There are several systems which I have looked at. All of the systems meet the requirements of the firm and have the possibility to be upgraded. This is important because the technology industry is constantly advancing and there is always new software being released which demands more memory and storage space. Also with the amount of documents which will be saved on the network storage space is something which I recommend as a key aspect of this local area network.
These are two computers one which is a high specification computer and another which is not a high specification computer. Both have the meet requirements of the firm but there is a big price difference. The Dell XPS 420/4068 has a lot more memory and storage space but these are not features which could not be upgraded on the eMachines EL1200.
The eMachines EL1200 is less money and it has upgradeable features which can be upgraded easily.
Out of the two PCs I would personally recommend the eMachines Pc because there is room to upgrade the hardware and the price is not too expensive. Also because the other computer is a dell you will only be able to upgrade the hardware with Dell products which could end up being quite costly in the future as new models are released. The eMachines computer will be easier to upgrade.
There will also need to be a server which makes the network work. This is a vital part of the network and a decision has not been made purely on price and brand. I have also taken into consideration the different features which come with each server. I have compared two different servers in the table below, however these are two which I choose from many.
Above are two different servers, however the HP model is more expensive but gives the customer some great technology which can be upgraded and customised to their own preference. There is also support included in the package which is very useful. I recommend the HP because of these reasons. The Dell model is cheaper but so is the technology inside the server. It would also be difficult to upgrade as you will need dell components.
The internet connection method also needs to be seriously considered because of the type of information which will be passing through the firm. Confidential information cannot be lost or stolen which is why I recommend a wired internet connection. Wireless internet (WI-FI) is not 100% safe. This does not mean that measures cannot be out in place to stop such actions from happening but the risk is very high. Whereas a wired connection is more secure.
There are a range of different monitor sizes available on the computer market and many of them meet the user requirements. The recommended monitor is 19” flat screen TFT. This is because the screen size will be large enough for the staff members to view their tasks without straining their eyes, the flat screen TFT option uses less space than other monitors and they are also cheaper to purchase than larger monitors. A larger screen would take up a lot more space and is not necessary. The resolution is not a big issue because the firm will not be focused on media creation and therefore high resolution is not necessary. I have put together a table which compares two different monitors.
Above are two different monitors. The view sonic 22” gaming monitor is a high specification monitor which has many feature and is perfect for games and media creation. However it is very expensive and has more features than the user requires. The other option is the optiquest 19”. This monitor has a lower resolution and is more suited for day to day use of a computer. It is considerably cheaper than the view sonic and meets the user requirements.
Printers and scanners
Because there will be many documents which will be printed a laser jet printer is the best option. The quality of the prints and the speed are important factors when choosing a printer. I have selected two different printers which have different specifications I will compare the two and show thee differences in quality, speed, price and features. This comparison will help in the final choice.
The two printers above both are laser jet printers. One has colour printing capabilities and the other does not. This is an important factor; this also affects the resolution of the print and therefore the print quality. Because of this I recommend the Samsung cpl315. There is a considerable price difference and also a considerable quality difference. Because the firm will want to maintain a reputation of professionalism quality is very important.
None of the printers above have scanning capabilities so I will be comparing scanners as well. A scanner will be required so that the staff can scan documents into their computer to keep a digitalised copy of any documents which are important. This is part of the computerised system and is a customer requirement
Above are two different scanners which both have the same features. The Cannon 440F has a higher resolution and can scan thicker items such as books. This option is important as the firm may need to scan certain documents which may be very thick. The 440F is also compatible with apple Macintosh which is a good feature as in the future the firm may choose to change their system to a Macintosh network. I recommend the 440F because of this.
Fax Machines
One of the user requirements is the ability to use a fax machine. However fax machines are not used by a lot of people as they use E-mail instead because it is faster and cheaper. However I will compare two different fax machines and give my recommendation. But my personal feeling is that a fax machine is not necessary because the staff members will be connected to the internet and therefore they are more likely to use e-mail.
