Extreme Networks is making Network Fabrics a reality
In the segment, which Gartner designates as “Wired and Wireless LAN Access Infrastructure”, a rather interesting situation has now developed. Three companies are claiming leadership - Cisco, HPE and Extreme Network. At the same time, the latter has good chances for winning a larger market share due to its Network Fabric concept and the availability of an advanced set of hardware and software.
In recent years, quite a lot of new ideas and ways to organize a network have appeared. The next generation of digital connections is characterized by concepts such as SDN, automation, AI (artificial intelligence), machine learning, and a network factory.
Those who have been working in this field for quite a long time have repeatedly heard all this in various incarnations, interpretations, and modifications. But now, really, "the pot starts to boil." The network industry is ready to collectively take a step forward in the organization of corporate networks.
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In the meantime, all their clients have already somehow built the most suitable options for their corporate IT environment. They work as far as possible and are an integral part of the business assets of enterprises. Networking support is not an easy job. Practice shows that it is rather difficult to change and improve the network architecture of companies on your own.
Founded in 1996, Extreme Networks (San Jose, California) is precisely the company that is able to ensure the actual implementation of the network fabric architecture.
In its performance, simplifying the corporate network infrastructure and reducing operating costs are linked to the concept of Extreme Automated Campus. Its main point is that the simple summation of the components of the solution provides advantages and characteristics that give a correctly implemented automated network. Among these components, in accordance with the vision of Extreme, the following.
1. Use Shortest Path Bridging (SPB) 802.1aq standard. In fact, it is the replacement of the traditional protocol of such “network bricks” as MPLS, BGP, multicast PIM, OSPF, VLAN and others. In a large network environment, this approach reduces the complexity of the structure by several orders of magnitude.
2. The work of the network on the principle of "hop-by-hop" (when data is moved between the source and the addressee using intermediate nodes) becomes a thing of the past. All changes are now made at the network access level (in real time and without interruption of services).
3. Applying specific policies for users and devices becomes the basis for changes in automated networks. Permanent analytics provides feedback that is used to tune network performance and solve problems.
4. Using the principle of hyper-segmentation (hyper-segmentation), more than ever, effectively supports network security. In addition to this segment, the rest of the network becomes invisible to intruders due to the fact that the old vulnerable protocols are no longer used.
5. The presence of the API means that third-party network components can interact with Extreme Automated Campus.
Obsolete inherited network infrastructure can play a cruel joke with any company at any, most unexpected moment. Modern approach - use of the one and only protocol
Inherited network solutions can lead to operational errors today and to failures tomorrow. Administrators often miss small signs of growing problems due to the large number of scattered logs and interfaces.
Administrators of large corporate networks are constantly faced with all new problems. Automated analytics, in this case, is of great benefit, revealing many potential threats. Extreme works in this area. Its solutions are among the leaders in preserving the security and operability of the network space.
ExtremeAnalytics platform appeared quite a long time ago, and sets a rather high bar in the field of network analytics. The value of this solution has already been proven by Extreme in many cases, based on customer feedback.
Where other network companies rely on third-party solutions or are forced to invest in research and development, Extreme has been optimizing customer networks for many years, based on machine-based analytics.
Extreme Automated Campus Components
In 2017, Extreme acquired Avaya, and, accordingly, a portfolio of first-class solutions. Avaya has always been ranked as the best developer of SDN solutions in a network fabric environment. As a result, today Extreme has existing network fabric consumer solutions, and high-quality offers for beginners this way.
Fabric Connect actually makes intermediate network connection points redundant
The advantages of fabric / SDN technology are confirmed by its numerous deployments in many leading companies that set the pace in their pursuit of unified networking.
Another difficult question that needs to be addressed is whether to remain with your former network solution provider or need to look for a new company. Many companies, starting development in the field of network factories, demonstrate their beta solutions to customers, although they experience a significant shortage of experience and successful implementations. But not the case with Extreme Networks.
The company did a great job integrating Avaya's acquired products and technologies and its product portfolio into Extreme Automated Campus.
Typical Automated Campus Components
This is a new product made up of mature, well-proven solutions that provides Extreme with a good position to compete in its market segments.
