If you’re on the hunt for a Business Grade switch with 24 ports and keep running into back-orders try TP-Link’s Plug & Play 24-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (TL-SG1024D) instead.

If your internet is slow, it might not be your service provider. Cat5 cables (also known to some as LAN, patch, ethernet or network cables) have been the gold standard for decades to connect routers to computers, printers, servers, and switches.

But we’re in a new age with speeds reaching 1 gigabit per second or 1,000 megabits on average and higher in some areas. Whether you’re on-prem or operating a hybrid cloud, if your ethernet Cat5 or Cat5E cables can’t keep up with enhanced data transfer speeds, then it’s time to upgrade to Cat6 cables. The Tripp Lite 10’ Cat6 cables can reduce crosstalk, which is prone to disrupt your communication channels. It will also enhance the performance of high-resolution video signals for conference calls, displays and digital signs.

Winter is coming. And also hurricanes, earthquakes, forest fires and the like. Weather…it’s inevitable. Will you be prepared? Uninterruptible Power Supplies protect connected equipment against downtime and data loss due to blackouts, brownouts, surges and line noise.

Your Router might just be the most important piece (or pieces) of equipment in your outfit. Don’t agree? See what happens if multiple routers’ firewalls are breached and you can no longer regulate bad actors moving across networks within your company. Sorry for even broaching that scenario, let’s hope those thoughts don’t cause you nightmares. Now back to the topic at hand. Not all routers have built-in security or firewalls, but Cisco’s Integrated Services Router 4000 family of servers have a Voice Security Bundle that revolutionizes WAN communication in distributed enterprise sites where IT resources are lean. It specifically addresses the growing need for application-aware networking. Regardless of what your network looks like this router will directly communicate with both private data centers and public clouds across diverse links, including Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) VPNs and the Internet.

Routers are best used to reduce network traffic. Next-Generation Firewalls for Enterprise and Unified Threat Management for SMB budgets are added protection to consider, but keep in mind UTMs can add latency, which might sacrifice performance, and NGFW’s might not provide granular reporting or application-level filtering.

Gateways on the other hand offer powerful, proactive protection against a multitude of threats, spyware, and targeted attacks.  You could set up a virtual server with anti-virus software installed as a firewall, or you could get one of these gateways. While there is overlap and confusion between what is the difference between a firewall, a UTM, and a secure web gateway, a gateway appliance can offer more robust control and distinctive application protection, as well as advanced reporting compared to other networking security options. The RSA NetWitness Series 6 Server with the Event Stream Analysis Platform offers threat hunting and automated incidence response reporting tools including Security Information and Event Management Analytics, user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA), and visibility into cloud, network, and endpoints.

If the global chip shortage has you scrambling for ways to backup and offload data, consider shifting to a linux-based x86 environment or an Arm Server. While this isn’t meant to take the place of core workloads, this server-optimized SoC (system on chip) can provide complimentary performance for optimizing cloud applications in a digital-first or software-as-a-service outfit.

Avoid the chip shortage by keeping your current data center in working order. Maintain a cool server room with low humidity to prevent static and increase server longevity. The options for cooling techniques are endless ranging from air to chilled water and from overhead and in-rack to direct-to-chip solutions.