The two fax machines above show to different types of fax machine. The Cannon JX500 has a faster modem connection speed and uses inkjet ink to print documents it is also more expensive than the brother T104.
Although the Cannon has a fast connection speed and a better quality print it may not be used everyday and could become dead weight which is not what is needed at the firm is. However the firm will want hardware which is efficient and gives professional presentation of documents so I recommend the Cannon even though it may not be as useful as on may expect.
Projectors
A projector would be useful for meetings. The staff members will be able to display documents on a large scale to many people at the same time. This will also be useful for presentations. Because projectors have become very popular over the past 15 years they are not as expensive as they used to be and are viewed as essential to any large firm or business.
A pull down screen is recommended when using a projector but is not a requirement. If there is a clear white wall this can also be used. However I will give a price and specifications of available projector screens.
Above are two different projectors. Both have a high resolution but the CPX3 is HD ready and can output in widescreen. However this is not a necessity and does not warrant the large price difference. I recommend the CPRx7 because it is cheaper and will meet the requirements need of it.
Both of the projector screens shown above have the same specifications and it is hard to really tell what the difference is between them. The only real difference is the price.
My personal opinion is that they appear to be the same however this could be wrong as the price indicates that one may be better than the other.
Internet service provider
there are many different companies which offer competitively priced internet access. There are also many competitive prices available for business broadband contracts. There are a number of different services which will be required such as network maintenance, server support and general desktop support so if a deal which includes all of these services would be ideal for the firm and there long term cost.
Software
There are many different types of software available and for the requirements of the employees I would recommend Microsoft office because it is reliable and most people use the package for there documentation. This does not mean that it is the best option though. There are many different options when it comes to word processing, spread sheet and database programs. Another alternative is open office which is free to download from the internet. This program may not be as user friendly as it Microsoft competitor and there could be possible compatibility issues.
Another piece of software which needs to be considered is security software. Because there will be a lot of confidential information passing through the firm there will need to strict rules about what the internet can be used for. Certain websites will have to be blocked to ensure that there are not invasions of the network and also to make sure that staff are not visiting illegal website and downloading illegal content.
An adequate firewall and virus protection will be required and there are also many different packages to choose from.
Internet security is a key part of any computer/network which is going to utilise its internet capabilities. Without adequate internet security a computer is venerable to numerous malicious software programs.
The internet security market is very competitive and is constantly being updated to stay in competition with each other and to combat these digital threats. Internet security service providers all claim to be the most users friendly and to be the most value for money; however they all do the same thing which is virus prevention.
I have put together a summary of two leading internet security programs and two of the leading office programs to show the different packages available for both office applications and internet security.
Mcafee internet security 2009
Mcafee internet security 2009 is an internet security program which protects your computer from malicious software which can damage your computer and give someone outside access to your private documents. Mcafee 2009 is a lighter version of its predecessor Mcafee 2008 which was a heavier program which struggled to remove malicious software and many users found that it was quite inferior to the competition at the time. Mcafee 2009 is just as fast as Norton internet security 2009. This is due to some interesting programming techniques. The installation process does have some issues but nothing that will be to confusing.
The overall view of Mcafee 2009 is that once it is up and running there isn’t many issues. Mcafee detects malicious software, removes malicious software, gives advice on websites which may contain such programs and is regularly updated. This new version of Mcafee competes heavily with Norton 2009 and is possibly the best version yet. Mcafee has also included a lot more tools for the user to protect their computer with, there are more in Mcafee than any other internet security software. Anti-virus is in the package along with Anti-phishing, anti-spy ware and a personal firewall.
Mcafee have also been kind enough to provide a back-up and restore feature which will back-up all of your important data so that if anything were to happen you could retrieve you data. This is possible one of the best internet security packages suited for the network because of these features.
However there are some faults which can not be ignored.
The technical support team is still lacking and when there are problems with the software there is not much help to resolve them. Users of the software do not rate it very highly and have complaints that a lot of the features do not work correctly.
