I.T. Are you of a NERVOUS disposition?

Does I.T. technology/ services' make the end user run scared?

Possibly an extreme statement, but I read an article recently discussing the need for businesses to adopt advancing I.T. technology/ services', ensuring they are constantly
up-to-date, ahead of the game, and beating the competition, but were often not adopting, due to being ‘nervous!’

For businesses, large and small, I.T. change is generally understood to be a business enhancer. They can see the benefits; increased efficiency through external/ internal communications, greater connectivity for office and field based workers, or the ability to enhance the service provision to their clients. Adopting new technology should be a no brainer. But it is evidently not that simple.
 

Although to explore the meaning behind being ‘nervous’ may run deep, but often a ‘general lack of understanding’ manifests itself as said infliction. Not being clichéd, but technology moves at such a pace, so being an early adopter can simply mean taking something on, which is almost outdated as soon as you have completed the BACS transaction.
 

For me, who has been actively involved in the I.T. sector for the last 25 (21) odd years, I have seen the breadth of development and the positive changes it has made. And for you, the Business Support, Converging IP Solutions, EPOS Systems, IT Architecture, IT Consultancy, IT Infrastructure, IT Service & Support, Telecom Systems and those that are plainly aware that there is more that goes into an I.T./ Telecoms system and associated support structures than just ‘turn up, log in and away you go’, then we know the importance of technology and the benefits it creates for business.
 

We even have ‘behind the scenes’ developments happening within our specific expertise, cable installation; data and fibre. The liquorice strands of Cat 5, 5e, and Cat 6 steadily creep towards large number such as Cat 7 and 8.

 

For us, the master technicians of our trade, we slip easily into the industry advancements. Offering these new products and services to our clients. We keep abreast of change, as it is our lifeblood. But for the end user, the one that has to buy into and possibly cajole internal departments for purchasing and also roll out, it is easy to see that there may be some trepidation. Being nervous can be seen as a natural reaction to the situation. BUT I.T. technology/ services' should be at the forefront of any business mind.

After all, we all USE I.T.

 

So .......................

 

Please contact me on
Telephone (0117) 244 4366, or
Email roy@onaltd.co.uk, or
Tweet @royadair

 

Swing low, sweet connected data network cables ..........

……… coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet Cat 5e, 6 and Fibre cables
Coming for to carry me home”

I have written many articles, which have touched on the numerous passions in my life. After all, life is nothing without passion. William Webb Ellis in 1823, picking up the ball and ran with it, and Rugby was created. ‘Ruggers!’ the noble art of battle, 15 against 15. The violence on the pitch and beer n banter afterwards. 

Like many sports, there are natural synergies with business life. You can take a lot from what sports men/women have to do, which has an association with running a business, no less with ONA and rugby.

ONA, installers of liquorice strands of Cat 5e, 6 and Fibre cables.  

Many of us use technology every day, probably most of us within our work lives. We turn up, we log in, we have our access, our portal on the wider world. No ‘crouch, touch, pause, engage’ here, although getting a cappuccino can be a bit of a tussle first thing in the morning. You simply press a little button and away you go. You think no more of it, and generally never have to. But it is not always about the hardware that you sit looking at, looking back at you.  

For those of you that have their own ‘80 minutes’ of daily glory, with their own ‘forwards’ and ‘backs’, the [take a deep breath]; Business Support, Converging IP Solutions, EPOS Systems, IT Architecture, IT Consultancy, IT Infrastructure, IT Service & Support, Telecom Systems and even those Commercial Electrical Contractors, are all plainly aware that there is more that goes into an I.T./ Telecoms system and associated support structures, than just ‘turn up, log in and away you go’.

Getting the system right for the client, means ensuring you have the backing of the appropriate resource to provide that professional service, ensuring the correct connectivity.  

And like rugby, there is quite an extensive number of things that are needed to be considered to get the ‘connected’ game right. We as fans of the game, meet, enjoy the banter and see 80 minutes of blood, sweat and tears. But for each game there is a plethora of support staff, resource, training, more blood sweat and tears and even an I.T. Infrastructure, all of which helps the players concentrate on making the right connection on the pitch. There is so much going on behind the scenes. All of which is never seen, but will hopefully mean that your side has the ultimate opportunity to WIN!

