Connect. Secure. Manage.
Cisco Network Refresh
Replace ageing Cisco infrastructure through a staged migration that accounts for feature compatibility, routing changes and operational handover.
Devices supported
across the UK
Client locations
supported
Traffic handled
at peak time
Average
response time
Average response is not a resolution time or a contractual guarantee. Support scope and response commitments are agreed for each engagement.
A Cisco network refresh updates equipment for a clear reason, such as support, capacity or recovery needs. We assess what should change and what can sensibly stay. The plan then covers the services at risk during the move. This gives you a better-supported network and a controlled transition based on the actual design needs.
Refreshing an estate can involve hardware, software, management and licensing decisions at the same time. We separate those decisions so the project does not acquire unnecessary complexity simply because several products are approaching renewal together.
A clear requirement
Turn the business need into a practical network scope with visible dependencies.
A controlled delivery
Plan implementation, testing and rollback before production changes begin.
A supportable result
Leave useful records, ownership and escalation routes behind.
Establish why each component needs attention
We review the current equipment, software and support position alongside the operational concerns. A device’s age is relevant. But the decision also depends on its role, supportability and the consequence of failure.
Lifecycle information is checked against the applicable product notices and contract position. Different milestones have different implications, and a general statement that equipment is “end of life” may not explain the actual risk or deadline.
The assessment can also identify newer components that are unsuitable for their current task. A refresh should prioritise the need and evidence rather than simply replacing the oldest item first.
Standards & partnerships
Confidence in the team behind your network.
Cisco Partner
Cisco Meraki
Cyber Essentials
Cyber Essentials PlusMCI Network Services is operated by Proxar Ltd. Certifications apply to the certified legal entity and the scope of its certificates. View accreditation information
Decide what should be retained, replaced or redesigned
Some setups benefit from a straightforward replacement. Others need a change to uplinks, routing boundaries, resilience or management before new hardware will deliver the intended improvement.
We examine the setup for dependencies and historical exceptions. Carrying it forward unchanged may preserve problems, while removing unfamiliar settings without investigation can break legitimate services. The refresh needs enough discovery to distinguish the two.
Where the architecture itself is uncertain, an architecture review can establish the direction. Where only a particular constraint needs attention, the project can remain focused rather than expanding into an estate-wide transformation.
A useful starting point
Not sure where to start?
Bring the requirement. We will help you define the engineering work.
Check the complete replacement solution
The proposed hardware must be considered with its software, licences, optics, power and management needs. A replacement device may not have identical interfaces or feature behaviour to the equipment it replaces.
We identify those differences before installation. Relevant app paths, routing policies and integration with retained Cisco, Meraki or third-party equipment need to be checked. A familiar vendor name does not eliminate the need for compatibility checks.
Commercial planning distinguishes the equipment purchase from migration engineering and ongoing support. It also considers whether current subscriptions, support arrangements or spare equipment can be used within the relevant terms rather than assuming every item must be bought again.
Different environments. The same care.
Built around the work
your network supports.
Finance, banking and the wider private sector. We start with the systems and people that depend on your connections.
Finance & banking
Market-data paths, routing and provider coordination on clients’ behalf.
Financial-market services ↗Offices & multi-site teams
Reliable access between people, workplaces and business applications.
Office network design ↗Data centres & cloud
Network boundaries, workload connections and operational ownership.
Data centre networks ↗Stage the change around service continuity
A refresh plan sets out the sequence of replacement, the intended intermediate states and the tests required at each point. Some work can be prepared in advance through staging and preconfiguration, reducing the decisions left for the live window.
Where several major changes are proposed, we consider whether separating them would make validation and recovery clearer. A hardware replacement, address change and security-policy redesign may be easier to diagnose when they are not all introduced simultaneously.
Rollback needs to account for the old equipment and any changes made elsewhere. Retaining a device in a cabinet does not create a usable fallback if its setup or connected services have already been altered beyond the recorded recovery state.
Verify the improvement and complete the lifecycle work
Acceptance tests relate to the reason for the refresh. If the aim was capacity, relevant measurements should show the intended outcome. If it was resilience, the agreed failure behaviour needs evidence. A successful boot is not the business result.
The handover updates inventory, software records, support information and the delivered setup. Retired equipment and obsolete setup are dealt with through the customer’s approved process, including appropriate treatment of stored setup and access information.
For a larger estate, a technology roadmap can place later refresh stages in a sensible sequence. This helps avoid another cycle in which every replacement becomes an urgent standalone event.
Cisco refresh questions
Must the replacement use the same Cisco family?
Not necessarily. The appropriate platform follows the needs and operating model. We assess alternatives within the Cisco and Meraki setup where relevant, while accounting for the migration and support consequences of changing platform.
Can you refresh one part of the network at a time?
Yes, where the interim design is understood. Phasing can spread disruption and investment. But it also creates a period of mixed operation. The plan must identify the integration, setup and support needs during that period.
Is a software upgrade always included?
The required software position is part of the design and scope. Some refreshes need software changes elsewhere in the estate; others do not. We identify those dependencies rather than assuming that every connected device should be upgraded in the same window.
Where should we start?
Share the equipment concerns, business drivers and any known lifecycle dates. Discuss a Cisco network refresh to establish what needs verification before the replacement and migration plan can be priced confidently.
Talk to a specialist
What does your network need next?
Tell us what you are planning, changing or trying to improve. We will help define a practical next step and the engineering scope.
+44 203 196 6566Choose option 1
sales@proxar.co.ukUK-wide service.
Most of our engineers are based in Kent, with a focus on London, Sussex, Essex and Berkshire.
Existing customers should use their agreed support and escalation channels. This form is for service enquiries, not a monitored emergency ticket.
Tell us what you need.
A short outline is enough. Please do not include passwords or sensitive network details.
Thank you. Your enquiry has been submitted.
Please check your name, email and message, then try again.
Your form session expired. Please try again.
Please wait a minute before sending another enquiry.
We could not submit your enquiry. Please call or email us instead.