Product - Vox

Is Business Fibre Still Relevant in 2022?

Posted on 14 January 2022 by Suhail Dinat

You’ve probably read (or, if you’re like us, written) a thousand words about the work from home revolution. Terms like remote offices, hybrid workstations, mobile compatibility and the like, once foreign concepts to any business sphere, are as ingrained in our vocabulary as “I hate sitting in traffic” once was.

There’s a reason for this. Work from home is the here and the now, it’s here to stay and, for all intents and purposes, we’d best get used to it. We also fully understand why – the benefits, convenience and ease of access are immense, productivity is at an all time high and, let’s be honest, what’s more satisfying than being able to sit in those three-hour meetings while still enjoying the cool breeze from your boxer shorts?

That said, WFH does present its own share of challenges and burning questions, one of which we hope to answer today. Without further ado, let’s explore whether Business Fibre is still relevant all the way in 2022…

…First, a recap: why would my business need Fibre at all?

By now, we all know that any Fibre-optic Internet connection can add immeasurable value to an organisation. The technology can no longer be considered new and, with the rate of adoption across businesses and homes alike on a perpetual increase, there are millions of end users worldwide who can testify to its practicality. In fact, it seems that to many, the benefits of Fibre have long outweighed the perceived hassle of switching over from conventional connectivity methods – and with good reason.

Fibre cables utilise pulses of light to transmit Data between any two given points. Based on scientific Data alone, Fibre is proven to be the pinnacle of technology as far as Data communications go – and, as such, a Business Fibre line should STILL be every organisations primary choice as far as Internet goes.

BUSINESS FIBRE BENEFITS

Speed, speed and more speed

Terms like ‘light speed’ and ‘symmetric speed’ should get you really excited. The reality is that slow Internet connectivity can cost a business up to a week’s worth of production time. That’s huge. Fibre optic cables are thinner, lighter and more durable than ADSL, allowing the Data to travel at light speed – up to 100 times faster than ADSL. This means transferring higher volumes of traffic without impacting on the download speeds. ‘Symmetric’ speed refers to equal upload and download times with Fibre optic connections, so you can expect:

Faster file transferring
Uninterrupted streaming
Faster page load times
Uninterrupted VOIP (long distance voice calls)

Take it to the Cloud

The seamless transfer of Data means that you can move your business processes straight into the Cloud. This is a really business-friendly tool for apps, hosting and storage applications with easy access to all cloud-hosted information from anywhere. This also means no more bulky storage devices that are prone to crashing and losing vital information.

Scalability

The technology allows for huge increments over the limited bandwidth that copper and wireless technologies support. Entry level Fibre offerings start at 10Mbps, which is usually the highest ranges of traditional copper (except, you know, nobody can steal the former). These can easily scale upwards to 100Mbps – or even 1GB if your business requires it.

4.Reliability

Copper cables are notoriously unreliable. The illegal copper market, particularly in SA, makes them vulnerable to theft, they are subject to degradation over the years and susceptible to electromagnetic interference. Heavy traffic flow across the cables slows down Internet connection, a problem for those in big organisations. Fibre cables, on the other hand, are constructed from glass so are not susceptible to theft, electromagnetic interference or weathering. There is also no impact on speed from other users making it the optimum business option.

5.Bring on the Bandwidth

Reaching your Data cap is something every business can attest to and, while Fibre optics are not unlimited, they do offer significantly higher Bandwidth. The following activities traditionally tend to eat up a lot of Bandwidth, so if your business depends on any items below, definitely consider the Fibre optic solution:

Web conferencing
Streaming high-definition video
SIP trunking
File sharing
Cloud applications

Security and resilience to interference

Fibre optic, by its nature, is a point-to-point technology, making it dedicated to you, so there is no sharing of your Fibre line with outside parties like copper or Wi-Fi solutions allow. Fibre is also not susceptible to magnetic, electrical or other types of interference that plague both copper and wireless technologies.

Cost savings

Once the initial costs have been factored into the installation of Fibre optic cabling, the savings will become increasingly evident. Enhanced speed and reliability result directly in improved business productivity.

Fibre optics also allow for scalability so, as this business grows, so can the Internet connection. This means you don’t have to outlay huge expenses at the start.

Most major cities across South Africa now have access to Fibre Optic Internet services, with smaller towns and outlying areas also poised for connection. It’s important to liaise with the right Internet service provider, however, to ensure you get the right package, for your company.

In short, the advent of work from home is by no means the funeral of the conventional business – there are a plethora of organisations that not just rely but thrive on the traditional workspace environment. True, some places can operate fine without staff coming in every day, but for the most part, there will always be a time, place and connectivity need as far as work is concerned – so can your brand really afford anything less than the best?

