The future of connectivity doesn’t lie in thick cables that wrap their way around the office. It doesn’t lie in weighty piles of cord that connect to server and system or in complex networking that demands intense skillsets and expertise. It has evolved. Today, wireless networking and connectivity are continuing their steady rise to the top of the technology pile, introducing more than just significant clutter reduction – they are beginning to change the way that the world does business.
“Wireless technologies have been steadily adapting and evolving over the past five to 10 years, consistently introducing new ways of connecting and overcoming some of the legacy challenges that impacted on performance and capability,” says Sandeep Ruia, director at Micropoint. “Today, wireless connects the business on multiple levels, introducing potential around emergent technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation, the Internet of things and the smart office.”
Wireless solutions are seeping slowly into offices across South Africa as more and more organisations recognise the value they introduce. On a practical level, wireless technology is easily installed and is far less messy than the traditional wired solutions that have dominated the office space for so long. Instead of pulling, laying, sorting, troubleshooting and installing metres of cabling, the smart office just plugs and plays its connectivity.
More to the point, Covid-19 has made everyone aware of how important the ability to work from anywhere truly is, and few remote workers have the time or inclination to struggle with cumbersome cabling.
Understanding this, Logitech has released a range of wireless solutions that are designed to suit the growing work-from-anywhere crowd. These, notes Ruia, include everything from the standard mouse and keyboard combination, to headsets, streaming and video conferencing solutions.
Improves productivity
“Remember that ‘anywhere’ is a big place – it could be home, a hotel room or even a deckchair at the beach. The last thing a worker wants in such an environment is to have to wrestle with a bunch of cables before they can even begin working.”
Add to this the fact that many modern devices have limited ports to connect cabled peripherals to, and the need for a wireless option becomes even more apparent, he adds, pointing out that by making setup and use that much more streamlined and simpler, wireless connectivity improves productivity.
“Of course, the demand for and implementation of wireless solutions go far beyond mere peripherals. There’s also been a steady move towards storage and server-related solutions that are wirelessly connected and that bypass the need for cabling,” says Ruia. “This trend is actually more than just a quick burst of wireless excitement; it’s a steady evolution that is introducing numerous benefits to the business over both the long and the short term.”
For Ruia, there are multiple advantages to wireless technology that will see most companies switch over in the next two to five years. Already, companies are taking advantage of the benefits that wireless has to offer and the space that the move opens up. From the wired server room that’s littered with cabling to the wireless space that takes up a fraction of the room, and that requires significantly less capex to maintain.
“Not only would the space requirements drop, opening up more floor space for the business, but so would the need for onsite skilled staff that have to maintain the cables and legacy technology,” he adds. “With wireless, the range and reach of the solutions on offer allows for the business to become more agile and capable of adapting to the integration of emergent technologies such as AI and IoT. These technologies, in turn, improve efficiencies and productivity which have a significant impact on the business bottom line.”
In addition to providing the business with the scale and modernisation tools it requires to leverage incoming trends and technologies, wireless networking also offers multiple benefits in the new normal world defined by the pandemic. According to the Cisco Networking Technology Trends 2020 report, connectivity and uptime are no longer the benchmarks by which a business can measure its networking success. No, today this lies with the company’s ability to support a remote workforce, improve access to safe working, driving multi-cloud capability, and improving the speed of operations. This means that the business must invest in networking tools and technologies that allow for it to stay ahead of the game.
“It is critical that the organisation remains up to date with the latest technology,” he concludes. “This is particularly relevant when it comes to AI and automation, which are two other trends really leading the way right now. They are helping organisations to reduce the costs that come with admin-intensive tasks while improving productivity and minimising error. With the right wireless system in place, the business can step into the realm of machine learning and AI and transform processes and productivity significantly.”
The future trends of AI, automation, machine learning and IoT are all inextricably woven together in a future that should be designed to meet the needs of the organisation outlined in the Cisco report: an organisation that puts its people first, ensuring that they are secure and safe within the constraints of pandemic legislation and capable of completing their jobs from any location. With the right wireless investment, the business is not only enabling the use of emergent technology, but essentially future-proofing itself by putting systems in place that allow for greater agility in times of uncertainty.
Micropoint SA is a proud reseller for Logitech. With over 20 years in the industry, Micropoint’s large import base and strong relationships with local suppliers puts it in the perfect position to offer a comprehensive range of products at competitive pricing — catering to all your needs. With a range of options and solutions, your perfect keyboard or speaker awaits. Find it here.
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