Reseller Sales Tips

Reseller Bulletin Sales Tips

5 Levels of Remote Management Matrix

If you are a Service Provider, or are selling into the Carrier market,
this information was compiled especially for you:

Transition Networks recognizes that service providers and enterprises have varying remote management needs depending on the specific services and support they require. To meet these requirements Transition now offers several different classes of remotely managed devices—ranging from basic remote monitoring, to a very advanced SNMP and Full SOAM monitoring using ITU Y.1731. Transition’s Carrier Ethernet devices are built on these multiple classes of remote management for improving business agility with assured quality, maximizing your return on investment and the total cost of ownership within your network.

Download > Remote Monitoring Matrix

SFP’s Are A Great Add-On Sale Opportunity

With the widespread proliferation of network devices equipped with small form-factor pluggable (SFP) ports, SFP sales have seen a large spike recently. Regardless of the hardware manufacturer – almost all routers, switches, and media converters are being sold with empty SFP ports. It only makes sense that if you are already selling the switch or converter, that you offer your customers the complete package. The SFP sales are waiting…all you have to do is ask.

Download > SFP Quick Reference Guide

Relieve Fiber Exhaustion

With the steady demand for increased bandwidth and network speeds, fiber optic networks are a clear choice for enterprise customers and for service providers that are delivering services. But what options are left when all available fiber strands are being utilized? Other than trenching in new fiber, another viable option is deploying Coarse Wave Division Multiplexing (CWDM). CWDM from Transition Networks offers many benefits to service providers that need to better utilize their existing fiber infrastructure. While providing a passive solution that reduces CapEx and OpEx, CWDM also offers an easy way of providing additional services and bandwidth to customers that require it - so you can quickly recognize those additional revenue streams.

Download App Note > Fiber Exhaustion Application Note

Meeting the Demands of Today's Networks with Fiber

The demands on today's Enterprise networks are perpetually on the rise. As organizations adopt new technology, they often find themselves incurring the expense of upgrading their cable plant. When they start to take a closer look at implementing fiber, they soon realize that it is not as simple as just replacing their physical cabling. They will also need expensive new equipment to interface with the fiber. This application note details the benefits of fiber optics, while touching on an alternative to expensive fiber based electronics.

Download App Note > Meeting The Demands of Today’s Networks with Fiber

Sales Tip: Lower the Cost of Fiber Integration

In a time when organizations are trying to squeeze every penny out of each dollar spent, network expenditures are coming under increased scrutiny despite pressures to increase the networks’ performance.

Transition Networks is already known as a manufacturer of cost effective, intelligent, media conversion devices designed to ease the migration to fiber optic cabling while protecting investments in current copper-based network equipment. These converters include many advanced features that were developed to aid in their installation, configuration, and troubleshooting. These ‘advanced features’ are very helpful and are intended to save the user money in the long-term with a lower total cost of ownership. However, some projects are very cost sensitive or have limited budgets and only call for a basic level of media conversion. For these initial lower costs of entry applications, Transition Networks offers the Just Convert-IT™ product line.

The J-Line converters offer the same quality and reliability as the standard full-featured product, but with a smaller sub-set of features to accommodate a lower cost of entry. For instance, if a project calls for a quality media converter, but it is determined that the application can function properly without features like ‘Link Pass Though’ or ‘Far End Fault’, then the - Just Convert-IT™ products are the perfect solution.

Transitions Just Convert-IT™ line has several offerings:

Online Product Finder >>

Sales Tip: The Transition Advantage

Doing your best to excel as a sales person in the “Networking and Data Communications World” is not an enviable task. The need to be knowledgeable on multiple product lines and new technologies, while striving to grow your business and maintain customer relations can sometimes feel overwhelming. Whether your solution portfolio represents 10 or 10,000 manufacturers, you can’t possibly be an expert on each. It is with this concept in mind, that we designed The Transition Advantage - a two page document that gives you a snapshot into Transitions product and service offering, along with the vertical markets that we support.

Is our product offering more involved than this document’s contents? Yes, it sure is. But don’t waste time and energy worrying, instead rely on us to be your expert. A phone call to our pre-sales team or our post-sales tech support team will answer all of your customer’s questions and set them on a path to a solution that fits their needs and their budget.

Contact Sales or Tech Support at:
Phone: 800-526-9267
sales@transition.com
techsupport@transition.com

Should I Recommend an IP or Analog Video Surveillance System?