Taking a Closer Look at Home Email Security

Posted on 13 December 2021 by Guin Davies

It’s your first line of defence against just about every cyber-attack imaginable. When it comes to home email security, you can’t be too safe.

We all use email so often every day, the importance of it has almost become an afterthought as most of us manically rush to open every digital envelope and reach the elusive inbox zero.

Who has time to actually read, let alone make sure that link you’re clicking on or file you’re about to open looks legit? It’s for this reason (among a few others) that email has become the most popular method of attack for cyber criminals.

Even if most of the mails we send don’t include pieces of important information – like our banking details or ID numbers – it doesn’t mean they don’t hold any value to cyber criminals who may use that info to gain your trust and create targeted phishing attacks.

No matter what you put in an email, including your nicknames for your cat and the last thing you ate for breakfast, chances are it has value to someone other than the person you’re sending it to. Also, let’s not kid, that’s exactly the kind of info you’re using to create your millionth password for the month when you have absolutely no more passwords left in you.

Valuable Info? Go Phish

Which brings us to phishing. Unlike fat with a ‘ph’, fishing with a ‘ph’ has never been cool. Phishing emails are responsible for 90% of cyber-attacks, and it’s just getting worse.

They’ve evolved beyond the standard ‘long lost deceased uncle’ narrative with the promise of millions in unclaimed inheritance and become a lot more convincing in their approach, often impersonating trusted brands or organisations to trick you into clicking that link or giving away your personal information.

Even though it’s always best to manually check each email address or hover your curser over each URL to double-check its destination, with so many emails flooding your inbox each day, having a reliable cyber security software with anti-virus and a password manager will definitely take the pressure off.

A good anti-virus solution will automatically alert you to any suspicious links or block them. Additionally, a good email gateway security solution will stop those malicious mails coming through to you in the first place.

Keep it Private

Anti-virus and anti-phishing software are excellent for protecting your inbox from malicious content and guarding against cyber criminals stealing your data, identity, and money.

Vox Internet Security is powered by Kaspersky Total Security – a comprehensive home Cyber Security solution that allows you to protect one or more of your home devices under a single licence. Kaspersky Total Security includes everything from anti-virus to parental controls and password managers.

If you’re sending emails using a browser (like via Gmail), Total Security will provide private browsing capabilities to stop websites tracking your activity and data.

Meaning those creepy, often all-too-accurate targeted ads will be a thing of the past. It also hides your data before you send it out into the wilds of the worldwide web, allowing you to shop peacefully and securely as nature intended – from the comfort of your own home.

Lock it Down

And if you’d really like to have all your bases covered, then choose a Cyber Security solution that allows you to secure your emails via a cloud gateway solution and also store it securely on your PC.

While, technically speaking, its main purpose is to keep enterprise email secure and safe from prying eyes, Synaq Securemail is also an affordable solution for home users too, offering email security for three users or more for less than R100 per month.

It’s a bargain, considering the fact that Securemail provides 99.95% spam protection, 100% virus protection, phishing protection, identity threat protection along with malware and ransomware attack removal via URL-based phishing and the ability to whitelist / blacklist email senders in a single solution.

A combination of Kaspersky Total Security and Synaq Securemail offers you the greatest prevention against possible ransomware attacks. Because honestly? It’s a jungle out there and, yes, even home users are considered fair cyber game.

Wi-Fi 6 is Here to Help Your Business Make Faster Connections

Posted on 10 December 2021 by Craig Blignaut

If you’re considering upgrading your network infrastructure, look no further than Wi-Fi 6.

When it comes to managing your IT infrastructure in business, the smart play is to always remain one step ahead. Doing so allows you to stay productive when it inevitably comes time to upgrade, while also avoiding further upgrades and expenses later down the line.

But these days it feels almost impossible to keep up with the latest catch-phrases in the fast-paced world of technology.

All except for one, that is. After a lot of talk over the last few years, Wi-Fi 6 has finally arrived.

What is Wi-Fi 6 all about again?

Wi-Fi 6, most notably, allows users to experience faster and more efficient Wi-Fi speeds with a greater number of devices connected to the Wi-Fi network.

It achieves this by means of new, more advanced technologies and, yes, there are acronyms involved… Some of which include:

OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency-division Multiple Access)
MU-MIMO (Multiple User, Multiple Input, Multiple Output)
TWT (Target Wake Time)

These technologies are designed to allow APs (Access Points) to serve multiple Wi-Fi clients / devices at the same time.

OFDMA is ideal for low-bandwidth applications, while MU-MIMO takes care of high-bandwidth applications. This technology increases capacity and efficiency in high-bandwidth applications and delivers a channel to multiple users simultaneously (up to eight separate devices in a group).

MU-MIMO is ideal for applications such as online gaming, HD video conference calls or online classes.

