7 Step Plan To Get Going With Networking:-

Whether you're an introvert or an extrovert, feel like you have the gift of gab or just don't know how to make small talk, networking know-how is very important for your business success. There is a notion in business that I believe most of us subscribe to that says "all things being equal, people will do business with and refer business to those they know, like and trust." And the key to this is obviously being able to develop relationships.

Think of networking as the cultivation of mutually beneficial, win-win relationships. In order to be win-win, there must be GIVE and take (notice the emphasis on give). Networking shouldn't be viewed as "events" where you go to sell your business. When effective networking is taking place, the parties involved actively share ideas, information, resources, etc.

Ok, so you know that you should be networking because it is one of the most cost-effective lead generation activities when used wisely, appropriately and professionally. But, maybe that seems easier said than done. Here's a seven step plan to really get going with networking for your business.

1. Check out several groups to find the best chemistry and perceived value. Most groups will allow you to come and visit at least a couple of times before you have to join. Go and ask around to find out why others have joined and what value they get out of belonging.

Resist the urge to just go join the Chamber of Commerce simply because everyone tells you that's what you need to do. If that's not where your target group can be found, then you might just be wasting a considerable amount of time (and money).

I'm not telling you not to join the Chamber. Just be clear about what you'd like to get out of this or any other group. If it's to find prospective clients or referral sources, then you need to be networking where those resources can be found.

2. When you find a group or two, join and go to all the meetings you can. Don't go just once or twice expecting things to happen and then if they don't quit. Building mutually beneficial, win-win relationships will take some time.

The contacts you make need to constantly see your face and hear your message. Continual contact with others over time will open up opportunities for you to go deeper and learn more about each others thoughts, ideas and capabilities in regards to your respective businesses.

Know, like, and trust generally only happens over time. Being regular and persistent will pay off.

3. Get involved - be visible. Do as much as you can to make yourself more visible within the organization. Volunteer to help with meetings, be on committees, or become a leader or board member.

Being involved does a couple of things for you and your business. First, you'll get more opportunities to establish connections and get to know some of the contacts you've made even better. Secondly, the higher the visibility you have in the group, the less you'll have to work to make new connections. Instead, as new people come into the group, they will likely seek you out because they view you as a leader within the organization.

4. Keep your circles of contacts informed. Don't just assume that running in to someone once a month (or even once a week) will cause them to start doing business with you or sending it your way. You need to let them know what's going on when you're not at that particular group in order to inform and educate them.

Send them invitations to your events or open houses. Send them email or letters to share big news or success stories, especially anything of relevance to them or those in their networks of contacts. If you believe that you have valuable ideas, information and resources to share with others, then doesn't this just make sense?

5. Work at GIVING referrals and sharing valuable information. That's right, you need to be willing to GIVE before you get. That means you need to get to know other members and what makes a good prospect for them. What kinds of information might you have access to that could be useful to them?

You may initially think you don't have much of value to share with others (besides your business and what you provide). Part of the key to getting good at giving is to not make assumptions. For example, don't assume that some basic resource (e.g., a web site) that you're aware of is familiar to someone you might be talking to just because they are the "expert" in that field. Be willing to ask if they know about the resource and ready to share if they don't.

Want to get better at actually giving referrals? Here's a simple question to ask someone you're connecting with. "How am I going to know when I meet a really good prospect for you?"

Just the fact that you are willing to explore giving will elevate your know, like and trust factor.

6. Focus on Quality, not Quantity, Quantity, Quantity. It's not necessarily about the number of connections you make, but about the quality of the ones you do make. Are they mutually beneficial, win-win relationships?

Quality connections will be identifiable because all involved parties will be actively sharing ideas, information, and resources. Yes, it is true that you need to spend some time and effort getting to know the other person(s) and what's important to them. But, you also need to be clear and actively thinking about what information or resources you want and need.

Staying in touch with and following up with a smaller number of quality relationships will generally be much more productive than trying to follow up with a larger number of superficial contacts.

7. Be persistent, but be patient. The goal of a networking event shouldn't necessarily be to come away with prospects every time you go out, but to come away with great connections. Networking usually takes time to get the relationships developed and nurtured.

