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New 3Com Switch Family Strengthens Voice-Ready Networking Portfolio

3Com has introduced their Switch 4210, a family of Layer 2 10/100 LAN switches which they say provides economical enterprise-class features to power converged voice and data, wired and wireless network installations.

As an intelligent endpoint in a Voice-Ready Network or 3Com Open Services Networking (OSN) enhanced network, the Switch 4210 delivers high performance, Quality of Service (QoS) and enterprise-level security and management, helping organisations achieve the efficiency and cost savings of network convergence.

The vendor says Switch 4210 stands apart from typical lower-end devices by supporting the industry-standard Command Line Interface, Web-based administration, and SNMP management through tools such as 3Com Enterprise Management System, Network Director and Network Supervisor.

Available in industry-standard Power over Ethernet (PoE) and non-PoE models, the Switch 4210 runs the 3Com Operating System, ensuring compatibility and simplifying management and training in enterprise deployments. 3Com say the range is ideal for VoIP and wireless networking installations, the PoE capabilities provide inline power to attached devices, such as access points, VoIP phones, and IP security cameras.

The Switch 4210 is available in small form factor 9- and 18-port models that feature quiet, fan-less design (non-PoE models) for small workgroup deployment, as well as a rack-mount 26-port model. Optimised for simple deployment across diverse environments the 4210 is designed for use by enterprise workgroups and branch offices, as well as medium-sized businesses. It was developed by H3C, 3Com’s China-based R&D organisation, leveraging the engineering expertise and cost advantages of H3C to deliver outstanding price and performance value to customers.

“As organisations increasingly deploy converged communications networks, they require affordable infrastructure solutions that securely deliver high-quality voice and video traffic, and can be easily managed by existing staff,” said Doug Hyde, product line manager, enterprise switching for 3Com. “The 3Com Switch 4210 delivers enterprise-class capabilities that can be flexibly deployed and meet a range of customer needs, while easily scaling and integrating with 3Com’s complementary networking hardware. The 4210 also demonstrates the innovation and value H3C delivers to global 3Com customers.”

The Switch 4210 helps ensure secure network access through 3Com’s RADIUS Authenticated Device Access (RADA), a “Guest” VLAN feature, and Secure Shell version 2 authentication and encryption measures. It can handle heavy data and voice traffic on networks, and the advanced industry-standard IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet option reduces costs and simplifies installation. Additionally, all models are equipped with copper and SFP Gigabit uplinks and clustered stacking capabilities, which allow switches to be clustered in configurations of up to 32 units for simplified administration.

Pricing and Availability

The 3Com Switch 4210 is currently available globally with a U.S. list price starting at $450 for non-PoE and $795 for PoE 9-port models. All Switch 4210 models come with 3Com’s lifetime warranty covering the unit, power supply and fan. Free software updates are provided, and Advanced Hardware Replacement with next business day shipment is available in most regions.