Force10 Networks Raises the Bar with Full Line Rate 10G Switch

| Mar 24, 2009 | Enterprise Network Systems | Competitive Intelligence Report

| Analyst: Bill Terrill

Current Perspective: Positive
Vendor Importance: High
Market Impact: Moderate

Event Summary

March 23, 2009 -– Force10 Networks introduced the ExaScale E-Series family of switch/routers to meet the stringent performance, management and cost requirements of today’s virtualized data center and cloud computing environments. Supporting leading line-rate 10 Gigabit Ethernet densities, ExaScale reduces capital costs and simplifies management. The ExaScale extends Force10’s history of enabling cost-effective network ownership with an energy-saving, eco-efficient power and cooling design.

Analytical Summary

• Current Perspective: Positive on Force10 Networks’ release of the ExaScale E-Series switch/router because this places Force10 back in the top ranks for performance and scalability in one of its primary markets; the high performance data center arena. With raw performance better than competitors and leading line rate port density for a half rack chassis at or near the top of current offerings (but port density below that of the Force10 TeraScale platform and Cisco Nexus for total oversubscribed port density), this new chassis and I/O module allow Force10 to maintain its standing as one of the top rated 10G Ethernet vendors. Sales and marketing of this product will be focused on the top-tier of enterprise, cloud computing data centers, government and financial institutions that are leading the charge to 10G Ethernet connectivity.

• Vendor Importance: High to Force10 Networks because, as a venture funded infrastructure vendor, it is critically important for the company to maintain its technological lead for its key markets. This new product set extends Force10’s high density, high performance 10G products to the next level and allows it to directly compete with the Cisco Nexus switches. Force10 is also continuing to articulate its vision for virtualization in the infrastructure to complement the agile data center environments that are being developed for enterprise data center and cloud environments.

• Market Impact: Moderate on the high capacity switch router market because Force10 has once again upped the overall performance and capacity for this category of switches. While the Cisco Nexus (as well as Force10’s own TeraScale platform) currently has higher oversubscribed port density, the performance and future expandability of the Force10 ExaScale E-Series will force all vendors in this space to respond with technical, marketing, or pricing initiatives.

Recommended Competitor Actions

• Cisco should point out that the Nexus chassis offers similar footprint and has now been shipping for nearly a year. With its higher total oversubscribed 10G Ethernet port count and slightly more additional features, including existing 1G port extension capabilities, the Nexus platform should be directly compared to the ExaScale family.

• Vendors that have heavily focused on incorporating security functionality in their high end switch/router lines should point out the relative weakness of the Force10 security message and capabilities on the ExaScale family. Extreme, Nortel and even Cisco can all point to more tightly integrated security functions within their competitive products.

• While Force10 is now marketing its product line as virtualization ready, competitors such as Extreme and Nortel that have been offering virtual routing and virtual switching functionality should directly challenge the current state of both the ExaScale internal and external virtualization capabilities. These firms must also make sure that they are projecting a marketing message that resonates with the enterprise agile data center direction.

• All vendors (especially smaller competitors such as Woven and Arista) must point out that the performance offered by the ExaScale product is currently well above what nearly all real-world data centers require and, without added port density, will be overkill. These firms must also market their own competitive products as more mature (even if only by months) and more accurately focused on the needs of the real-world data center environment.

• Competitors should also take this opportunity to approach existing Force10 customers utilizing the TeraScale products and sow some fear, uncertainty and doubt about the future of that product. If they can point to their own products as offering a potentially longer life to those accounts this may allow some penetration and replacement of the existing Force10 products.

Recommended End User / Customer Actions

• At this time the ExaScale product is really only appropriate for very high performance data center cores. Without higher density line cards in 10G or any line cards in 1G, enterprises that are not focused on extremely high performance environments should take a pass on this product. The current TeraScale portfolio, as well as numerous competitive products, would be a more appropriate fit.

• Carefully review the overall security capabilities of this new product. At this time it does depend on external appliances or functionality to provide anything other than basic internal security. If the data center is utilizing edge security then this product could be incorporated as the primary core switch/router. If security is embedded within the infrastructure, including the switch/router units, then this product would be appropriate only with surrounding security appliances.

• Any organization that is involved in cloud, high performance, or clustered computing and requires extremely high throughput should definitely consider the ExaScale products. The leading edge throughput and buffering capabilities can support virtually any of these environments.

CLIENTS ONLY

Current Perspective

Competitive Positives and Concerns

Recommended Vendor Actions

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