OFMDA and MU-MIMO technologies complement each other and increase performance on the uplink and the downlink. With Wi-Fi 6 equipment, we can access both technologies, and, as they both have a managed approach, the result is a better Wi-Fi experience overall.

TWT is a new feature of Wi-Fi 6 (11ax) that allows an AP to “wake up” more efficiently to receive and send data based on transmission scheduling. This improves power saving on APs and your Wi-Fi devices.

Wi-Fi 6 is capable of delivering Wi-Fi Internet throughput three to six times faster than our current legacy devices.

Vox’s approach to best of breed equipment means that intelligent AI (Artificial Intelligence) functionality built into some Wi-Fi 6 AP’s can now be utilised in partnership with qualified Wi-Fi engineers to monitor performance and usage, to continuously improve the Wi-Fi experience around your office.

Coupled with our Managed Service offering, this can be helpful for remote troubleshooting and network configurations to resolve any network issues timeously.

Not so fast – eliminate your upgrade barriers first

There are a few things to look out for in your organisation’s network deployment that may cause bottlenecks. These include outdated routers, switches, cabling, and other hardware limitations. Any of these products may result in your organisation not achieving its WLAN objective.

To truly make the most of Wi-Fi 6, all of your equipment needs to be capable of delivering the speed, throughput and experience required in the objective.

The cabling solutions available include CAT 5, CAT 5e, CAT 6 and CAT 6A – which are all progressively faster in terms of throughput over the distance of cable run. From 100Mbps to more than 1Gbps. Nowadays, Cat 5e and Cat 6 are considered the standard for faster and better throughput.

Conduct a wireless site survey

A desktop survey should be conducted first, and we’ll need building floorplans to do this. This will give you an idea of the number and type of APs required to achieve your coverage and throughput needs.

An active site survey conducted with an AP on a stick and a spectrum analyser or survey software can be conducted after the desktop survey to validate the AP placement. A second on-site survey should be conducted after the installation to validate and confirm that the original goals have been met and for fine tuning AP placement, power output, channel assignment, SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio), RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) values and roaming configuration.

This is the best way to ensure your wireless environment will meet your organisation’s needs, based on actual factors within your environment.

Choose the right Access Points

The right APs should provide enough flexibility to meet your WLAN objectives, whether you’re a school or university, hospital, government institution or a business. APs come in a range of indoor and outdoor, managed, or unmanaged solutions to fulfil your WLAN objective – and an experienced Wi-Fi Sales Specialist is more than capable of advising you which APs to choose to fulfil yours.

Your future business will thank you

Almost all businesses today have or need Wi-Fi, and demand is only increasing with more devices and more bandwidth-hungry applications.

With Wi-Fi 6, you’ll experience improved throughput and AP resource allocation that boosts efficiency to offer low latency, high-density deployments, improved outdoor performance and better spatial re-use.

Let’s Talk Archiving

Posted on 16 November 2021 by Suhail Dinat

Ah, Archiving.

It may sound like a shoe store in Sandton or evoke memories of those pictures in your gallery you didn’t want anyone to see (you know the ones), but in the context of Vox, it’s a lot more PG (or at least we hope so).

You see, contrary to popular belief, we at Vox offer a variety of services that don’t just include Home and Business Wi-Fi you can complain about on Twitter. You’ve probably heard of some of them; from Cyber Security to Cloud solutions, to that Weather channel you doubted at first but grew on you after the first episode. Another one of these, which gets less spotlight than the rest, is Archiving – which is why we’re here today.

At first glance, the topic of Archiving seemed as entertaining as one of our “Family Meetings” – so much so that this author needed four coffee breaks, one trip to the Archive store (for research purposes) and a quick browse through Takealot (as well as a prayer that their boss doesn’t read this) while writing the intro alone.

Surprisingly, however, a little bit of research goes a long way (who would have thought?) and, upon finding out more, we realised that Vox Archiving is actually pretty cool.

In a nutshell, Vox Archiving provides an easy path to affordable Cloud Storage.

Remember those annoying “no storage space” messages you’d get which forced you to delete 1 000 selfies with the dog filter only to free up 1MB? Imagine having to do that for your business files. Sounds about as fun as being a contestant in Squid Game – except, you know, there’s no quick ending.

Storing your Data can be expensive, and finding the time to Archive it can be similarly disruptive (as well as drive a poor intern to the brink of sanity). When done correctly, however, tiering and archiving your information can save you up to 70% on storage, backup and Data Recovery costs.

Vox Archiving means your business can store your valuable info in a secure, practical manner that allows you to know what’s cutting. It also means no costly licenses (or SABC ads reminding you to pay them), no disruption, no changes to users and access as well as no hardware to deploy. We analyse, we move, we manage your file or object Data at scale and in the process save you money. It’s like buying a Bat-cave. And Alfred. And then some.

Okay, cool pitch, but why should I or my business care?

