Categories
Redundant Internet

Say No to Downtime: Benefits of Redundant (Backup) Internet!

Ever had your internet connection go down and been unable to do a shred of work? We totally get it. With so many people working from home and with the majority of work happening on our computers, losing internet is not only frustrating but also a liability. So rather than getting frustrated trying to find a perfect internet provider, let us focus our energy on a redundant connection that makes staying online totally seamless during an outage.

Here’s How Redundancy Works

Let’s say there’s a serious outage with the city’s largest internet provider. While you and your staff are canceling meetings and scrambling to connect, how do some companies work with no downtime AT ALL? Their secret? A backup, redundant internet connection that kept them online even though their primary provider had an outage. Network redundancy creates a safety net within the existing network infrastructure, offering availability even when all other paths are down. 

Think this kind of thing doesn’t happen? Think again! This may happen more often than you realize. For instance, in May 2021, a major commercial internet provider in Lincoln, NE, had an outage, and Binary Net customers were completely unaffected (one of which included an apartment building). When the primary carrier went out, the secondary carrier kicked in. This is a great real-world example of redundancy. 

By choosing redundancy through Binary Net, you’re adding more lines of communication and minimizing the risk of losing mission-critical data.
Find out more about all our services, including internet, colocation, and backup & recovery. 

We’ve had existing clients call us to say how much they regret NOT opting for redundancy after they experienced costly downtime.

We’re able to offer redundancy whether we are your primary technology provider or acting as your internet broker. We provide redundant connections 2 ways: 

1. Custom tailoring a connection directly to your place of business.

2. Using our data center as a central hub for your connection – which offers even more redundancy

Having reliable internet is a vital part of nearly every business these days. If your company relies heavily on the internet, and your connection goes down, you could be out $1,000s. In fact, any amount of downtime longer than 30 minutes is incredibly detrimental to business.

The main question is, how long can you afford to be down?

 A backup internet connection can cost our clients as little as $50 per month. When primary internet connections do go down, they tend to stay down several hours, sometimes going off and on for days. How much business could you be losing in this short amount of time due to an inability to produce a product, manufacture goods, or serve your customer’s needs? $100s? $1000s?

In some cases (like in a hospital), you wouldn’t even be able to use certain life-saving technologies.  Not to sound redundant, but it turns out redundancy is really important to most businesses.

Even companies that don’t consider themselves as relying heavily on internet can benefit from backup internet options. Think of how restaurants rely on the internet for cash registers and online orders or how doctors’ offices store vital patient data digitally. Internet connections are woven into the fabric of nearly all businesses.

We can help you (no matter the size of your business)!

There are many different ways to keep your data secure and your business running smoothly, and redundancy is no less important to your company’s success. But how we manage your redundancy can depend on the size of your business. We break it down into three main categories:

1. Smaller offices without a dedicated IT team

For smaller companies and businesses, we manage everything from top to bottom. This includes internet, network redundancy, cloud storage, and more!

2. A medium-sized office with an IT staff 

If you already have an existing IT staff, we work in tandem to help secure vendors and tie everything together.

3. Companies with a significant IT presence that need a better environment 

Maybe your IT department is already exploring internet options but needs a reliable central location for your data. In that case, our data center offers colocation and virtual services, helping to create a diverse connectivity environment.

The biggest takeaway, network redundancy saves time, money and, given our increasing reliance on the internet, is vital for the smooth operation of your business. Ready to use redundancy services? Reach out to us today to get started!

Categories
Cloud Backup Data centers

What’s Best for Business? Exploring Cloud vs. Data Center

Analog methods for storing information are becoming increasingly extinct. Businesses want to be able to access data quickly and efficiently. For this reason, companies rely heavily on digital storage options. That leads us to a question we get asked frequently, which is best: the cloud or a data center? While the answer depends on many factors, one way to help guide you towards the right choice is defining each and exploring the pros and cons of both.

