Automotive component manufacturer Johnson Matthey has selected a 3Com switch solution to enhance the performance and improve the manageability of its corporate network infrastructure.
The move was made, according to Anton Dreyer, Johnson Matthey IT manager, in a bid to accommodate planned growth and to meet the company`s goals for world-class service delivery.
Local systems integration specialist, Integr8 IT, was selected to execute the three-phase project. Currently the first phase has been completed and every PC or networking device at Johnson Matthey has been linked to a high-speed (gigabit) backbone.
Dreyer says the advances will allow the Johnson Matthey network to run ten times faster, significantly improving the processing speed on in-plant terminals. The 3Com management software will assist in reducing connection errors and optimising data flows.
Integr8 IT`s Jan Roux says that, in the past, Johnson Matthey experienced bandwidth and performance constraints between its admin centre and factory.
"It was decided to increase the throughput of the data pipe between the locations, but this also meant finding a switch capable of boosting the flow.
"We tested switches from several suppliers, but selected 3Com`s 4900 switch with fibre connectors as it was most suited to the task."
Roux says Integr8 IT retained the existing basic network infrastructure, which was based on a 100Mb backbone, but upgraded the fibre optic cabling and added 3Com 4900 and 3300 switches with a mixture of copper and fibre connectors at the Johnson Matthey admin centre and factory.
Share
Editorial contacts