Actually, there are an abundance of reasons, from the ability to upgrade your filing system from those used pre-Cold War to one more relevant to businesses this side of the century. But, in case that’s not enough, here are four practical reasons your business should consider Archiving.

Can I speak to the Management?

Easy there, Karen, not that kind of management. We’re talking the ability to analyse, move and store your Data at scale while cutting up to 70% of your storage and backup costs. So rather than having to “speak to the manager” every time you can’t find a file, you can circumvent the process altogether and just find what you need, when you need it.

More Mobile than a Gupta with a tender

In the current Hybrid world, the importance of accessing your Data any time can’t be underestimatedYou can migrate, archive (naturally), tier and move the right Data to the correct (and affordable) storage solution at exactly the right time.

Is there an Archive in your glasses? Coz you’re Insight.

Get insights on Petabytes (yes, that’s a thing) of Data to make smarter investment decisions (Ka-Ching). Know your Data before you buy more storage, backup or Cloud infrastructure – meaning you don’t need to waste money on resources you don’t need right now (did someone say, “Christmas Bonus?”)

Leave the disruptions to Eskom.

Unlike everyone’s favourite service provider, Vox Archiving is designed to not stop your business in its tracks. You can tier “cold” Data to our Vox Cloud Storage without interrupting user access and, unlike other providers, there are no additional costs when downloading these files from the Vox Cloud.

Essentially, if your business needs to store its valuable information without investing in a safe room and an ADT guard to sleep during his night shift, Archiving is a solution for you. It’s an inexpensive way to use the Cloud to keep, access and manage all your Data without stressing about finding more room. Not only is it fully redundant, but we also keep two copies in case of disaster while being ISO27001 compliant (no, that’s not a brand of Terminator). Our audits (unlike your accounting firm) will provide you with the perfect solution for you, you need no third-party tools to access your information and, if the Apocalypse does happen in the near future, you can at least know your business information is safely stored.

Now, if only we could invest in bunkers…

Laptop Rental Saves Your Company More Than Just Money

Posted on 8 November 2021 by Guin Davies

Maintaining efficiency and upgrading to the latest tech in an instant is easy when you rent your laptops.

It’s almost impossible to name another piece of tech more integral to the day-to-day functioning of almost every business than the laptop.

Where once office workers were trapped behind bulky desktop devices from nine to five, now they’re free to work whenever and wherever their laptop connects to Wi-Fi.

With this freedom comes loads of responsibility – and most of it falls on a stressed IT department tasked with not only making sure the company’s laptops remain virus-free, but they also return to the IT department in one piece.

A small to medium size business can spend up to R500 000 to re-fresh its existing tech, while most usually don’t have the means to buy laptops outright, meaning staff are left to make do with outdated laptops unable to handle the stresses of hybrid work – which includes video conferencing and constant security updates.

No matter how well these devices are looked after, ultimately there will come a day (for businesses, it’s usually within three to four years) when they’ll no longer be able to accept any software updates. And that brings us to the first point:

We never really own our smart devices

While most of us prefer to own rather than rent our devices – it’s a once-off (albeit usually hefty) payment for an item we believe is ours to use as we please forever.

When it comes to tech, especially tech that needs constant software updates to work effectively or even at all, we’re all at the mercy of the companies supplying the software – usually via annual subscription – and the companies who issue these devices in the first place to keep supplying those services.

Unfortunately, as we become more interconnected via everything from smart TVs, to smartphones, tablets, and laptops, investing in these depreciating assets starts to make less and less sense. Especially when these assets stop accepting updates, start to glitch and eventually burn out while companies shell out added resources for hardware upgrades or replacements. Usually at the most inconvenient times during the financial year.

Take the recent release of Windows 11, for example. The minimum system requirements are already far beyond what most older generation laptops are capable of handling – especially when it comes to Microsoft Teams integration.

The future is flexible, especially with laptop rental

Choosing to rent laptops instead of owning them with Vox Laptop Rentals gives companies the option of upgrading or downgrading – not only the quality of their devices, but the number of devices too – when needed.

Starting now, in addition to our 36-month contract, we’re offering the opportunity to rent this hybrid work essential month-to-month with no contract lock-ins.

With a Vox Managed Service, your laptop rental not only guarantees access to the latest devices from the most trusted brands, but next business day onsite support for maintenance services or hardware replacements from our tech experts when needed too. We have a national footprint, and our support team is available 24/7 to assist.

All of our new devices are 11^th Gen Intel Core Processors and compatible with the requirements for the Windows 11 update, meaning there’s really no delay when it comes to working as efficiently and securely as possible.

When you’re ready for a tech re-fresh or a new contract negotiation, all you have to do is give us a call to keep your budget in check and your work essentials optimised.

