Our clients rely on Black Box to design, deploy, and manage solutions that create consistent end-user experiences at every location and provide needed capacity, all while solving the device deployment challenges inherent in a digital world. Clients that have chosen Black Box as their digital transformation partner have cut project costs by more than 40%, slashed retrofitting time from years to months and yielded the same-high-quality result at every location around the world.
Our clients rely on Black Box to design, deploy, and manage solutions that create consistent end-user experiences at every location and provide needed capacity, all while solving the device deployment challenges inherent in a digital world. Clients that have chosen Black Box as their digital transformation partner have cut project costs by more than 40%, slashed retrofitting time from years to months and yielded the same-high-quality result at every location around the world.
Technologies such as 5G, Wi-Fi 6, and CBRS are enabling fully wireless buildings and can augment existing 4G and DAS systems.
Network design and data center capacity become more mission-critical to accommodate the need for an ever-increasing amount of bandwidth.
Services include governance and assessments, incident and event monitoring, endpoint detection and response, and VPN and firewall services.
From enabling IoT and installing structured cabling, to data center staffing and global multisite deployments, we take the complexity out of IT through our broad portfolio of professional, field, and support services. We can help you upgrade and manage new or existing connected building infrastructures at one site or thousands of sites.
The backbone of a connected building, structured cabling must be engineered for reliable communications and future growth...
Learn MoreThe next generation of conference rooms is about real-time, dynamic communication for all participants — whether they’re attending physically or virtually...
Learn MoreOne of the biggest challenges IT department members face is how to rapidly install and test hundreds or thousands of IoT devices throughout...
Learn MoreWhether a company’s deployment involves one, tens, hundreds, or even thousands of sites, locally and/or globally, deployment...
Learn MoreWhat does the modern workforce look like? Gain new insight from our Edge Networking experts.
Digital transformation is happening before our eyes as manufacturers, retailers, distribution centers, and commercial buildings get smarter with every sensor, sign, kiosk, camera, and other building IoT devices. By 2023, more than 29B devices are expected. And according to a recent IDC estimate, there could be up to 42 billion connected IoT devices by 2025. For companies with one location, the path from device selection and procurement to installation and testing may not seem daunting. But for IT leaders dealing with hundreds of sites around the globe, managing IT rollouts in a timely, repeatable, predictable way can prove challenging.
If you’re thinking about digital transformation but aren’t sure how to manage new multisite technology deployments while maintaining your current IT operations, it may be time to enlist the support of a Global Solutions Integrator.
A Global Solutions Integrator makes even more sense if you have a highly distributed, geographically dispersed enterprise, such as in retail, hospitality, banking, manufacturing, etc. As the IT leader, the first problem you will most likely face is having little or no IT support or expertise at your distributed locations. You’re basically running IT remotely from the headquarters. How are you going to manage technology in the workplace, a network refresh, installation of a new cabling infrastructure or wireless access points, deployment of PoS kiosks, or even a new UC&C system across multiple sites? You need a trusted digital partner and experienced boots on the ground.
Let’s define what a multisite deployment is. Sometimes called a rollout, it is a homogeneous work effort involving a series of identical (or nearly identical) repeatable activities at multiple locations, whether they are across a particular region, national, or even global. It’s a streamlined deployment that eliminates the patchwork of vendors and contractors across multiple sites. Depending on the footprint of each site, the quantities of switches or access points may change, but the work involves implementing the same technology, in the same way, with the same results. Based on the size of the organization and the number of locations, rollouts may take anywhere from 90 days to a year or more.
A rollout consists of four basic domains: governance and process, engineering, logistics, and deployment. While deployment may get the most attention, it won’t go off smoothly without extensive, behind-the-scenes planning.
This is how the MSP controls the project and is the first step in any rollout. At this stage, the implementation process is defined to make it repeatable. Governance concerning financial management, risk management, communications, and quality management is also defined.
This is the essential groundwork that goes on before the project begins. It involves engineers developing and validating architectures; creating high- and low-level designs; and defining hardware standards and environmental requirements. Engineering also defines the run book and device-specific configurations.
Logistics can make or break a multisite deployment. Poor logistics can ruin a deployment. Great logistics can go unnoticed because everything worked as it was supposed to.
Logistics starts with materials planning, including making sure that material procurement is timed with delivery and implementation. Logistics can involve staging where devices are pre-assembled and pre-tested, as well as how they will be shipped out to the multiple locations. Some projects may also include reverse logistics where the decommissioned equipment is brought back for either refurbishment or secure e-disposal. This last point is particularly important for financial or healthcare institutions that need to have hardware wiped clean of all data.
While many people think of deployment as what happens on Day 0, there’s a lot more to it. Deployment starts long before the actual installation. It’s everything that happens in the field starting with the site survey, prep, and remediation, including power requirements, where devices will be located, spaces, racks, etc. Closer to the big day, a deployment command center is set up as well as installation and testing of one site to work out any bugs. Only then is the project given the go ahead. Deployment also includes Day 0, Day 1, and Day 2 support.
Here are a few qualities and capabilities every Global Solutions Integrator should be able to deliver to ensure a successful deployment:
So what else should you expect from a Global Solutions Integrator? Expect efficiency with defined services methodologies and IT disciplines that are aligned to ITIL standards. You should also expect transparency with service-specific KPIs, SLAs, and quarterly business reviews. Most of all you should expect services that are aligned to your business outcomes helping you reduce costs, improve operations, and leverage new technology that drives business value.
If you’re thinking about using a Global Solutions Integrator for multisite deployments, talk to Black Box. We provide Professional, Field, and Support Services for national and international organizations.
https://www.blackbox.com/solutions/edge-services
If you would like to receive our quarterly newsletter, View from the Edge, you can sign up here.
Create a secure digital transformation space...
Read MoreOur dedicated team of technical experts will help you lay the foundation for the connected building experience. As your trusted partner and leader in connected building technologies, from wireless to infrastructure, we will help you design, deploy, and manage the right solution to transform your building and empower the people in it.
Know More
Order by
Newest on top Oldest on top