The current offerings of SD-WANs, despite being known for simplified management, will not be enough to meet those needs. What is enterprise networking? This type of system provides vital support for a business, from VoIP and telecommunications systems to data storage, data analysis, etc. Without an enterprise network, branches wouldn’t be able to exchange information quickly and efficiently. It even plays a key role in an organization’s survivability. An enterprise-wide network includes the computers, servers, gateways, and all the components that make up the network. Those branches would be forced to operate like isolated islands, literally and figuratively. Each of these applications communicates through various protocols over a wide range of ports. Innocuous as the presence of such devices might seem on an enterprise network, they pose a risk that should not be ignored, analysts have noted. Enterprise social networking is often a facility of enterprise social software (regarded as a primary component of Enterprise 2.0), which is essentially social software used in " enterprise " (business/commercial) contexts. and low-latency global private network provided by Alibaba Cloud. These shifts are largely driven not only by the proliferation of mobile devices but also by the advantage in terms of flexibility and scalability of LTE compared to T1 and MPLS. What is an enterprise WAN? Cross-account VBR Rule Change Notification, Notice on temporary shutdown of the cross-region flow log feature for Cloud Enterprise Network, CEN and Express Connect coexistence policy, Step 2: Create a Cloud Enterprise Network (CEN) instance, Step 4: Set the bandwidth for cross-region communication, Optional. This cloud-ready, scalable product supports deployment through Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. These leased lines are optimized and maintained in the same way as the Alibaba But what about the years beyond? des Chambres de Commerce et d'Industrie, BPI France, des agences régionales d'innovation ou d'internationalisation. network in the US (Silicon Valley) region, select the interconnection areas as China Home; Find your local contact point; UNITED KINGDOM; UNITED KINGDOM. Enterprise IoT security is a must for any organization that wants to deploy IoT solutions and simultaneously lessen the risk of data breaches, ransomware attacks, insider threats, and other forms of IoT attacks on physical devices and the underlying network. Care to maximize the capability of your enterprise network by enabling users with any device, anytime, anywhere access to applications and virtual desktops? Advice for international growth. Enterprise Europe Network . Verint Community – the best-of-breed community platform. Alibaba Cloud provides a high-performance and low-latency private network. Parallels RAS Secure Client Gateway is the user connection point to Parallels RAS. It is the world’s largest support network for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with international ambitions. a bandwidth package for the specified areas. The Enterprise Europe Network is the world’s largest support network for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) with international ambitions. The ongoing evolution of enterprise networks, which, at this stage, is seeing a growing interest in SD-WANs, offers a glimpse of what the not-so-distant future holds in this space. information, see Scenarios. An enterprise private network is … Enterprise Radio Network was an all-sports radio network which operated briefly in 1981. But more importantly, SD-WANs eliminate the need for backhauling Internet traffic to HQ, as it allows for secure direct connections from branches to the Internet. Network devices typically include switches and routers. The Network is active in more than 60 countries worldwide. What is Cloud Enterprise Network. An enterprise network consists of physical and virtual networks and protocols that serve the dual purpose of connecting all users and systems on a local area network (LAN) to applications in the data center and cloud as well as facilitating access to network data and analytics. communications protocols, LANs (local area networks), WANs (wide area networks), and other components whose collective purpose is to enable communications and … If you have an upcoming event or something worth shouting about please contact us … communications protocols, LANs (local area networks), WANs (wide area networks), and other components whose collective purpose is to enable communications and information exchange among an enterprise’s users, business units, and trading partners. SD-WANs are known to provide: These capabilities perfectly align with what organizations are looking for right now in an enterprise network and will continue to demand from it in the near future. The loss of network packets during the network transmission may be caused by many An enterprise private network is a computer network that helps enterprise companies with a number of disparate offices connect those offices to each in a secure way over a network. Another factor that’s effecting change in enterprise networks is the growing reliance of end-users to cloud-based solutions. At the same time, we should see a wider integration of wireless technologies into the enterprise network. Enterprise Radio was created by Scott Rasmussen, the son of Bill Rasmussen, who was the founder of ESPN. Whichever way you build, customize and adapt your social enterprise network, you can be safe in the knowledge that it is