Don't approach networking as a scary proposition or a necessary evil for being in business. Take the pressure off yourself and really focus on how you might be able to connect with someone you meet. Focus on them first and look for ways to be useful to them. As you become known as a connector you'll eventually be ready to reap what you sow.

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GLOSSARY(brief)

asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) -- A type of switching technology in which the switches are small, fixed-length cells containing data.

backbone -- A segment of network that links several individual workgroup or department LANs together in a single building. It is also used to link several building LANs together in a campus environment.

bridges -- Devices that filter packets between LANs by making a simple forward/don't forward decision on each packet they receive from any of the networks they are connected to.

bus topology -- The original coaxial cable-based LAN topology in which the medium forms a single bus to which all stations are attached. The bus topology is rarely used in LAN installations today because it is relatively difficult to add new users or more existing users from one location to another. It is also difficult to troubleshoot a bus-based LAN unless it is very small.

Ethernet -- The most widely used LAN technology, accounting for approximately 80 percent of all network connections. Standard Ethernet runs at 10 million bits per second (10 Mbps) and balances speed, price, ease of installation, and availability. The rules of Ethernet are defined by the IEEE 802.3 specification. The most popular form of Ethernet is 10BASE-T.

local area network (LAN) -- A high-speed communications system designed to link computers and other data processing devices together within a small geographic area such as a workgroup, department, or a single floor of a multistory building.

manageable hubs -- Another definition for intelligent hubs. Each of the ports on the managed hub can be configured, monitored, and enabled or disabled by a network operator from a hub management console.

modular hubs -- A hub that starts with a chassis, or card cage, with multiple card slots, each of which can accept a communications card, or module. Each module acts like a standalone hub; when the communications modules are placed in the card slots in the chassis, they connect to a high-speed communications backplane that links them together so that a station connected to a port on one module can easily communicate with a station on another module.

network center -- A single, secure, fire-safe location where a company consolidates its network resources.

network interface card (NIC) -- The physical connection from the computer to the network is made by putting a NIC inside the computer and connecting it to the shared cable.

Open Systems Interconnect reference model (OSI) -- A communications model developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO) to define all of the services a LAN should provide. This model defines seven layers, each of which provides a subset of all of the LAN services. This layered approach allows small groups of related services to be implemented in a modular fashion that makes designing network software much more flexible.

packet -- In a shared media network, when one station wishes to send a message to another station, it uses the network software to put the message in an "envelope." This envelope is called a packet.

protocols -- Developed by international standards bodies, individual LAN equipment vendors, and ad hoc groups of interested parties to define how to implement a group of services in one or two layers of the OSI model.

ring topology -- A network whose nodes are connected in a continuous loop.

routers -- These are more complex internetworking devices that are also typically more expensive than bridges. They use Network Layer Protocol Information within each packet to route it from one LAN to another.

shared access -- Shared media technology means that all of the devices attached to the LAN share a single communications medium, usually a coaxial, twisted pair, or fiber optic cable.

shielded twisted pair (STP) -- Cable that has shielding around it to provide more protection against electromagnetic interference (EMI).

standalone hubs -- Single box-level hubs with a number of ports. Standalone hubs usually include some method of linking them to other standalone hubs -- either by connecting them together with a length of 10BASE5 coaxial cable or cascading them using twisted pair between individual ports on each hub.

switches -- A device that links several separate LANs and provides packet filtering between them. A LAN switch is a device with multiple ports, each of which can support an entire Ethernet or Token Ring LAN.

token -- a signal used in a Token Ring network that coordinates the transmission of data among the nodes. The token travels around the network, and a node can transmit data only when it has a token.

Token Ring -- A major LAN technology in use today. Token Ring rules are defined in the IEEE 802.5 specification. Like Ethernet, the Token Ring protocol provides services at the Physical and Data Link Layers of the OSI model. Token Ring networks can be run at two different data rates, 4 Mbps or 16 Mbps.

10BASE-T -- The specification for running Ethernet on UTP. This stands for 10 Mbps, baseband signaling (the signaling method used by Ethernet networks), over twisted pair cable.

10BASE5 -- An Ethernet specification that uses a thick coaxial cable. 10BASE5 is seldom installed in new Ethernet networks today.