Defining the Cloud

When storing data in the cloud, you essentially give the information to a 3rd-party vendor who will keep the data in their hardware and infrastructure. While you are relinquishing some control to the vendor that you hire, reliable, skilled vendors like Binary have a team of experts who have background knowledge in the cloud and can assist with any questions you might have. We know firsthand that businesses are hesitant to use the cloud because they feel it’s not secure. But actually, since experts are handling your data, it is just as secure as information stored in a data center. 

Plus, the storage you need is the storage you pay for, making the cloud incredibly cost-effective. Additionally, if you’re looking to scale or decrease storage at any time, the cloud makes it easy for you to do that. That kind of flexibility is a significant plus.

Defining Data Center 

Physical data center space is provided to businesses through colocation centers. Some of the main benefits of utilizing these centers are reliability, power, and on-site support. Generally, a colocation provider offers cutting-edge technology, high-level redundancy, unmatched security, and as much control as you need. 

By selecting colocation services with a technology company, businesses can choose the physical space they require within the facility. 

Like cloud options, data centers come with 24-hour monitoring, ensuring your data is always secure.

Bottom Line: What’s Best Depends on Company Goals! 

Both cloud and data center services are fantastic options for companies. But the bottom line is, what’s best for your company depends on your goals and how much control you might want over where your data is stored and how it’s managed. 

As experts in our field, we have the answers to your questions about cloud and data center services. Reach out to us when you’re ready to get started securing your data!

Categories
SSL Certificates

Why All Websites Should Use SSL Certificates According to Technology Experts!

Wonder what you can do in order to make your website more secure? The answer lies in SSL certificates! An SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate is a small data file that creates an encrypted channel between a server and a browser. Next time you type in a web address, note the “s” at the end of “HTTPS://.”  That added “s” means the web address is secured through SSL. An SSL certificate ensures the connection between the web server and browser is secure and private. Since security is essential for keeping your website safe, SSL certificates are crucial! Now that we understand SSL basics let’s explore the top 5 reasons to use them!

5 Key Benefits of SSL Certificates:

1. Data Protection

The first benefit of using SSL is something we touched upon above…security! By utilizing an SSL certificate, you’re keeping sensitive information, like passwords and credit card numbers, safe. The only browser or server that has access to protected data is the intended recipient. Additionally, your encrypted information becomes shielded from nefarious hackers. 

2. Identity Verification

Verifying your identity to websites helps confirm that who you say that you are, is who you truly are. Before using an SSL certificate, you first need to go through a verification set up by Certificate Authority (CA). This process confirms your identity and the legitimacy of your company/business. Once all this information is validated, then your website will gain trust amongst web users. Not to mention, it prevents anyone from creating a fraudulent version of your site, which can trick users into giving out their personal information.

3. Higher Google Rank

How you rank on Google can directly affect the number of people clicking on your website and influence overall trust in your company. Bottom line, the higher you rank on Google, the more likely you are to be seen by your target audience. A recent study shows a strong tie between websites using “HTTPS” and better rankings on sites like Google and Bing.

4. PCI/DSS requirements

If your company or organization takes payments over the internet, your site must be PCI compliant. Within those PCI requirements is the mandatory step of making your website secure using SSL. So if you plan on processing transactions online now or in the future, an SSL certificate is an absolute necessity.

5. Trusted Site

The primary way to tell whether a website is secure is to look in the search bar’s left corner. If the site has an SSL certificate, a padlock icon will be visible, indicating that the connection is secure. If the site isn’t safe, a web browser like Google Chrome will display an alert that says “not secure.” Since even casual web users can tell which sites are secure, it’s becoming increasingly important that all websites have safety measures in place.

Need help creating a more secure website? Binary Net is here to help you get started!

Categories
Uncategorized

Tips for Buying and Managing Domain Names

Work With a Reliable Company

There are a lot of issues that can crop up when purchasing and managing a domain yourself. One of the most important things you can do in order to avoid the headache and disruption to your business is by working with a local company like Binary Net. Establishing a personal relationship with your Domain Registrar makes it easier to control your domain.

