When it comes to business productivity and continuity reliable and speedy IT applications are a must have in today’s competitive marketplace. You have a broad range of options when it comes to voice and data connectivity which makes it difficult to determine the type of connection that will be best for your business or organization.
If you are going to be using a connection to access the Internet, transmit large amounts of data, utilize bandwidth intensive applications or use VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephony, you will want to choose the fastest connection possible. Most organizations are located in areas that have a choice of DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) or cable for achieving high speed broadband connectivity.
Although DSL and cable both provide high speed broadband Internet, a dedicated DSL connection will provide you with the fastest connection possible since this type of connection is not shared with other users. Cable tends to be a public service which means you have more users connecting to the Internet. This can slow down data transmission speeds considerably. Here is a look at a DSL connection and some of the advantages it offers as a dedicated line.
Dedicated DSL Connection Advantages
1. Dedicated DSL Connection Speed
A Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) is capable of handling large amounts of data and bandwidth intensive applications such as video and different types of data applications. Under other circumstances this would cause congestion within a network and slow down data transmission speeds. When you use a dedicated DSL connection the only users of the connection are those within your organization. Therefore a dedicated DSL connection allows you to handle large volumes of data without sacrificing high speed connectivity.
A dedicated DSL connection is capable of running at speeds that start around 128Kbps (kilobytes per second) and can range as high as 11Mbps (megabytes per second). With a dedicated line your chances are better of receiving a fast connection speed since you do not have a high number of users trying to access the same connection. A cable broadband connection is a shared connection and although many cable providers claim you can receive data transmission speeds of up to 30Mbps this rarely is the case since there are a large number of users accessing the same service.
2. Guaranteed Bandwidth
When you share a broadband connection with other users it is difficult to count on the amount of bandwidth you need to run applications which are critical to business operations. With a dedicated DSL connection you are guaranteed the bandwidth you need to maintain business productivity. In some cases you can allocate a certain amount of bandwidth for each business application to ensure availability when you run specific applications. This also guarantees that other applications on the network run efficiently without interfering with one another.
3. Reliability
When you use a dedicated DSL connection you typically work with only one provider without any third parties involved. If the provider uses redundant network architecture the end result is extreme reliability and dedicated access to a connection that is always on. Sometimes when you are using a cable connection the cable provider may be a third party provider which can complicate things in the event there is a problem with your connection.
4. Security
Using a dedicated DSL connection makes it easier to stay on top of security since you are not sharing the connection with other users. Deploying security applications is simplified and providing authentication services is easier in addition to managing overall network security and secure access to the Internet.
5. Minimal Downtime
When you use a dedicated DSL connection this reduces the amount of downtime you may otherwise experience with a shared connection. Many of today’s critical business applications are heavily reliant on Internet connectivity. If you experience a lot of downtime, this can negatively impact business productivity, customer retention, and revenue streams. Using a dedicated DSL connection provides you with more control over system monitoring and maintenance so you can identify issues before they become a major problem.
6. Cost
Although a dedicated DSL connection costs more than a shared connection, with most DSL providers you will pay a flat rate as opposed to a flat rate with a lot of extra fees associated with individual use. The maintenance costs are also typically lower than deploying a complex infrastructure and are easily manageable from a centralized location.
These are some of the advantages of using a dedicated DSL connection. In order to make sure you enjoy all of these advantages it is also important to choose an appropriate DSL provider. Some DSL sources only deal with public connectivity where others will work with you to provide a customized connectivity solution that ensures you have the proper amount of bandwidth and the least amount of latency. Bandwidth refers to the maximum rate for downloading files and data which is why a high bandwidth connection is essential when you work with large volumes of data.
Latency refers to the time it takes for the DSL connection to process your information requests. This means latency should be minimal from the time you click on an application to the time it actually loads for use.
The DSL provider should also work with you to determine other factors that may affect the performance of a dedicated DSL connection. Some of the factors can include the amount of telephony traffic used by your organization or an excessive amount of video streaming applications, to name a few examples.
If you are in an area where there are multiple options available in terms of different DSL providers, invest the time to shop around to ensure you get the services you need and at a reasonable rate. It is also important to choose a DSL provider that is trustworthy since a high percentage of your organization’s productivity rests on accessing a secure and reliable service. Depending upon the DSL provider you choose you may also be bound to a contract which is another reason why it is important to choose the right provider the first time around.