Market positioning and characteristics
Gartner Magic Quadrant for Wireless LAN Access Infrastructure (Oct 2017)
The stock market position of Extreme Networks. Over the past year, the stock price of companies more than doubled with its almost linear growth
Definition and description of the market
Gartner defines the wired and wireless LAN access infrastructure market as a market for network hardware and software providers that allow devices to connect via wired LAN and Wi-Fi networks.
These devices may include laptops, smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, network office equipment, sensors and other Internet of Things (IoT) endpoints, other fixed or mobile endpoints.
It is expected that by 2022 more than 60% of enterprises and organizations around the world will use automation tools for the network access layer.
For corporate developers, there are three different approaches to market promotion:
1. The developer supplies its own wired and wireless network infrastructure components, applications, and services.
Examples are Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Aruba, Extreme Networks and Huawei.
2. The developer mainly and primarily provides specific means and connection options for wired and wireless components.
Such companies often focus on solutions that meet a specific, unique set of market requirements. For example, it could be cloud-based wireless LAN (WLAN) management for vertical markets, such as retail or healthcare.
Examples are Aerohive, Mist Systems and Mojo Networks.
3. The developer engages a strategic partner who is involved in creating a complete solution for accessing some (or all) hardware or software components. The core developer then integrates the various network application functionality into a combined solution.
Examples are Dell and Juniper Networks.
Strengths and weaknesses of companies
Extreme Networks
Extreme Networks is a global vendor with a large portfolio of wired and wireless products that meet a wide range of enterprise needs. As noted above, in 2017, Extreme acquired the business from Avaya. This has increased its customer base and strengthened its presence in target markets.
Government and education remain its main vertical markets, and retail sales, manufacturing and health care are supported by technologies acquired with Zebra (in particular, WiNG technology is important).
Extreme provides enterprise flexibility with its edge-to-core infrastructure solutions (from access to the core), which can be managed locally, in the cloud or using hybrid network services.
ExtremeManagement, ExtremeControl and ExtremeAnalytics components provide network management, guest access, policy assignment and application analytics for Extreme network components, as well as multi-vendor networks with Cisco, Aruba, and other elements.
Extreme also provides quality customer service through a 100% own support team and service. Extreme solutions are promising in education, government, retail, hotel management, manufacturing and healthcare.
According to Gartner, Extreme Networks has been improving its position in the Seer sector for the third year in a row. Now it is located here at one of the highest positions along the "Execution" axis and one of the most right along the "Vision" axis.
As analysts point out, “Companies from the Seer sector demonstrate the ability to enhance the characteristics of their offerings and provide a unique and differentiated approach to the market.” For this quadrant, the Seer must innovate in one or more key areas of access layer technology within the enterprise (for example, convergence, security, management, or operational efficiency).
As of October 18, 2017, Extreme received a total Gartner rating of 4.8 out of 5, based on 65 reviews in this market segment. Since the release of MQ2016, Extreme has acquired the Zebra WLAN business and the Avaya network business. At present, the process of acquiring the Brocade data center network business is underway, which should be completed in the second quarter of 2018.
Ed Meyercord, President and CEO of Extreme Networks, commented on the study as follows: “We believe that our recognition of Gartner in MQ2017 is due to our recent growth, products and solutions of the highest quality, and our desire to provide excellent customer service ".
In conclusion, we present the opinion of a consultant working with Extreme, and one of its industry clients in the field of health.
Craig Mathias, head of consulting firm Farpoint Group
Traditional networks are often very complex and time-consuming, require resources of IT and operational staff. Extreme Automated Campus solves complex enterprise problems with simplified network management.
This decision reflects the addition of the combined Extreme and Avaya products to an already impressive portfolio of products and services. We expect that Extreme will continue to increase its market share and advance above the recently occupied position of the third largest vendor in the network industry.
Mark Starry, CTO, Concord Hospital
We view the network in the same critical category as electricity, oxygen and water. They should be available in 24x365 mode. Fabric Connect has provided us with a secure, self-healing, high-availability network that allows us to work efficiently in a complex paperless environment.