10BASE2 -- An Ethernet specification that uses a thin coaxial cable medium. 10BASE2 is only used in very small office networks.

unshielded twisted pair (UTP) -- UTP cable is similar to telephone cable but has somewhat more stringent specifications regarding its susceptibility to outside EMI than common telephone wire. UTP is used much more often than STP.

STANDARD &PROTOCOL

LANs are complex systems that implement many different services in order to provide communication between all of the types of devices that can be connected to them. A communications model called the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) reference model was developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO) to define all of the services a LAN should provide (see Figure 8). This model defines seven layers, each of which provides a subset of all of the LAN services. This layered approach allows small groups of related services to be implemented in a modular fashion that makes designing network software much more flexible. A network software module that implements services at the Network and Transport Layers of the model can be paired up with different Physical and Data Link Layer modules depending on the requirements of the user's application. But the OSI model doesn't say how these services should actually be implemented in LAN equipment. The "how to" part has been defined in a number of different protocols that have been developed by international standards bodies, individual LAN equipment vendors, and ad hoc groups of interested parties. These protocols typically define how to implement a group of services in one or two layers of the OSI model. For example, Ethernet and Token Ring are both protocols that define different ways to provide the services called for in the Physical and Data Link Layers of the OSI model. They have both been approved by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), an international communications standards body.
	The International Standards Organization (ISO), the primary standard-setting body in the data communications industry, developed a framework for LAN standards called the Open Systems Interconnect reference model. This reference model represents a standard approach to communicate information throughout a network so that a variety of independently developed computer and communications devices can interoperate.
Because they are approved and published by the IEEE, both the Ethernet and Token Ring protocols are said to be industry standards. Any company can acquire the specifications and design Ethernet or Token Ring NICs. Users can purchase an Ethernet NIC, for example, from any vendor and be assured that it will operate in a network with Ethernet NICs from other vendors. This degree of interoperability is highly desirable. However, there are many more protocols for providing services at the higher layers of the OSI model and very few of them have been approved by an international standards bodies. In fact, most upper layer LAN protocols are incorporated into proprietary network operating systems, such as Novell's NetWare, IBM's LAN Server, and Microsoft's LAN Manager. A user has to buy only that vendor's products in order to be assured that they will interoperate on a LAN. Network Operating Systems Ethernet and Token Ring technologies are just one part of a complete LAN. They provide the services specified in the Physical and Data Link Layers of the OSI model, but several other services must be added on top of the connectivity of Ethernet or Token Ring. Network operating systems (NOSs) are most often used to provide the additional communications services. A NOS defines client and server systems. Clients are individual user workstations attached to the network where application programs are run and data is generated. Servers are shared network resources that provide hard disk space for users to store files, printer services, and a number of other network services. The network operating system provides a set of protocols in software that run on both servers and client systems and allow them to communicate with each other, share files, printers, and other network resources.

Types of Networking!

Many types of networks exist, but the most common types of networks are Local-Area Networks (LANs), and Wide-Area Networks (WANs). In a LAN, computers are connected together within a "local" area (for example, an office or home). In a WAN, computers are farther apart and are connected via telephone/communication lines, radio waves, or other means of connection.

(LAN):-

Originally, only medium to large-sized businesses could afford the cost of networking hardware. In the last decade, prices have rapidly dropped as new technology has developed, and it is now possible to grab a basic 4-PC 10Base-T home networking kit for under $150. The affordable price and added convienence of having a LAN has made it commonplace to see networks in many homes and offices. Each PC in a LAN is able to access shared files and devices anywhere on the LAN. This makes the sharing of expensive devices, such as laser printers or large removable storage drives, a cost-effective alternative to purchasing a device for every user.

If you decide to use Ethernet for your LAN (which we recommend you do), you can choose from 10Base-T (10 million bits per second, or 10 Mbps) or 100Base-T (100 million bits per second, or 100 Mbps), which is usually refered to as Fast Ethernet. 10Base-T is used mostly for home and small office networks, because it offers both affordability (around $20-30 for a network card, and $80 for an 8-port hub) and decent performance. For large businesses, a 100Base-T solution may be required if there are a large number of PCs connected to the network, or if large amounts of data is frequently transferred.

