Semi-Rugged Networks

70+ inches of snow in the east, record snow in Texas - the winter of 2010 has me thinking about the ruggedized network equipment market. 

Right now ruggedized networks are somewhat of a "niche".  There are ruggedized DSLAMs and cell tower equipment, ruggedized outdoor wireless enclosures, ruggedized routers for police and mobile applications, and ruggedized routers and switches for industrial applications and plant floors.  However, is there a market for "semi-rugged" networking equipment for business? 

The semi-rugged network equipment market would be analagous to the semi-rugged network computer market.  Panasonic, Dell, and HP have done a good job exploiting this market - supplying businesses with notebooks that feature hard drives that have "decent" shock protection or, for a few dollars more a solid state drive, outdoor readable screens, waterproof keyboards, and semi-tough cases.

Semi-rugged networking equipment for business might be an option for companies that need their remote or mobile offices - or even the networks in some key telecommuters' homes to continue to function under environmentally challenging conditions.  Semi-rugged networking equipment might include features such as:

• The ability to function in high temperature environments for long periods of time.  If there's no air conditioning, how long will a router work today under 110 degree heat?
• Dust and dirt resistance.  In some remote offices, networking equipment is stuffed into a closet or unused corner and ignored.  Ignored, that is, until something goes wrong.  The result is that the equipment is often subjected to layers of dust and grime.
• Shock resistance.  Every network support person has a story about equipment that has crashed to the floor in a remote office because an employee tripped over a power cord or network cable.  Equipment designed to handle a drop kick might help.

The semi-rugged notebook computer makers have found that businesses are often prepared to pay an extra $500 per system to protect their users' data.  Would companies do the same to protect their networks?

What do you think?