Buy from a LAN specialist

Vendors that focus primarily on LANs can provide you with a flexible, high-performance infrastructure at a low cost of ownership. It is a myth that large, full-spectrum network companies can provide end-to-end offerings that will cover all aspects of the enterprise well. Most full-spectrum companies have grown through acquisitions and offer inconsistent products that are significantly more expensive to own and do not provide strategic advantages.

In the past, full-spectrum network companies used proprietary protocols to link various parts of the enterprise. Today, IP is the only protocol that matters. Ethernet, routing and Layer 3 switching are the technologies for LAN interconnection, and most suppliers support standards for Ethernet and Layer 3 switching. Consequently, users don't need the "breadth" of a full-spectrum network company to design, install and run an enterprise LAN. Instead, users can benefit by choosing vendors that provide the best products and then interconnect them.

This situation places the large, full-spectrum network companies at a sudden disadvantage. These companies have grown by acquiring smaller network companies. As a result, many full-spectrum vendors now provide a complex mix of equipment that consists of products from many different companies. These large suppliers then spend most of their research and development on integrating newly acquired products, rather than on innovation. Customers pay the price for this complexity in the form of a higher cost of ownership and integration delays.

In contrast, a LAN-focused company is in control of its vision and product architecture. It can provide a consistent end-to-end enterprise LAN infrastructure that is much simpler, more powerful and far more scalable for future and existing applications, such as enterprise resource planning, electronic commerce and voice over IP. The results are lower cost of ownership and a huge business advantage.

So how do you decide whether to go with a small LAN specialty vendor or a full-spectrum network company?

Look carefully for discontinuity in technology and requirements. For example, LAN and WAN requirements are very different. WANs have somewhat limited bandwidth and are expensive and slow to provision. LANs have large amounts of bandwidth, are easy to provision and offer lower bandwidth costs. You should choose the best products for these distinct areas.

LAN specialty vendors are well-equipped to develop the best technologies. They are able to embrace new technologies, such as Gigabit Ethernet and Layer 3 switching, with speed and efficiency. And they are poised to deliver products to customers much more quickly. Businesses that adopt these new technologies can gain a tremendous advantage over competitors that do not.

Recognize the discontinuities and the natural point of demarcation between LANs and WANs. Then choose the best products in each area to meet your specific needs. And instead of negotiating with one company for all your network products and services, you'll be in a much stronger bargaining position by introducing specialty vendors into your supplier mix.