We look forward to the latest innovations from Extreme, namely the VSP 8600 and Extreme Management Center, to increase the scale and capacity of the network, and provide for it enhanced control, visibility and control.
In recent years, quite a lot of new ideas and ways to organize a network have appeared. The next generation of digital connections is characterized by concepts such as SDN, automation, AI (artificial intelligence), machine learning, and a network factory.
Those who have been working in this field for quite a long time have repeatedly heard all this in various incarnations, interpretations, and modifications. But now, really, "the pot starts to boil." The network industry is ready to collectively take a step forward in the organization of corporate networks.
')
In the meantime, all their clients have already somehow built the most suitable options for their corporate IT environment. They work as far as possible and are an integral part of the business assets of enterprises. Networking support is not an easy job. Practice shows that it is rather difficult to change and improve the network architecture of companies on your own.
Founded in 1996, Extreme Networks (San Jose, California) is precisely the company that is able to ensure the actual implementation of the network fabric architecture.
In its performance, simplifying the corporate network infrastructure and reducing operating costs are linked to the concept of Extreme Automated Campus. Its main point is that the simple summation of the components of the solution provides advantages and characteristics that give a correctly implemented automated network. Among these components, in accordance with the vision of Extreme, the following.
1. Use Shortest Path Bridging (SPB) 802.1aq standard. In fact, it is the replacement of the traditional protocol of such “network bricks” as MPLS, BGP, multicast PIM, OSPF, VLAN and others. In a large network environment, this approach reduces the complexity of the structure by several orders of magnitude.
2. The work of the network on the principle of "hop-by-hop" (when data is moved between the source and the addressee using intermediate nodes) becomes a thing of the past. All changes are now made at the network access level (in real time and without interruption of services).
3. Applying specific policies for users and devices becomes the basis for changes in automated networks. Permanent analytics provides feedback that is used to tune network performance and solve problems.
4. Using the principle of hyper-segmentation (hyper-segmentation), more than ever, effectively supports network security. In addition to this segment, the rest of the network becomes invisible to intruders due to the fact that the old vulnerable protocols are no longer used.
5. The presence of the API means that third-party network components can interact with Extreme Automated Campus.
Obsolete inherited network infrastructure can play a cruel joke with any company at any, most unexpected moment. Modern approach - use of the one and only protocol
Inherited network solutions can lead to operational errors today and to failures tomorrow. Administrators often miss small signs of growing problems due to the large number of scattered logs and interfaces.
Administrators of large corporate networks are constantly faced with all new problems. Automated analytics, in this case, is of great benefit, revealing many potential threats. Extreme works in this area. Its solutions are among the leaders in preserving the security and operability of the network space.
ExtremeAnalytics platform appeared quite a long time ago, and sets a rather high bar in the field of network analytics. The value of this solution has already been proven by Extreme in many cases, based on customer feedback.
Where other network companies rely on third-party solutions or are forced to invest in research and development, Extreme has been optimizing customer networks for many years, based on machine-based analytics.
Extreme Automated Campus Components
In 2017, Extreme acquired Avaya, and, accordingly, a portfolio of first-class solutions. Avaya has always been ranked as the best developer of SDN solutions in a network fabric environment. As a result, today Extreme has existing network fabric consumer solutions, and high-quality offers for beginners this way.
Fabric Connect actually makes intermediate network connection points redundant
The advantages of fabric / SDN technology are confirmed by its numerous deployments in many leading companies that set the pace in their pursuit of unified networking.
Another difficult question that needs to be addressed is whether to remain with your former network solution provider or need to look for a new company. Many companies, starting development in the field of network factories, demonstrate their beta solutions to customers, although they experience a significant shortage of experience and successful implementations. But not the case with Extreme Networks.
The company did a great job integrating Avaya's acquired products and technologies and its product portfolio into Extreme Automated Campus.
Typical Automated Campus Components
This is a new product made up of mature, well-proven solutions that provides Extreme with a good position to compete in its market segments.
