In line with its drive back into the enterprise core marketplace, 3Com has announced an alternative way to build LAN (local area network) cores with its soon-to-be-released XRN (eXpandable Resilient Networking) Interconnect Kit.
In line with this announcement, 3Com has launched the new networking switch (the Switch 4060), which will be 3Com`s first new LAN core product to support XRN technology.
In addition, 3Com revealed its plans for 10 Gigabit Ethernet, extending the performance bandwidth of 3Com`s networking solutions in order to meet enterprise customers` future networking requirements.
"In March, we said what we were going to do, giving our customers, partners and other stakeholders a long-term view of where we are advancing networking. Today, 3Com is delivering on the first step since the major announcement of XRN technology two months ago," said John McClelland, president, 3Com`s Business Networks Company.
"The extremely positive response for the introduction of XRN technology shows that the market is ready for an innovative solution that takes into account the economic realities and leverages expertise in combining sophistication and ease of use," he said.
Chris van Niekerk, 3Com`s South African country manager, said the new announcements support 3Com`s "pay-as-you-grow" approach to enterprises that need to transition up to 10 Gigabit over time, allowing managers to effectively manage costs for significantly more speed and bandwidth on the network.
Unique XRN Interconnect Kit unleashes XRN technology inside switches
3Com`s XRN Interconnect Kit, which can be deployed with the 3Com Switch 4060 and SuperStack 3 Switch 4900 family, consists of XRN software, modules and cabling.
This kit will enable network managers to "interconnect" the switches, using 3Com`s own technology that uniquely allows for the group of switches to behave as a single Layer 3 switched distributed fabric, thus delivering a scalable, high-performance and highly available LAN core.
Designed to be easy to use and to manage, the XRN Interconnect Kit will be available later this year and allows enterprises a choice in how they build their LAN core. 3Com is rolling out this ground-breaking set of XRN solutions in three phases for enterprise customers. Today`s announcement is focused on Phase 1.
Delivery of new LAN core switch is proof point for 3Com`s enterprise strategy
The first new LAN core switch that will connect the components of the XRN Interconnect Kit is the Switch 4060, which starts shipping worldwide this week. The Switch 4060 is a high-performance, wirespeed, Layer 3 Gigabit Ethernet switch with 24 ports. The Switch 4060 includes "hot swappable" fan and power supply capabilities for enhanced uptime. The XRN Interconnect Kit will also be compatible with the SuperStack 3 Switch 4900 family, ensuring that investment in these industry-leading, high-performance Gigabit Ethernet switches is protected.
10 Gigabit Ethernet opens new possibilities for the future
3Com is developing a 10 Gigabit Ethernet LAN switch and uplink module for enterprise LANs. As part of its long-term enterprise strategy, 3Com intends to ship a range of 10 Gigabit Ethernet products in 2003 that will meet the requirements of enterprise customers, bringing to the solutions the rich features, ease of use and affordability that have characterised its Gigabit Ethernet products.
Share
Editorial contacts