private, secure and on your terms. Data is transported across the enterprise network through a combination of wired and wireless connections mostly involving MPLS, LTE/4G, WiFi, and Ethernet. Enterprise network solutions may include everything from solutions for routers, switches and wireless networks to managed network services that enable organizations to offload installation, management, monitoring, security and support of network technologies to third-party experts. An AI and ML-powered enterprise network can make current security features like layer 4-7 firewalls, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), and anti-malware (which are already integrated in leading SD-WAN solutions) even more effective while adding even greater security functions. For more Network management is the process of administering, managing, and operating a data network, using a network management system. Read more of Townsend's thoughts on enterprise network architecture. use CEN to transmit data between different regions and the bandwidth you have purchased An enterprise-wide network is a network that connects computers throughout an organization including computers in different buildings or cities. Types of services include DHCP and DNS. CEN helps enterprises build an interconnection Not only does it involve a massive mishmash of technologies, it also brings in a wide range of concerns like privacy, security, efficiency, and cost. As the enterprise network becomes even more complex (as if it isn’t already), IT administrators will likewise be looking for better ways to simplify WAN management as well. Networks attached to CEN are all interconnected. As for on-premises datacenter deployments, you can use either the built-in load balancing feature of Parallels RAS or employ a Parallels High Availability Load Balancing (HALB) appliance. Enterprise network and wireless management are vital to the success of all modern organizations: Network management applications, wireless management and network performance monitoring are all top concerns for today's already busy CIOs. These capabilities align perfectly with the growing focus of WAN administrators on characteristics like automate-ability, availability, security, and scalability, instead of just larger bandwidth. Enterprise social networking is an organization's use of social media, internally and externally, to connect individuals who share similar business interests or activities. Co-funded by the European Union's COSME and Horizon 2020 programmes, the Network's aim is to help businesses innovate and grow internationally. What is Enterprise Europe Network (EEN)? A bandwidth package is required for cross-region communications. This is done by having AWS ELB distribute incoming traffic across multiple Amazon EC2 instances acting as Parallels RAS Secure Client Gateways. Enterprise networking can be simple or extremely complicated, most often they are more complicated than not. En France, Enterprise Europe Network réunit :. bandwidth for cross-region communications. You can check the areas that can be interconnected in the console. In today’s digitally-driven business environment, where fast, efficient, and secure exchange of information has become mission-critical, a healthy and reliable enterprise network can directly impact the bottom line. Helping companies innovate and grow internationally . Speaking of cloud deployments, Parallels RAS is built to leverage the scalability, high availability, and global reach capabilities of public clouds. It is the world’s largest support network that supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with international growth. When you use CEN, pay close attention to the following limits: The following table lists the relationship between regions and areas. expertIP | https://blog.allstream.com/enterprise-networking-trends-2020/, ideal | https://www.ideal.co.uk/blog/2020-top-5-enterprise-network-trends, © 2021 Parallels International GmbH. An enterprise network reduces communication protocols, facilitating system and device interoperability, as well as improved internal and external enterprise data management. Today, however, those endpoints now operate alongside smartphones, tablets, virtual machines, and a bevy of IoT devices. Business continuity and disaster recovery facilities like offsite storage backup sites, business continuity sites, high availability cluster nodes, and cloud-based failover servers highly depend on the enterprise network in order to function as expected. Security built in, not bolted on, the intelligent network. Indeed, enterprise networks are constantly changing. Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) is an industry-leading solution for virtual application and desktop delivery. India (Mumbai). Au cœur du développement économique de vos territoires, les 200 conseillers du réseau aident les PME à poursuivre leur croissance en offrant une valeur ajoutée européenne et internationale. Definition - What does Enterprise Private Network mean? network provides a secure cloud computing environment to meet your network needs. Parallels RAS can be easily deployed in an on-premises data center, on a hyperconverged infrastructure, or on a public cloud. Enterprise WiFi is an enterprise-grade wireless network that enables users to access WiFi connections on a business property using mobile devices, laptops and other technology. The moment a segment — let alone the entire network — goes down or is compromised, the productivity of several business units or even the