C2000 test lab opens

Broadline distributor unveils Cisco proof-of-concept laboratory

Broadline distributor Computer 2000 (C2000) has opened a Cisco proof-of-concept laboratory to enable resellers to test product combinations in a real-world environment.

C2000 said that it hopes the facility will help resellers convince customers about the savings that can be made from networking technologies.

Clive Hailstone, general manager of C2000's networking and enterprise solutions division, said: "Customers are looking for definitive evidence that major investments in networking technology will produce positive return, and they are not prepared to take any chances."

Nick Watson, head of unified channels UK at Cisco, said that the demo facility will benefit smaller resellers. "Some do not have the facilities and financing to set up their own labs, and it is not always viable," he explained.

Mark O'Hara, managing director of networking reseller Hydra, which has it own labs, agreed that giving resellers unrestricted access to testing facilities is a good thing.

"If C2000 is doing what it says, it will help resellers without question," he said.