Systems Offline: How to Prevent your Business from being Home Affairs

Posted on 4 November 2021 by Suhail Dinat

“Sorry Sir, our system is offline”

South African Proverb

It’s as uniquely South African as biltong, the Bokke, minibus taxis and tweeting about the President’s shirt. Systems being offline is by no means exclusive to our beautiful country, but it’s a saying used significantly more frequently than most of us would like. Passports, ID books, drivers’ licences (and, heck, even a whole countries electricity provider) have all been subject to it – but the modern, efficient business owner understands that even a second of downtime can make or break your entire organisation.

Admittedly, this can be a bit hard to adhere to given the difficult external circumstances said business owners face. Randomised power outages (sometimes multiple times a day), weak signal, a whole pandemic and the entirety of Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram shutting down without warning (hey, some of us work in Social Media) all threaten to undermine your organisational commitment to maximum output.

The bad news is that at any given time, something new can arise.

The good news? Vox boasts an array of solutions which are a sure-fire way to ensure that down-time doesn’t happen at any time.

Let’s start with power outages (because they’re the most relevant and, sadly, don’t seem to be going away soon. Be patient, it’s only been 13 years…)

Well, we’ve *beeeeen* saying this, but a UPS Solution from Vox should have been designed exclusively with South Africa in mind. Sadly, we don’t have one big enough to plug into everyone’s favourite electricity provider, but we definitely have a few to take a bit of the load off while everyone else is shedding. True, nothing can eliminate the unanimous frustration of having your TV, Devices and lights shut off at least once a day, but at least you can still work remotely and reduce the impact of rolling outages (plus Netflix and chill is better in the dark anyway).

Our smaller Fibre unit is designed to connect up to 3 devices and should keep you online with a seamless switchover once the power cuts. Small and compact, it has a 40-Watt output, and can ensure that working from home isn’t at a standstill for two hours a day. Our bigger model, the Home Office UPS, reaches up to 5 Devices with a 500-Watt Output and can, if need be, power up your PC, screen and cell phone in conjunction with your Internet solutions. Both models have up to 4 hours of battery life and 24/7 support. Because we’ve got your back. Always.

What about Systems actually being offline? How do you prevent that?

Well, you’ve got to start with the best Internet connection to ensure maximum connectivity (and limited downtime). In terms of reliability, speed and durability, you can’t go wrong with Fibre to the Home or Business. Not only is it less prone to theft or impacted by bad weather, but it promises faster connectivity and a vastly reduced chance of being disconnected.

But what if your area can’t get Fibre? Relax, because LTE has you covered. Fibre-like speeds without the fixed line, it’s the best way to enjoy all the speed in the areas you really need them. Combine this with a Cloud or Archiving solution, which allows you to store, access and manage your Data remotely (or on the go) and you have no reason for your valuable information to ever be inaccessible (incidentally, you can also find a wide array of software options from Braintree, such as D365 Business Central, D365 Customer Management, BC Xpress, CRM24, Teams and M365. These enable you to manage or run your operations both remotely and from the comfort of, well, wherever you desire).

But what if my PC crashes, or I have an IT problem that needs solving?

That would be a tough one if we didn’t have a team of experts ready and waiting to assist a client in need. For only R29pm, our Home IT Support team can remotely troubleshoot those pesky issues with the touch of a button. You (or your team) can access any one of our skilled engineers from between 07h00 and 21h00 on workdays without being charged for hours of non-use (we only bill for the time spent getting actual assistance). From your end, all you have to do is activate an installed desktop icon. We offer BitDefender Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware, regular Windows Updates and patching of any identified security holes. Peace of mind, ease of access and expert assistance? You’ve got it with our team that prioritises the things that matter.

The way we see it, the modern remote workspace has enough challenges without the added stress of non-service delivery affecting your output. Thankfully, we live in the age of technology, and there’s always a solution in waiting. We’ve refined our own operational model to fully embrace the concept of Work from Home, but we wouldn’t be advocates for the concept if we hadn’t fledged out solutions which circumnavigate any potential stumbling blocks.

So leave the “system offline” problem to Home Affairs and let your experts in tech solutions offer you just that.

Vox Meets SD-WAN

Posted on 29 October 2021 by Jeanette Simpson

You’ve likely read all about SD-WAN here, but how does Vox come into the mix? Glad you asked…

Upon extensive analysis of our unique South African market, we at Vox have developed two unique solutions which cater for vastly different segments – SD-WAN Lite, and SD-WAN Secure.

The former, (SD-Lite) is suitable for the Small Business that requires a streamlined offering at a very competitive price. The latter, however, is our flagship offering, and delivers advanced WAN capabilities combined with Next-Generation Security Firewalls and is perfect for medium to large companies. Need high-end security as well as WAN Resiliency using a single pane of glass? SD-WAN Secure simplified monitoring and reporting to offer you just that.

