EDUCATION

Information technology in education is a mixture of technologies and methods. The creation of "computer labs" in elementary and secondary schools, for example have been a mixture of both Apple and Intel-based systems. Software and hardware changes and upgrades usually take longer in schools, largely because funding is limited and human resources are often teachers and administrators who volunteer extra time to enable the technology in their schools. Network performance is usually not a top priority. The potential for computers in classrooms certainly has not been fully realized.
Wireless networking in education will be an important next step in all educational facilities. When moving from classroom to classroom, students will be able to stay connected to study materials, schedules, and reference library information that they need to be successful. Low-cost thin-client computing will be an important initiative as schools attempt to make computing devices available to all students. Mobile science and technology labs that can be brought to the students can deliver the promise of technology-based education.
 

Schools also have fundamental network component needs for Internet content-filtering, firewalls, junk-email protection, automated desktop computer setup, licensing management, and network management. These types of components must be easy to install, interoperable, and easy to manage and upgrade.
NLE provides educational organizations with network components that will help the schools create a pervasive and robust computing environment. Wireless networking deployment, security, and management tools are key components that NLE delivers.
 

NLE provides schools the network products that are easy to install and configure for Internet content-filtering, network management, firewalls. NLE selects and recommends appliance-type network components that are easy to integrate with existing network devices, allow for remote management, and can be moved to other locations quickly. These are important attributes for products that are installed in schools and educational offices.
When schools have funding issues, NLE is the source for refurbished and "good as new" network routers, switches, firewalls, etc. When components don't match, interoperable issues might arise, and network management becomes more difficult. NLE can help the schools to develop a consistent architecture that is easier to manage, upgrade, and that will improve network performance.

Security and data-integrity are the main concerns for data architects in the financial data networks. Legacy equipment must be maintained, and reliability must be constantly improved. A solution provider that can deliver components and solutions that fit the existing architecture is very important for financial institutions. Token-ring network components, for example, are still required in some banking and financial companies that use IBM systems. Obtaining replacement token-ring components is critical for these companies.
The Y2K issue required a lot of investment for financial companies. Investments were made in database application rework, data backup and restore systems, and aging components that needed upgrades.
Now, several years later, these technology investments need to be refreshed, and networks need to be re-designed to fit new security and reliability issues. Cost-cutting methods for loan processing and customer-care also need to be implemented. With new technology such as online applications and workflow software, the costs can be reduced by two-thirds.
The current technology infrastructure investment by financial companies includes: storage and storage management, upgrades to network switching and routing, internal firewalls and policy-based security, encryption, network management and reporting, intrusion prevention/detection (IPS), and security and bandwidth provisions for customer electronic access. These investments are also essential to support the cost-cutting efforts in loan processing and customer care.
Primary network building blocks need to be scrutinized for security and reliability. DNS (Domain Name Services), SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol, SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol), RADIUS (Remote Access Dial-Up Service), and other services with vulnerabilities, need review and upgrades.
NLE provides legacy and refurbished components for token-ring, ATM, FDDI, and other architectures that need to be supported in the financial companies, and will continue to serve the financial community with the parts required for stable operations.
NLE delivers new technology to improve infrastructures in enterprise financial companies. Components include switching and routing, back-up and restore devices, storage systems, internal firewalls and policy-based security, DNS/DHCP appliances, Intrusion Prevention components, servers, and data-center components such as racks, cables, cabinets, UPS devices, etc.
NLE delivers tools and components that improve security and reliability for the fundamental building blocks for today's demanding financial environment. NLE evaluates and make recommendations for enterprise-level infrastructure needs.

Use of Information Technology has increased dramatically for hospitality environments in the last few years. In the Hospitality industry there is an increasing emphasis on improving customer satisfaction, improving quality assurance of food preparation and house-keeping processes, provisioning access to the Internet for conventions and guests, finding methods to reduce operation costs, etc. Information technology is required to drive competitive advantage in the hospitality industry, while guests are looking for amenities that use technology to enhance their guest experience. Guests are bringing laptops, PDA's, cell-phones, and other technology to the hospitality environment, and they want to be able to use these devices to gain access to the Internet, travel-services, and entertainment. With these demands on the hospitality provider, a robust and secure network infrastructure is as important in a hotel as it is in a hospital, for example. 

Legacy telecommunications systems are also starting to age or need a technology refresh in many hospitality environments. Opportunities for converging voice and data into a single network are as real for hospitality providers as for other businesses. 