Avoid Major Disruptions to Your domain by Following This Advice!

1. Avoid Domain Name Lapse or Loss of Ownership

Sudden domain Name lapse or loss of ownership can be a huge problem. Take this true story: First thing Monday morning, a client calls BTM World Headquarters and states that his company’s email and website went down over the weekend. During the time his website was down, his email stopped, and his business came to a complete halt!  

An issue like this is a huge concern, and from the perspective of clients, it is easy to miss automated domain renewal messages. Luckily, you can avoid this major set back by hiring a partner who knows your business and is looking out for you and your company. The Binary Net team personally knows each client and is able to identify when a domain name might be expiring. We often make personal calls to clients to remind them of their renewals. 

2. Trust a Well-Established, Local Company

While there are a variety of Domain Registrars out there, they are NOT all created equal. We once saw a client call the business who hosted their website, email, and domain name, only to discover that the company was out of business! What’s the solution? Trust an established company! 

Binary Net is a family-owned business that has been around for over 20 years. Plus, a large majority of our team lives and works in Lincoln. We keep things personal by assigning a primary account manager who will stay in contact with you. Come visit our downtown office any time or call your account manager directly if you have questions or need assistance! 

3. Make Security Requirements Easier

While the primary goal of security is to keep the wrong people out, often, those same security measures can lock people out of their own accounts. For example, some businesses require a pin number or the last 4 digits of the card on file when you call about an account. What happens if this info is lost or you don’t have it? You’ll be out of luck. As a smaller company, we are available 24/7 and will respond much more quickly. (Certain companies request a 72-hour turnaround!)

Of course, Binary has requirements too, but we also know our clients personally and will work with you directly until a problem is solved. 

Real-Life Example: We had a situation where a client had a change in management and couldn’t access their account any longer. To help with the recovery process, we visited the business, met the team, and were able to help walk them through the process of securely recovering their data.

Interested in domain management through Binary Net? Reach out to our experts below! 

Still Want To Manage a Domain Yourself?

If you would like to manage your domain yourself, keep in mind this advice:

  1. Make sure your registrant information is in your company’s name and that you have a reliable, knowledgeable team member managing it. 
  2. Keep your account information in a safe, easily accessible place. Even better, use a password manager application to store sensitive info. 
  3. Consider auto-renewing your domain plan so that you don’t lose access or buy a multi-year plan. 

If you have any further questions about why Binary Net is your best option for buying and managing domains, please contact us today!

Categories
Data centers Disaster Recovery

Choosing a Data Center and Colocation Service that Fits Your Data Backup Needs

In the market for data backup and recovery services? Check out 5 tips for making the right decision for your business.

Making the Move To an Off-Site Data Center

Backup and recovery play a crucial part in keeping data and information safe from nefarious activity and natural disasters. Instead of playing catch up after disaster strikes, it’s important to plan ahead. We know how intimidating it can be to reconsider the way you use cloud backup and recovery services for your company. Datacenters.com does too and they’ve compiled a comprehensive list of tips to help guide you through the process of selecting a data center and colocation provider. 

When making the switch you’ll want to define goals and take actionable steps to reach those goals. This means: 

  1. Figuring out what you want from a provider and how you define a positive working relationship.
  2. Researching providers and selecting potential providers based on your location. Keep in mind that data centers in the Midwest are particularly useful if you live on a coast. Plus, it’s always better to keep your data in a different city so that your information isn’t impacted by a natural event in the city you live in. 
  3. Developing a request for proposal (RFP) and then reaching out to those providers.  
  4. Review the responses to your proposals.
  5. Make a final selection based on your responses.

The road to the right backup and recovery plan is closer than you might think. Take a look at the article above and reach out to us should you have any questions about cloud backup and disaster recovery. We are a leading provider of integrated data center services and continue to invest in highly reliable technology infrastructure to support businesses that need to keep applications, data, and communications available and secure.