Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Linksys brand slowly dissolved into Cisco


On an event last year in Europe, the Cisco's Chairman & CEO John Chambers said a shocking news that Cisco is currently running plans to make Linksys brand dissappear under their own brand, the process will not be an instance act but instead take over time. This news of course saddens IT networkers like myself... I also began to notice that there's a Cisco logo on every Linksys new products lately.

For you who are not familiar in the networking world, Linksys products are usually for Small & Medium-sized Businesses (SMB); and Cisco's are offered to enterprise companies. Both brands have differentiate themselves from their product support, where Linksys is aiming at the ease of use from out of the box experience; while Cisco aimed for the extensive supports behind its branded products. I'm sure as computer gadgets users, most of you have at least encountered one of the aforementioned devices.

Rick Moran, the VP of SMB Solutions Marketing division have explained that Cisco has given a go for its SMB channel partners to sell both Cisco & Linksys products at the same time. But confusion strikes customers from both brands, and partner resellers / vendors have became reluctant. Because of the difference on each of those brand's products, Cisco is for integrated systems which is adopted by enterprise companies; while Linksys is meant for individual use which scaled as to SMB companies. Cisco has cleared up that confusion by modifying its SMB website to aligned their product road maps together, the Linksys branded products will be replaced with product category options within the SMB website. You also may try open Linksys website, where you'll find now this additional words: "A Division of Cisco."

Linksys disappearence will begin outside the U.S. first, where Cisco hasn't spent any money on building up the Linksys brand; unlike what they've done in the U.S. market. A very interesting finding in Cisco's own research have been mentioned by Moran, the research was based on U.S. & Europe economy; especially on the ailing U.S. economy right now: "The first people to slow down on spending are SMBs, but the first to start back, even before the recovery is noticeable, are small businesses."

Way to go small business! This proof how important and equal are small buinesses compared to big companies, Cisco knew this and thus they doesn't want to give up the SMB market at all. Read on Stephen Lawson great article at PCW Business Center here for more thorough info.

[blogged with my Treo 750v]

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