having been introduced in 1985, is a very mature and complete piece of software.

Pros:

• Compatibility: Widespread application and driver compatibility.
• Function: Wide variety of functions allowing users to do almost anything quite easily.

Cons:

• Viruses: Prone to attack by viruses.
• Slow: Require a lot of computer resources so can run slower.

Mac OS
Apple’s Macintosh OS is even older than Windows. It is the first ever successful graphical-based operating system, released in 1984.

Pros:

• Viruses: Get almost no viruses.
• Reliability: Less prone to hardware and software crashes.

Cons:

• Expensive: Mac costs even more than Windows.
• Compatibility: Fewer compatible programs and applications.

Linux
Linux is GNU’s answer to Mac and Windows. Linux is a younger player in the OS world, having  been written in 1991, and is optimized for modern use more so than Windows and Mac.

Pros:

• Viruses: Linux experiences very few viruses.
• Price: Linux is completely free and can be downloaded, modified, and redistributed without payment.

Cons:

• Complicated: Computer knowledge required to set up and run.
• Compatibility: Linux does not have as many programs as Windows.

DESKTOP OPERATING SYSTEMS

Desktop Operating System Market Share October, 2014

• Windows 7 53.05%
• Windows XP 17.18%
• Windows 8.1 10.92%
• Windows 8 5.88%
• Windows NT 1.64%
• Windows Vista 2.82%
• Mac OS 3.66%
• Other 4.86%

Alternative Desktop Operating Systems

SteamOS

Valve’s SteamOS is currently in beta, and is being positioned as a new PC gaming operating system. In 2015, you’ll be able to buy PCs that come with SteamOS pre-installed, known as Steam Machines.

Android

Android was originally designed for smartphones, but you can now get Android laptops and even desktops. Intel even develops their own port of Android to PC hardware.

ReactOS

ReactOS is a free, open-source re-implementation of the Windows NT architecture. This operating system is considered alpha. Its current goal is to become compatible with Windows Server 2003.

SkyOS

Unlike many of the other operating systems listed, SkyOS is proprietary and not open-source. Development on SkyOS ended in 2009, but the last beta version was made available as a free download in 2013.

SOFTWARE

FOR ACCOUNTING

Bill.com
Managing accounts payable and receivable is a necessary part of operating a business. Bill.com has a simple, clean user interface, good help system, and relatively painless setup.

FOR AUDITING

Netwrix Change Notifier for File Servers
Solutions that audit and report on any changes made to data can be expensive and complex to deploy. For a far more affordable option, Netwrix offers its Change Notifier for File Servers solution.

FOR BACKUP AND RESTORATION

SOS Online
SOS Online Backup has won multiple PCMag Editors’ Choice awards. SOS Online Backup has an intuitive and well-thought-out interface, reasonable price covering five PCs, Live Protect, versioning, top performance, and many more unique capabilities.

FOR CRM

Insightly
Insightly brings collaboration, CRM, and project management together into one solution. Its intuitive workflow, good help resources, and competitive subscription pricing make Insightly a great CRM pick for smaller businesses.

FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

LiveChat
If real-time customer service and interaction is central to your business’s success, take a look at LiveChat. Businesses can integrate LiveChat and provide customers with real-time communications without going the expensive and unsatisfying call-centre route.

FOR E-COMMERCE

Tictail
If you run an online business, a professional, polished Web presence is a must. Tictail is an online platform that allows anyone to set up a virtual store quickly and easily.

FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT/PRODUCTIVITY

Asana
Project management, collaboration, and productivity are all bundled into one free service named Asana. Asana’s thoughtful design, fluid interactive elements, and generous team member allotment in its free version make it a powerful task-management app.

EXIGENT NETWORKS

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