#6: Excessive network-based applications
Occasionally, networks are overrun by the applications they power. For example, a physician's office that uses a Web-based patient and practice application will commonly have every workstation logged on to the program during business hours. Retrieving data from the patient database and consistent monitoring of appointment and scheduling information alone can place stress on even a well-architected network.
Add in the fact that each workstation is likely tuned to e-mail (and many offices are turning to VoIP) and it's easy to see how introducing a few streaming audio/video files to the mix (either in the form of online music services, news videos, or instructional medical presentations and Webinars) can unacceptably slow a 10/100 Mbps network's performance.
Implement policies--and if necessary, hardware-based Web filtering tools--to prevent applications from overwhelming available network bandwidth. Make sure employees understand they're not to stream unnecessary audio and video files. Further, when working with VoIP, be sure adequate data pipes are in place to manage both voice and data traffic.
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