Slow internet speed is frustrating, time-consuming, and costly. If your network is consistently sluggish, you might need IT consulting services to help resolve the speed issues. There are many things IT specialists do to improve network speed, and each case requires unique solutions. Here’s an overview of seven strategies that will increase speed and resolve your network issues:
1. Network Optimization
Each network has unique needs, so it’s vital to focus on understanding your needs and what’s happening with your network. Addressing performance issues begins with analyzing all aspects of the network. You should check usage requirements, existing plans, speeds, and what’s slowing down the network.
Most IT specialists will perform general troubleshooting and diagnosis to determine if the network is the problem and fix other issues slowing connections.
In some cases, the network isn’t the issue. It could be a slow client, poorly written SQL on back-end servers, or high latency on the WAN link. Some networks are also sluggish because of wrong deployments, such as launching a LAN application over WAN. Instead of ramping up bandwidth, it’s crucial to examine the network and optimize all aspects based on your needs and usage. Routine troubleshooting and optimization will ensure speedy connections all year round.
2. Packet Shaping
Your network bandwidth is shared among various processes and applications. It’s upon you to ensure the most critical activities get priority. Packet shaping and quality of service are all about allocating bandwidth and other resources to prioritize specific applications and processes over the rest. You can have different classes of service and then set policies for each category. Three to four classes of services is enough for prioritization.
Some service classes may greatly increase the available bandwidth to ensure core applications and services run seamlessly. Less important applications and activities like peer-to-peer file sharing can get the least bandwidth allocation.
Once classes are identified, you can fine-tune the distribution to suit your organization’s needs. Packet shaping is vital for path optimization and can address performance issues stemming from activity overload or simultaneous connections.
3. Compression & Caching
You’re bound to face bandwidth limitations unless you opt for unlimited bandwidth. Remote hard-to-serve locations, ever-growing software decks, and centralized infrastructure are recipes for limited bandwidth. You can resolve speed issues stemming from bandwidth limitation by upgrading to a higher plan, but that isn’t always a cost-effective solution. Compression and caching may offer a more feasible solution without increasing bandwidth expenditure.
There are various types of compression, including HTTP compression, which can buffer speed for DATA and PROC steps. Compression increases speed, although not all activities require the same rate. File transfers can benefit from slow and thorough compression, but transactions need super-fast compression. IT specialists can use TCP control and aggressive applications to optimize compression rates and boost throughput fourfold.
4. Protocol Acceleration
Network protocols can slow down connections. Larger data packets generally prevent smaller packages from interactive applications. Satellite links also come with additional latency of about a second, limiting TCP and IP communication speeds. Accelerating TCP/IP can eliminate the latency, resulting in normal connection speeds. IT consulting services and specialists can also adjust packet sizes and configure routers or servers to split large packets into smaller sizes.
Accelerating protocols go hand in hand with packet shaping to optimize connectivity for your most important processes. TCP/IP acceleration and packet splitting effectively eliminate delays and latency, eliminating retransmissions during errors. Other measures include increasing the window size to avoid waiting for acknowledgment from one packet before initializing the next. If speed issues stem from such latencies, protocol acceleration can resolve the issue.
5. User Education
Some cases of sluggish speeds stem from bad user behavior and management practices. Instead of imposing strict requirements and lockdowns, organizations can benefit from objective training and education. Getting the workforce onboard with the best practices can eliminate the behaviors that slow your network. Not everyone understands their effects on network speeds and performance, and harsh standards won’t help them realize this.
Investing in employee education can benefit network speeds in various ways, including enhancing troubleshooting. The best practices will help reduce the chances of malware getting inside the firewall and unnecessary software installations. HR can incentivize IT teams based on uptime to increase participation in the best practices and responsibilities. User education is also vital in resolving emerging issues and working around slow network speeds.
6. Software-Defined Infrastructure
Virtualized computers, networks, and storage are the way to go for businesses looking to streamline processes and network speeds. Software-defined infrastructure offers the best model for time-saving and significantly cuts down deployment and maintenance time. It’s simpler for IT departments to manage existing applications and integrate new systems. Software-defined infrastructure also increases automation, directly impacting network speed.
Virtual infrastructures eliminate reliance on hardware and can operate with little to no human intervention. The business can make necessary changes faster, and autonomous processes reduce time spent performing manual activities.
Embracing software-defined business architecture allows the company to identify the best deployments for the everyday workload. It’s also easier to integrate hybrid and private cloud strategies and composability.
7. Traffic Management
Junk traffic can slow down connections, so it’s best to keep them off your network. There are various sources of junk traffic, including viruses, unnecessary background applications, and users. Installing the latest antivirus software, firewalls, and spam filters can resolve junk traffic issues and keep your networks updated. You can also consider outsourced anti-spam and space-saving practices like using links instead of sending large files independently to users.
Traffic management involves extensive practices that remove unnecessary files, applications, and processes from the servers. Some legitimate and valuable programs add unneeded loads that eat up the RAM and resources, slowing down the network. Broadcast traffic may also be irrelevant to users. Eliminating junk traffic and cleaning the network can boost speed and keep the core processes and applications updated.
Trustworthy IT Consulting Services
At Haber Group, we provide a people-focused brand of technology management and have more than two decades of experience serving the NYC area. Our IT consulting services can help you eliminate all the issues slowing down your network for instant high-speed and secure connections. You can leverage our experience and expertise to deliver the best quality to your clients and personnel.