NLE will deliver products and services that will meet the demands of the hospitality industry, and can help improve operational efficiencies by leveraging existing information technology with new and innovative components.  

NLE has been the successful solution provider for the largest hotel in Park City, Utah. This facility is the first hotel in the area to provide seamless wireless network access to all guest rooms, and facilitating separate wireless networks for large conventions and technology conferences that need VPN support to their corporate headquarters. NLE designed and integrated the entire solution that includes on-site credit card revenue capture that stays entirely in the ownership of the hotel.
NLE can design and build wireless networks in hospitality environments for solving problems with inventory control, work-flow, quality assurance, guest access to the Internet in convention areas and guest rooms, and other opportunities. We can also help transition old technology into newer and more cost-effective solutions.
NLE can evaluate your current telephony infrastructure and then recommend improvements, upgrades, help you change providers to save operational costs, and many other services. Data and voice convergence challenges can be solved by NLE partnerships and product offerings.

The level of outsourcing and downsizing of USA manufacturing is directly proportional to market pressures to create profitability and reduce costs. Information Technology needs for manufacturing are shifting from traditional material-resource-planning (MRP) systems to manufacturing execution systems (MES) for real-time shop-floor control, web-based customer support and ordering, engineering collaboration and design tools, and better integration of sales and marketing tools. The new information technology needs of manufacturing are a reflection of the additional cost reduction efforts required to remain competitive in a global economy.
Manufacturing that remains within the USA requires information technology to drive continuous quality improvement (CQI), deliver self-care customer support, provide customized product offerings, and minimize material handling and waste. Parallel with the market of low-cost goods, is the market that demands unique custom-built and prestige-value goods. Offerings for upgrading from a core-component product will create a need for better order-entry and custom-design systems.
Manufacturing and retail systems are starting to work together to improve the supply-chain efficiency. The needs for data integration, mobile computing, and remote access to information are very similar in both markets. Wireless network computing for manufacturing is an important technology since it offers the ability to take the data to and from the production lines without limits. This means more efficient quality assurance checks and inventory control for built-to-order manufacturing. RFID applications for tracking inventory and evaluating work-flow are new technologies for obtaining cost savings.
NLE delivers solutions and components for manufacturing networks, and understands the cost efficiencies that must be created.
NLE provides tools and services for improving network performance and reliability required to deliver data for networks required in manufacturing.
NLE works with manufacturing IT staff to find better components to consolidate disparate pools of data, allow for secure remote-access to information, and build a better network that will support growth for volume manufacturing.
NLE delivers solutions for wireless networks to be used to improve work-flow, inventory control, and integration of information from design to delivery.
NLE delivers RFID components and solutions for manufacturing. Partnership with NLE will gain long-term commitments to new technology such as RFID. 

Information Technology for sports franchises and entertainment venues are centered on operations and supporting infrastructure, which includes diverse elements such as the press media, concessions, sponsors, advertising agencies, facilities and maintenance, financial planning, ticket sales, etc. Sharing a common IT infrastructure that supports each of these different functions can be a difficult challenge. Often, these elements are kept as separate as possible, which means that multiple data systems and networks may exist in a sports arena. This approach can work for hard-wired network systems, but when wireless networks are introduced into a sports arena, having separate wireless access-points for each of the different functions inside the arena becomes impossible due to the nature of design limits for wireless data network radio frequency channel allocation, etc. Opportunities for public access to sports information and to the Internet at sports facilities will drive new infrastructure and security concerns. Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices with phone and wireless data-access applications can create opportunities for sports venues. The venue can use public digital devices connected to their wireless network to generate sports fan excitement by advertising special ticket offerings, contests, concession ordering with no waiting in line, etc.
 

NLE has worked with sports franchises and arenas to create methods for bringing separate business elements into a common IT infrastructure where wireless networks can serve everyone, but still keep data secure and isolated from one business element to the next. This involves the use of multiple levels of authentication, location based policies, encryption choices based on the need of each business element, firewall protections, and other key technology that must be combined to solve the design issues inherent in wireless data networks. Wireless network deployment in sports arenas is a key technology initiative that will require careful attention to design of role-based computing models, and must be able to evolve rapidly to bring new opportunities for operational efficiency, and while constantly monitoring and improving security. Other security layers such as anti-virus protection, spy-ware protection, and content-filtering are a part of the NLE design plan for sports arenas.