Network Connectivity is a big concern for any size of business, let alone a small, growing business. Picking the right solution to address growth is a key decision.
There are countless options available to small business owners ranging from asking cousin Jimmy, calling a “computer expert” you found on Yelp, or even a quick Google Search. No doubt, this experience can be a daunting one.
All jokes aside, choosing the right solution can save some money now and in the future. That is where right-sizing your network solution comes into play. It does not take long for a successful, single-person business to transform into a growing small business. A consumer wireless router could probably do the job for a single person home office adequately. But if you are looking to use your network for more than just accessing the Internet, then the choice is not so obvious. Now or in the future, you may want to access local network resources remotely and securely, use Voice over IP, or segment your network to securely support guest access. Moreover, as you grow, business applications become more critical. They need to be readily available, dependable and always on-line.
This is where the new Cisco Small Business Wireless Access Points and RV Series Router come into play.
Part of a growing small business portfolio, the all-new Cisco WAP551& 561 are perfect wireless solutions for your small business These access points enables small businesses to deliver high-capacity wireless N connectivity and guest access, securely and reliably. Simple yet powerful, it delivers business-class features such as Gigabit Ethernet connectivity with PoE, a captive portal for customized guest access, multiple SSID, VLAN’s and more…
Makes sense right?
But wait! How does the network connect to the WAP’s? First, you need a router. The business-class RV320 is the new flagship in the Cisco Small Business RV Series portfolio.
The Cisco RV320 is a powerful, yet highly secure business class router, offering strong networking performance throughput. Add in business-class features such as dual WAN’s for fail-over and load balancing, an intelligent user interface, USB 3G/4G Broadband failover, and you have a router that will provide years of reliable service.
The last piece of the puzzle is a Cisco’s business class switch that offers power-over Ethernet (PoE) functionality, allowing Access Points to be flexibly optimized for placement. The Cisco SG300 Series of PoE switches offer PoE functionality, with the Security, Quality of Service, Scalability, and Reliability to deliver the best experience for your users. These switches are available in 10 to 52 port configurations.
The bottom line is this: Cisco Small Business Products are changing the way you connect your business to the world.
What about Cisco Meraki?
Hi Duncan,
The Cisco Meraki portfolio brings the next level of networking especially with the Cloud Management element. Take a look at both lines as they cater to different segments.
Thanks for the comment – Cheers
Hi Marc,
Great post! You’re right about the confusion and difficulty small businesses face when they have to make a decision on the best networking solution.
I was once advised by a ‘computer expert’ friend of mine to settle for a wireless solution that ended up costing me valuable time, money and effort. The downtime on some of our critical applications was terrifying on some days.
Well, I think I’ve learnt my lesson.
Thanks for exposing Cisco’s range of small business products. I think I now know the ‘computer expert’ opinion I’ll ask for when next we’re upgrading.
This is some really great advice for smb’s. Sometimes people don’t realize how much productivity they can lose because of network/bandwidth problems and the inability to scale it as a solution. Cisco has some great products.
Thank you both for the kind comments.
We really like the Cisco line of small business products. We actually deal with this sort of thing all the time – helping customers figure out which “stuff” best suits their small business’s individual need.
I am just a starter of a small business and I glad founding this article. Especially, when the productivity and networking in my company is related a lot.