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Enterasys
unveils 10-Gigabit Ethernet Strategy
Enterasys
Networks has announced 10-Gigabit Ethernet networking for
LANs, WANs and MANs. Enterasys will first deliver 10-Gigabit
capabilities in its Matrix switching platform and follow with
similar
offerings in its X-Pedition switch routing and Vertical Horizon
switching lines.
Enterasys'
10-Gigabit offerings are best suited for the network edge where
enterprise LANs meets high-capacity optical metropolitan networks.
These are targeted at organizations that have maximized the
capacity of their installed fiber optic cabling and campus business-to-business
networks.
Enterasys'
10-Gigabit program is based on the concept of "Unlocking
the Optical Internet Application," (UTOPIA). Enterasys'
first 10-Gigabit Ethernet product, which will be delivered in
the second half of 2001, will be an aggregation device with
10-Gigabit transport capabilities for enterprise LAN and MAN
networks.
Alopa
Networks ties up with RiverDelta Networks
Bangalore
based, Alopa Networks, specialist in the broadband subscriber
service solutions market, has tied up with RiverDelta Networks
Inc., a carrier-class broadband routing, switching, and service
management systems provider, to provide Multiple Systems Operators
(MSOs) with an integrated Open-Access based
self-provisioning
solution for Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification
(DOCSIS).
The
availability of DOCSIS 1.1 network equipment will accelerate
the introduction of new and advanced services because now MSOs
will
have
greater control over the services they can deliver, everything
from voice over IP and gaming to virtual private networks
and remote access for businesses.
Computer
Associates bags two awards
Computer
Associates International, has announced that Unicenter TNG,
its enterprise management solution for eBusiness, and ARCserve
2000, its enterprise storage solution, have received Network
Magazine's Product of the Year Awards.
Network
Magazine's Product of the Year Awards are presented annually
to products and services for both the enterprise and the new
public network. The editors of Network Magazine selected Unicenter
TNG as the "Management Platform of the Year" and ARCserve
2000 as the "Storage Management Solution of the Year"
based on their broad appeal to the publication's reader base,
their competitive advantages, price/performance, technical ingenuity,
new features and applications, and serviceability to the market.
CA was the only software company to have two products selected
for this prestigious award.
Enterasys
& Siemens offer solutions for convergence market
Enterasys
Networks has entered into an alliance with Siemens Ltd., to
offer converged networks for the Indian Enterprise market.
Enterasys in association with Siemens will offer convergence
architectures, voice, data and VoIP solutions for markets
as diverse as call centres, ASPs, datacentres and other enterprise
networks.
While
Enterasys will focus on network connectivity, network management,
network security and next generation application-enabling services,
Siemens will focus on voice and converged technologies and applications
and provide the integration, implementation and maintenance
of the customer's converged infrastructure.
3Com:
A Strategy of Adaptation
3Com,
formerly one of the leading players in the WAN core business
area, has gradually shifted its strategy to capitalize on
the gigabit Ethernet and wireless technology domains.
Ever
since 3Com moved out of high-end
wide area networking for large enterprise business, around the
same time last year, there has been a lot of speculation about
what exactly constitutes its current core business competency.
Commenting on this strategic decision, Ramgopal Vallath, country
sales manager, 3Com, Mumbai, says, "This move has been
interpreted in various ways. We decided to primarily focus on
high-growth products and exit out of low-end products."
Two
factors propelled 3Com's exit from the router arena. World wide,
it was a declining business. Also the stiff competition in the
wake of the
introduction
of cable and DSL modems by broadband players was eroding the
market further. 3Com was incurring a huge loss in the WAN router
segment for enterprise business. "Routers was a loss making
proposition for 3Com and the kind of R&D and production
development we had to invest in, wasn't giving us the expected
RoI," says Vallath.
Besides
routers, ATM is another technology 3Com has abandoned. "Though
ATM is still being used on existing legacy
networks of some government departments and PSUs, it is a dying
technology in the enterprise market. Hence, we are strongly
focusing on gigabit Ethernet, for large enterprises," points
out Vallath.
