Very few technology brands have developed the level of trust around security and quality as Cisco. From the Command Line Interface models of routing and switching to the latest Meraki devices, Cisco’s name is one that all technology specialists are familiar with, and respect.  

Much of the business’ success is derived from their ability to understand their customers’ needs. From enterprise organisations to small businesses, through the years, the Cisco product suite has evolved with the times. Cisco solutions can be found in businesses of all sizes; small single cabinets at the back of offices, to occupying rows of cabinets in large data centres.  

Meraki innovation 

It is of little surprise therefore, that Cisco would develop a scalable suite of solutions that provide simplicity, control and flexibility. The suite comes with a modern approach to cost, and above all else, an unwavering handle on security. We are, of course, referring to the range of Cisco Meraki Wireless Access Points that are designed to enable flexible IT strategies and a new way of working in the future. 

A new way of working 

As businesses prepare to return to offices in the New Year, there is little chance that the restrictions the UK has seen in 2020 will completely disappear. Businesses will be encouraged to promote flexible working and social distancing, but to do that, the correct infrastructure needs to be in place. Employees need to be able to work from anywhere, whether that is in the office or elsewhere. 

In the past, business wireless solutions have been a luxury. They have been treated almost as an add-on to the LAN, to provide guest internet access, and for those employees who require tablet usage. Wireless access is often the last piece of the complex IT puzzle to see a refresh. But, with a new way of working on our doorstep, can your business operate on your existing wireless solution?  

Wireless solutions within a single office space are inherently complex, due to signal strength, security and placement. For businesses that require wireless access points to be pushed out to cover multiple buildings, ensuring that the coverage is both seamless and secure can be challenging, expensive to maintain, and more importantly, resource intensive.  

A single dashboard 

A key feature of the Cisco Meraki range of products is the single dashboard, from which administrators can manage the entire Meraki suite, from firewalls, switches and wireless access points and even security cameras. But there is far more to the functionality than just administrating, and with regards to the wireless capabilities – the feature list is enough to make even well-seasoned administrators sit up and listen. 

• A single SSID can be rolled out across every wireless access point on the WAN in a single click. For administrators supporting multi-site businesses, that’s a powerful tool.  
• Add to that the ability to identify a single MAC address on the Wireless-LAN and track them as they move from access point to another.  
• For businesses with IT requirements in far flung corners of the facility, the solution can be rolled out in as long as it takes to plug in a device. The preconfigured licensing and network config are picked up the moment the device talks to the internet.  

• The built-in security features speak volumes for Cisco’s ability to understand its customers. Identify a security risk and remove individual network access or push a new security key to all wireless access points.  
• Single sign on (SSO) is a feature that many businesses look for now. However, in tomorrow’s way of working, with wireless access being such a predominant medium, reducing the number of times an employee must enter credentials, could make your workforce that little bit more efficient, and your network that little bit more secure. 
• All the benefits listed here, plus more, are available to businesses right now, and a single IT administrator can take action from wherever he or she happens to be.  
• Licensing and updating wireless access points doesn’t need to involve an administrator logging onto each access point to perform individual maintenance. Every aspect of the Meraki wireless solution can be managed from the single dashboard.  

Enabling flexible IT strategies and creating an environment for the way we will work tomorrow is fundamental to business success. Over time, organisations will move back to their offices, to their factories, and to their warehouses. But if the existing wireless solution isn’t set up to handle the new way of working, or is not conducive to employees distancing needs, then how successful will this be?  

Why Timico? 

As a Cisco Meraki Gold Partner, the Meraki wireless range of products are a key part of Timico’s strategy. We work closely with Cisco to ensure our staff are trained to the highest level possible, to ensure the solutions we provide are right and year after year, we find ourselves developing that partnership further.  

Timico is a brand that our customers trust, and we recognise that Cisco share those same values. The reason that you will find Cisco products both in small cabinets at the back of offices and occupying entire rows of cabinets in data centres because they understand their customers’ needs. It’s for the same reason that you will find a Timico project team handling 10,000 business IT systems across the UK – because we understand our customers, they trust us to keep them connected, productive, and secure. 

We’re offering a free Meraki consultation to forward-thinking businesses who value the Cisco Meraki security features as much as the flexibility benefits when planning their post-Covid-19 workplace. Click here to book your free consultation.