In today’s world, the need for businesses to have security surveillance systems is a definite reality. Whether it’s a casino, school, office building, or convenience store; it seems that everywhere you turn, places are getting cameras installed. Have you ever had an end-user customer come to you, looking to install a surveillance network? What kind of advice did you have for them? What direction did you point them in?

The first decision to be made is whether to utilize IP or analog cameras. It is often stated that each end-user is different and that there are no “rules of thumb” that would direct someone to choose one over the other. I’d like to touch on the advantages and disadvantages of both IP and analog video systems and hopefully help yield some insight on when each system makes sense to recommend.

Advantages of IP Cameras

• Utilize existing network cabling
• Ability to utilize Power-over-Ethernet
• Able to transmit over long distances utilizing the network infrastructure
• Ability to use facial recognition analytics and other high-resolution image programs
• Can provide digital zoom and other advanced features not provided by analog cameras
• Having the recording system being monitored on the IT network allows for quick responses when cameras or DVRs go down

Disadvantages of IP Cameras

• IP cameras require much more bandwidth than analog and may exceed the user’s network capacity
• IP cameras generally cost more than analog cameras
• Higher latency (time it takes for an image captured at a camera to be presented to a user) than analog cameras

Advantages of Analog Cameras

• Analog systems are usually less costly than IP
• Analog cameras will produce images that are superior in quality and clarity, than similarly priced IP cameras
• Less complicated to implement, no need for IT expertise
• Wider camera options and variety
• Lower latency than IP cameras

Disadvantages of Analog Cameras

• Limited transmission distances
• Analog signals cannot be encrypted and can potentially be viewed by unauthorized sources
• Lack certain features like digital zoom

Identifying Industrial Networking Opportunities

With the recent addition of an Industrial rated PoE switch and Gigabit media converter to Transition Networks’ vast Industrial Networking portfolio, the company has further enabled customers the ability to extend their Ethernet connectivity beyond the office environment. Having products that are backed by a lifetime warranty, which are suitable for the factory floor and harsh substation environments, makes Transition the right choice for those sales people selling into Industrial Networking opportunities.

You may be asking yourself, “How do I identify if I have an opportunity to sell Industrial Networking gear?” When dealing with a manufacturing plant, refinery, or factory, this need may be easy to identify. But in other cases, customers that do not fit into these categories may also have a need for hardened-Industrial equipment. Listed below are some indicators that will hopefully help you identify when a customer may be on the market for an Industrial rated device.

Customer is looking to:

• Eliminate EMI concerns within their network by employing fiber optic cabling.
• Connect legacy equipment such as PLC’s and automation systems to their networks.
• Add a redundant fiber ring to their network in an effort to eliminate network downtime.
• Increase product uptime and reliability in an area that is not climate controlled.
• Power IP cameras or wireless access points in an area that is not climate controlled.

> View Transition Networks’ Complete Industrial Networking Portfolio

> View All New Transition Networks Products

Benefits of Single-Mode Single Fiber

In a recent post on my TN Connection, Paul Smith (EMEA Marketing Manager) gave an overview of the concept of single-mode single fiber. Click on the diagram below to read Paul's insights on the cost savings associated with utilizing single-mode single fiber products.

PoE Terminology: PSE's and PD's

By now most people are aware of what Power over Ethernet is and the advantages of delivering power along with data over the same cabling infrastructure. But I would like to review some of the terminology that makes up a basic PoE deployment to help further your understanding of PoE and hopefully equip you with the tools necessary to start tapping into this growing market segment.

The standard that outlines Power over Ethernet is the IEEE 802.3af. This standard describes two basic components or devices that make up a PoE network: Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) and Powered Devices (PD). In simplistic terms, the relationship between Power Sourcing Equipment and Powered Devices can be summed up as follows: PSE's are able to supply power to PD's and PD's are able to receive and utilize power supplied by PSE's. Examples of PSE's would be PoE switches, PoE media converters, PoE splitters, and PoE injectors. Examples of PD's would be IP telephones, wireless access points, network cameras, and some media converters. It is important to make the distinction in order to avoid using PD's to power other Powered Devices.

Other terminology that is often used when talking about Power over Ethernet is Midspans and Endspans. These are nothing more than specific classifications of Power Sourcing Equipment. When the PSE is a switch, like Transition's MIL-SM2401MAF, it is called an endspan. Endspan PSE's have the same look and functionality of any Ethernet switch, yet they provide power along with routing data. A midspan PSE on the other hand is an intermediary component that fits between a non PoE capable switch and a Powered Device. An example of a midspan device would be Transition's 8-port PoE injector hub, part number MIL-L800i. Midspan devices provide a distinct advantage in that they allow someone to implement PoE capabilites into their network without having them invest in a new switch or disrupt their current network infrastructure.

