Aggregation Ethernet Switches

IT managers overseeing networks at smaller organizations, need solutions that simplify and automate the deployment and management of their networks. These organizations are better served by network products that can be operated without relying on costly network experts.

For the first time in the industry, Ruckus is enabling IT to deploy a single network element, the network controller, to simultaneously and directly control and manage both wired and wireless networks. IT no longer needs to deploy a separate, stand-alone network management system to manage their switches and access points. Simple.

In recent years the evolution of packet processor and CPU technology, the heart of an Ethernet switch, has allowed unprecedented levels of performance and functionality to be incorporated into fixed form factor (FFF) switches which were previously only available to much larger and more costly chassis-based systems. This situation was highlighted by Gartner analyst Andrew Lerner in his blog post on the topic of fixed form factor switching in the data center, which applies equally well to campus edge networks, concludes “the emergence of high-density fixed form factor switches can reduce or eliminate the need for costlier, oversized chassis-based switches in the data center. The move toward FFF switches will help network managers deliver higher-performance networks and reduce footprint, power, cooling and TCO.”

Network architects are often confronted with competing objectives when designing new campus networks: maximize scalability, and upgradability while keeping management simple. A stack of fixed form factor switches, offers the ease of management of a chassis with vastly superior flexibility and cost effectiveness. Stacking has become the de-facto standard architecture at the campus edge, replacing modular chassis switches. Ruckus ICX fixed form factor switches go beyond traditional stacking to offer capabilities that take flexibility, ease of management and cost effectiveness to the next level.

Small to mid-sized organizations often don’t have the budgets and the skillsets to support a sophisticated data center infrastructure. Ruckus ICX switching’s innovative technologies enable the deployment of a modern high performance data center networking infrastructure at lower cost without specialized data center networking experience.

Traditional Campus Architectures Struggle to Meet Today’s Application Requirements For the past two decades, campus network design has seen little innovation, as market leaders have promoted the status quo with no significant investments beyond incremental “speeds and feeds” enhancements. Years of incremental technology upgrades have turned traditional legacy campus networks, into a complex and fragmented patchwork of network devices