IT enterprises often spend too much time procuring, configuring, and maintaining their hardware — but things get even more complicated when your operations are global.
Not every location may have engineers on hand to set up new equipment. And it would be costly to send your engineers to each site to configure hardware.
PivIT’s remote hardware staging service, part of a host of professional services offered under the umbrella brand EXTEND, addresses this problem.
With the help of a remote staging environment, IT teams can configure hardware and install it where it needs to be without needing to send expert engineers on-site.
But such a service goes beyond remote staging, as it can offer IT teams and enterprises many other benefits.
In this article, we will:
- Explain what remote staging is.
- Outline what the benefits are.
- Elaborate on PivIT’s remote hardware staging service.
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So What Is Remote Staging?
A remote staging environment allows remote configuration and setup of hardware like network or storage. It’s a one-of-a-kind service that leverages the latest in remote connectivity to enable IT teams to pre-configure equipment without physically having it on-premise.
In simpler words, engineers can stage the architecture and configuration of the equipment remotely by connecting through a virtual private network (VPN). Once the equipment is pre-configured, it’s ready to be deployed.
How Does It Work?
Remote staging service offered by PivIT works in a straightforward way. You can have the equipment shipped to PivIT. You provide the pre-configuration details, and based on those requirements, the team at PivIT sets the configuration environment.
Once all the equipment is safely plugged in and live, you can remotely access it through secure channels like a VPN and configure each device according to your specific needs. As enterprises work differently and their technology stack varies, configuration control is in your hands.
Once the devices are set up, PivIT labels and packages the equipment to your provided location.
With everything from network devices to cables that connect them labeled appropriately according to the network architecture, they can easily be deployed on-site with even Level 1 or 2 network engineers.
Using a remote out-of-band (OOB) platform, you can remotely configure equipment, regardless of the manufacturer or model.
Alternatively, you can have PivIT do all the configuration for you based on your particular project needs.
As for procurement of the equipment for remote staging, you can procure it yourself or have PivIT do it for you.
What Benefits Does It Offer?
The remote staging environment is a unique service that can come in handy in various complex situations that modern IT enterprises often find themselves in. While you can configure equipment on-site and ship it to other locations for deployment, remote staging through PivIT streamlines the process and removes hurdles you may otherwise face.
Here are the main benefits of utilizing a remote staging environment and deploying new equipment with the help of PivIT:
Convenience and Speed
The obvious advantages of utilizing remote staging for hardware include convenience and speed. You can deploy your projects much more easily and quickly.
This advantage becomes all the more relevant when you have logistical hurdles for deployment. Suppose your project or infrastructure upgrades involve deploying new equipment in regional offices. However, your tech talent is primarily concentrated in one location, so deploying that equipment would require you to send the personnel.
Remote staging eliminates many of the steps and reduces the hassle of shipping. As PivIT labels and ships the equipment, you do not have to worry about shipping.
Ease of Expansion
This service can also benefit organizations expanding to new regions or cities. You can configure all the equipment remotely and have it shipped to your desired location without ever housing the equipment at your premises.
For instance, you can deliver the new equipment directly to PivIT, saving considerable time and cost. Then, all the pre-configured equipment goes to the new location with the details and mapping. Your staff at the new site does not have to have the advanced expertise to set it up, as it’s already configured.
Less Manpower and Resources
Not many organizations have expert high-level network or hardware engineers at every site. You would have to send some of your existing tech experts or hire new ones. Both these options are costly.
On the other hand, the remote staging environment allows you to use your existing experts without them being present physically at the new locations. In short, you use fewer resources and employees to deploy equipment.
Packaging your equipment based on your architecture and requirements is vital here. Appropriate labeling makes it more manageable for non-tech-savvy employees to deploy the hardware.
A Case Study in Remote Staging
A large-scale software company was in the middle of acquiring other companies to expand its market. However, they faced complex infrastructure compatibility issues, as the acquired companies had quite different architectures. Moreover, the offices were spread over the globe.
The company realized that the first order of business was standardizing the networks across these newly acquired companies to bring them closer to developing a cohesive tech ecosystem. That meant buying and deploying some new equipment aligned with their existing network standards.
While they had the engineers to configure and deploy the network equipment at each location, the mission came to a halt when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. With travel restrictions worldwide and stay-at-home orders, their experts could not travel to all the locations to deploy. And the equipment was sitting in their facilities.
PivIT proposed a remote staging service to help prepare, ship, and deploy the equipment for network standardization. The company shipped all the equipment to PivIT’s facility, where this equipment was plugged in and prepared for remote configuration. Their engineers, working from home, could configure the devices remotely per their proprietary architecture.
Once configured, all the equipment was carefully labeled and prepared for shipment. PivIT then shipped the hardware to each location, where the local employees could deploy it by following simple instructions. This plug-and-play approach allowed the company to deploy new equipment without needing to send their engineers.
The remote staging environment and the logistical support provided through EXTEND services from PivIT proved beneficial for the company even in times of uncertainty.
PivIT, with its professional services and global logistics network, helped bridge the gaps for the software company in its expansion strategy.
Consider PivIT’s Remote Hardware Staging for Your Projects!
Whether expanding into new regions or short on hardware engineers, the EXTEND remote staging services can help you deploy your projects remotely.
You can configure your equipment from the comfort of your offices and save the expenses of sending personnel to deploy equipment on-site.
PivIT offers much more flexibility with its professional services so that you can use remote staging with other services for your unique needs and circumstances. You can deploy hardware much more quickly by utilizing a remote staging environment and relying on PivIT’s expertise in logistics to ensure your equipment is on location in time.
Contact us with your unique requirements, and let us help you seamlessly deploy your next project hardware!