Market positioning and characteristics
Gartner Magic Quadrant for Wireless LAN Access Infrastructure (Oct 2017)
The stock market position of Extreme Networks. Over the past year, the stock price of companies more than doubled with its almost linear growth
Definition and description of the market
Gartner defines the wired and wireless LAN access infrastructure market as a market for network hardware and software providers that allow devices to connect via wired LAN and Wi-Fi networks.
These devices may include laptops, smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, network office equipment, sensors and other Internet of Things (IoT) endpoints, other fixed or mobile endpoints.
It is expected that by 2022 more than 60% of enterprises and organizations around the world will use automation tools for the network access layer.
For corporate developers, there are three different approaches to market promotion:
1. The developer supplies its own wired and wireless network infrastructure components, applications, and services.
Examples are Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Aruba, Extreme Networks and Huawei.
2. The developer mainly and primarily provides specific means and connection options for wired and wireless components.
Such companies often focus on solutions that meet a specific, unique set of market requirements. For example, it could be cloud-based wireless LAN (WLAN) management for vertical markets, such as retail or healthcare.
Examples are Aerohive, Mist Systems and Mojo Networks.
3. The developer engages a strategic partner who is involved in creating a complete solution for accessing some (or all) hardware or software components. The core developer then integrates the various network application functionality into a combined solution.
Examples are Dell and Juniper Networks.
Strengths and weaknesses of companies
Extreme Networks
Extreme Networks is a global vendor with a large portfolio of wired and wireless products that meet a wide range of enterprise needs. As noted above, in 2017, Extreme acquired the business from Avaya. This has increased its customer base and strengthened its presence in target markets.
Government and education remain its main vertical markets, and retail sales, manufacturing and health care are supported by technologies acquired with Zebra (in particular, WiNG technology is important).
Extreme provides enterprise flexibility with its edge-to-core infrastructure solutions (from access to the core), which can be managed locally, in the cloud or using hybrid network services.
ExtremeManagement, ExtremeControl and ExtremeAnalytics components provide network management, guest access, policy assignment and application analytics for Extreme network components, as well as multi-vendor networks with Cisco, Aruba, and other elements.
Extreme also provides quality customer service through a 100% own support team and service. Extreme solutions are promising in education, government, retail, hotel management, manufacturing and healthcare.
According to Gartner, Extreme Networks has been improving its position in the Seer sector for the third year in a row. Now it is located here at one of the highest positions along the "Execution" axis and one of the most right along the "Vision" axis.
As analysts point out, “Companies from the Seer sector demonstrate the ability to enhance the characteristics of their offerings and provide a unique and differentiated approach to the market.” For this quadrant, the Seer must innovate in one or more key areas of access layer technology within the enterprise (for example, convergence, security, management, or operational efficiency).
As of October 18, 2017, Extreme received a total Gartner rating of 4.8 out of 5, based on 65 reviews in this market segment. Since the release of MQ2016, Extreme has acquired the Zebra WLAN business and the Avaya network business. At present, the process of acquiring the Brocade data center network business is underway, which should be completed in the second quarter of 2018.
Ed Meyercord, President and CEO of Extreme Networks, commented on the study as follows: “We believe that our recognition of Gartner in MQ2017 is due to our recent growth, products and solutions of the highest quality, and our desire to provide excellent customer service ".
In conclusion, we present the opinion of a consultant working with Extreme, and one of its industry clients in the field of health.
Craig Mathias, head of consulting firm Farpoint Group
Traditional networks are often very complex and time-consuming, require resources of IT and operational staff. Extreme Automated Campus solves complex enterprise problems with simplified network management.
This decision reflects the addition of the combined Extreme and Avaya products to an already impressive portfolio of products and services. We expect that Extreme will continue to increase its market share and advance above the recently occupied position of the third largest vendor in the network industry.
Mark Starry, CTO, Concord Hospital
We view the network in the same critical category as electricity, oxygen and water. They should be available in 24x365 mode. Fabric Connect has provided us with a secure, self-healing, high-availability network that allows us to work efficiently in a complex paperless environment.
We look forward to the latest innovations from Extreme, namely the VSP 8600 and Extreme Management Center, to increase the scale and capacity of the network, and provide for it enhanced control, visibility and control.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/341300/
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