But first, Vox SD-WAN Lite – an SME value proposition

Vox has developed SD-WAN Lite, an entry-level SD-WAN solution built from the ground up to cater to the unique needs of the South African small business. When compared to recent technology trends and requirements for enterprise-level SD-WAN solutions, the Lite solution provides a more niche value proposition than its counterparts.

The focus of SD-WAN Lite is on delivering high resiliency Internet connectivity, while providing excellent voice quality, reliability, and an in-depth view of network performance via an online Web portal. The solution is designed for small businesses and SOHO customers – those who cannot afford expensive enterprise-level SD-WAN solutions or dedicated connectivity solutions. The benefits include:

Reduced cost of expensive dedicated connectivity solutions.
It will improve the quality of connectivity to support Vox voice services specifically in under-serviced connectivity areas.
Managed traffic load balancing while delivering automatic fail-over.
Improved uptime ratio of connectivity by means of automatic failover.
It is quick and easy to install.
It is a quality control system.
It brings to the user information about the quality of their connectivity and self-control to adjust by means of real time monitoring and alerting.
It allows users to adjust their load balancing and failover strategies at will

Along with affordable pricing, Vox SD-WAN Lite delivers monitoring and alerting services to notify businesses when their Internet links become unavailable. The product caters for connectivity that includes Fibre, Wireless, 5G, LTE, Satellite, and DSL; ensuring the SME is covered regardless of how it accesses the Internet.

Vox SD-WAN Lite supports up to three direct Internet connections that can be any combination of the technologies referred to above. Internet-bound traffic can use multiple links concurrently or be configured to failover in order of priority as chosen by the customer. This can be combined to offer: for example, two links in active/active load balancing mode and a 3rd passive link specifically for failover, should the other links go down.

Vox SD-WAN Secure – Designed for the big business

Vox has used the Forti-Secure product as the foundation for the flagship SD-WAN Secure solution. It targets mission-critical operations as well as large and enterprise-level businesses.

SD-WAN Secure delivers intelligent networking and security capabilities in a unified solution for companies who need WAN resiliency with a strong focus on security. It supports Multi-branch VPN overlays, dynamic policy-based decisions for application path selection across multiple independent WAN connections, consolidated management, and advanced protection against threats. SD-WAN Secure can reduce operational cost and complexity and improve efficiency without compromising on security.

SD-WAN Secure is characterised by:

Native Next-Generation Security.
Multi branch VPN overlays.
Highest Quality of Experience for voice and data traffic.
A reduction of the cost of connectivity and operating expenditure.
WAN resiliency and intelligent application steering.
Real time monitoring, analytics, and reporting.

Traditional WAN is no longer an effective solution for today’s distributed business.

Companies are overcoming significant security and network issues by moving to SD-WAN. There are many different SD-WANs on the market today, and. as such, we highly recommend a careful review of your options before selecting the appropriate one.

Vox SD-WAN Lite is a more bespoke offering that is streamlined to deliver the features a small business would require. This makes it not only affordable, but also provides an environment where the company can more easily scale according to how it is growing and adapting to market forces.

Vox SD-WAN Secure, using the foundation of FortiGate SD-WAN, integrates enhanced SD-WAN features with proven security capabilities, delivering next-generation protection and networking capabilities that improve network efficiency without compromising security. It delivers a combination of WAN capabilities with firewall-driven security effectiveness. Essentially, a large business gets two solutions for the price of one.

Vox SD-WAN: A Thought Leadership Piece

Posted on 29 October 2021 by Jeanette Simpson

You’ve probably heard the term SD-WAN, and with good reason, as it’s rapidly shaping up to be a viable method of redefining efficient connectivity.

In light of a rapidly modernised work environment and the hyper-accelerated adoption of new technological solutions, an increased number of businesses are transitioning from outdated “legacy” solutions to more modern, Cloud-based alternatives. The reason? A newfound willingness across the board to accept (and embrace) digital transformation while seeking affordable last-mile solutions.

Sadly, South Africa contains many organisations still heavily reliant on said outdated infrastructure, although admittedly. recent years have seen accelerated transitioning to the Cloud. Across the board, the Covid-19 pandemic has necessitated a newfound reliance on technology and evolved solutions. In fact, it’s estimated that over 70% of applications have made this transition, with those who haven’t struggling to keep up.

This is where SD-WAN comes into play – presenting a unique opportunity to reinvent the fundamental network building blocks on which businesses are built.

Okay, I’m with you so far – now how does SD-WAN affect my business?

Well, any user needs an agile network to ensure effective collaboration, connect with customers/suppliers and simplify access to Cloud-based technologies without a drop in quality.

With so many new and different business functions (such as video conferencing or Data storage), traditional networks can easily be overloaded, which in turn leads to reduced speed, efficiency and quality. Modern businesses need flexible, secure and consistent solutions that don’t break bank – which brings us to SD-WAN.