This version of Mcafee only works on windows XP and Vista which means it cannot be installed on any systems which don’t use these operating systems.
Norton internet security 2009
Norton internet security 2009 is a brilliant attempt to build on last years version. There are clear changes to the programs structure and they have made the program a lot more user friendly. There is also free telephone technical support which is a really impressive feature. There are some superior protection technologies in use which are really impressive. This program can also be used on most operating systems which is a useful feature because its means that as a company if you were to pick this application you would not have to narrow down what OS you would like to use. The scanning process has been speed up and the program doesn’t waste time rescanning file which have previously been scanned unless there is a change to the files.
There are also some interesting features like in Mcafee which benefit the user, however Norton does force users to use their premium support services which come at an extra cost. This is a feature which may annoy many users and potentially damage their reputation. There is also no uninstall option and you have to manually remove the program using the control panel option Add/remove program.
The presentation of the program is sleek and elegant. And you can choose to customise the appearance to your on preference.
The white listing feature is very useful because it shows the user trusted files and files which are on this list do not need to be scanned as often as files which are not on the list.
Norton also has a feature which gives the users the ability to monitor the health of their network which is very useful as it gives the necessary tools to view the health of the network as well as the security of the network. There is also the recovery disk feature which was very popular in the 1990’s however because of this there is not a backup feature, you would have to purchase a premium service. Compared to Mcafee this is a disadvantage because mcafee features this option in their internet security package.
There are constant updates with Norton 2009 and they usually take place ever five minutes which keeps you network safe from new malicious software which may not have been defined by other security packages. This is a massive improvement on their previous live update feature.
I conclude that because of the changes made Norton 2009 has an improved speed, the white listing gives professional advice to the user about files which are safe and others which may not be and the free technical support make Norton 2009 a suitable package however in order to receive the full benefits of the package you would need to purchase further applications which are considered premium solutions. This will incur further cost. There are also issues which Norton has not found a solution to, the free telephone support pushes users to purchase more Norton product and does not actually give the professional support advertised. Therefore my choice is Mcafee internet security.
Microsoft Office 2007
The new Microsoft office suite is a complete rebuild for the Microsoft franchise and it seems they have made it a lot more user friendly for people who are not computer literate. The presentation has dramatically improved and the features in the applications have been made easier to access. The application also comes with a three user licence which allows the program to be installed on three different systems which eliminates unnecessary costs. This application runs on Microsoft operating systems, however the minimum requirements are Microsoft Windows XP with service pack 2. This is convenient if you are choosing XP as your operating system however if you were considering Microsoft Windows 2000 you could not use this application.
Because Microsoft office is the industry standard it is recommended that businesses use this application so that they are compatible with everyone else.
There have been several changes to the way that the new Microsoft office operates. If you are familiar with previous Microsoft office products please bare in mind that the new office 2007 is completely different and you will have to re-learn what you already know because of how the program has changed. Microsoft has given a free 2 month trial with the software to give users the choice.
If you are a user of Microsoft office and you know that you wont be using the new tools and you do not feel the need to upgrade then this application is not for you, however if you want to learn to use the new tools and relearn the old ones this is the application for you. The same programs are included in the application and they are Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Power Point, Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Publisher.
If you were previously using Microsoft office 2000/2003 then you will need to install a converter to open the files on the new application. People who currently use this software think that if you require better quality productions from word, power point, publisher and excel then this is a worthy upgrade, however if you feel that your current office application is good enough then this upgrade is worthless. However if you are starting fresh then this application may be a good place to start as forthcoming Microsoft office applications could possibly use this layout.
Open office 3
Open office is a free alternative to Microsoft office and is compatible with Microsoft office saved documents. Open office now has just as many features as Microsoft office but there is no cost for the service.
Open office can run on multiple operating systems, Microsoft windows, Linux and Solaris are all popular operating systems and Open office has been tested on each and is completely compatible.
