264 Chapter9·BringingItTogetherinaReviewPlatformandManagingtheReview ISP could seamlessly maintain availability of access. With large files and vast amounts of information to consume, it's important that highly priced review team members be productive in their time and not just sit waiting for items to download. The local area network (LAN) Ensure that routers, hubs, cables, modems, and firewalls all support high-speed connections. In the case of the vendor, make sure their systems are similarly secure. Routing information Determine the number of hops associated with traffic between locations and review. You can use the Tracert command within DOS (the disk operating system on a PC) to show the route taken by the packets across an IP network. Tracert lists all the routers that packets traverse until they reach their destination and will also tell you how long each "hop" takes from router to router. This will provide lots of relevant information that the IT professional can share with the ISP to maximize performance. Firewall operation A firewall is necessary for almost every review process, because it plays a vital role in both the performance and security of your network. Check whether your firewall is blocking necessary ports. Does it support connections through encrypted virtual private networks (VPNs)? Perhaps there is a method of using Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) to avoid VPN client configuration hassles. The less overhead and configuration required the better.