Simply put, SD-WAN is a software defined, wide area network solution which enables companies to leverage any combination of last mile services, including MPLS, 5G, LTE-A, Fibre, Microwave, and the like to securely connect users to applications. Unlike you traditional WAN services (which connect office users to applications and servers in a Datacentre), SD-WAN utilises multiple Clouds in a digital-centric environment to encapsulate software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications.

Said solutions eliminates the need for expensive routing, reducing hardware costs while providing businesses with the flexibility of Multi-Cloud Services.

Why does it matter?

Fibre in South Africa has developed at a phenomenal rate, resulting in a similarly phenomenal impact on the reliability and quality of last-mile or backup solutions. In the past, companies utilised dedicated solutions, but these proved exceptionally costly.

With SD-WAN, you can enjoy resilient, high-quality network while allowing the customer to view their performance through real-time monitoring and reporting. The key selling-point, however, is that replacing these conventional links means a vastly reduced overall cost. Not yet sold? Here are all the ways SD-WAN will propel your organisation to the next level.

Application Steering = Increased performance for business-critical applications.

In simple English, SD-WAN takes your web traffic and routes it via the strongest connection. This ensures the best performance as, rather than divert this through a problematic route, your business can enjoy optimal efficiency.

Application Steering lets your business define priority traffic in order to improve performance and speed, using backup connections in active mode to increase bandwidth.

Improve Quality of Service for business-critical applications.

Centrally deployed policies will ensure than employees remain productive. High-bandwidth demanding applications will be steered through the best connection, while your staff can access Cloud-software, Data and files faster than before with minimal loading time. Faster performing applications, naturally, mean enhanced efficiency.

Easy deployment and implementation of changes.

SD-WAN’s Zero Touch Provisioning makes deploying a new branch quick and simple – simply ship the device to site and plug it in – no need to for experts to travel to each of your branches. Through a single pane of glass, you can centrally manage your network and execute mass configuration of devices on all sites.

Improve network security with the built in Next Generation Firewall.

Most business install security protocol at their head office, forcing all branch traffic to go through a central network location before they can connect. This method does protect the business network, yet it also leads to the decline of overall application performance.

Any business should prioritise security yet also seek a balance between efficiency and safety. Our SD-WAN solutions contain built-in, next generation Firewalls, which can encrypt security at individual sites yet not compromise performance.

Cloud migration preparation

Most businesses will inevitably transition to the Cloud (if they haven’t already). SD-WAN assists with this migration proactively, setting up the network so that moving your Email server or business application is a simplified, supported process.

Enables automatic and seamless failover between multiple connections.

An increasing amount of business functions are reliant on good connectivity – even an hour of downtime can mean lost revenue. With SD-WAN, downtime doesn’t exist – the technology will monitor and evaluate network problems, intelligently and seamlessly moving this active Data once a link fails to the best available alternative.

Reduce your monthly spend.

With SD-WAN, your business can make use of more affordable broadband links. This will result in lower operational spend which doesn’t compromise Data security. Enjoy better productivity and easy scalability – it’s a win-win.

Simply put, SD-WAN provides you with fast, secure connectivity, allowing you to reduce costs and enjoy visibility or performance benefits. Change your legacy network into a next generation SD-WAN solution which can be managed from a single interface. Your brand will be able to work smarter and, in turn, provide your customers with exceptional service as a result of more efficient network solutionsS

Creating eSports opportunities for South Africans

Posted on 27 October 2021 by Duo Marketing

By Eugene Scholtz, Product Manager: Gaming, Vox

By 2024, almost 600 million people will be watching eSports globally. More significantly, the worldwide eSports market was valued at just over $1 billion this year with Asia and North America representing the biggest share of the revenues. Even though it is still a niche pursuit in South Africa, there is significant potential for eSports given the availability of Xbox gaming consoles for rent, thereby democratising gaming to those who might not have previously considered it from an affordability perspective.

The benefits of eSports are well-documented with competitors attaining skills considered essential for the digital environment. These foundational skills can range from critical thinking and self-confidence to problem-solving and pushing for achievement. From a performance perspective, eSports athletes have significantly improved decision-making capabilities, motor and timing skills, as well as high attention spans to remain focused for hours at a time.

Furthermore, gamers have high emotional intelligence and a great deal of creativity typically associated with problem-solving. High cognitive awareness and self-esteem are added benefits from a personal development side. Even though many consider eSports to be a solitary pursuit, many games take place in team environments. This requires effective communication, leadership, people management, and negotiation skills.

Sports for all

Clearly, the stereotypes of gaming must change. These are athletes of a different kind who put in the hours to compete at a high level. And while not every gamer becomes a professional, the opportunities do exist to become a full-time eSports athlete especially as affordable, high-speed connectivity becomes available to more South Africans.