Simply put, without good connectivity, we are nothing, well in an I.T. way that is. Good data network installation is key to an ongoing, cost effective, connective solution.

Remember Jonah Lomu? Here is part of an anonymous fax to the New Zealand rugby team in 1995, before they went out to play England - a game in which Jonah Lomu became a rugby legend.

"Remember that rugby is a team game; all 14 of you make sure you pass the ball to Jonah."

Not many people made a connection on the pitch with Jonah Lomu, although Matt Perry did and to prove it 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayWPmamdw8g

In fact, I met Matt Perry, ex England Full Back the other evening, nice guy! 

So hope you have enjoyed the first half in 2014 and see you on the other side in 2015, for the second half. So ‘Crouch – Touch – Pause – Engage’ in the scrum, when we will have a few more ONA passions to touch on, all with a tinge of I.T.  In the meantime here are a few famous rugby quotes from over the years for you.

http://rosshighrfc.hitsrugby.com/pages/page_3145/Famous-Rugby-Quotes.aspx
http://www.rugbybanter.com/?p=512
http://www.pinterest.com/americanrugby1/rugby-quotes/  

Please connect with ONA

Mob: 0117 244 4366 or 07799 628927
Email: roy@onaltd.co.ukWeb: www.onaltd.co.uk

Information Technology – A lack of Accreditation!

In a recent article in the NCN (*), it reports that “Siemon announces support for the FIA’s (Fibreoptic Industry Association) Accredited Installer Scheme (AIS)". As such, this will form a step in the right direction to a framework for installers UK wide, and for some like ONA, this will be good news. ONA are supporters of training and accreditation for businesses.

The Information Technology industry is fairly unregulated, especially for installation services, be it for Fibre Optics or Data cabling.

At ONA we are continually amazed about installation process and procedures that others adopt, as often we have had to pick up the pieces of ‘BAD’ installations (Example shown). In truth an 'End User' may not know that they are 'on the end' of a BAD installation until they start to experience 'system' problems.

So we relish the opportunity to be part of a series of recognised standards within this generally unregulated industry.  But we do recognise that for some of our more professional competitors, like ourselves, the approach of best practice, is providing best practice! 

For ONA, like others, working within a very competitive commercial marketplace, and for many 'End Users', pricing can still be a keen consideration in selecting what is believed to be the RIGHT installer. But the opportunity of an accredited installer adds another dimension to the selection process.

That said, industry specific training and accreditation need to work to support those that are the ‘End User’, ensuring that accepted installation processes, materials and service are adhered to. Providing reassurance that what you are buying into with an accredited supplier, is that they are working to an industry specific standard. For the 'End User', there is of course a potential fiscal premium to pay for those recognised as supplying this, but this is weighed against the ‘reassurance factor'.

For each type of accreditation, there will be specific working criteria/ controls that suppliers will work to/ within. In the case of the FIA, installers are assessed against these criteria/ controls and must also commit to a code of conduct, have appropriate commercial insurance, and the appropriate health & safety policies in place. For installers, it creates a recognised framework/ code of practice, which ensures a 'best practice premium service', and creates a benchmark for the required service levels to ensure that the whole industry can work with professionalism.

At ONA we are supporters of the process. We believe in ensuring that we can be the best at what we do through development. What we do want to see though is accreditations that provide the benefits for all concerned. We know to give credence to industry accreditations it takes for all to ‘buy into it’ and we know this is not a quick and easy process. The industry needs to provide support to ensure that this is developed, and it will need more organisations like Siemon to create the right environment. 

As adopters of training and accreditation, ONA are part of various accredited schemes with certain ‘premium manufacturer' installation codes of practice; Nexans, Molex and Brand-Rex for example and the Safe Contractor Registration.

So for ONA we approve of accreditations.

Connect with ONA

Mob: 07799 628927
Email: roy@onaltd.co.uk
Web: www.onaltd.co.uk

*NCN – Network Communication News

Other BAD installation practices

Other BAD installation practices

“Swing low, sweet connected data network cables ………….

……… coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet Cat 5e, 6 and Fibre cables
Coming for to carry me home”

I have written many articles, which have touched on the numerous passions in my life. After all, life is nothing without passion. William Webb Ellis in 1823, picking up the ball and ran with it, and Rugby was created. ‘Ruggers!’ the noble art of battle, 15 against 15. The violence on the pitch and beer n banter afterwards. 

