… and always have a backup.
by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless
the internet has undoubtedly had a profound impact on firm communications. it has become the primary driver toward the next generation of accounting applications that run entirely on the web through cloud computing.
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before we get ahead of ourselves discussing cloud opportunities, we have to assess how the internet is used within our firm today. most likely the internet is
- a digital pipeline;
- a conduit for communications, updates, research and backups; and
- a platform for exchanging files with clients.
as a primary connection to the rest of the world, it is critical that firms have adequate bandwidth to handle the anticipated data transfer and communication volume over the next several years. in addition, it is important to have a redundant internet connection available in the event that the primary connection is lost and not recoverable quickly.
the first major recommendation here is that firms proactively evaluate their internet connectivity every 18-24 months. this is the usual timeframe for new providers to enter the market and/or double the available bandwidth through better technology and more competition. there can be a real opportunity to cut monthly costs significantly. reminders should be placed on your calendar at least six months before the contract renewal date so any changes can be installed in time for the usual two-year contract expiration.
our second major recommendation in this area is get a secondary, redundant internet connection on a different network backbone so that your firm will still have internet access if the primary connection becomes unavailable.
this usually means a combination of two of the following solutions: metro fiber/mpls, leased lines (t-1), dsl, cable and wireless options. internet access is completely dependent on what is available in your region, and specifically to what service is running down your street and can be connected into your office. please note that the alternate connection today can also be a wireless solution such as citywide wi-fi and wimax providers, and the 4g digital cellular services are becoming cost-effective for a small number of users.
firms should also re-evaluate their digital cellular contracts at least every other year as the major vendors rolled out “combined contracts” beginning in 2013 that would allow firm members to “share” data plans rather than have each person purchase bandwidth individually, some with unlimited data contracts. some firms also provide stipends to cover the cost of using a portion of the employee’s data plan for firm use.
areas with expensive local internet cost attracts competitive solutions, which is why we recommend your firm review provider availability and pricing on a scheduled basis. to optimize the use of the redundant connection, firms should install dual-broadband capable routers, which connect both lines simultaneously and automatically failover (reroute) internet traffic when needed. in this way, users are always connected.
recommended actions:
- implement dual internet connections with different providers.
- renegotiate your contract for bandwidth and pricing every 18-24 months.