Sharing Computer Resources
Posted on July 20, 2005
Filed Under Business Computing, Security, Windows |
Businesses that do not incorporate computer systems are becoming increasingly rare and even in the home, having more than one computer is becoming commonplace.
Sharing computer resources such as printers, files, Internet connections, and so on, has traditionally been an attractive option from a cost savings perspective. If two, or three, or ten computers can use one printer for example, the savings are clear.
There are a number of ways to share computer resources. If only one computer is being shared by a number of users, we can protect each user’s data from the other users yet allow everyone to get their work or play done without concern for messing up someone else’s settings or data.
When more than one computer is used, as in an office or home network environment, it is often beneficial to have users share computers as well as share printers and other resources.
There are a myriad of options available for sharing computer resources on a network. Set up properly the resources can be used both while connected directly to the network and while away from the office.
Networks come in a variety of configurations including wired and wireless, peer-to-peer and client/server, fat client and thin client, and many others. Networks make it possible to use shared resources from any computer or device on the network. Further, we can control precisely how that resource is used and who can use it.
There are networks that span only the office or building they are located in and those that span multiple buildings in multiple places, sometimes halfway around the world.
Some networks are connected together using the world’s largest network, the Internet. These networks offer data encryption and mechanisms that validate the person making the connection.. This technology has come a long way in the past few years and it is secure and inexpensive to implement.
In the coming weeks, we’ll look at the different ways to share resources, discuss their pros and cons, and perhaps find ways to be more efficient in both our homes and offices.
We’ll begin with a discussion of how to best share one computer and then we’ll move on to setting up a home network. With home networks under our belt we’ll look at the best ways to create a robust business network and will finally delve into connecting to our networks from practically anywhere.
Sharing computer resources saves money and makes efficient use of the resources available. In this series of columns we’ll find the best ways to save money and the best means to be more efficient with our computing resources.
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