D-Link ropes in BMS channel players

D-Link India is seeking to recruit partners who offer building management
solutions (BMS) and has already profiled several of these players before rolling
out a four-city roadshow to engage with them. The objective behind the roadshows
is to acquaint the BMS partners about D-Link's suite of networking products,
which can be integrated for the emerging real estate properties. “We are talking
to several architects, builders and consul­tants/contractors (ABC). Right now,
we are showcasing our products and solutions to them,” said Jangoo Dalal, CEO
and MD, D-Link India.

Jangoo dalal, CEO and MD, D-Link India

At the roadshow, D-Link would present a three-hour capsule of its solutions
to the ABC players. Those who evince interest would then be given a three-day
training. On the completion of the training,

D-Link would give them a certification.

“We give a 20-year lifetime warranty on our products, which is comprehensive
in nature and not on certain aspects of the solution. This means that the BMS
providers can go to their clients with a holistic offering,” added Dalal.

D-Link will also extend its Empower channel partner program to this set of
players.

In the BMS business, architects and contractors often pick up piecemeal
solutions from various vendors to offer a solution. Now networking companies are
coming forward with a complete suite of end-to-end solutions that they can pick
and choose from. According to a BSRIA report, in India, the standards set for
installations of structured cabling systems used today by system integrators are
still those established 10 years ago, when AT&T and Lucent Technologies
introduced struc­tured cabling in the country.”

The report further stated that contractors have a more diversified approach
to cabling. They are less loyal to brands. They usually sell the active parts of
network first, which account for a high percentage of cost, and the passive
parts will be installed with whatever brand is requested in the specifications.
The share of structured cabling products on the overall turnover of any
individual company is rather small.”

Vendors like Cisco and D-Link are planning to change this mindset and also
grab a bigger share of the largely fragmented real estate IT solutions market.

To know more about Cisco's BMS initiative read the article http://dqchannels.ciol.com/content/features/107122003.asp”