ProCurve Hopes For Switch Hit

The portfolio expansion adds new chassis and stackable powered Gigabit Ethernet edge switches, a high-density modular switch, a high-performance aggregation switch and a new 10-Gigabit module for its recently launched interconnect fabric switch.

The new switches continue ProCurve&'s Adaptive Edge Architecture strategy with flexibility, features and performance capabilities to support both current and future application needs, said Darla Sommerville, vice president and Americas general manager for the ProCurve Networking Business at HP, Palo Alto, Calif.

“This enables our partners to sell and deliver future-proof solutions today,” Sommerville said.

Built on new custom-designed ProVision ASICs from HP Labs, ProCurve&'s 5400 chassis and 3500 stackable Layer 3 and 4 switches offer both Power over Ethernet (PoE) and Gigabit capabilities at wirespeed. The lines together scale from 24 ports to 288 ports.

With standard PoE and Gigabit, customers no longer have to choose between power and speed, said Jeffrey Reed, president of VAR Classic Networking, Mechanicsburg, Pa. “There&'s a perceived need for [Gigabit Ethernet] if you&'re putting infrastructure in place now for the next five years, and there will be a real need for it in the next few years,” he said.

Slated for availability in April, the 5400 and 3500 switches start at $2,299 and $3,999, respectively.

Another new chassis switch, the 4200 series, provides up to 192 10/100 ports and also offers Gigabit Ethernet capabilities. ProCurve plans to position the switch, available next month, as a low-cost alternative to a stackable switch, with prices starting at $1,499.

The new 6200 is designed to serve as an aggregation switch within a larger network or as a core switch for a small network, offering wirespeed Gigabit capabilities and an optional four-port 10-Gigabit module. It is slated to ship this summer for $7,499.

Finally, ProCurve is also rolling out a new 10-Gigabit module for its 8100fl series interconnect fabric switches, launched last fall. The new module adds support for multiple optical and copper interfaces. It will be available next month for $7,999.