Challenged by a Network Upgrade? Help Is On the Way

IT has evolved immensely in recent years, and these changes have placed new demands on enterprise networks. Users expect a seamless experience as vast amounts of data move quickly across an organization’s infrastructure. As more processes become digital, data has become a critical resource, and its volume is always growing.

At the same time, downtime has become unacceptable; users expect continuous uptime, even as IT teams get smaller. Organizations must manage and monitor hundreds or even thousands of devices in an environment of ever-growing security threats.

Having the right tools in place helps IT teams deal with these challenges. For many organizations, a network upgrade is the first step to overcoming them. A new network can increase the bandwidth available to users while also improving reliability and security. However, many organizations looking to upgrade their networks need help.

Many organizations have traditionally handled network upgrades with their in-house IT teams. This can create a strain on these teams, as they already have plenty of responsibilities on their plates. Engaging a partner such as CDW can significantly reduce that burden.

CDW’s experts are familiar with the latest network solutions as well as best practices for a successful deployment. This can help them complete an upgrade in much less time, reducing it, in some cases, from a matter of months to weeks, days or even overnight, ensuring that users face minimal disruption to their critical network resources.

Further, CDW provides numerous services that help organizations optimize their upgrade projects. For example, a next-generation network assessment can help an organization’s IT leaders develop their new network, delivering a customized architecture and configuration plan. CDW experts evaluate the state of an organization’s current network to help develop a strategy for the new network. The assessment supports IT teams as they prioritize factors such as efficiency, availability, performance, scalability and security.

CDW also offers services for specific, high-value technology solutions such as Cisco Catalyst Center. Our Catalyst Center Quick Start offering delivers a streamlined deployment of the platform, enabling organizations to unlock its most powerful capabilities. This includes building site hierarchy and maps, discovering and onboarding devices, and activating assurance for real-time visibility into network health. We configure the platform for optimal performance and guide your team through core functions such as design, policy setting, provisioning and assurance. Key features such as Software Image Management (SWIM) simplify image compliance and upgrades across the network, while Plug and Play (PnP) capabilities accelerate device onboarding with zero-touch provisioning. With Catalyst Center, IT teams gain centralized control, intent-based automation and AI-driven insights to reduce complexity and proactively address issues. The engagement concludes with detailed documentation and a smooth transition to ongoing operations.

Partnering with CDW brings numerous advantages to organizations of every size across all industries. As a trusted partner with vendor experience, we know where the hurdles are and can make sure network upgrades work as expected.

IT teams that work with CDW on network upgrades generally see a reduction in network issues and fewer trouble tickets. By implementing tools such as Cisco Catalyst Center, we can provide better visibility into network operations. These tools can help organizations become proactive rather than reactive in managing their environments, enabling them to get ahead of any issues.

Ultimately, the amount of planning needed for a successful network upgrade is huge. CDW has extensive experience in these projects, and we can help organizations make the process as seamless and transparent to the end user as possible.