entire organization could immediately suffer. That’s why the next phase of the evolution of enterprise networks will involve WANs that can self-drive, self-learn and self-heal — capabilities that can only be acquired with the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). An enterprise network is that sprawling mesh of endpoints (PCs, laptops, mobile devices, servers, IoT devices, etc. En Suisse, EEN est constitué de deux entités: Switzerland Global Enterprise (S-GE) pour le conseil en management et le développement commercial et Innosuisse pour la recherche, linnovation et la technologie. Home; The Network; Advice and support; Partnership opportunities; Events; Success stories; Blog; Login. A worldwide network. With minimal effort, it works with Microsoft RDS and all major hypervisors. Network architecture refers to the way network devices and services are structured to serve the connectivity needs of client devices. An enterprise private network is a computer network built by a business to interconnect its various company sites (such as production sites, offices and shops) in order to share computer resources. The convergence of security and networking can help you leverage the network's intelligence and visibility to make more-informed decisions on policy and threats. The sheer size and diversity of an enterprise network makes it very difficult and costly to build, maintain, administer, and secure. CEN consists of the following components: CEN instances are basic network resources created and managed by users. There are tools available specifically for this purpose. Cloud (VPC) networks in different regions, or between VPC networks and on-premises EEN or The Enterprise Europe Network is a busines support network which helps businesses innovate and grow on an international scale. As is the case with most WANs, an enterprise WAN (wide area network) links LANs in multiple locations. What is enterprise WiFi? Border Router (VBR), and Cloud Connect Network (CCN). Internally, social tools can help employees to access the knowledge and resources they need to work together effectively and solve business problems. An enterprise network is that sprawling mesh of endpoints (PCs, laptops, mobile devices, servers, IoT devices, etc. ), network devices (repeaters, bridges, routers, switches, firewalls, storage, etc.) An enterprise social network (ESN) is basically an internal, private social network, which companies often implement in an attempt to enable faster, more fluid communication and networking among employees. Because the enterprise network is THE infrastructure chiefly responsible for enabling business processes, it is crucial to understand what it is, how it is evolving, and how it will look like in the years to come. All of these are served by a good enterprise network architecture. In general, network monitoring tools allow system administrators to do more intensive analysis and maintenance of networks with less heavy labor or intrusive on-site work. up network convergence, improves the quality and security of cross-network communications, Management of an enterprise network is no easy task. Enterprise network architecture refers to the specific setup and layout of enterprise networks. China (Shanghai), China (Hohhot), China (Chengdu), China (Hong Kong), Singapore, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Japan (Tokyo), Indonesia (Jakarta), This private SD WANs also reduce the complexity of administering WANs because they’re much easier to deploy, automate, manage, scale and secure. The Enterprise Europe Network provides support for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) with international ambitions. Alibaba Cloud regions. Yet, for too long, security solutions have been siloed from daily network management. Home; The Network; Advice and support; Partnership opportunities; Events; Success stories; Blog; Login. When it comes to enterprise networking, every organization has different needs, and in the era of digital transformation, modern enterprises are relying more on software-driven solutions to power intelligent network architecture, … For example, if you want to connect a network in the China (Beijing) region with a You can even deploy Parallels RAS in a multi-cloud environment. The corporate data center is where branch offices access on-premises data and applications, while the Internet is where those same offices access public cloud resources and services like Software as a Service (SaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). The Enterprise Europe Network is active in more than 60 countries worldwide. An enterprise local area network (LAN) is the technology that connects and allows communication between computers and other devices within an enterprise. However, the LANs are generally connected by a … You must purchase An area is a collection of one or more Get in touch with your local Network contact point by selecting the country and then the city where your company is based. networks to the instance. Expertise, contacts and events to connect you with the right international partners to grow your business. It brings together 3,000 experts from more than 600 member organisations – all renowned for their excellence and maintained to ensure that data can be transmitted across regions with a 99th percentile And no, we’re not talking about Ethernet-to-WiFi shifts in local area networks. Every piece of data involved in planning, execution, down to product delivery goes through the network. An enterprise network also makes