Comparing Cisco hardware with another vendor as it's cheaper, think again?
When looking to invest in hardware, all too often it is the intial capital expenditure that influences the hardware selection, however, research has shown that this is only a small part of the overall cost of the network.
C
ap Ex only rates as 28% of the overall cost of the network.
More importantly, other factors need to be taken into consideration:
Labour Costs - this amounts to a staggering 49% of the overall cost of the network
Bandwidth - 14% of the operating costs of the network comes from connectivity costs
Service/Maintenance - amounts for 8% of the operating costs
Energy - with rapidly rising pricing, the current 1% of the running costs could be on the increase
So what do you need to consider when making your hardware selections?
Labour costs (49%) are the greatest factor when considering Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) so it is important to consider how you can reduce the labour required to maintain and operate your network.
1) Look for ways in which you can reduce network management - opt for a converged network with data and voice sharing the same platform reducing administration
2) Opt for hardware that provides scalability, with longer refresh cycles and choose hardware that provides multiple features e.g routing, switching, wireless, security in one box 
3) Consider device uptime - highly performing, reliable, up to date devices should be more reliable and reduce the time required for management and issue resolution
4) Opt for highly secure devices - not only will the risk of data breaches and subsequent time and cost considerations be reduced but less money will be required to maintain and manage them
5) Only consider devices that support centralised management, particularly if a multi-sited business. Once you are able to centrally control and update devices, you will save an enormous amount of time and effort
6) Know your network - if you don't know how your network is set up, what devices you have or what software and warranties are in place you could be looking at a very time consuming task. Increase your network knowledge by carrying out an audit or enlist the services of an external IT provider to audit and document your network. Once you know what you are dealing with you can ensure that your t
ime and money is used wisely.
To discuss how a Cisco network can reduce your Total Cost of Ownership, contact one of our team today, we would love to show you how much money you could save, we can even offer 0% financing on a new Cisco network
