Your network was designed for a different era. Five years ago, most applications ran on local servers, video calls were occasional, and cloud storage was supplementary. Today, everything has flipped — and networks that were adequate in 2020 are choking under 2026 workloads.
What Changed
Cloud-First Applications
Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Salesforce, Slack, Zoom — the average employee uses 10+ SaaS applications daily. Every one requires reliable, low-latency internet. Your old MPLS circuit designed for server-to-server traffic does not cut it anymore.
Video as Default Communication
Each HD video stream consumes 2-4 Mbps. A 20-person office with 10 concurrent calls needs 20-40 Mbps just for video — before anything else.
IoT and Connected Devices
IP cameras, badge readers, smart HVAC, digital signage, occupancy sensors — the number of devices on a typical office network has tripled in five years.
Security Requirements
Zero-trust architectures require firewalls that can handle encrypted traffic inspection at line speed. Older firewalls see dramatic throughput drops with deep packet inspection enabled.
Signs Your Network Needs an Upgrade
- Video calls drop or buffer during peak hours
- Users complain about Wi-Fi in certain areas
- Your firewall runs at 80%+ CPU during business hours
- Switches do not support PoE+ (you are using power injectors as workarounds)
- You have 100Mbps uplinks between switches (should be 1Gbps or 10Gbps)
- Wi-Fi APs are 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) or older
- Your ISP circuit was sized 3+ years ago
What to Upgrade
| Component | From | To | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firewall | UTM under 1 Gbps | NGFW with 2+ Gbps IPS | Encrypted traffic inspection at scale |
| Switches | Fast Ethernet / basic PoE | Multi-gig PoE++ managed | Wi-Fi 6 APs need 2.5Gbps+ uplinks |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11ac Wave 1/2 | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) | More capacity, less interference |
| WAN | Single ISP / MPLS | Dual ISP + SD-WAN | Redundancy and intelligent steering |
| Cabling | Cat5e | Cat6A | Supports 10Gbps and higher PoE |
Buy Direct, Save on the Refresh
When it is time to upgrade, you do not need to buy through a distributor. Imagit sells the same enterprise networking equipment we have been deploying for 25 years — direct, without markup.