That is a brief overview of the terminology of Power over Ethernet. Click here to take a closer look at Transition Networks PoE solutions.

Is the Point System What My Customer Needs?

The Point System is a cost effective, fully configurable, managed modular media conversion platform, that provides users with the flexibility to build their own custom media conversion system. So how do you know if your customer needs it? Here are a few questions to determine if the Point System is the best fit for your customer's project.

• Do you need one place to convert multiple links? Because the cards are modular, users can add them gradually as fiber is deployed within their network.
• Do you need redundant power supplies? Network uptime is crucial, and the redundant power option ensures that a network will stay up and running.
• Do you need SNMP managed media converters? All converter modules within the Point System Chassis are fully manageable. Redundancy of SNMP management is also available by placing two primary management modules in a chassis or stack of chassis.
• Will you be adding links in the future? Point System bridges the gap between continuous development of new networking technologies and the long-term nature of an investment in networking gear. With the Point System? you can pay as you grow.
• Will you be upgrading protocols in the future? The modularity of the Point System supports a mix of various protocols in the same chassis.

Transition’s Online Product Finder

The product finder on Transition’s website can be a very valuable tool. It allows you to specify your customer’s exact needs and displays the Transition Networks product that will fulfill those needs. In order to fully utilize the product finder, you will need to ask your customer a few pertinent questions. It should be noted that these are the same questions that need to be answered any time a copper to fiber media conversion opportunity is uncovered.

• Are they looking for a stand alone converter or a converter card?
• What network topology are they dealing with (Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit, Serial, T1, etc.)?
• Are they looking for single-mode or multimode optics?
• What distance is the fiber running?
• What fiber connector (SC, ST, LC) would they prefer?

Once these questions are answered, and the data is entered into the product finder, we provide you with the product that meets the specific need. Along with the product, you are also provided with the feature set, technical specifications, application diagram, and installation manual for that converter.

Try the online product finder on transition.com >>

Single Fiber Technology

Do you have a customer that doesn't appear to have enough available fiber to run their necessary applications, yet are unwilling to invest the money to have more pulled? It may seem like you are being put between a rock and a hard place, but we have a phenomenal option for you: Single Fiber Converters.

Single fiber technology offers a 50% savings in fiber utilization. It is an attractive solution to maximize the usage of a limited number of fiber runs.

In a traditional optical link, a fiber pair consists of two uni-directional strands. The single fiber technology multiplexes two optical wavelengths of 1310 nm and 1550 nm into a single strand fiber. In a single fiber media converter each wavelength is responsible for either the transmit or receive function. Consequently, the bi-directional transmission is achieved by using a single strand. The converters in a single fiber scenario "match" each other's wavelengths. Converter A transmits at the wavelength of 1310 nm and receives at 1550 nm while the other converter transmits at 1550 nm and receives at 1310 nm. Therefore, converters are usually used in pairs.

Single fiber technology is available on all Transition Networks media converters in maximum distance ranges from 20 to 120km.

Finding interest isn't the problem, it's closing the deal.
Here are five suggestions to get commitment from your customers:

Side by Side Comparisons
Often, a customer will show interest in a product, but in the end see no reason to move from their current configuration. For example - why spend the money on an enterprise- rated wireless bridge when they can buy one from their local big box electronics store for a third of the price? A side by side comparison of the two products will show that the enterprise device has much stronger security and is much more manageable. This gives your customer a concrete reason to convert.

Technical Know-How
You'd hardly be willing to purchase an expensive mountain bike from someone who's never been on one, right? For the same reason, you need to be comfortable with the technology you're selling. If you come across as weak on product knowledge, your customer is less likely to trust your opinion.

Remain Current On Your Customer's Competitors
No one wants be be left in the dust. If you know that your customer's competitors are buying into the technology you're selling, use this as another nudge to bring your customer closer to cutting the deal.

Stress the Savings
This item is especially useful in selling media conversion. With the high cost of fiber equipment combined with the rising cost of copper, your customer can save a lot on their budget by buying media converters to convert to fiber, even for shorter distances. This also refers back to the first point: having side by side comparisons. A clearly presented cost analysis is very hard to ignore.

Know Your Customers' Needs Better Than They Do
Take the time to study your customer. Know their recent projects, potential expansions, where they are headed and where they could be headed. If you take the time to study them, you can connect the dots even before meeting with them, giving them a solution to a problem they didn't even know they had, or a growth direction they'd never even considered.