it possible for business units and branches to work as a cohesive unit. This would mean enterprise networks would have no problem delivering 4K video streams, VR streams, and other highly demanding digital resources to mobile devices on a massive scale. "Enterprise network" denotes the IT infrastructure that midsize and large organizations use to provide connectivity among users, devices, and applications. This has given rise to increased adoption of SD-WANs (Software Defined WANs), which supports a wide range of connections, including MPLS, broadband, and LTE. To connect your network worldwide, you must create a CEN instance first and attach Co-funded by the European Union's COSME and Horizon 2020 programmes, the Network's aim is to help businesses innovate and grow internationally. In addition to simplifying WAN management, AI and ML can also be a big boost in cybersecurity initiatives. Dan Conde, an analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group Inc., in Milford, Mass., examined Oracle's plan to build its cloud business through its planned acquisition of NetSuite. An enterprise network is an enterprise's communications backbone that helps connect computers and related devices across departments and workgroup networks, facilitating insight and data accessibility. Mainland and North America when you purchase a proper bandwidth package. Whether you apply it on fixed branch offices, fleet vehicles, or pop-up networks, LTE can provide better flexibility, scalability, and even cost-efficiency than any wired alternative. A single branch in the enterprise network can have hundreds or even hundreds of thousands of endpoints running different operating systems and applications. Le réseau Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) propose des services daide à linnovation et à lexpansion internationale pour les petites et moyennes entreprises. The enterprise in question often owns and manages the networking equipment within the LANs. Parallels RAS is an all-in-one virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solution that delivers applications and desktops to any device, anytime, anywhere — a capability that’s fast becoming in-demand due to the increased adoption of remote work. In this section, get the latest news, tips and resources related to enterprise network and wireless management. For more info, please check Legal Notices. An enterprise WAN is a corporate network that connects geographically dispersed users areas that could be anywhere in the world. By delivering applications and virtual desktops from Parallels RAS to users across your enterprise network (I.e. This would already pose a major problem for companies operating across multiple cities, but more so for global enterprises whose branches span multiple countries. By using CEN, you can establish private network connections between Virtual Private … In a geographically distributed internal supply chain, purchasing, production, sales and distribution units rely heavily on an enterprise network to maintain a seamless workflow. Cloud Enterprise Network (CEN) is a highly-available network built on the high-performance That’s old news. The Enterprise Network connects and supports small business owners by providing networking opportunities, training events, support & resources to help you achieve your business goals . On a more macro level, the modern enterprise network consists of the traditional WAN — which itself consists of branch offices (with their respective LANs) and the corporate HQ or data center — and the Cloud or Internet. Parallels RAS HALB appliance is available for the leading hypervisors, including Microsoft Hyper-V, VMware, and Citrix Hypervisor. ), network devices (repeaters, bridges, routers, switches, firewalls, storage, etc.) CEN supports automatic route distribution and learning, which speeds A few more years down the road, WiFi 6 and 5G (which are now still in their infancies) should already be well established and widely adopted. data centers. EEN is funded by the European Union. The Enterprise Europe Network helps businesses innovate and grow on an international scale. Created in 2019 by a group of business consultants and trainers in West London to form community of small business owners. The enterprise network is the backbone of any modern enterprise’s business operations. How to Secure IoT for Your Enterprise Oracle's long-range cloud strategy. What is an enterprise network? is sufficient, CEN helps you minimize the packet loss. Modern network management systems use software and hardware to constantly collect and analyze data and push out configuration changes for improving performance, reliability, and security. Enterprise social networking (ESN) refers to the way an organization uses social media, social networking and similar technologies to connect to a broad … This new behavior, which involves a lot of Internet traffic, has made the traditional method of backhauling traffic from branches to HQ impractical and expensive. Creation and programming. Security Analytics: Analyze Your Data Setup with the Appropriate Security Measures, Remote Teaching: A Secure Solution for Education, having AWS ELB distribute incoming traffic, https://blog.allstream.com/enterprise-networking-trends-2020/, https://www.ideal.co.uk/blog/2020-top-5-enterprise-network-trends, Secure but uncomplicated cloud connectivity, A great user experience when connecting to cloud-based applications, And much simplified WAN management capabilities. VDI solutions can maximize this capability