Included in the package is a word processor, a spreadsheet, a presentation application and there are database and drawing tools which can all import Microsoft formatted files with ease. This application is very impressive and is a true competitor to Microsoft office.
The word processing tool “Writer” is simple and easy to use. It is not as complicated as the new 2007 update of word and has just as many features. If you are familiar with Microsoft office 2000/2003 you will understand the program and feel at home with it.
The same goes for the spreadsheet application “Calc” and the presentation application “impress”.
Because open office is free to download there are no licensing issues and there are no hidden charges which require you to make further payments to receive the full benefits of the program. This makes it the obvious choice, however if there were ever a problem with the network or Open office it would be a lot more difficult to solve be open office is not the industry standard. Open office is compatible with Microsoft office but the same support is not available. My choice still stands with Microsoft office for this reason.
Operating system
There are many different operating systems available and some are more beneficial than the current market leader Microsoft Windows. However because Microsoft have such a grasp on the market the best choice may be to install and run a Microsoft operating system to avoid any compatibility issues.
The operating system is the core program on any computer. Without an operating system there is not much you can do with a computer. The operating system is a link between the hardware and applications. The operating system provides the resources required and gives the user the ability to customise their computer to their needs.
The choice of which operating system to use is a decision which should be made while thinking about what you need from the computer. If you require internet access, office applications, multimedia features and general applications then it is recommended that the industry standard Microsoft Windows is used. Because of the requirements of the partners I have ruled out using O/S such as Linux and Solaris because they are less commercial and require some specialist experience to run efficiently. I have chosen to compare Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Vista because they are two popular O/S and they are also the two operating systems which most people are familiar with.
Microsoft XP
Microsoft XP is currently a very popular operating system and is very easy for people to use and become familiar with. Most applications run on Microsoft XP and it is also currently the industry standard. The system requirements to run XP are not much considering the specifications which computers offer today and this means that XP will run very efficiently on a recently purchased computer. Below is a comparison of Microsoft XP and Microsoft Vista’s system requirements.
Both of the tables above are the recommended requirements and both would run at optimum potentional with these. As you can see in the table Microsoft Vista is more demanding than XP. This would mean that in order for vista to run correctly there would need to be a substantial amount of hardware in the system which would not be used by the users. This would also require you to purchase a system which cost considerably more money and all the features of the computer would not be utilised.
Microsoft XP requires less hardware and is compatible with more software and hardware. There are also a lot of user friendly options which new users can become familiar with. There is also a lot of support with Microsoft XP not only from professionals but also people who are persistent and loyal users of the O/S.
Most people who use a computer use Microsoft XP and are happy with the presentation of the O/S some are also happy with the flexibility which comes with the O/S. there are clear boundaries with what you can and cannot do and with regular updates there is protection from mal-ware. The O/S also has a lot of key networking features which enable the computers to share data with ease.
Microsoft XP also has many different editions for different user types. There are also versions which are built to control servers and business operations effeicantly and with ease. These versions are not hard to come by but they do require professional assistance which setting up.
The two most popular versions of windows XP are windows XP home and Windows XP professional. The home edition version of XP has less security layers and is less office orientated than the Professional version. There is also more networking support in the professional version. This is possibly because the home version of windows XP is mostly used at home and there is less need for some of these features.
Microsoft Vista
Microsoft Vista is the most recent incarnation of the Windows O/S and is viewed by many as complicated because it assumes that you are a windows user and although the presentation is sharp and on point if you were not familiar with previous windows O/S you may miss a lot of the features and not know how to utilise them correctly.
There are also compatibility issues surrounding Vista. A lot of software which was released pre-vista is not compatible with vista and has caused a lot of problems in the business world. Key applications cannot run because many drivers were not provided, which lead to multiple software and hardware issues with the operating system. It is only recently that software and hardware has been designed to be suitable for windows vista and it means that users have to pay more money for software and hardware which they may already own but because it does not work on the new systems they have to purchase new software and hardware.
Microsoft Vista also has many different editions ranging from a basic version to a complete “ultimate” version. The price range is also different compared to Microsoft XP which sold all editions at the same price regardless of the different features.
