I wrote a blog back in August about how the economy wasn't that bad and good jobs were available. Well, I'm going to have to revise that comment....the economy is bad and will probably get worse.
As everyone knows, in September and October we saw the banking and credit crisis, a 3,000 point drop in the Dow, and the beginning of layoffs, even in IT.
Companies have frozen budgets, stopped hiring, and initiated massive cost savings projects. So, here are some cost savings tips and projects that we are working on now.
A real simple policy that most businesses can easily understand. Voice is at the top because it has to be. Critical applications come next because revenue and customers are more important than video. The rest is self-explanatory.
Just make sure your capacity management program is tracking your VoIP usage, DSP usage, and call volume. You don't want to anger your users and have them revert back to the external (costly) conferencing provider.
Good luck out there. I know times are tight.
More >From the Field blog entries:
Want to Make Your Network Faster?? Use Google Chrome
Is Comcast's Usage Cap Really That Bad?
Cisco's Arrogance Bugs Me Again
It's One of Those Opinionated Days (Again)
Your Team Organization is Just as Important as Your Standards
Go to Cisco Subnet for more Cisco news, blogs, discussion forums, security alerts, book giveaways, and more.
Michael Morris is a communications engineering manager at a $3-billion high-tech company. His background is in enterprise WANs working with telcos and developing large-scale routing designs. He has worked on networks at government and corporate organizations, including networks at two Fortune 10 companies. In his current role, he leads a team of 10 engineers responsible for large-scale IT networking projects and architectural standards for data networks, storage area networks, IP telephony, contact centers, and security. Michael is CCIE #11733 and recently became one of the first three Cisco Certified Design Experts (CCDE) ever (#20080002). He has 11 years experience in networking and communications, including four years as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army. He has a bachelor's degree in MIS from the University at Buffalo and is working on his MBA from NC State University. In 2008, he was awarded the Network Professional Association (NPA) Professional Excellence and Innovation Award for his work on network architecture, templates and enterprise MPLS design.
The opinions expressed in this Weblog are those of the writer and may not represent the opinions of Network World.
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Nice points!
Here are some rather obvious ways of saving on maintenance that Cisco isn't fond of, but thought I might mention it here:
Right size network devices specifically chassis based switches. For example the annual maint. costs on a 6513 vs. a 6504 can add up quickly, don't standardize on one chassis type (yes Cisco charges per slot). I have seen time and time again Cisco resellers always use the same chassis. 6509s with empty slots abound, I have seen in so many cases people will put in a 6509 for a core or dist based on them feeling that eventually they will need the capacity (use a 6504). So that is fine but the cost of replacing the chassis pays for itself rather quickly when looking at the wasted maint. costs.
When looking to purchase don't buy the latest and greatest unless its absolutely warranted. Don't by a 3560 or 3750 where a 2960 funtioning as a L2 access device will suffice. The 2960s and 3750gs come with a free HW/SW limited lifetime warranty, take advantage of such offerings.
Looking at a savings of 900k in Maint. for 2009, this stuff can add up quickly so plan ahead. :-)
Happy New Year!
RE: Nice Points
To add to one of the points above buy only gig were you need it, uses don't need it. The same goes for PoE and 10gig uplinks, do it were utilization warrants.
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