Like many sports, there are natural synergies with business life. You can take a lot from what sports men/women have to do, which has an association with running a business, no less with ONA and rugby.

ONA, installers of liquorice strands of Cat 5e, 6 and Fibre cables.  

Many of us use technology every day, probably most of us within our work lives. We turn up, we log in, we have our access, our portal on the wider world. No ‘crouch, touch, pause, engage’ here, although getting a cappuccino can be a bit of a tussle first thing in the morning. You simply press a little button and away you go. You think no more of it, and generally never have to. But it is not always about the hardware that you sit looking at, looking back at you.

 

For those of you that have their own ‘80 minutes’ of daily glory, with their own ‘forwards’ and ‘backs’, the [take a deep breath]; Business Support, Converging IP Solutions, EPOS Systems, IT Architecture, IT Consultancy, IT Infrastructure, IT Service & Support, Telecom Systems and even those Commercial Electrical Contractors, are all plainly aware that there is more that goes into an I.T./ Telecoms system and associated support structures, than just ‘turn up, log in and away you go’.

Getting the system right for the client, means ensuring you have the backing of the appropriate resource to provide that professional service, ensuring the correct connectivity.  

And like rugby, there is quite an extensive number of things that are needed to be considered to get the ‘connected’ game right. We as fans of the game, meet, enjoy the banter and see 80 minutes of blood, sweat and tears. But for each game there is a plethora of support staff, resource, training, more blood sweat and tears and even an I.T. Infrastructure, all of which helps the players concentrate on making the right connection on the pitch. There is so much going on behind the scenes. All of which is never seen, but will hopefully mean that your side has the ultimate opportunity to WIN!

Simply put, without good connectivity, we are nothing, well in an I.T. way that is. Good data network installation is key to an ongoing, cost effective, connective solution.

Remember Jonah Lomu? Here is part of an anonymous fax to the New Zealand rugby team in 1995, before they went out to play England - a game in which Jonah Lomu became a rugby legend.

"Remember that rugby is a team game; all 14 of you make sure you pass the ball to Jonah."

Not many people made a connection on the pitch with Jonah Lomu, although Matt Perry did and to prove it 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayWPmamdw8g

In fact, I met Matt Perry, ex England Full Back the other evening, nice guy! 

So hope you have enjoyed the first half in 2014 and see you on the other side in 2015, for the second half. So ‘Crouch – Touch – Pause – Engage’ in the scrum, when we will have a few more ONA passions to touch on, all with a tinge of I.T.  In the meantime here are a few famous rugby quotes from over the years for you.

http://rosshighrfc.hitsrugby.com/pages/page_3145/Famous-Rugby-Quotes.aspx
http://www.rugbybanter.com/?p=512
http://www.pinterest.com/americanrugby1/rugby-quotes/  

Please connect with ONA

Mob: 07799 628927
Email: roy@onaltd.co.uk
Web: www.onaltd.co.uk

All in all, is Convergence Infrastructure, just another brick in the wall?

If only PINK FLOYD had written a song about Convergence Infrastructure. At ONA we would be in ‘Seventh Heaven’, wherever that is. Not sure what they would have written with their angst ridden lyrics, especially as Convergence Infrastructure is part of the future proofing of businesses in the UK and beyond. 

Historically your data (computer) or voice (telephone) or visual (video) or in fact good old fashioned electricity, for lighting say, would have a cable of its own and never the twain shall meet. Each on its own, individual, separate, devoid from relationship. All installed possibly by separate teams of people, all vying for the best space to run the multitude of cables into little cubby holes, hidden from your view.
 
This is where Pink Floyd would rail against the tide of Convergence Infrastructure, so no “Hey! Teacher! Leave them Kids Alone” here. As IP or Internet Protocol is the control measure (the Protocol bit), that creates a standardised set of rules to run on a Converged Infrastructure. It turns out that IP convergence refers to the capability to act as a single foundation for various functions that traditionally had their own platforms.

Now with end user technology, in computers, voice, visual and electricity, your infrastructure can be plotted within your building, using the very same colourful eCable [link to last months’ blog again] that ONA spoke about last month. 
So before you plan your next move and if you want to know more about IP, IT, PSTN, VoIP, eCable or IPTV – YES I know!, then speak to me, Roy at ONA.
I love Pink Floyd
Mob: 07799 628927

Email: roy@onaltd.co.uk

Web: www.onaltd.co.uk

 

Your best asset in your business is ………….

