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Cnik Recommends.....
Cnik's product or manufacturer recommendations are based on our experiences as users and not directly on the suppliers we have partnered with. We have made strategic decisions to partner with certain suppliers but that has been because we have used their services/products before and we recommend them to you in the belief that they deliver excellent services at good value. For further information please feel free to contact us for independent advice on your needs. Call Cnik on 01389 760883 or email enquiries@cnik.co.uk.
Server Hardware
Cnik recommend either HP Proliant Servers or Dell Servers. Each manufacturer has a good range of servers that will suit most businesses well. There are many options in the server market and you can purchase a server from as little as £400 up to £5000 and beyond so you need to consider what purpose the server will fulfil but both HP and Dell make good quality products. Cnik help with the specification and can arrange the supply from either manufacturer on your behalf.
Server Virtualisation products
Cnik recommends the VMware Infrastructure 3 suite of products that use VMware ESX Server when the high-end business continuity aspects of virtualisation are needed. For virtualisation of one or two legacy applications then VMware Server or Microsoft Virtual Server will do. For Infrastructure/Server Consolidation without high-end business continuity and High Availability then the new Microsoft Hyper-V virtual server competes well with ESX Server and costs considerably less.
Firewalls, Routers and Switches
Cnik recommends Cisco, Cisco and Cisco. Traditionally quite technical to maintain, more Cisco product are now coming with GUIs(graphical user interfaces) to enable setting up rather than the normal CLI (command line interface). They still do need a skilled Cisco network engineer to be setup correctly especially when dealing with Firewalls, VPNs and WANs. Cisco are the leaders in network infrastructure and rightly so offering superior, secure and reliable products with greater benefits.
For a Broadband / ADSL Router with integrated Firewall for a small or branch office Cnik recommends the Cisco 800 Series of routers. There are different models to meet your exact needs including wireless and QoS for VoIP systems and they start from around £180.
VoIP, IP Phones and Unified Communications
Cnik recommends Cisco. Cisco have a great range of VoIP products for companies from 5 users up to many thousands. The Smart Business Communications System (SBCS) is Cisco's entry level VoIP solution offering extremely good value and enterprise size features to small companies while their Unified Communications range of products fit medium and large businesses. See our Cisco page for more information.
Anti-Virus, Anti-Spam, Anti-adware, Anti-malware, End Point Security
Cnik recommend the Sophos range of Anti-Virus and security products. We have used and installed Sophos for eight years while also working with anti-virus products from other suppliers and would recommend nothing else. Superior manageability and detection with very low network impact; you wouldn't even know it was there until it finds a virus. An excellent product.
For a 30 day free evaluation of Sophos Endpoint Security and Control click here
Collaboration, Document Management, Information Management, Work Processes, Electronic Forms, Enterprise Search, and an Intranet
Cnik recommend Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS2007). MOSS 2007 is a complex product to explain because it does so many great things. Many companies implement MOSS in order to get just one of its main features such as a business portal, or Business Intelligence platform, or Enterprise Search, and then implement many of its other features for improving communication within their business. Please see our SharePoint page for more information.
Business Broadband
Cnik recommend Zen Internet for your Business Broadband (ADSL) needs. We do not recommended them just because we have established a business relationship, we recommend them because we have received outstanding service from them in the past. They provide a good range of ADSL, SDSL, Leased Line, Voice and SIP products and their customer service is outstanding.
Business SIP trunks
Cnik recommends Zen Internet for business SIP trunks. Zen have a number of Voice products for domestic and business purposes and both their Voice and wholesale SIP offering provide a great service with their normal high stand of customer service. Cnik can discuss your requirements and then manage your order for you. Cnik recommend Zen SIP Trunks for getting the best value from a Voice over IP (VoIP) phone system. See our Cisco page for more details on our VoIP systems for small, medium and large companies.
There are often many different choices that would work for your particular situation but which is the best choice, and which will give you the best support? Cnik Recommend..... comes from industry experience as both users and suppliers.
Cnik will recommend what it believes is the best choice for you.... not just what we deliver. If we don't support what is best for you we will recommend you to someone who does.