Dell powers up Gigabit Ethernet switches
Posted on: Sunday, 25 January 2004, 06:00 CST
Dell this week will launch its first line of full Layer 3 switches aimed at small-business backbones and large corporate LAN aggregation duties.
The PowerConnect 6000 series includes two fiber or copper Gigabit Ethernet switches that could help small networks add routing to a network core to speed traffic among subnets or virtual LANs. Larger companies looking for a low-cost, Layer 3 Gigabit wiring closet switch also could deploy the box.
Dell's PowerConnect 6024 offers 24 ports of Layer 3 Gigabit Ethernet.
The two switches - the PowerConnect 6024 and 6024F - are fixed- configuration boxes with 24 Gigabit Ethernet ports.The 6024 comes with all-copper (10/100/1000M bit/sec ports), and the 6024F has 24 ports for fiber inserts, which could include various types of single- or multi-mode fiber.
Each switch also includes eight combination ports - on the 6024, they are fiber-based, and on the 6024F they're copper. These ports can be activated individually and each takes the place of a non- combination port when turned on. Dell says this feature gives customers an option for mixing fiber and copper on the boxes without purchasing extra hardware.
The switches support full hardware-based Layer 3 routing and protocols such as Open Shortest Path First, Router Information Protocol Versions 1 and 2, and Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol, which lets two switches run in tandem and fail over to each other.The boxes also support IP multicast.
Both switches also come with dual power supplies and fans. A cable-testing feature is included on each port that lets the switch detect broken network cables or patch cords.
In addition to the new hardware, Dell is announcing Network Manager Advanced Edition, software that will let an administrator update VLAN, access control-list and quality-of-service information across a large network of PowerConnect switches.
Although Dell does not report its shipment or revenue numbers, Synergy Research Group estimates that the company captured almost 3% of total switch revenue in North America in the third quarter of 2003.That puts the company right behind such established enterprise vendors as 3Com, Nortel and HP, and ahead of Foundry Networks and Extreme Networks.
Since introducing its PowerConnect switches in 2001, Dell's strategy has been to position itself as a one-stop shop for small and midsize businesses in terms of IT infrastructure, offering servers, desktops, notebooks, storage and switches. While Dell says it does not track sales of switches tied to other Dell products, Ulrich Hansen, senior product manager for Dell Networking, says "almost all" of Dell's PowerConnect customers have been previous Dell computer customers.
The Dell PowerConnect 6024 and 6024F are available for $3,500. Network Manager Advanced Edition is available for $5,000.
Copyright Network World Inc. Jan 19, 2004
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