Ready to get connected? These resources can help you choose the right switch for your network

Whether you’re building a network from scratch for your new small business or you’re looking to expand your network to accommodate a growing business, finding the right switch is key. Switches are the backbone of any small business network. Without them, you couldn’t connect your employees to the resources they need to do their jobs, like servers, printers, laptops, and storage devices.

With types like managed, unmanaged, smart, and stackable, it can be hard to know which switch to choose. Everything from how many to which kinds of devices you plan to connect will impact your decision. In this second installment of our Technology Roundup series, we offer some help in understanding the differences and determining which switches are right for your small business.

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Tags: small business, switches

Built-in switch features can not only save time but also help eliminate errors

Your network is vital to your small business. It connects the devices critical to running your business as well as connecting employees to the resources they need, such as servers, printers, and storage. Managing your network, though, can cost you in both time and resources. There can be a lot to manage when it comes to a small business network—from configuring employee PCs and troubleshooting wireless connectivity to managing unified communications if you’re running voice and data on the same network. Most small businesses can’t justify a full-time in-house IT person. Oftentimes, the job of managing the network becomes an added responsibility of someone in the company.

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Tags: network management, networking, small business, switches

In a recent blog, I talked about how recording artists are using the network to create new ways of nurturing customer (or fan) relationships while also building a great marketing base. But as we increasingly move into a world of borderless networks, where traditional, limiting boundaries fall away, we’re seeing a new cultural playground. One that allows us, as users, to connect with what enriches our lives. And that, too, is a powerful force in building relationships and community on the network.

As the explosion of mobile devices continues, and new forms of social media and tools emerge, we are entering an exciting new phase. Because when you start putting these together, along with innovative functionality in the routers and switches that bring those things to life, we have the opportunity to experience things that might have been out of reach in the past.

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Tags: Borderless Networks, music, routers, social media, switches

A faster switch can provide the speed and reliability you need to support your business needs and help keep your company competitive.

When all you needed your network to do was connect devices and provide access to some applications, you could get by with an entry-level switch. But times have changed. The applications and tools you use to run your small business have gotten more complex,  requiring more bandwidth, and the need for reliable access has increased. Fast Ethernet may no longer be fast enough for your small business. If your network can’t keep up with today’s web-based applications, video and data-intensive business tools, it may be time to upgrade to a Gigabit Ethernet switch.

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Tags: gigabit, gigabit ethernet, network switches, networking, small business, switches

Cisco gained market share in service provider routing and switching in the first quarter of 2011, according to two key analyst reports issued this week.

In an ACG Research blog post issued today, the firm said, “Cisco continues to hold the number one position (in worldwide carrier routing and switching) with 50.3% of total market share…ACG is cautiously optimistic about the future outlook of the market. We see service providers spending on cloud computing and video services and managed services will help drive growth in the remainder of 2011.”

In a press release summarizing Synergy’s recent carrier routing and switching report, it said, “(We) find it notable that Cisco’s market share remains dominant and growing in the face of formidable competition and the ever-changing requirements of network infrastructure. Although there is ample opportunity for other vendors to participate in this market, Cisco still today holds the dominant #1 market share position with nearly 2.5 times greater market share than its closest #2 competitor and over 3 times the amount of market share than its more distant #3 competitor.”  Synergy is forecasting the Service Provider router and switch market to approach 20% growth in 2011.

With Internet and mobile traffic growth, the transition to IPv6 technologies, and new cloud and social computing market opportunities, innovation in service provider networking has never been more important.

Backed by Cisco’s flagship core and edge routing platforms – the CRS-3 and ASR families – we look forward to working with our service provider partners to build out the next-generation Internet and help drive exciting new services in the years ahead.

During Cisco’s Q3FY11 earnings announcement last week, Cisco stated that year-over-year product revenue for the ASR 9000, Cisco’s flagship edge router, had grown at approximately 140%.  Last month, we announced that just one year after it was introduced, the industry-leading Cisco® CRS-3 Carrier Routing System is being adopted faster than the original CRS-1 platform, with 80 customers in more than 30 countries.

Tags: asr, CRS-3, earnings, routers, switches