There are more options in affordable networking today than ever before, and you might be surprised at some of the offerings that are out there. Are you looking beyond the big names like Cisco to investigate more-affordable options in current-generation business networking?
In particular, today we wanted to highlight a couple new offerings from NETGEAR which have really impressed us. NETGEAR, of course, is best-known for their long-standing line of consumer-grade home equipment. However, in the last couple years, they've been making a push to get taken seriously in the small-to-medium business market.
The NETGEAR M7100 and M7300 switches incorporate 10-Gigabit speeds into a tight, focused, and affordable business networking package.
Depending on your needs, one of these two new switches could be exactly what's needed to bring 10Gigabit to the desktop.
For a traditional LAN setup that simply needs blazing speeds as the top priority, the NETGEAR ProSAFE 7100 brings twenty-four 10GBase-T interfaces, along with four SFP+ ports. For further cost-savings, it utilizes Layer 2+ routing on top of a Layer 3 hardware architecture, allowing for incredibly low-latency managed networks with static IP routing.
For smaller outfits, it's a perfect top-of-the-rack starting point for your network. Or, it can just as easily be deployed at a departmental or branch-office level.
Plus, since NETGEAR is coming out of the consumer arena, they know how to make hardware that's easy-to-use. Their web-based GUI is one of the simplest on the market, and it also includes a variety of auto-configuration and auto-optimization processes to ease implementation of cloud-based services like VoIP.
The ProSAFE 7100 may lack some very advanced "bells and whistles" of more costly switches, but its combination of speed-for-price is basically unmatched in the new hardware market.
For companies looking for a more scalable and flexible option in 10 gig switches, there's the NETGEAR ProSAFE 7300. Like the 7100, it comes with Layer 2+ routing standard, but includes an upgrade option for full Layer 3 dynamic routing. It's also fiber-focused, with twenty-four 10-Gigabit SFP+ interfaces and four more 10GBase-T Ethernet ports.
The ProSAFE 7300 is designed for easy stacking, even via remote virtualized stacks. It's also optimized for iSCSI Storage Area Network data solutions. An operation with multiple locations that needs a single unified high-speed switching solution will find a highly affordable option in the 7300.
Plus, the NETGEAR 7300 comes with a built-in redundant power supply, making it instantly attractive as a top-rack solution.
The ProSAFE 7300 is simple, flexible, and future-focused. It could be a strong foundation for a growing high-speed fiber network for years to come, while enjoying easy inter-operability and stacking with other ProSAFE hardware.
The real key takeaway here is simply that the lower-end pricing of business networking is a booming market, and there are likely serious contenders that you may be overlooking. High-powered business networking doesn't require buying Cisco any more.
If you know your operations would be enhanced with 10Gigabit speeds and distributed virtualization, but aren't sure which system to buy, contact Hummingbird Networks for a free consultation! We utilize hardware from a variety of vendors to craft the perfect solution for every business, at budget-friendly prices.
Call us today to create a powerful and affordable 10 Gig switch network!
Stll not convinved NETGEAR is right for you? Read 4 Reasons you Should Invest in NETGEAR.
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