Adtran Intros Low-Cost Ethernet Switches

Adtran Inc., known better for its wide-area network connectivity wares, today officially announced a line of LAN-focused Ethernet switches, some of which include an integrated IP router, firewall, and virtual private network (VPN) technology.

"We're looking to move further into the [customer] network," said Tim Saunders, vice president of product management for Adtran's enterprise division. Though the Huntsville, Ala.-based Adtran faces serious competition in the arena from networking giant Cisco Systems, Saunders said Adtran's low-cost pricing model should help it attract customers who are looking to consolidate equipment in branch or remote offices.

"We know that some folks are resistant to buying anything outside of Cisco," said Saunders, who added that the biggest hurdle may be convincing resellers to offer a product other than Cisco's. However, users who are already satisfied with Adtran's portfolio of network access wares may look favorably on a switch from the same company, Saunders said.

"We've got a solid history and a solid support organization," Saunders said, which may be different from a startup trying to enter the crowded switch market.

The additions to Adtran's NetVanta line of gear are part of the new 1000 Series of NetVanta switches, which are all single-unit height rack-mount boxes. The new offierings include the NetVanta 1224 and 1224ST, which both support Layer 2 switching and have 24 10/100 ports. The ST version has greater throughput and supports Gigabit Ethernet connections, Adtran said. Pricing is $795 for the 1224 and $895 for the 1224ST.Adtran also announced the 1224R ($1,195) and 1224STR ($1,295) versions of the switch, which add an integrated IP router, firewall, VPN and DSU/CSU technology into the same-type system. The STR version also adds Gigabit Ethernet uplink capabilities.

According to Saunders, the integrated technologies in the Adtran switches could offer users savings of thousands of dollars versus combinations of comparable equipment from Cisco. Integrating VPN, IP router and firewall capabilities into a single piece of hardware also eases administration, a key for smaller or remote locations, he said. All the new products are currently available.