Wadsworth Urges IT Managers to Make the Most of Christmas Downtime

London, United Kingdom, December 15, 2007 --(PR.com)-- Wadsworth, one of the UK’s leading distributors of networking and cabling products, is urging IT managers to maximise network downtime this Christmas. By carrying out essential network maintenance, testing existing systems and installing infrastructure upgrades, IT managers can take advantage of large numbers of users being off line over the festive season. This will enable them to plan ahead and ensure that their network is readied for continued use throughout 2008.

With more than 57 million people celebrating Christmas across the country and the majority of offices closing between Christmas and New Year, most networks will experience very little traffic as users open presents and dig into turkey at home. To help IT managers make the most of this quiet period, Wadsworth has suggested the following four tips:

1. Carry out Annual Network Maintenance
To keep your network in tip top form, it is essential to carry out regular maintenance work. Many maintenance solutions can only be carried out when the network is down, making the Christmas period an ideal time to do vital network checks and upkeep. Always remember to check cabling to identify and fix any potential bandwidth data bottlenecks.

2. Consider network development and enhancements
Network downtime is the ideal time to install upgrades and new technology to the infrastructure. IT Managers need to ensure that their network can handle the latest technologies that are set to take off in 2008, making the Christmas period the ideal time to audit your existing network infrastructure and start planning your future needs. IT Managers should consider gigabit upgrades, Voice over IP and Power over Ethernet as well as 10gig Ethernet for next year.

3. Annual Tool Maintenance
Most network testing tools require an annual calibration, but this process can often take several weeks to complete and involves sending the tool back to the manufacturer. So a quiet network and user downtime is the ideal time to arrange calibration for your key testing tools which will ensure that they are up-to-date, maintained and running the latest software, which will enable you to achieve the best results in 2008.

4. Ensure your tools can handle the latest test requirements
When doing your annual network audit over this Christmas period it’s always a good idea to ensure that you have the right tools for the right jobs in 2008. Always ensure that they can handle the latest cabling infrastructures and test requirements and if they don’t, consider upgrading.

For more information please contact Wadsworth Electronics directly on 0844 844 4444. The company is open at the following times over the Christmas period 8:30am to 1:00pm on 24th, 27th, 28th and 31st December.

Notes to Editors

About Wadsworth
Wadsworth Electronics is one of the UK’s leading distributors of networking and cabling products, committed to delivering great service to data network installers and end-users in the UK and beyond. Established in 1949 Wadsworth still prides itself on its product support, extensive inventory and rapid response.

For more information, please contact:
Sarah-Anne Bray / Kate Solomon
Wildfire PR
0208 339 4420
kates@wildfirepr.co.uk

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