The die is cast! The decision to part ways with the status quo networking vendor has been made and now it’s time to look for some viable alternatives. Where to begin? Well, there’s no denying you’re visiting an Extreme Networks blog. But in the final part of this guide we’d like to show you a couple of good reasons why you might want to stay!
Here at Extreme Networks, we have long ago come to the simple conclusion that the skyrocketing complexity and costs that IT teams are faced with more and more are not a sustainable approach to enterprise networking. What they’d rather have is more simplicity, flexibility and ability to protect the existing network investments, aka ROI.
To address these challenges and put an end to vendor fatigue, we are embracing a vision of a single, fully integrated network that’s effortless to purchase, deploy, and manage in one streamlined application. We’d like to offer you an industry-unique architectural approach to enterprise networks that reduces risks, simplifies operations, and efficiently scales to meet your changing business needs.
And this is how we’re going about it.
Universal Platforms: the flexibility to change
A secure, scalable, flexible and unified network stretching from offices to campus, the data center and the cloud… and all that without technology lock-in and a plethora of licenses. Sounds too good to be true? Not with Extreme’s Universal Platforms.
This industry’s one and only approach combines the power of cloud management with next-generation switches and access points, without tying hardware to a specific feature set or use case. This results in an unmatched network flexibility, allowing new deployment models, technologies, and capabilities to be incorporated by merely changing the software or features on the network switch or access point – at any given time and without the costly rip-and-replace.
As time goes by and requirements evolve, Universal Platforms reduce hardware obsolescence and protect investments by allowing IT teams to easily repurpose and redeploy network devices to gradually adopt new technologies or change their desired use case, while preserving not only the switches and access points, but even the associated licenses as well!
The simplicity of this approach is multifaceted:
- accelerates project timelines as procurement decisions hinge primarily on connectivity requirements, with new feature sets conveniently added later.
- eliminates the risk of network equipment becoming obsolete when deployment models, technologies, or business requirements change.
- extends the life of network hardware, enhancing return on investment (ROI).
Unified network management: the power to do more with less
With Extreme Networks, the flexibility extends far beyond the hardware itself. All network platforms – wired and wireless, SD-WAN, IoT, even third-party – can be managed seamlessly, either on-premises or in a single cloud. With a user-friendly interface and network automation capabilities in place, IT teams are freed from mundane and time-consuming operational tasks. The saved time and resources can be spent better on advancing business goals or driving innovation within the company.
This management platform:
- significantly boosts the efficiency of network operations by reducing management complexity.
- minimizes the risk of human errors during repetitive, manual tasks.
- enables more proactive management, reducing risks and ensuring an optimal user experience.
- streamlines the application and management of network and security policies.
- provides a comprehensive analysis of performance, health, and security for every device and user on the network.
- allows network to remain fully compliant at all times with key cloud, information security, and privacy standards to reduce risks and protect data end to end.
And here’s the really important point: all devices – both Extreme and your status quo vendor – can be managed through our unified platform! This means you can continue to evolve and repurpose the existing third-party infrastructure and IoT devices, so once again there is no need for a full rip-and-replace. Enterprises can pace their network modernization according to their unique needs, possibilities and budgets. accelerating transformation speed while minimizing incremental costs. Pretty neat, isn’t it?
Poolable & portable licenses: the freedom to grow
What good will a state-of-the-art networking solution do, if it’s associated with an endless licensing torment that drains away the ever-precious time, money, and resources of IT teams. That’s why with the advanced technologies from Extreme comes the simplest licensing approach in the industry. There’s a single, transparent price for every device management license, and a consistent warranty across all universal network platforms, wired or wireless.
Instead of drowning in a sea of complex, device-specific licenses and warranties, you can:
- have clear business predictability and no hidden costs.
- pool licenses and transfer them between devices as needed.
- activate operating system licenses for network switches in bulk and administer them centrally through the cloud.
Pursuing the vision of Infinite Enterprise
With Extreme as their network partner, IT teams can advance into the era of the Infinite Enterprise: an infinitely distributed organization that meets users wherever they are, delivers a consumer-centric experience where technology revolves around the user’s needs, and enables that experience at scale.
To take enterprises into the era of the Infinite Enterprise, we provide:
- One Network that connects everyone, everywhere through universal platforms – wired, wireless, and SD-WAN – that are securely connected with Extreme Fabric in a single topology across campus, data center, branch office, and cloud.
- One Cloud that enables the unified management of everything, with AI – for both Extreme and non-Extreme wired, wireless, SD-WAN, and IoT devices, as well as security and fabric. Choose cloud your way: public, private, local, or hybrid.
- One Extreme for certified global professional services, customer success, maintenance, and support. Our experts help you mitigate outages, speed time to value, and maximize the value of your network investment.