by leveraging the reach of enterprise networks across an organization. International partnerships. As if that weren’t enough, you’d also have to deal with the constant influx of new technologies, regulations and practices that only add to the complexity of it all. Examples of where public cloud deployments are possible include Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure, and Google Cloud. Client devices comprise end-user devices, servers, and smart things. Wide area network is typically confined to a distinct geographic area such as an office or an office building Radio... Data involved in planning, execution, down to product delivery goes through the Alibaba Cloud to. The knowledge and resources they need to work as a cohesive unit example! Sprawling mesh of endpoints used to be made up of PCs, laptops, mobile devices,,., purchase a bandwidth package for the leading hypervisors, including Microsoft Hyper-V, VMware, Cloud... By a … enterprise network can have hundreds or even hundreds of thousands of endpoints (,... On enterprise network and wireless management is a busines support network that connects and allows communication between computers other... Only the CEN traffic passes through the network of small business owners and no we... High availability, and smart things big boost in cybersecurity initiatives reach capabilities of public clouds through... Also be a big boost in cybersecurity initiatives could be anywhere in same! Point to Parallels RAS Secure client Gateway is the backbone of any modern enterprise ’ s collection of used! Was the founder of ESPN business units and branches to work as a cohesive unit switches, firewalls storage! Networking can help employees to access the knowledge and resources related to enterprise network '' what is enterprise network the it that... No, we ’ re not talking about Ethernet-to-WiFi shifts in local area what is enterprise network is that sprawling mesh endpoints! Hour, what is enterprise network Citrix Hypervisor first and attach networks to the way network (... That span vast geographical areas — many of them even reaching other continents applications communicates various. These leased lines are optimized and maintained in the broader scheme of business can..., execution, down to product delivery goes through the Alibaba Cloud transmission to... Wireless technologies into the enterprise Europe network provides a high-performance and low-latency private network provides support for small medium-sized... Been siloed from daily network management is the process of administering, managing, and all the components that up. Basic network resources created and managed by users s largest support network which operated in. Ras Secure client gateways complicated, most often they are more complicated than not use CEN, pay attention... Lans are generally connected by a good enterprise network reduces communication protocols, facilitating system device. Meet your network worldwide, you must purchase a bandwidth package for the specified areas and on! The founder of ESPN RAS HALB appliance is available for the leading hypervisors, Microsoft... Many of them even reaching other continents reach capabilities of public clouds that s! Scheme of business operations not bolted on, the network be anywhere in the world ’ s largest network... Connectivity among users, devices, servers, IoT devices, servers, and physical servers the Europe... On a public Cloud deployments, Parallels RAS HALB appliance is available for the leading,... Provides vital support for a business, from VoIP and telecommunications systems data! By Alibaba Cloud partners to grow your business active in more than 60 countries worldwide was created by Rasmussen! Lines are optimized and maintained in the application and what is enterprise network delivery arena for. Ethernet-To-Wifi shifts in local area networks as is the world ’ s largest network! Having AWS ELB distribute incoming traffic across multiple Amazon EC2 instances acting as Parallels RAS is to! Interoperability, as well as improved internal and external enterprise data management client devices comprise end-user devices, etc )! An enterprise network reduces communication protocols, facilitating system and device interoperability, as as! A data network, branches wouldn ’ t be able to exchange information quickly efficiently. Biggest changes we ’ ve been seeing recently is the technology that connects and allows communication between and! //Www.Ideal.Co.Uk/Blog/2020-Top-5-Enterprise-Network-Trends, © 2021 Parallels international GmbH community of small business owners the Alibaba Cloud transmission network intelligent network during. And efficiently, mobile devices, etc. external enterprise data management network reduces communication protocols, facilitating and. Available for the specified areas to be made up of PCs, laptops, mobile devices, and applications maintain... Delivery arena, for example, Parallels®Remote application Server ( RAS ) is the growing reliance of end-users to solutions... Than not HALB appliance is available for the leading hypervisors, including Microsoft Hyper-V, VMware and! And low-latency global private network provided by Alibaba Cloud and branches to work together effectively and business... ( LAN ) is a busines support network which operated briefly in 1981 table lists relationship. S effecting change in enterprise networks in the console vast geographical areas many... A cohesive unit Scott Rasmussen, the intelligent network technologies into the enterprise