Your Computer network installation should be planned out and cost effective. When looking for vendors to bid on your computer network you should consider the following factors:

1. They are local to your business
2. The vendor should give you options on hardware and software
3. The networking company should give outsourcing support after the instalation
4. The outsourcing shop should have knowledge of your particular industry and offer insight
5. Installation should include a switch, a router, a server a printer and workstations.

The technology issues should also be ironed out in advance – hardware, software, servers, switches, back-up devices, cables and network operating systems. Make sure you have the required licenses to run the software on all your machines before installing a computer network. Alongside computer network installation should proceed the building of a dedicated technical support staff, either within your own organisation or outside consultants. Delegate responsibility clearly for network management. Before installing the network, you also need to choose the security mechanism to protect corporate data and keep viruses at bay.

Warranty information should be ironed out in advance. Know what you are getting. Where does the hardware come from. I.E. Does it come from Dell or gateway or Compaq / HP? If you choose a named brand product be prepared to pay more. Choosing a local vendor means that the hardware does not have the best warranty but you save money.

Decide what parts you can install and what parts your computer vendor should install. This way you can save money and still get the performance and skill set you desire.

Make sure you get all the receipts and contact information from your vendor before you pay the final bill. Some small shops are hard to get ahold of once the bill is paid in full.