The Network is the Heart of Technology.

The network is the heart of technology. During new construction or renovation projects, clients often focus on the exciting, visible elements—like TVs and smart devices—but it’s the telecommunications network behind the scenes that makes everything function. Without a strong network foundation, those devices can’t deliver on their promise.

While plumbing, HVAC, and interior design often get a lot of attention and budget during a renovation, the network that the business relies on to operate is often taken for granted. Whether it is an office, school, or healthcare building, the network is the heart of operations. Nothing functions without a reliable network.

The network is the heart of Technology – Know How to Keep it Beating.

These days, businesses must have access to technology to operate. Without wi-fi, visual displays, phones, and paging systems, business quickly comes to a halt. Physical and wireless security are also dependent on the network.

Just like the heart supplies blood throughout the body, if the network stops working well, so does the rest of the building – this is why we say, “the network is the heart of technology.”

Like arteries and veins feed the organs of the body, the server rooms and cables efficiently spread information throughout a building. Unfortunately, a poorly designed network can cause maladies that often get blamed on the end-user technology when in reality, the network problems are the real culprit.

A poorly designed network can be like having the flu. If you ignore the initial symptoms, the problem may only get worse. Just like humans need to take care of their bodies to ensure it is working well, business owners and architects must pay attention to the network that supports their buildings.

The network is the heart of technology, heart graphic

A healthy network starts with a savvy designer.

In order to ensure your building functions properly, it is crucial to start with a well-designed network. A qualified designer uses calculations, bandwidth, and equipment specifications to design the exact network you need.

When a network is poorly designed, there are unnecessary costs involved, and it will cause additional stress on the system.

For instance, if you have cabling that is too long, it causes unnecessary stress on the data transmission, and your network will be slow for end users. Additionally, if your team incorrectly calculates load calculations for the server room equipment, the HVAC team might install an air conditioner that is too large and more expensive. On the flip side, an air conditioner that is too small is going to cause a lot of additional stress on the server room.

Maintenance is just as important. Outdated tech could be fatal to your network.

Just like you keep your body in shape to keep it healthy, you must keep your network in shape to ensure it works properly. Regular check-ups are necessary with your doctor but can benefit your network as well.

Building owners are often excited to upgrade to new computers or televisions because that technology seems exciting. Unfortunately, when owners upgrade front-end technology without comprehensively considering the network that supports it, they can often inadvertently cause problems and frustration. If a network wasn’t designed to take on additional users and devices, for instance, it may become overwhelmed as patchwork solutions are created. This is where regular check-ups can benefit building owners.

As technology is updated – usually around every 5-10 years – a check-up ensures that the network is also updated accordingly. Often, however, owners let it slide 15 to 20 years and then have to endure frustrations when their technology does not work as they expect. When they are finally ready to upgrade out of frustration, they are hit with additional expenses. The cost of doing a significant refresh of technology after 20 years is almost certainly going to be very high.

By keeping up to date with minor maintenance in smaller doses, your technology costs can be phased and more manageable.

Take care of your network the same way you take care of your body.
Just like regular check-ups and not ignoring symptoms of disease are important to ensure your body is in optimal health, you want to ensure your network is in good health.

In your body, the heart pumps nutrients and oxygen that keep your body running. Your network is vital to ensuring the technology that helps your business run is operating efficiently. Without it, your business can’t function. Keep your network running smoothly by ensuring you have a well-designed system.

Interested in learning more? Contact BCL today to discuss how we can bring innovative, secure, and efficient technology solutions to your next project!