Making The Switch To Gigabit On The Desktop

Gigabit Ethernet provides businesses the speed to stream video, quickly back up crucial data and access applications efficiently. While wiring is sometimes a concern, the majority of businesses are already wired with category 5 cable that can handle a signaling rate of 350MHz, the minimum needed for gigabit speeds. Solution providers should test a customer's existing cable just to be on the safe side, and if wiring is not adequate, solution providers can install new category 5e or category 6 cabling. Either approach can generate revenue based on services provided.

One other necessary piece of equipment is an Ethernet switch that supports 10/100/1000 Ethernet. Several vendors currently ship Ethernet Switches capable of gigabit speeds. CRN Test Center engineers reviewed three units from top players that are striving to make Gigabit Ethernet available to small to midsize businesses.

D-Link, Linksys and Netgear are three well-known names in networking hardware. By driving prices down and offering robust feature sets, these vendors can almost guarantee the success of Gigabit Ethernet solutions, Test Center engineers predict. These companies are also committed to bringing value and profits to their channel partners, which should help ease adoption of the technology. Engineers selected the latest 24-port Gigabit-switches from each vendor and evaluated them in various scenarios ranging from an enterprise to a small business to a workgroup solution.

D-link DGS-3324SR
D-Link's DGS-3324SR is a managed 24-port layer-3 Gigabit Ethernet switch that is highly scalable. With an MSRP of $3,299, the unit is far from cheap, but the price is reasonable for a managed switch that offers 10-gigabit (10G) connectivity to other switches. This product is ideal for building an ultimate performance backbone. Beyond the 24 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports, the unit offers four combination spif/mini-GBICs for additional expansion and compatibility with standard small-form factor pluggable gigabit transceivers. A pair of Dual 10-Gigabit Stacking Ports offers both customers and solution providers opportunities for high-speed expansion. These ports can scale to 20 Gbps when used in a full duplex installation. For larger installations, the DGS-3324SR tops out at 12 units per stack, allowing managed support of 384 gigabit ports when integrated as a ring stack. The stack can also be implemented in a star topology. The unit's switching fabric is designed to handle 88-Gbps throughput.

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Solution providers will find the unit's handsome design easy to work with and stack. Rack-mounting hardware is included, and the unit provides a diagnostic LED for every port. A front-mounted console port speeds setup chores, and the unit also supports both in-band and out-of-band management capabilities. Solution providers can enhance failover by adding an optional secondary power supply.

Switching is accomplished in a store-and-forward method to ensure reliability. This method waits to forward data until a complete packet is received. Although this doesn't necessarily increase network performance, it eliminates the additional transmissions that occur as a result of packet errors. By removing transmissions that otherwise would have occupied network resources, store-and-forward can increase network speed. A limited lifetime warranty rounds out the offering.

D-Link's DGS-3324SR offers solution providers a solid value proposition, since it is easily expandable for growing businesses. Although the price may seem high compared to unmanaged switches, the unit is designed to work well in fast-growing network environments. Solution providers should stress to customers that the cost to upgrade a less-scalable, less-expensive system in the future could be much higher.

D-link offers a two-tier channel program. Authorized partners are required to generate quarterly sales of $15,000 or more, while VARs who achieve Diamond status must meet sales targets of $60,000 or more. Margins range from 6 percent to 10 percent, and partners are entitled to priority tech support, priority RMA, lead referral, a rebate percentage, access to a dedicated partner Web site and early product notification.

Linksys SR2024
Linksys' SR2024 24-Port 10/100/1000 Gigabit Switch provides nonblocking, wire-speed switching for 10, 100 and 1,000-Mbit network clients for just $499. The unit has 24 full duplex 10/100/1000 ports that support auto speed negotiation and auto MDI/MDI-X crossover detection. Those features help simplify installation. The SR2024 also includes a pair of mini-GBIC ports for cascading data across multiple switches. Like D-link's switch, the SR2024 also uses store-and-forward switching technology to ensure reliability.

The unit is designed for standard rack mounting and makes an ideal solution for workgroups looking to leverage Gigabit Ethernet technologies. The integrated mini-GBICs provide opportunities for future expansion. Linksys offers a great inroad for solution providers whose customers want to add Gigabit Ethernet connectivity at an affordable price. A limited lifetime warranty can ease concerns about quality. The company's single-tier channel program offers margins of approximately 20 percent and requires no authorization. Linksys offers partners pre- and post-sales support, and configuration and troubleshooting services.

Netgear GS724T
Solution providers looking for low-cost gigabit networking should also consider the GS724T from Netgear. Priced at around $600, the device is affordable for even the smallest business. What's more, the GS724T offers integrated simple management capabilities. This feature allows solution providers to tune and maintain the switch, and also adds VLAN capabilities, a feature normally found only on much more expensive switches.

The GS724T is equipped with 24 10/100/1000-Mbps ports, each capable of 2,000 Mbps of data throughput in full-duplex mode. The GS724T has the power to meet almost any workgroup's needs. The addition of two optional fiber ports can provide a fast backbone for servers or other switches. The GS724T is ideal for mixed environments, where 10, 100 and 1000 Mbps devices need to be networked. Speed negotiation is fully automatic, as is duplex sensing and crossover cable compatibility. Two hot-swappable small form factor Pluggable GBIC slots provide optional fiber connectivity for greater distance.

Netgear's browser-based interface allows solution providers to easily monitor switch performance, configure ports, set up trunks and VLANs and configure prioritization.

Netgear's Powershift partner program offers marketing support, quarterly incentives, a competitive bid desk and demonstration units. Priority technical support is also available to partners. Training is provided on-site or via the Web through Netgear University, and partners also have access to a dedicated account representative. Average margins range from 18 percent to 20 percent. The device is priced at $910.

The GS724T proves to be the perfect switch for workgroups looking for a low-cost solution that offers basic management capabilities.

CHANNEL PROGRAM SNAPSHOTS
>LINKSYS 24-PORT GIGABIT SWITCH
COMPANY: Linksys, a division of Cisco Systems
Irvine, Calif.
(949) 823-3000
www.linksys.com
DISTRIBUTORS: D&H, Ingram Micro, tech Data
TECH RATING:


CHANNEL RATING:

Note: Vendors can earn up to five stars for technical merit and five for their channel program. If the average of these two scores is four stars or greater, the product earns CRN Test Center Recommended status.

CHANNEL PROGRAM SNAPSHOTS
>DGS-3324SR XSTACK 24-PORT MANAGED LAYER 3-GIGABIT SWITCH

COMPANY: D-Link Systems
Fountain Valley, Calif.
(800) 326-1688
www.dlink.com
DISTRIBUTORS: Amax, ASI, D&H, Ingram Micro, MA Labs, Tech Data
TECH RATING:


CHANNEL RATING:

Note: Vendors can earn up to five stars for technical merit and five for their channel program. If the average of these two scores is four stars or greater, the product earns CRN Test Center Recommended status.

CHANNEL PROGRAM SNAPSHOTS
>NETGEAR G5724T 24-PORT SWITCH

COMPANY: Netgear
Santa Clara, Calif.
(408) 907-8000
www.netgear.com
DISTRIBUTORS: Direct from vendor
TECH RATING:


CHANNEL RATING:

Note: Vendors can earn up to five stars for technical merit and five for their channel program. If the average of these two scores is four stars or greater, the product earns CRN Test Center Recommended status.