Windows Vista is a modern O/S which attempts to modernise computer users with larger icons, more customisable options, wireless capabilities and higher resolution. There are also a lot more media options such as media sharing. However although this operating system looks amazing it doesn’t do some of the important things which are required of a computer. Many users of the O/S complain about the un-user friendly layout, the changes made to certain applications such are Microsoft office and the lack of support provided with the software.
It is because of these disadvantages why I do not recommend that it is taken on board until these errors are solved
C)
The way that I propose this transition is made is by initially installing the new furniture. This will take approximately one week. This will involve contractors coming in and setting up the furniture. Because there is a tight schedule and employees need access to their documents I recommend that each employee takes important documents which cannot be lost home for this period of time to avoid anything being lost in the process. This will also allow the contractors to get on with their job and complete the process as quickly and efficiently as possible.
The new furniture which will be fitted will be able to accommodate a PC, monitor and also have an area which employees can place there personal belongings.
I recommend an open office setting because there will not be many people in the office at the same time and this will also allow space for employees to move around and I feel will also give the office a friendly atmosphere.
There is also a closed office setting which will give each employee their own individual space but could leave employees feeling excluded from each other and hinder their work. However it could also lead to more efficient work because there will be less distractions.
The network will need to be set up by network specialist. This process will involve the installation of the workstations, server, printer, internet and wiring. Because of the importance of this area of the installation I recommend researching before contracting a network specialist. This could save money and time in the future.
Because there will be many documents which need to be transferred onto the new system I recommend that only documents which are not essential are left out of the process to ensure that the important documents are transferred correctly to the new system. This task will be completed by the network specialist to ensure that no mistakes are made in this important process.
Health and safety is a very important issue. In order for workers to give the best of their ability they will need to be in a safe and healthy environment which does not cause them harm or discomfort. Because members of the staff team will be working with computers for long hours they will have the option to take a ten minute break every hour. This is so that their eyes do not strain while they are using the computers. This is very important and it is a measure which can help eyesight at a later date.
Other health and safety measures which will be taken will be making sure that all wire are tidy and out of the path of staff members. This will avoid anybody tripping over and injuring themselves by accident. There will also be health and safety training when the training for the new system is taking place. This will make sure that all staff has been told of the health and safety measures which will be taken and how they will be expected to follow them.
The network will need to be maintained by a team of professional network specialist to ensure that all data is backed up efficiently to avoid any loss of data. This is crucial to the firm maintaining there clients trust. While the new system is being set up the old system will still be used. This is because the firm will still have clients and business will be running as usual. When the system is set up and is running at 100% the change will happen however the firm cannot risk having any major problems in this transition. The old system will run in parallel with the new and any new data or documents will be updated onto the new system.
The new system will have to be maintained. This will include backing up data which is saved on the network and solving any errors which may occur while the network is running. It is a very important factor because without adequate maintenance the network will be very difficult to work with and important information could be lost.
To do this a professional team of network professionals will be contracted to ensure that these task are completed and any problems are quickly resolved.
This team of network specialist will also update the Anti-virus software. This is equally as important because if the Anti-virus software is not up to date then the network will be vulnerable to virus and other malicious software which could damage the network and cause a mountain of problems such as lost data which can have devastating effects on the firm.
The staff training for how to use the new system will include training on how do basic task using the software which will be provided when the network is up and running, connecting to the internet, printing, scanning and faxing documents, health and safety regulations, security procedures, use of projector and projector screen, saving data to the network, how to report a problem, network rules and regulation and general new information about the new system will be passed on to the staff members. Also part of the training will include motivation of the staff. This is important because there will be so many changes that the staff will need to be motivated so that they are working to the best of their ability and utilising the new system. The staff will also need to be confident that the new system works properly. Hopefully the staff will be confident in the system after they have been trained to use it and this will motivate them to get more work completed because they will be aware of the benefits which come from using a computerised system.
