other elements to assure maximum network availability and resiliency.
Sparing Strategies Bolster DR
Effective sparing strategies are
extremely important in expediting network recovery in a disaster situation.
This is another area where the secondary
market shines as most equipment can be
shipped overnight, without the exorbitant
fees associated with accelerated OEM
deliveries.
To determine an optimal sparing and
equipment replacement strategy, companies must audit their overall network architecture and identify all mission-critical,
business-critical and secondary network
components. This opportunity to pinpoint
risk exposure in terms of network design,
equipment replacement and support can
be hugely beneficial in the long run as it
offers an opportunity to fortify overall DR
preparedness.
For example, the common practice
of protecting only the most critical network components can leave the network
edge and remote offices vulnerable to
major disasters or even mundane outages.
Securing alternative maintenance for these
less-critical areas is one way to offer an
extra measure of protection. Having ready
access to an adequate supply of spares is
another avenue for consideration.
For most organizations, it’s cost prohibitive to maintain identical, redundant
network configurations for back-up situations, which makes one-for-one sparing
out of reach. One-for-many sparing strategies, however, are gaining ground as more
economical and viable solutions since they
require a spare for every three to five network elements.
Since pre-owned gear typically saves
up to 90 percent off OEMs’ list prices,
many companies can afford to deploy spar-
ing solutions that would have been price
prohibitive via traditional channels. Many
companies also stockpile “spares” for their
networks, keeping onsite back-ups of criti-
cal equipment in case of emergency.
Cost-Effective Tech Support
and Maintenance
Traditional maintenance programs
from manufacturers are expensive, and
product end-of-support milestones often
force upgrades much sooner than needed.
Choosing an alternative program for supporting network edges and remote offices
can provide economic advantages without
compromising rapid response, personalized
customer service, and technical proficiency.
Alternative maintenance programs
provide the ability to select the level of
support that makes technical and financial sense for a company’s core services,
access, and distribution layers, as well
as remote offices or other network areas.
These programs can provide access to
24/7 support by certified technicians and
advanced next-day hardware replacement
at 50-to-90 percent off OEM contracts.
Options include coverage on a per module
basis, which lets organizations tailor support for specific locations or portions of
their network.
In the end, best practices for equipment
procurement and network maintenance
should include an alternate source to
reduce risk and elevate business continuity. The key takeaway: organizations that
explore other options can attain an extra
level of protection so that if a disaster
strikes, they are in the best possible position to weather the storm.
v
Mike Sheldon is president and CEO of
Network Hardware Resale, the leading
provider of pre-owned and new networking
solutions. For more information, visit www.
networkhardware.com.
