3Com creates industry's first open platform integrating best-of-breed applications into network infrastructure

Capitalising on a growing demand for network solutions that deliver intelligence, flexibility, performance and control, 3Com Corporation today launched 3Com Open Services Networking (3Com OSN).

3Com OSN is the first step in the company's strategy to differentiate its secure, converged network solutions through an open, interoperable architecture, which offers the flexibility and innovation of a best-of-breed model combined with the simplicity and cost savings of the integrated, single-vendor structure.

3Com OSN challenges how networks are built by enabling a rich and diverse set of third-party, open source and 3Com applications and services to run seamlessly inside the network infrastructure.

OSN is the industry's first open platform that integrates best-of-breed applications into the network infrastructure, enabling organisations to deliver differentiated services, operational simplicity and cost savings, while proactively addressing ever-changing business needs.

"A significant focus of our technology strategy revolves around leveraging best-of-breed technology and open source applications to differentiate our networking solutions through innovation.

"OSN represents the foundation for that strategy and our future initiatives," said Edgar Masri, 3Com president and CEO. "OSN combines 3Com's vision for next-generation networking solutions with H3C's pioneering R&D and cost-effective manufacturing capabilities. It has the ability to drive a significant change in the networking landscape towards open, flexible multi-vendor integration."

Unlike other networking vendors/competitors, which provide single vendor offerings that lock customers into a limited and pre-determined set of applications, OSN provides flexibility and choice.

OSN enables managed service providers (MSPs) and system integrators to differentiate their service offerings with third-party, internally-developed or open source applications to meet customers' ever changing needs, which results in increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

For example, an MSP can centrally deploy and manage internally-developed provisioning, monitoring or advanced security applications quickly without disruption of service.

OSN also offers the unique opportunity for providers to quickly and cost-effectively test-market new applications and solutions, creating new and compelling business models such as "try and buy" service offerings that let customers sample a new application or service on a trial basis before purchasing.

"Enterprise organisations can customise their network according to their business needs. For example, OSN enables network managers to proactively meet changing compliance requirements by deploying best-of-breed applications in a faster, cost-effective and less complex manner.

By tightly integrating applications and services within the network infrastructure, 3Com OSN enables unparalleled flexibility, visibility and control of network traffic and application performance.

"Through Open Services Networking, 3Com has created a new model for enhancing the network, to address rapidly changing business objectives, mitigate security threats, enhance visibility of network activity, and support the convergence of voice, data, video and mobility services," said Zeus Kerravala, senior VP, Yankee Group.

"3Com's innovative approach, which integrates third-party and open source applications, puts the customer's business and communications needs first and delivers a solution that is customised, based on their requirements."

Open Services Networking is an integrated extension of 3Com's Bi-planar model - for organisations such as branch offices or medium enterprises that require integrated control and connectivity functions.

OSN consists of a robust connectivity infrastructure powered by 3Com's proven routing and switching portfolio, delivered by H3C, tightly coupled with Open Services Networking Modules that can run a variety of standard Linux-based applications.

Initial OSN solutions feature modules integrated into 3Com's routers. Critical to OSN is the OSN Control Agent (OSN|CA), which offers a full complement of provisioning, management, security and control tools that reside on the module and communicate directly with the router or switch through an open interface.

OSN|CA enables efficient distribution and management of applications, secure access to the network's switching and routing features, and robust failover and fault tolerance.

A key element to the innovation of OSN is the richness of the diverse set of applications that can run on the OSN platform. To support 3Com OSN, 3Com also launched its new 3Com Open Network (3Com|ON) programme (see separate announcement, "3Com launches the 3Com Open Network technology partner programme" also released on 29 January).

Based upon customer and market requirements, the first wave of applications approved and supported by 3Com|ON focus on security and data, and voice-optimisation.

Applications available at introduction include: Q1 Labs, which provides flow-based anomaly assessment; Converged Access' data and voice traffic optimisation; Vericept, which delivers visibility and control for compliance requirements; and VMware which offers virtual server capabilities.

3Com is also offering an Open Source Service Monitoring bundle, which leverages some of the most popular open source-based network and service management applications.

"The unique capability of Q1 Labs network security management platform, QRadar, means enterprises can benefit from cost-effective security event and network-flow collection, while ensuring maximum threat-visibility along with reliable remediation," said Shaun McConnon, CEO, Q1 Labs.

"As a 3Com|ON partner we are delighted to further our interoperability with 3Com by adding application behavioural analysis capabilities for customers deploying 3Com's OSN."

The 3Com OSN|M is globally available for the 3Com Router 6000 family. The 3Com-supported Open Source Service Monitoring bundle is available for immediate download. 3Com|ON partner applications from Q1 Labs, Converged Access, Vericept and VMware are available for evaluation immediately.