The
past couple of years, world over, small and medium enterprises
have been fuelling business for networking vendors. More so
in India, with a very high density of SMEs, most are dedicating
a large portion of their budget for information technology and
network infrastructure. "Recognizing this huge potential,
we shifted our focus to the SME segment," says Vallath.
However,
3Com hasn't quite shut doors to the large enterprise segment.
3Com has a full range of products starting with NICs with built-in
redundancy, unmanaged switches with gigabit on copper and high-end
switches.
In
tune with its plan to further the cause of gigabit in the country,
3Com launched a series of switches in the past six months, all
of which by default come with additional gigabit ports.
3Com
launched the Switch 4000 series to replace the CoreBuilder range,
which is backward compatible. Switch 4900 was launched in February
and is a standalone switch with 12-16 gigabit ports and a performance
capability of 24 billion packets per second. Besides, it is
upgradable to Layer 3 switch.
3Com
is also planning the launch of switches in the unmanaged range
targeted
at medium enterprises. Switch 3C16468, which has 24 ports of
10/100 Base T and one port of 1000 BaseT is an auto sensing
switch. Vallath claims, "If you have a hybrid network on
Ethernet, fast Ethernet and gigabit Ethernet, the entire network
can be connected on the same switch, as it autosenses between
these ranges."
Another
important focus area for 3Com is wireless. "Connectivity
is going to become untethered. Wireless will offer 'subconscious
connectivity'. Tremendous demand for bandwidth and seamless
connectivity will drive the future and hence 3Com is initiating
a lot of R&D in this area," points out Vallath.
For
small enterprises, 3 Com has an entire suit of end-to-end solutions:
-
3Com has AirConnect, a wireless LAN product for offices
and small organizations. For instance, one can walk around
within the office premise with a laptop and yet be connected
at a high bandwidth of 11mbps.
- An
ISDN LAN modem, which performs the functions of a router,
hub and a modem.
-
Small office firewalls for security, which support 25, 100
or 10,000 users. The firewall updates itself automatically
from the 3Com website once a week.
-
A suit of print, file and e-mail servers complements these
products.
Another
focus area is LAN telephony. "This is a high growth market,
because there's a big call centre market in India and we will
be launching a product called NBX," informs Vallath. This
product he claims has a 64 percent market share in the U.S.
3Com
is riding on a strategy that demands adapting to the changing
market dynamics. With its focus now on gigabit Ethernet and
wireless, which are also driving the networking market, will
3Com freeze this strategy for sometime to come? Or will the
flux in market dynamics persuade it to alter its course again?
Shubha
Murthy can be reached at shubha_m24@hotmail.com
Microsoft
& Unisys join hands for Datacenter Solutions
Microsoft
Corporation and Unisys India have entered into an alliance
to provide Indian enterprises with solutions
for mission critical computing.
The partnership is targeted at industry verticals such as
banking, IT services and retail and will provide them with
solutions based on Windows 2000 Datacenter Server, with hardware
and service support from Unisys.
Microsoft
Datacenter Server operating system will be pre-loaded on Unisys
hardware, after being tested and certified by Microsoft for
license and support.
Unisys
India will offer the Windows 2000 Datacenter Server on its e-@ction
Enterprise Server ES 7000. Unisys will pre-install the software
and offer 24x7 support.
Pre-configured
LAN launched by DAX
DAX
has launched Insta-Lan 25, a pre-configured LAN, which helps
integrate multiple telephone lines; enabling network applications
such as inter office communication, remote access, videoconferencing
and Internet.
Insta-Lan
25 comes in five variants starting from the entry level True
Connect (supporting 12 data ports) to Spectra Connect (supporting
96 data ports).
All
models come with a Fast Ethernet Rackmounted Switch. The Port
count of the switch depends on the number of data ports on the
particular Insta-Lan 25 model. Each port in the switch has a
corresponding Patch panel port.
Additional
patch panel ports are provided for voice applications. Targeted
at the SME segment, Insta-Lan
25 connectivity products range from Internet sharing to inter
branch routing.
All
active and passive products are neatly mounted on a 15u rack,
and are scalable up to 96 nodes. |
