It’s an uphill battle to keep costs down in any small to medium business, in New Zealand, and with prices increasing left, right, and centre it may seem like the glory days where everything was cheaper are long gone.
Not so!
If there’s one area where prices are continually falling, it’s in the technology sector. As technology becomes more widespread the competition between providers to capture sections of the market becomes more heated, with the result being SMEs get to enjoy significant reductions in costs!
One such area where costs are expected to plummet by 50% is business networks. A recent local report shows that this is as a result of businesses shifting from fixed structure networks to wireless, which allows employees to work on-the-go from their own mobile devices.
According to the report, most networks today consist of approximately 80% wired ports serving individual users, and 20% wireless LAN (WLAN) ports supporting multiple users. However, as users continue to pressure organizations to facilitate enterprise mobility, and as networks are transformed to accommodate this shift in expectations, networks set up for largely wireless users will cost far less to roll out than traditional, predominantly wired networks.
The 50% reduction in cost savings through wireless networks come about through smaller initial capital investment, cheaper running costs through power and cooling bills, and easier management.
The mobility era is changing the way we play the game. Traditionally networks were based on fixed computers that were plugged in and ready to go. The advent of laptops, smartphones, and tablets has created a new environment where mobility is a must.
Instead of being a novelty, mobile-working is becoming a norm. The sheer convenience of being able to access all the information and tools you need to do your job, from any corner of the globe (within reason) can’t be beaten.
This trend has led to increasing pressure on organisations to provide the sort of mobility in the work environment that employees have become accustomed to. No one wants to be tied to their desk when there’s so much to do and so little time to do it in.
Indeed, SMEs also find the switch the wireless networks beneficial in the immediate and long-run. There is less hardware to handle, meaning the cabling, switches, and devices of the previous system are redundant; there’s enhanced productivity stemming from convenience, whereby users no longer have to be in the office to access their information; and the reduction in maintenance costs means it is no longer necessary to regularly check and replace the hardware of the traditional setup.
Organisations are just tipping over into this new network setup which is why many SMEs are not yet making use of it. However, a recent local report foresees that the change to wireless networks will eventually become inevitable.
If you’d like to get a head-start on switching your network to wireless, the first and only business you need to talk to is Result IT. With a proven track record in building and maintaining IT networks, we’ve got a solution to fit your business perfectly.
Call us today on (09) 526-1800 for a chat about your options, or alternatively, send us an email at info@resultit.co.nz
