What is Network Infrastructure?
Network Infrastructure serves as the foundation on which your technology equipment operates within. It provides the connectivity and security to all of the devices that connect to your network.
Why is it important to maintain your network?
Your network serves as the outer perimeter wall protecting your technology devices and data from the dangerous risks that roam around on the internet.
Think of your network as your home or building that you own. You have valuables that exist inside your four walls. Would you want anyone to easily get into the four walls of your home or building and steal your valuables? Of course not! In order to protect your four walls you would make sure that there are no holes or cracks in the walls. This creates weak points in your four walls so it would be wise to make sure that the entry point to get inside of the four walls is secure. This gateway or entry point, known as a firewall, is a critical piece of equipment that operates as a gateway into your network. It allows or disallows access to devices or services from the internet into your network. 
If your network firewall is compromised, then hackers have an easy way into your network and it will be difficult to get them out once they are in.
How to properly maintain your network?
So how can you properly maintain your network to keep it secure?
To start properly maintaining your network you can plug up any known software security vulnerabilities that may exist in any outdated device firmware by updating the firmware to the latest version for all of your network equipment. This involves updating the firmware on firewalls, switches, WiFi routers/access points, file storage (NAS), network printers, surveillance cameras and more. Basically, any device plugged into your network needs to stay updated with the latest firmware updates in order to have the latest fixes. The more devices that you have on the network the more you have to check for the latest firmware updates for.
Another way to further secure the network is to close any network ports on the network firewall that are open but are not being used. If you don't, hackers will find any open unused ports to gain access to your network. Hackers are constantly browsing the internet looking for weak points in home and business networks so that they can gain a foothold into your network and cause havoc.
Network Maintenance and Support
At Blue Lightning IT Services, we can help you design, support and properly maintain your network. We understand what it takes to keep your network secure and running smoothly. We have the solutions and support dedicated to monitor and properly maintain your network so that you don't have to. Contact us today and let us help you protect your network.
