Choosing a Network Consultancy Partner: 7 Questions to Ask

Why independence matters

Consultants tied to a single vendor tend to recommend that vendor. A vendor-neutral partner evaluates options against your requirements, skills and budget, and is comfortable telling you when you do not need new hardware.

Questions worth asking

• Which vendors do you resell, and how does that affect advice?
• Can you show a sample high-level and low-level design?
• How do you document current state before recommending changes?
• Who will actually do the work — and what are their certifications?
• How do you handle knowledge transfer to our team?
• What does success look like at 90 days?
• Can we speak to two clients with similar networks?

Deliverables you should expect

A current-state assessment with risks ranked, a target architecture, a phased roadmap with budgets, and draft RFP specifications if procurement is needed. Each recommendation should tie back to a business or risk outcome.

Avoiding consultancy that sits on a shelf

Insist on a roadmap your team can execute, with quick wins in the first month. Good consultancy leaves you more capable, not more dependent.

How Infivate Networks can help

Infivate Networks delivers Security & Network Operations for organisations across India — from assessment and design to implementation and ongoing support. Talk to our team or email [email protected].