The popular image of a fault resilient computer maker is one of a giant warehouse like facility where sheet metal is bent, and backplanes, power supplies, disk drives and other components are assembled into 50 to 80 pound, 19-inch wide rackmountable boxes that are shipped to distributors, integrators and VARs.

This classic hardware manufacturing model served the industry well during its formative years, but many PC manufacturers now are diversifying in an effort to escape the small price margins inherent in the manufacture and sale of hardware. PC makers suddenly realized that all-encompassing, PC-based communications systems had become easier to install and modify thanks in part to telephony, media and networking standards such as TAPI, TCP/IP, CT Media, S.100, H.323, SIP, H.100 and H.110.

Also, it was found that customers prefer to deal with a single source as they search for ways to make telco, enterprise and call center communications systems as easy as possible to install, operate and maintain. While preparing to buy today's incredibly complex telecom hardware and software, they increasingly ask the originating PC manufacturers if they can deliver the systems in final form.

Also, customers purchasing high customized and unproven equipment may require additional services such as certifications, and NEBS testing.

In short, customers want turnkey solutions (or at least they want someone else to worry about getting a new system up and running), and this has spurred hardware companies into becoming solutions companies.