When Ashley Sturm and Johnny Thorington stepped into leadership roles at Opengear earlier this year, they brought more than impressive credentials. They brought a clear vision for what network support should feel like.
Sturm, Opengear’s new Vice President of Marketing, came aboard after holding global marketing leadership roles at Nautilus Data Technologies, NTT Global Data Centers, and Vertiv. Thorington, Vice President of Product Management, brings a strong background in product strategy and development from his leadership roles at technology-driven firms including ADTRAN and Synapse Wireless.
Opengear has always excelled at engineering, with a clear mission: deliver network resilience. But as the company evolved, so did the definition of resilience. It now extends beyond infrastructure—into the support experience itself—driven by shifting customer expectations.
“For a company like Opengear, with such a solid foundation, this is an opportunity to build on our strengths,” Sturm said. “We’re focused on deepening the value we deliver and expanding what customers can expect from a support experience.”
That evolution is now built in. With the launch of Foundation and Premium Support, Opengear has taken what customers have long appreciated—their reliable, human-centered service—and embedded it directly into the fabric of the Network Resilience Platform.
“This is about supporting customers through the entire lifecycle,” said Thorington. “From the initial deployment through day-to-day operations and remediation when something goes wrong, we want the support model to reflect the same values as our platform: simplicity, consistency, and resilience.”
Why Now?
The shift couldn’t come at a more critical time. “The explosion in AI and edge applications, including hybrid cloud ones, is driving exponential growth in the scale and the complexity of the underlying networks,” said Thorington. “Our customers need more than a support number to call. They need a trusted partner who understands their complexity and a structured approach to support that matches the predictability of our Network Resilience Platform.”
Sturm agrees. But for her, timing wasn’t a coincidence—it was a strategic decision.
“We didn’t wait for a problem. We anticipated what’s next,” said Sturm. “This shift gives our customers an edge. It’s not about catching up; it’s about leading from the front.”
Designed for Simplicity
At the heart of this new support model is a powerful principle: keep it simple. That means less complexity in pricing, fewer hoops to jump through, and a smoother experience across the board.
“Forget the maze of service tiers and surprise charges,” said Sturm. “We built a model that’s easy to understand and even easier to use: Foundation is built in. Premium delivers higher-level access and faster resolution when it matters most. That clarity removes friction—for customers and partners alike.”
That message has landed, especially in the field.
“The reaction? Total alignment,” said Sturm. “Customers see the built-in value and say, ‘This is how it should work.’ The smartest solutions often feel obvious once they’re in front of you.”
A Platform Approach to Support
Opengear isn’t just optimizing support. It’s rethinking it as an integrated part of its platform experience.
“This isn’t just about responding faster,” said Thorington. “It’s about providing simplicity in support options to match the needs of our customers: a foundation model that is part of the base package, and a premium one to meet the needs of those customers with large scale, geographically disbursed networks that might have unique needs.”
The connection between Opengear’s support, hardware, and software will only grow stronger as Lighthouse continues to evolve.
“Lighthouse gives our customers the ability to centrally deploy, manage, and remediate distributed environments at scale,” said Thorington. “As we continue to enhance that platform, the goal is to deliver a support experience that’s not just reactive, but predictive.”
Human-Centered Resilience
Sturm believes the support model reflects more than just technical capability; it reflects Opengear’s values.
“Support isn’t just technical, it’s personal,” said Sturm. “It’s about trust. Our customers know someone’s there who gets their environment and won’t quit until the job’s done. That’s what real support feels like.”
One Platform. Two Options. Full Confidence.
Foundation Support is included with every deployment. It offers 8×5 regional coverage, standard SLAs, firmware updates, and advanced hardware replacement. Premium Support adds 24×7 access and expert help with automation, scripting, and configuration guidance.
“Foundation aligns with our hardware and reflects the standard our customers expect from day one,” said Thorington. “Premium is for teams that need elevated access and rapid time to resolution.”
This is what support should look like: built-in, predictable, and deeply aligned with how modern networks run.
“We’re setting a new baseline for what customers should expect,” said Sturm. “We’ve built something that’s clear, scalable, and ready for what’s next.”
Learn more about Opengear’s support solution.
About the Contributors
Ashley Sturm is a seasoned marketing and strategy executive with more than 15 years of experience shaping global brands, crafting clear narratives, and leading high-performing teams. As Vice President of Global Marketing at Opengear, she oversees brand and marketing strategy to elevate market presence and strengthen customer engagement. Prior to Opengear, she held senior marketing roles at Nautilus Data Technologies, NTT Global Data Centers, and Vertiv.
Johnny Thorington is the Vice President of Product Management at Opengear, where he leads the product direction of our network resilient platform. He brings to the role a robust background in product and engineering leadership, having previously held senior positions in technology-driven firms including ADTRAN and Synapse Wireless.
