Enterprise networking - but without the therapy bills

The Squeeze in Enterprise Networking

Enterprise networking is at a pivotal moment. Faced with rising operational costs and increasing expectations from end users, value-added resellers (VARs) and managed service providers (MSPs) are squeezed between two extremes: complex, costly enterprise systems on one side and fragmented, unreliable, low-cost solutions on the other. In the middle lies an expanding opportunity, but only for those willing to rethink how success is achieved.

Complexity: The Silent Margin Killer

Margins are shrinking not because of competition but because of complexity. Multi-tiered licensing, inconsistent support, and one-size-fits-all architectures lead to repeated customer visits, longer deployment times, and higher overheads. For partners aiming to build profitable service businesses aimed at enterprise customers below the FTSE 100, complexity is no longer just inconvenient; it’s a direct obstacle to growth.

Right-Sized Solutions for Real-World Needs

What’s emerging now is a move toward appropriately sized solutions. Enterprise-grade reliability no longer requires an enterprise-sized IT team. The best platforms today are designed for businesses needing robust cloud connectivity, seamless remote management, embedded security, and AV/IT integration, without excessive overheads or unnecessary features. Solutions that emphasise simplicity, usability, and fit-for-purpose design are gaining popularity because they work. Not eventually, with the support of three site visits, escalations, and unnecessary costs being incurred, but right from day one.

The Rise of the “Unfortunate 50,000” Opportunity

A new breed of vendors is entering the market to deliver solutions at this level. They are not trying to be bigger and more complex than Aruba, Cisco, or Juniper. Nor to be cheaper than the Chinese consumer-grade manufacturers. Their ambition is different: to be the easiest to do business with, offering a right-sized portfolio for the ‘Unfortunate 50,000’. This term was initially used 15 years ago to describe companies that lacked access to enterprise Wi-Fi technology because it was too complex and expensive. But history repeats itself – and here we are again, with a demand versus supply gap. This time, however, there is a solution.

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