Ease of use over cost
Switching to Meraki was a conscious choice to be able to monitor their network and connectivity—but it does come at a cost. Still, Tosca is convinced of Meraki’s benefits. The ease of use and remote support, they say, are well worth the additional investment.
“To keep the budget manageable, we decided to tackle the sites gradually after the merger,” says Lode Smits, ICT Operations Manager. “Each year, 4 to 5 sites get the ‘Meraki upgrade,’ based on the site’s size, location, and current network state.”
An atypical Arxus project
Where we used to manage the entire project from A to Z at Arxus, we were now able to delegate many tasks to Tosca’s IT team: not only because of their knowledge, but also because of Meraki’s user-friendliness. We still handled hardware orders and prepared the networks. But Tosca, in turn, took care of the installation and visits on-site. It’s a well-balanced division of work.
Although Tosca has significantly expanded its internal IT team in recent years and is handling more on its own, they still rely on our services. “Arxus is an ideal partner for us. They help us choose the right equipment and design it accordingly. They also keep us informed about the latest new features hitting the market. We truly see them as an extension of our own IT team. They’re always available when we need them,” says Lode.
