Network Hardware Resale Reveals Latest Procurement Trends Across the Market for Pre-Owned Networking Equipment

SAN BARBARA, CA, January 23, 2011 (Press-News.org) News Facts

• The market for pre-owned networking equipment continues to gain momentum as increasing numbers of companies have resumed buying and selling gear to support various business requirements, including network upgrades, expansions and alternative maintenance.

• Network Hardware Resale (NHR), the leading provider of pre-owned and new networking solutions, reports on several key procurement trends that serve as barometers for the end of the recession.

• According to procurement pattern research involving more than 10,000 global customers, NHR reveals increased buying of Cisco network security products and 10GbE network interface cards on the secondary market as well as increased selling of Cisco Supervisor Engine 720-3B and Cisco Catalyst 6509-E switches.

• NHR also reports that after a six-month period of pricing volatility, prices on the secondary market have stabilized, thanks to plentiful supply of, and demand for, fully-tested, top-quality pre-owned equipment.

• According to IDC report No. 225573, entitled "Cisco Router and Switch Networking Equipment Residual Value Forecast, November 2010" (published December 2010), savvy IT equipment buyers are purchasing a combination of new and used gear to get the most from their IT investments, which has led to greater reliance on the secondary market.

Top Five Procurement Trends Reinforce Health of Networking Market

1. Cisco network security and firewall products are in great demand:

o Rising demand on the secondary market for Cisco's firewall and security products, including the ASA 5500 Series of Adaptive Security Appliances, has been attributed to the company's long delivery lead times due to component shortages earlier in the year.

o While Cisco's nagging problems surrounding equipment delays have subsided, customers are still faced with at least four-week delivery schedules on the primary market. In contrast, most gear on the secondary market is readily available for overnight delivery.

2. Growing migration to 10GbE networking drives ongoing upgrades:

o A growing number of organizations are fueling network upgrades to 10GbE, thanks to an abundance of Cisco 10GbE network interface cards on the secondary market.

o Cisco's WS-X6704-10GE blades are among the best sellers on the secondary market currently. NHR reports that sales of these products have grown by 82 percent in 2010.

3. Increased supply of previous-generation Cisco Catalyst 6509-E:

o Inventory levels for previous-generation Cisco Catalyst switches, such as the 6509-E, have steadily risen over the past year as companies have restored upgrade plans and begun migrations to newer platforms, including Cisco's Nexus 7000 Series switches.

o The increased supply is attributed to a re-invigorated interest in asset recovery, where companies unload unwanted or decommissioned gear to the secondary market while the equipment still retains a high residual value.

4. Product pricing has stabilized after months of volatility:

o Increased buying and selling of used gear has created noticeable price changes over the past year. In the first half of 2010, prices on the secondary market plummeted following a cycle of restricted buying throughout 2009.

o Since June, equipment supplies have continued to grow, which drives more pricing stability. For many providers in the secondary market, equipment supply is at an all-time high, which keeps prices highly competitive.

o Most current and previous-generation Cisco gear can be purchased from the secondary market at up to 90 percent less than the cost of new equipment.

o As a result, companies favoring the pre-owned market to both buy and sell goods are increasingly likely to realize favorable purchasing conditions.

5. Increased activity levels in the secondary market forecasted to remain through Q1 2011:

o Traditionally, the fourth quarter represents a brisk period of activity for the secondary market as companies strive to maximize IT budgets and reduce spending prior to the end of the year.

o What's different this year is a forecasted continuation of robust activity through the first quarter of 2011, especially as the uptick in platform migrations and system upgrades should fuel both the supply of previous-generation gear as well as create more demand for current generation equipment.

Supporting Quotes

Mike Sheldon, CEO for Network Hardware:

• "The secondary market serves as a barometer of the overall health of the entire networking industry. In June, we started seeing customers re-engaging in their regular purchasing practices. Since then, the accelerated pace we've experienced in both selling and buying equipment tells us the economy is on the rebound."
Jennifer Koppy, research manager, Technology Valuation Services and Technology Financing Strategies programs, IDC:

• "The residual value of Cisco networking equipment technologies remains high, which creates a healthy secondary market for used equipment. We're seeing greater reliance on this alternative channel as savvy IT equipment buyers continue to purchase a combination of new and used gear to get the most from their IT investments."

Resources
• Pre-Owned Cisco Networking Products
http://www.networkhardware.com/Cisco/
• Guide to Cisco's Newest Releases
http://www.networkhardware.com/GuideToCisco/
• Procurement and Refurbishment Quality
http://www.networkhardware.com/Quality/
• NetSure Alternative Maintenance
http://www.networkhardware.com/Maintenance/
• More news from NHR
http://www.networkhardware.com/News/

About Network Hardware Resale

Network Hardware Resale (NHR) is the leading provider of pre-owned and new networking solutions. Based in Santa Barbara, Calif., the company is an independent reseller of pre-owned Cisco, Juniper and Foundry networking equipment as well as an authorized reseller and distributor of resilient, scalable equipment from Force10 Networks. NHR also offers cost-effective network management, asset management, alternative maintenance and technical support services and is an authorized reseller of Cirtas Bluejet Cloud Storage Controllers. Founded in 1986, NHR provides global sales and technical support from its California, Dallas metro, New York City metro, Amsterdam, London and Singapore locations. Organizations worldwide purchase quality networking equipment from NHR, including Global 1000 companies, small and mid-sized enterprises, government entities, educational institutions, healthcare organizations and telecommunications service providers. For more information, visit http://www.networkhardware.com.