n Fast Ethernet: Fast Ethernet continued to rule the market, as far as technology deployment is concerned. Very few customers have actually implemented gigabit as an option for the desktop and this trend is expected to continue for a while since there is still a tremendous difference in costs.

n Wireless: Wireless (802.11b and a) as a technology was in the limelight in 2002. Apart from traditional segments, wireless MANs and VSATs were considered to be the most happening technology segments for the integration business.

n Switch-oriented WAN: WAN is gradually becoming more switch-oriented, as the space occupied by it is currently overlapping with the implementation of fiber.

n Bandwidth Management Tools: Use of network enhancement tools like bandwidth management tools (which manage bandwidth for all products) is on the increase.

n Design and Consultancy: The year witnessed a distinct shift by the different vendors towards consultancy, design and implementation services mainly with an eye on improving margins. Most of the integrators worked towards realizing better margins for the services they offered. No network integrator can today ignore the services factor; it’s one segment that’s driving the integration business.

n Falling Equipment Prices: One positive development for the NI market in 2002 was the downward trend in the prices of satellite equipment. Prices have dropped by almost one-third to half, with speeds growing three to four times. Even on the terrestrial front, on a single router/box vendors integrated more and more needs like data and ISDN. This made the setting-up of networks more affordable, giving a spurt to the NI market in India.

n Storage and Security: 9/11 too seemed to be a boon for network integrators in 2002, as more and more companies went for storage and security solutions. This led to most of the vendors forming alliances with key players in the NAS and SAN space to provide an ‘all-in-one-basket’ solution. In fact, this was the key driver behind the growing trend of integrators providing third-party equipment and solutions and themselves engaging more on the consultancy part.