3Com extends open services networking capabilities to enhance enterprise business continuity, operational efficiency, investment protection

3Com Corporation, a leading provider of secure, converged voice and data networking solutions for enterprises of all sizes, recently announced a significant milestone in its innovative 3Com Open Services Networking (3Com OSN) strategy with the introduction of new OSN applications delivered on its new MSR series multi-service router platform.

3Com OSN is the industry's first open platform to integrate best-of-breed and open source applications into the fabric of the network infrastructure, enabling organisations to drive operational simplicity, reduce capital expenditures and operating costs, and achieve lasting investment protection while addressing ever-changing business needs.

3Com OSN enables end-users to run open source, third-party and 3Com-developed applications and solutions that deliver intelligence, flexibility, performance and control directly inside the network with the ease of use, support and economy of an integrated solution.

OSN is a key element of the company's next-generation secure, converged networking strategy to drive even greater application integration directly into the network infrastructure.

The multi-service router with OSN is designed for deployment at enterprise branch and regional offices and by managed service providers seeking to enhance business continuity, security and operational efficiency. In a feature-rich IP router platform, applications run on Open Services Modules (OSM); this makes it easy to deploy a variety of enhancements to communications, security and network performance. There is no need to deploy numerous single-task appliances that complicate network management, take up valuable facility space, and consume excessive power.

The MSR series also supports 3Com's commitment to developing green technologies by requiring less energy to operate than comparable solutions that require deploying additional appliances or devices at each location.

"Customers will find that the OSN applications available now and in the future for the MSR product line will provide considerable additional functionality," said Ankcorn Fernihough, senior systems engineer for 3Com South Africa. "This functionality greatly increases the short- and long-term value of the MSR for customers."

A new OSN application is WAN optimisation and application acceleration from Expand Networks, a 3Com Open Network programme member. This improves network performance and enhances application access, particular in a branch office setting, to help improve employee productivity and eliminate the need for costly bandwidth upgrades.

"The MSR integrates this critical acceleration functionality into the network for improved performance of up to 400% or more, while eliminating the need to deploy a separate appliance at the branch.

"Since networks and business requirements vary from enterprise to enterprise, a best-of-breed environment is the most effective approach for reducing costs and accelerating applications," said Fernihough. "Businesses and service providers deploying the new 3Com multi-service router with Expand's robust compass platform on an Open Services Module will realise the power of Open Services Networking.

"We believe the tight integration of application optimisation with industry-leading routing capabilities sets 3Com apart from the competition and delivers the business benefits organisations need to maintain a competitive advantage."

The MSR platform was developed by H3C, 3Com's China-based R&D organisation. Enterprises and service providers already have deployed several thousand MSR Series platforms throughout China. Consistent with 3Com's mission to develop high-quality, low-cost products that meet customers' business needs, this latest H3C innovation delivers a measurable price and performance advantage over similar products from other leading vendors.

Fully manageable and simple to deploy, the MSR Series routers are enterprise-class, secure platforms that feature a true multi-service architecture and resiliency features such as redundant power and Power over Ethernet (PoE). "OSN is a cornerstone of 3Com's commitment to provide our enterprise and service provider customer with innovative, flexible products and solutions that will meet their networking and communications needs now and in the future," said Fernihough. "The new multi-service router platform embodies how we are able to develop high-quality, high-value products through our H3C team and add open-standards-based applications from 3Com and our 3Com Open Networks programme members that provide tremendous value to our customers and enable them to achieve more from their network than ever before."