Up to now, one of the challenges when it comes to gaming in this country has been that very few people could afford the R7,000 to R12,000 of a new Xbox Series S and Series X, respectively. However, Vox has both these powerful consoles available for rental. Considering that the December holidays are around the corner, retailers have already experienced stock shortages whereas Vox still has units readily available for gamers of all ages.

The retail value proposition

With rental periods from 12, 24, or 36 months to choose from, and pricing starting from R420 per month, it has been a case of making gaming available to all South Africans. Launched in October last year, Vox has already seen great uptake with an increase of approximately 5-10% per month in applications for the units signifying how necessary the rental option is in a developing country like South Africa.

In addition to the affordability aspect, the Xbox can be ordered online, and delivery is door-to-door. Furthermore, the extended warranty means the unit can be replaced if it is faulty. Even better, a gamer can start with the Xbox S console and effortlessly upgrade it to the Xbox X later in the term of the rental contract. Vox will simply send a new quote and deliver the unit in exchange for the older model.

Backup: Your Last Line of Defence

Posted on 13 October 2021 by Suhail Dinat

Picture this…

Your brand is the epitome of Cyber Awareness. You’ve followed the protocols, run the penetration test, installed Pentagon level Firewalls and run Security so tight, Mr Robot himself would walk away and say “it ain’t worth it”. Then, one faithful day, the lovable but technologically challenged office Beryl sees a legitimate looking Email, clicks the link provided and boom – your organisation is compromised.

It can happen. It has happened. It will, sadly, happen to many organisations in the future – Cyber Breaches do occur, and are very, VERY real.

According to the University of Maryland, an attempted hack occurs once every 39 seconds. And while we may assume that “hacker” refers to the stereotypical hooded man behind a computer, systems are now so advanced that malware is capable of a completely automated, uninterrupted barrage just looking for an opening – meaning your business is perpetually at risk.

Now, we could discuss the ever-looming threat of Cyber Crimes at length, but that’s not why we’re here today.

Rather, we’re here to offer a glimmer of hope to those businesses who have been or may be unfortunate enough to be hacked in future.

So, with that in mind…

Let’s talk Backup.

Whether it’s photos, documents, video files, or confidential information, your Data is of utmost importance and, because cyberattacks occur more and more often, it seems almost impossible to assure yourself that said Data won’t be corrupted or stolen.

Conventional precautions are no longer a guaranteed safeguard, meaning Data Backup is now a sure-fire way to ensure proactivity. In truth, any loss can compromise a variety of things, including your identity, family safety and even an entire company. Nobody wants to lose their information and, sadly, doing so is often a death blow to even the most thriving legacy enterprise.

Enter Backup Software, which is like Batman, but better.

Should disaster strike, you can rest easy knowing that your information is still available, accessible and attainable to your business – all is most definitely not lost. In fact, deliberately choosing not to maintain an easily attainable storage solution is essentially accepting that should a breech occur, you’re happy to live without your valuable information. The problem, however, is when you factor in POPIA and the importance of third-party Data into the equation – you’re liable (and prosecutable) for any damages incurred (and then some).

Okay, so what’s the way forward?

Well… any Backup software essentially copies critical Data from your servers, Databases, devices or Cloud and makes this information accessible should the need arise. Better yet, it can serve as a means of protection when it comes to sensitive information which may be lost in unforeseen circumstances (for example: if a laptop crashes unexpectedly) whilst also securing said info against the plethora of Cyber Security threats in existence.

Your options are vast and can range from the simple (and conventional) external hard drive (which we don’t recommend) to a secure Cloud location (which we do) that can’t be destroyed, stolen or misplaced.

Whether your personal or home information, any individual can benefit from the correct solution – especially if you’re hoping for an added layer of Data Loss Prevention for both surety and peace of mind. It’s also important to note that you can in fact store multiple copies of the same information. Yes, we know, there’s major scepticism around the Cloud and a seemingly universal fear of it one day crashing, but the reality is that not only is this highly unlikely, but duplication of Data means you’re fine even if it does occur.

Look – things happen. Sometimes you drop your phone off a boat while taking a selfie, or you’re innocently minding your own business and get hit with the blue screen of death. This is just the tip of the iceberg – there are dozens of reasons (including the ones’ we’ve painstakingly broken down above) to substantiate your need for an effective backup solution.

The important thing to remember is that this shouldn’t be done blindly – it helps to consult with the experts, determine what (if not all) information you can’t afford to lose and implement a strategy which factors in the time, process and cost implications.

It’s always better to be safe than sorry, and for those under the impression that a monthly retainer is too much, just factor in that the average organisational Data Breach costs between R10 and R15 million apiece. Be proactive so that you don’t have to be reactive – you may find the survival of your company depends entirely on it.