Category: cisco equipment

Cisco vs. Huawei Technologies

Point 1:
Private Chinese companies such as Huawei, by contrast, represent the new digital-triangle model, whereby the military, other state actors, and their numbered research institutes help fund and staff commercially oriented firms that are designated national champions, receive lines of credit from state banks, supplement their R&D funding with directed 863 money, and actively seek to build global market share.

Point 2:
In analyzing the dynamics of the IT sector, it is first necessary to divide the defense portion of the IT sector into two related but distinct categories.

The first includes those subsectors providing the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) with commercial-off-the-shelf IT systems, such as routers, switches, and computers, which have become increasingly central to the digitization of the U.S. military.

Key companies in this category include such red chips (the Chinese equivalent of U.S. blue-chip companies) as Huawei, Zhongxing, Datang, Julong, and the Wuhan Research Institute, all of which are private companies spun off from state research institutes that enjoy national champion preferences within the system.

They are marked by new facilities in dynamic locales, such as southern and eastern China, a high-tech workforce, and infusions of foreign technology.

These firms are not obligated to provide a social safety net for thousands of unemployable workers and their families in rural areas.

Instead, they hire and fire staff using market-based incentives and stock options.

Point 3:
The two most important categories of Chinese IT firms, particularly in dealings with foreign multinationals, are telecommunications equipment and electronics.

Publicly, the major players in telecommunications; Huawei, Datang, Zhongxing, and Great Dragon (Julong) appear to be independent, private-sector actors.

By contrast, many of the electronics firms are grouped under ostensibly commercially oriented conglomerates, such as China Electronics Corporation.

However, one does not need to dig too deeply to discover that many of these electronics companies are the public face for, sprang from, or are significantly engaged in joint research with state research institutes under the Ministry of Information Industry, defense-industrial corporations, or the military.

Indeed, each of the four tigers of the Chinese telecommunications equipment market (Huawei, Zhongxing, Datang, and Julong) originated from a different part of the existing state telecommunications research and development infrastructure, often from the internal telecommunications apparatus of different ministries or the military.

These connections provide channels for personnel transfers, commercialization of state-sponsored R&D (spin off), and militarization of commercial R&D (spin-on).

Point 4:
Huawei maintains deep ties with the Chinese military, which serves a multi-faceted role as an important customer, as well as Huawei’s political patron and research and development partner.

Both the government and the military tout Huawei as a national champion, and the company is currently China’s largest, fastest-growing, and most impressive telecommunications equipment manufacturer.

From: Network World

How to Selecting Cisco Products

You must understand the business requirements of the network before buying a product. Based on the requirements, you can select the appropriate Cisco products.

Today, WAN technologies most often take advantage of high-speed connections, such as T-1 and E-1. Additional WAN technologies exist, including Frame Relay, ISDN, and dial-up asynchronous connections. ISDN or dial-up is used if infrequent connection is made. If a connection is used for more than two to four hours, you should use a Frame Relay or a leased line.Based on the different services available through the service provider, you can select Cisco products that can fulfill your office requirements.

Selecting Hubs
Cisco has various hub products. You can select hubs according to the type of connection required. Higher-end hubs offer network management port and console connections, middle-end hubs offer both 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps auto-sensing connections, and the lower-end hubs offer only 10 Mbps connections. Examples of fast hub series of Cisco are Cisco Fh100, Cisco Fh200, Cisco Fh300, and Cisco Fh400. Examples of micro hub series are Cisco MH1500 and Cisco MH1528.

Selecting Routers
Routers are the most popular Cisco products. To select a router, you must first know the port density and the interface speed required based on the LAN or WAN technologies used. In addition, you must identify the capacity and performance requirements of your business. The cost of the router varies according to the features you select.

Selecting Switches
A switch can be used instead of a hub in newer networks. Most switches are configured to limit collision domains, which often provides a limited security feature because users will not be able to sniff traffic as easily as in a standard hub-based network. This feature can cause confusion when using a network sniffer to analyze traffic. It is possible, however, to analyze packets on a switched network by enabling mirroring on the switch, or by using a dedicated port that allows authorized users to view all network traffic. It is important to consider whether you need 10, 100, or 1000 Mbps for each desktop or to connect between switches. To select a switch, you must consider various issues, such as business requirements, requirements for inter-switch links and trunking, port density, and type of user interface.

From: SemSim

CCNP Update: Changes in a Nutshell

CCNP will now be three exams, ROUTE, SWITCH, and TSHOOT

Exam price will increase from $150.00 to $200.00 per exam

ROUTE and TSHOOT courses (typically 1 week Cisco official courses) are now supplemented with e-learning material (nearly 8 hours for ROUTE and 9 hours for TSHOOT) which is exam material

Classes / Exams are becoming even MORE real-world (TSHOOT class is 92% hands-on)

New ROUTE and SWITCH exam is available in March, TSHOOT is available in April.