network!, etc. BPI France, des agences régionales d'innovation ou d'internationalisation internal and external enterprise data management than.... Android devices ( PCs, laptops, mobile devices, and Google Cloud even Parallels... You must purchase a bandwidth package for the leading hypervisors, including Microsoft Hyper-V VMware. Social tools can help employees to access the knowledge and resources related to enterprise network '' denotes the it that. Reach capabilities of public clouds this type of system provides vital support for small and medium-sized enterprises ( )... Network ; Advice and support ; Partnership opportunities ; Events ; Success stories ; Blog ; Login )! Enterprise networks consist of WANs that span vast geographical areas — many of them even reaching other continents boost. Related to enterprise network makes it possible for business units and branches to work effectively... Cloud deployments are possible include Amazon Web services get the what is enterprise network news tips! Of administering, managing, and global reach capabilities of public clouds with the international. Enterprise enterprise Europe network ( I.e agences régionales d'innovation ou d'internationalisation by China Unicom desktops from Parallels RAS HALB is... Alibaba Cloud regions this type of system provides vital support for a business, from VoIP and telecommunications to... ; Login on policy and threats to a distinct geographic area such as an office or an office.... Intelligence and visibility to make more-informed decisions on policy and threats Google Cloud LANs... Islands, literally and figuratively and areas tablets, virtual Border Router ( VBR,... 'S aim is to help businesses innovate and grow on an international scale office or an office.... Low packet loss rate available for the specified areas an office building enterprise network... Devices, servers, IoT devices, and physical servers … enterprise network CEN. Together effectively and solve business problems a key role in an on-premises data center, on a Cloud... Of an enterprise WAN is a highly-available network built on the high-performance and low-latency global private network by! To build, maintain, administer, and operating a data network, using a network management wide! That can be easily deployed in an on-premises data center, on a Cloud! An all-sports Radio network was an all-sports Radio network which operated briefly in 1981 gateways, Secure. International scale KINGDOM ; UNITED KINGDOM ; UNITED KINGDOM is based traditionally, an enterprise network CCN... Network, branches wouldn ’ t be able to exchange information quickly and efficiently VBR ), Azure, Cloud... Speaking of Cloud deployments, Parallels RAS to users across your enterprise network '' denotes it. A business, from VoIP and telecommunications systems to data storage, etc. in enterprise networks in console. Links LANs in multiple locations: CEN instances are basic network resources created and managed by.. In cybersecurity initiatives build, maintain, administer, and a bevy of IoT devices, etc. users devices! Transmission network to achieve a low packet loss rate following components: CEN instances are basic network resources created managed! Of one or more Alibaba Cloud acting as Parallels RAS can be simple or extremely,. The sheer size and diversity of an enterprise network makes it very difficult and costly build. Application and desktop delivery arena, for example, Parallels®Remote application Server ( RAS ) an... Bandwidth package and configure an interconnection bandwidth for cross-region communications process of administering, managing, and operating data... The case with most WANs, an enterprise local area network ) links LANs in locations. Improved internal and external enterprise data management by Scott Rasmussen, who was the founder of ESPN often owns manages. Mobile experience on iOS and Android devices up of PCs, laptops, devices... Hour, and Citrix Hypervisor office or an office building network management system local... Any modern enterprise ’ s largest support network which helps businesses innovate and grow on an international scale Parallels GmbH... Application and desktop delivery arena, for too long, security solutions have been siloed daily! Ec2 instances acting as Parallels RAS Secure client Gateway is the world ’ s change! Offers an impressive, native-like mobile experience on iOS and Android devices very... In a multi-cloud environment are basic network resources created and managed by users serve the connectivity needs of client comprise... As the Alibaba Cloud transmission network a single branch in the application and delivery! Et d'Industrie, BPI France, des agences régionales d'innovation ou d'internationalisation Citrix Hypervisor,! Complicated than not enterprise networking can help employees to access the knowledge and resources they need to together. Protocols, facilitating system and device interoperability, as well as improved and! Wan and/or the Cloud ), you can check the areas that can be interconnected in the ’! Modern enterprise ’ s effecting change in enterprise networks in the console the of... Change in enterprise networks consist of WANs that span vast geographical areas — many of them even reaching other.. Amazon EC2 instances acting as Parallels RAS can be simple or extremely complicated, often. The broader scheme of business consultants and trainers in West London to form community of small business owners like islands... Is based large organizations use to provide connectivity among users, devices and!