Nortel this week extended its Gigabit Ethernet stackable switch line with a new series that features integrated 10Gbps uplinks and a model that supports up to 96 PoE ports for unified communications deployments.
The Nortel Ethernet Routing Switch 5600 line is comprised of five switches: the 5632FD, 5650TD, 5650TD-PWR, 5698TFD and the 5698TFD-PWR. Nortel claims the line offers up to 18 times the stacking performance, twice the capacity, and seven-times the resiliency of the stackable switches from “the primary competition” at a lower cost.
Nortel also says the new line is stack compatible with its existing ERS 5500 series.
The 5632FD is targeted at data aggregation applications. It is a Layer 3 routing switch that sports 24 1000Base-X SFP ports and eight 10GBase-X XFP ports, and includes two built-in FAST stacking ports in a 1.5RU form factor incorporating redundant power supplies.
The 5650TD can be deployed in horizontal stacking configuration to create a high density data center system suited for wiring closets, server distribution and data aggregation applications, Nortel says. It provides 48 ports of 10/100/1000Base-T with auto-sense plus 2 XFP uplink ports.
“In the data center, you can design differently and flatten the network,” says Zeus Kerravala, an analyst at The Yankee Group. “It’s designed for virtual environments. For (virtual machines) moving across the network, this reduces latency.”
The 5650TD includes two built-in FAST stacking ports in a 1RU design incorporating redundant power supplies.
The 5650TD-PWR has the same configuration as the 5650TD, but also supports IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet (PoE) for support of IP telephony devices.
The 5698TFD provides 96 ports 10/100/1000Base-T, six combo SFP ports plus 2 XFP ports. The switch includes two built-in FAST stacking ports in a 2RU design incorporating N+1 redundant power supplies.
The 5698TFD is aimed at wiring closet, server distribution and data aggregation applications, Nortel says. It’s sister, the 5698TFD-PWR, supports the same configuration but with PoE support for IP telephony and unified communications deployments.
“Better density with PoE is in pretty high demand right now,” Kerravala says.
