Multi-vendor Strategy

Today's enterprise network provides more than simply a

technology infrastructure; it's an enabler for the enterprise, supporting

mission critical applications, creating operational efficiencies, and increasing

productivity gains. While an infrastructure provides the very foundation for

organizations and their initiatives, business strategies must drive the

development of the enterprise network, ensuring they support today's

requirements while evolving to meet tomorrow's demands.

A multi-vendor network strategy supports the idea that in order

to truly align the enterprise infrastructure strategy with business

requirements, organizations must be free to choose solutions that best meet

their unique needs, and are based on open standards and closed systems. Business

imperatives and strategy should drive network infrastructure strategy, not the

other way around.

Freedom of Choice: Unlike single vendor strategy that

requires enterprises to conform to a sole equipment provider's point of view,

a multi-vendor network strategy empowers enterprises with a freedom to choose.

The network strategy should be built upon an open standards-based solution that

is actually a path for network evolution and best-of-breed innovations that

deliver a competitive edge.

Best-of-breed: With the network becoming a vital component

of the overall business strategy, enterprises shouldn't be forced to sacrifice

one area of the network for another, simply because a vendor's product

portfolio constraints demand it. A truly sustainable, evolutionary network

foundation needs to have every component of the network firing on all cylinders.

A multi-vendor network strategy allows an enterprise to do just that. While a

single-vendor strategy forces an enterprise to settle for what one provider has

to offer for each area of the network, a multi-vendor strategy enables a true

best-of-breed solution that is optimized to perform across the enterprise.

Gartner's Vendor Influencer Curve advocates a multivendor approach to networking based on clear business/IT objectives, vs, the single vendor trusted adviser approach favored

Flexibile to Innovation: When networks are built upon open

standards, enterprises have the ability to adopt new solutions, as their

businesses grow and need change, or as new and improved solutions become

available. Since a multi-vendor strategy is inherently an open-standards

strategy, vendors must continue to innovate in order to create competitive

advantage, driving new advances that result in higher performance solutions.

The vendor Influencer Curve Gartner's Vendor Influencer Curve advocates a multivenor approach to networking based on clear business/IT objects,vs the single vendor trusted adviser approach favored

A single vendor with a broad portfolio of products will by its

very nature always have products that lag behind others due to resource

allocation, disparate product lifecycles, and shifting areas of focus.

Furthermore, a single vendor strategy results in a lockout strategy for any

competing vendors, even when they offer a superior solution. A multi-vendor

network strategy based on open standards doesn't demand you to sacrifice

innovation or flexibility. In fact, innovation and flexibility are its

byproducts inherently.

Reducing Risks and Costs: While relying upon a single vendor

poses a significant risk for enterprises, a multi-vendor network strategy

actually mitigates this risk by reducing exposure to a single vendor's

decisions, from arbitrary product rationalization and service discontinuation to

pricing increases. But, the risk reduction benefits of a multi-vendor network

strategy don't end there. A single vendor strategy puts the enterprise at the

mercy of a sole source that can increase costs through mandatory upgrades,

compulsory support programs, and equipment packages that include products that

don't necessarily meet your needs. But, a multi-vendor strategy actually

promotes cost reduction.

Leveraging Expertise: No vendor understands your business

and network requirements as well as your technical staff. To move forward with a

single-vendor strategy is to abdicate control over the decisions your technical

staff is trained to make, and place the control of your network destiny directly

into the hands of a third party. By giving you the ability to select solutions

based on your business drivers, not your vendor's, a multi-vendor strategy

ensures that you are at the helm of your network.

Specialized Support: Today's network complexity requires

that technical support be delivered by experts with deep knowledge in specific

areas. Since single vendor strategies are designed around broad product

portfolios and supported by generalists who sacrifice depth for breadth of

knowledge, finding the right person with the right answer can take time.

Multi-vendor strategies ensure that you have access to specialists with a

focused expertise necessary to effectively resolve issues, minimizing the impact

of interruption to your organization. When you develop your network requirements

to support your business strategy, and not to support a single vendor's point

of view, the enterprise is positioned not only for the future—it is positioned

also to win.

In a Nutshell



Today's network infrastructures are complex extensions of business
operations. They must adapt to rapid growth, data intensive applications,

security threats, and new technologies that push the edge. With so much at

stake, one cannot afford to put the future of your business into the hands of a

vendor with a single point of view.

Chandra Kopparapu,



VP, Sales, Asia Pasific



Foundry Networks



vadmail@cybermedia.co.in