Well, we may all have different answers to this. But for us at ONA, the lovers of ‘Liquorice strands’ of data eCable, it is our employees.

I suppose this is not a total ecclesiastical epiphany. It has been written about extensively. But for us, as a small established business, we believe in our employees.

Employees are not simply facilitators of a series of daily tasks. Employees and especially those that are client facing, have to have many assets. They are in truth an extension of the business. They are a representative of. They see, speak and work with our clients and our clients’ clients.

So besides the carefully prepared plans for installing cables into the many hidden nooks and crannies of your building, to create the necessary connectivity of your systems; computer, voice, visual and data et cetera. We have to ensure that our employees can liaise and deal with all the general challenges that we find 'on-site', professionally. They provide opportunity for the longevity of the business by building relationships. We at ONA have a 100% efficiency at client retention.

So understanding employees are our best asset, we ensure that our staff at ONA have the opportunity to be the best at what they do and be prepared for being
'on-site'. We do this partially through training.

It is essential to be able to walk 'on-site' nowadays, to have a ‘ticket’ for this or that. Proof that you have been appropriately trained to do a task with specialist equipment. This is a necessity. More than that though, it shows that we take an interest in our employees. We make them knowledgeable about the product, the installation, the environment they work in, and do it safely.  

Now we know there is not always a huge slush fund for training. Often training will be one of those internal budgets that will get slashed, or cut completely when the business chips are down. But just consider, the adage ‘what you put in, you get out’. The same applies for your employees.

We at ONA do not have a large budget for training. But we keep abreast of developing times, and as such we ensure that we keep up to date with our training needs. So if we ever had to carry out C.P.R., up a five meter scissor lift. We will ensure that everyone is wearing a hard hat and harness, we can operate the scissor lift, the ambulance has been called, but via the appropriate procedures set out by the lead contractor. Plus we will have ensured that we have obtained, read and understood the asbestos survey prior to commencing work.

Our simple business plan is we invest in our employees, for our business future.

 

 

Connect with ONA
Mob: 07799 628927
Email: roy@onaltd.co.uk
Web: www.onaltd.co.uk 

Why!, cable is KING.

At ONA we love cable. We eat, sleep and breathe it.

It is our life!

When you turn your computer on and it kicks into its digital life, your only thought for the infrastructure behind that glowing screen is when you experience a problem; too slow, can’t log on, etc etc. Where is 'I.T.' when you need them?????

But between your communication room and your computer there is a choice of Wireless or Ethernet Cable that allows you to have a portal to the outside world. As such there is a debate raging (well slowing simmering), over the provision of that infrastructure being either Wireless or Ethernet cable.

 

Ethernet cable, or at ONA we call it eCable.

eCable (ekeib l) n. long liquorice strand of fine wire, wrapped in a lovely and very fetching purple (other colours available!) coating, providing a window on your world.

 

 

 

Wireless, not so much the new kid on the block, but it is the potential future. In the business community there is a place for wireless, but mostly specific to portable devices; phones, laptops. WIRELESS DOES HAVE ITS DRAW BACKS THOUGH there are the horror stories of the mass of tangled cables underneath your desk, mixed with a history of fluff and sweet wrappers. But hard wired (eCable) computer systems bring many advantages.

eCable, if effectively installed, either at the time of build or retro fitted into a work environment can be managed very successfully and provides a greater level of benefits for your organisation. The benefits far out way any issues; simple computer to network connection process, higher level of security controls, ability to manipulate data through higher download speeds with increased high-speed internet access, greater stability and reduction in downtime, higher levels of multiple users, lower life cycle costs to wireless (there are cabling systems that are still giving great performance after 15 years+), there is a higher level of understanding of the technology within the IT community, reduction in external interference from other sources such as radio. These are to name but a few.

And don’t just think eCable as the messenger of image based information. It also simply carries VOICE. Many phone systems run a Voice over IP (VoIP) system and for BEST Results (No TIME DELAYS), and BEST Practice, use of eCable (Ethernet) is the only solution. 

So at ONA we like to say - “eCable is TRULY KING!”
 For more details please contact Roy Adair on 07799628927