Now that a VPN and firewall can cost 475, it has to run straight out of the box. Bulcock estimates that, on a larger deal, about 40 per cent of a remote access sales may be product-related, while the remainder consists of services, installation and consultancy. Margins are higher than on the standard networking services. But a reseller selling a remote access solution can make 20 to 30 per cent on the hardware, and 40 per cent on services. Other distributors and vendors quote similar figures, saying the opportunity for repeat business is significant.
Companies deploy a pilot, then they come back for more.
Whatever you put in your pocket, as long as you do not mess up, you'll be adding to year on year. It's heading back to the golden age of high volumes and high margins. Predators on the prowl With such rich pickings on offer, remote access resellers cannot expect to have this growing market all to themselves. The competition is becoming much more intense, while predators from outside the conventional channel home in. Mobile phone giants such as Vodafone have begun to offer services such as VPN, while terrestrial managed service providers are eyeing remote access.