ZyXEL, a supplier of networking and communications solutions, has announced the availability of two eight-port additions to its GS2200 range of managed Layer-2 switches and is positioning them as ideal platforms for SME deployments of IP surveillance and telephony solutions.
With only eight ports, the new GS2200 Gigabit Ethernet switches provide a more affordable option for customers that do not need the scalability that the 24- or 48-port models offer. In addition, the GS2200-8HP provides high-powered Power-over-Ethernet support, making it perfectly-suited for network devices that consume more power, such as IP cameras that have pan, tilt, zoom functions and built-in heating to ensure they continue to function in low temperatures.
In addition, the entire GS2200 range now comes with software that will enable the switch to be upgraded to support IPv6 at any time and no additional cost. This is important as tenders from education and the wider public sector and commercial organisations are now stipulating support of IPv6 as a requirement for network switches.
James Harris, Product Manager at ZyXEL, says that the new GS2200 eight-port models fill a gap in the market. “We’re seeing a growing number of low-density deployments of IP-based surveillance and telephony – in small offices and branch locations, in the administrative office of a school and doctor’s surgeries for example. In these situations, there is no need for the sort of scalability a 24- or 48-port switch offers, so it makes sense to deploy a lower-density switch. With the high-powered PoE option as well, the GS2200-8 meets that need by providing a fully-managed and affordable switch that provides all the functionality required.”
The ZyXEL GS2200 Series was already an impressive offering and with support for IPv6 now included as well, they now offer even more value and investment protection, he adds. “With a high-performance switching architecture that provides a non-blocking switch fabric that is capable of delivering wire-speed performance, the GS2200 range is ideal for delivery of converged applications. Now, with added support for the IPv6 standard, and the eight-port models providing further options for SMBs, the range provide excellent levels of flexibility and investment protection. All this makes the ZyXEL GS2200 a viable and highly attractive alternative to the standard choices that many customers might have made in the past when it comes to Layer-2 managed switches.”
The new ZyNOS4.0 software, which provides support for IPv6, can be installed on any ZyXEL GS2200 switch and is available for download immediately.