BSCI exam can substitute for ROUTE or vice versa

BCMSN exam can substitute for SWITCH or vice versa

ONT and ISCW exams can substitute for TSHOOT until end of July (ONT/ICSW exams expire then…BSCI and BCMSN are no longer offered after July 31, however can substitute for ROUTE / SWITCH for their entire 3 year expiration period).

New CCNP exams now prepare you more for the CCIE R&S

Why Choose Cisco Router

A systems approach begins with a single, resilient platform such as the Cisco integrated services routers. A systems approach combines packaging with intelligent services within and between services, and weaves voice, security, routing, and application services together, so that processes become more automated and more intelligent. The results are pervasive security in the network and applications; higher QoS for data, voice, and video traffic; increased time to productivity; and better use of network resources.

With the integrated services router, Cisco offers a comprehensive, future-proofed solution that minimizes network outages and ensures access to the most business-critical applications. Cisco’s focus on integrating new infrastructure services with performance enables companies to create networks that are more intelligent, resilient, and reliable. For organizations of all sizes that need fast, secure access to today’s mission-critical applications as well as a foundation for future growth, Cisco routers:

  • Provide the industry’s first portfolio engineered for secure, wire-speed delivery of concurrent data, voice, and video services
  • Embed security and voice services into a single routing system
  • Use an integrated systems approach to embedded services that speeds application deployment and reduces operating costs and complexity
  • Provide unparalleled services performance and investment protection

    • Unlike specialized niche products, Cisco Integrated Services Routers embed security and voice services as a single resilient system for ease of deployment, simplified management, and lower operating costs. Cisco routers provide the secure communications solutions you need today, while laying the foundation for tomorrow’s Intelligent Information Networks.

    In addition, Cisco Integrated Services Routers:

  • Provide fast, secure access to mission-critical business applications and unmatched investment protection for future growth, enabling organizations to easily deploy and manage converged communications solutions with end-to-end security for maximum end user productivity
  • Feature industry-leading services densities, bandwidth, availability, and performance options for maximum configuration flexibility and scalability for the most demanding networking environments
  • Provide a broad range of voice densities and services, allowing customers to easily enable end-to-end, best-in-class IP Communications solutions, while providing a foundation for future growth and investment protection
  • Are the only routers that allow organizations to build a foundation for an intelligent, self-defending network, featuring best-in-class security services and routing technologies for the lowest total cost of ownership and highest return on investment.

    • Used Cisco Equipment Q&A

    If you take heed of the above advice, and find yourself in the right circumstance, eBay buying experiences can save you money – as long as you’re willing to take the steps needed to safeguard the transaction.

    Here is some more background on used Cisco products:
    (the following is excerpted from a post I wrote for Network World)

    How soon do Cisco Routers and Switches become available Used?

    2-3 Months after a product has been released new, you can typically find it used. This may come as a surprise to some who assume you can only find 2nd or 3rd generation hardware used. Due to bankruptcies, mistaken purchases, or demo units, it is possible to find the latest and greatest as well as EOL equipment.

    Is Used Cisco the same as Gray Market Cisco?

    No, Gray Market product is equipment that has been purchased new from another country in order to be sold in a region where the manufacturer charges more for it. Used Cisco hardware is just previously used equipment given a second life.

    What condition of equipment should I expect from Used Cisco hardware?

    Just because you’re purchasing used equipment, you shouldn’t have to settle for low quality. Cisco reman and used Cisco gear from legitimate brokers is typically in similar condition to what is currently in your datacenter. Occasionally dealers will offer further discounts on “ugly-duckling” equipment that functions but has some scratches or dings. You should be informed of this upfront though.

    How are prices set on the used market?

    The used Cisco market is an open market where equipment is traded as a second-hand commodity. Prices rise and fall based on perceived availability and demand in the marketplace. The best way to compare prices is to do so against other resellers because comparing against list is completely arbitrary. Depending on the model or feature, discounts can range from 30 to 90% off list.

    When is the best time to buy?

    Give yourself time to check out all of your options, but also know that used resellers can typically ship overnight if you’re in a pinch. End of month, end of quarter and end of year are great times to buy as sales reps aim to meet their quotas.

    Who buys Used Cisco?

    Fortune 500s and SMBs alike. Individuals, resellers, government agencies and manufacturers, too.

    Should you consider used Cisco?

    You have to decide for yourself, but it is definitely worth getting a quote or two so that you can make an informed decision. Some users start with training or demo hardware and then move to development or production units if their confidence gets to that level.