There are three different types of cabling for Ethernet networks. Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) is the most popular type of cabling, and the one we recommend because of its wide availibility and low price. The other two types are coaxial and Shielded Twisted Pair (STP). STP cable provides more shielding against outside Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) than UTP, but is more expensive. We've never had any problems with EMI, so we suggest the cheaper UTP. Coaxial uses much thicker and more expensive cable, and must be run in a ring configuration, from PC to PC, unlike Twisted Pair, which is run directly from each computer to a port on the hub, making wiring more convienent in most cases.

Ethernet networks require a Hub, a hardware device that all PCs on a network are connected to by cabling. The hub manages receiving and transmitting data from networked devices. Hubs come in many different port configurations, but you will probably need a 4, 8, or 12 port hub, depending on the number of PCs you want to connect together. Each port supports a single 10Base-T connection from a PC or peripheral. If you're using Coaxial cable, you need to find a hub with one Coaxial port and minimal Twisted Pair ports. There are both Manageable Hubs, which allow advanced configuration of Hub properties via a software package, and Standard Hubs, which are cheaper, and usually used for home or small office networks. We recommend purchasing a standard hub, since the extra features included in Manageable Hubs are not useful for a home or small office network. Since you will probably purchase a standard hub, we'll discuss the three types of standard hubs next.

(WAN):-

A WAN (wide area network) is a geographically dispersed telecommunications network and the term distinguishes a broader telecommunication structure from a local area network (LAN). A wide area network may be privately owned or rented, but the term usually connotes the inclusion of public (shared user) networks. An intermediate form of network in terms of geography is a metropolitan area network (MAN).

Wide area network services can be classified in many ways. First, there are services by public carriers and those provided through private user facilities like microwave or private optic cable networks. Second, services can be based on relatively permanent connections (switched or dial-up). Services can also be based on analog information flows or digital flows, and on circuit or packet-switched technology.

Today, WANs (Wide Area Networks) are created using many types of services for the small business and home business users. The only constraint is what your local operating company (PacBell, Bell Atlantic, Ameritec, etc.) will provide as service and / or if a new CLEC has competing services that will allow you to access these services. Any time that you leave your LAN environment and go on the PSTN network, that is called accessing the WAN. Your traffic is then routed to the local exchange via the connection or line (typically analog modem, ISDN, Frame Relay, T1). The traffic is then sent across the network to the final destination that you have pointed your traffic (data/voice) to.

(MAN):-

A MAN (metropolitan area network) is a network that interconnects users with computer resources in a geographic area or region larger than that covered by even a large local area network (LAN) but smaller than the area covered by a wide area network (WAN). The term is applied to the interconnection of networks in a city into a single larger network (which may then also offer efficient connection to a wide area network). It is also used to mean the interconnection of several local area networks by bridging them with backbone lines. The latter usage is also sometimes referred to as a campus network.

Examples of metropolitan area networks of various sizes can be found in the metropolitan areas of London, England; Lodz, Poland; and Geneva, Switzerland. Large universities also sometimes use the term to describe their networks.

History of net working

• Early computers had centralized configurations, with computers and peripheral devices located in one room.
• The terminal-to-host connection was point-to-point.
• Around 1981, the personal computer arrived in the commercial marketplace, bringing the application power of the mainframe to the desktop.
• The network was also introduced commercially around 1981.
• The first commercial network was known as Ethernet; it allowed the interconnection of PCs and hosts.
• Users regained the advantages of mainframe computing
• 
  

In information technology, a network is a series of points or nodes interconnected by communication paths. Networks can interconnect with other networks and contain subnetworks.

The most common topologies or general configurations of networks include the bus, star, and ring topologies . Networks can also be characterized in terms of spatial distance as local area networks (LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), and wide area networks (WANs).

A given network can also be characterized by the type of data transmission technology in use on it (for example, a TCP/IP or SNA network); by whether it carries voice, data, or both kinds of signals; by who can use the network (public or private); by the usual nature of its connections (dial-up or switched, dedicated or nonswitched, or virtual connections); and by the types of physical links (for example, optical fiber, coaxial cable, and copper wire). Large telephone networks and networks using their infrastructure (such as the Internet) have sharing and exchange arrangements with other companies so that larger networks are created.