Thursday, June 24, 2010

Planning Your Network: New Hardware, Refurbished and Used Cisco Equipment is a Considerations

These days building and maintaining an efficient business requires a growing emphasis on the technology that powers your people. Speed, collaboration and connectivity reign supreme in the modern global economy. In order to achieve best practices and maintain a level playing field with your competition, you must always be on the lookout for ways to empower your employees to work smarter. Any modern business without a technology plan is destined to reduce their competitive edge and under perform the potential of their human capital.

The advent of the global economy and the age of the internet requires a proactive plan to get your employees connected to the web and connecting to each other. While IT departments spend much of their time and budget on personal computer equipment, choosing your company's network hardware infrastructure is a critical business decision.

When planning your network infrastructure always consider how employees will share access, what type of records you would like to maintain, what type of flexibility your company demands such as wireless access and how you plan to incorporate peripherals. Your network hardware and configuration are the key elements to driving employee collaboration and connectivity.

Price and performance are two key metrics that should dictate where you begin your search. The current market for network hardware contains a wide variety of manufacturers including Cisco, Juniper, Extreme, Foundry and more. New systems from the top manufacturers can provide incredible performance and security, but they can also be expensive. If you want a balance of top performance and price look for vendors of refurbished network equipment. Many companies specialize in providing price-conscience businesses with brand-name network equipment like used cisco.

Remember, when you begin the process of buying from network hardware resale, keep your eyes open and look for the option that suits your company best. If the company is selling pre-owned equipment always examine the level of additional services and support they offer. If you are in the market for new equipment, make sure you choose a manufacturer with a good reputation. Whatever your decision may be, keep your company's best interest in mind and you are sure to succeed.

Used Foundry Networks: Used IT Gear Goes Mainstream

Ask any IT manager what they think about used data networking gear and chances are their eyes will light up. Six years after the Telco bust, the secondary market for IT has grown up and with it companies have grown accustomed to buying used. But with the steep discounts come added risk and buyers are becoming savvy about negotiating the vast, complex market for pre-owned equipment.

Contrary to popular thinking, availability often trumps price as the critical factor for buying used. While manufactures like Cisco and Foundry Networks commonly stick customers with two and three-week lead times, virtually any piece of equipment can be sourced from the gray market in 24 hours. Of course the discount for used, which ranges from 50-90 percent off list pricing has proved to be the real elixir; coaxing even the most conservative buyers to board the gravy train. According to industry estimates, 70 percent of companies have experience buying second-hand gear today. What is tricky about the secondary market is finding good gear and buyers have learned a lot about how to protect themselves.

Estimates of the counterfeit and stolen goods trade for data networking equipment run as high as $40 billion, a figure deserving of some scrutiny having been published by the Alliance For Gray Market and Counterfeit Abatement (AGMA) a consortium formed in September 2001 by leading IT manufacturers including Cisco and HP. Whatever the number is, it's big. And as online market places such as eBay have exploded so has the level of fraud.

Search for "Used Foundry Networks" on Google or eBay and the results are myriad. Hundreds of resellers, predominately in the US, offer used switches, routers, load balancers and firewalls with varying configurations and terms of sale. With eBay's built-in seller rating system whereby for each transaction, the buyer and seller are allowed to rate each other by leaving feedback, buyers are encouraged to select only the vendors who have a high positive feedback rating (90% and up) and a history of many such transactions.

Buyers have learned that eBay also is a haven for counterfeiters, primarily from China who list new Cisco auctions at irresistible prices. To the untrained eye, these products appear identical to the real thing and in some cases will operate like normal. The trouble comes when the end-user tries to purchase support, known as SMARTnet from Cisco only to learn that the serial number is invalid or doesn't exist. By that time the seller has his money and has likely changed his identity online. For the customer, equipment failure is imminent and a refund is merely a pipe dream.



A quick Google search for "" will garner 1,600,000 results comprising mostly news and other product information together with links to resellers who specializeUsed Foundry switches in the sale of such gear. While most online users will focus on the organic links, companies with paid advertisements on the right side of a Google results page are considered credible sources as well.

Buyer Beware. Things to consider before buying used:

• Run a D&B (Dun and Bradstreet) on the company - D& B hosts a database of over 64M businesses worldwide. Through their Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) you can access useful information on a company such as names and contact information for their principals, company credit rating, and pertinent financial information. By verifying with D&B, you can be assured that a company is in good standing and is conducting business with fair-practice in mind.
• Validate all serial numbers - Serial numbers unique identifiers that are assigned to every hardware unit. By checking a components serial number, you can verify its authenticity and ensure the unit is not stolen.
• Verify Warranty terms in writing - As with any big-ticket purchase, it is always important to clearly understand the terms of purchase. Many companies offer a limited warranty that may cover parts, but not labor. With any used product, something that functions perfectly today, may encounter problems down the road. Make sure you understand what condition the unit is in, and whose responsibility the potential repair costs are. Be aware that there are many companies that offer total repair cost warranties to end-users.
• Never pay cash - This should be common knowledge, but cash purchases are not as secure as other forms of payment. Credit cards, wire transfers, and checks all provide a record to a company and bank account. This will provide you with a paper trail to a specific person or business should there be any disputes or legal issues that come up.

Picking up the phone and calling a brick and mortar business is always the safest way of purchasing equipment but it doesn't guarantee a buyer will not be defrauded. There are hundreds of trusted resellers in North America with a range of scale and expertise. Most firms will accept credit cards, wire transfers, and Paypal. A quick scan of a website will provide some peace of mind but buyers today understand that the more information they can glean on a vendor, the better they will sleep at night.

Brocade NetIron MLX routers

San Francisco, California January 30, 2007: With internet traffic increasing at unprecedented rates, service providers are ramping up their networks to support the bandwidth intensive applications of the ever-growing web. According to a recent Dell’Oro report, the worldwide market for service provider routers is projected to approach $9 billion by 2011. Targeted at Internet service providers (ISPs), cable network operators, as well as triple and quadruple play operators, Foundry Networks has made a power play for the metro network space with the NetIron MLX routers. Based on the flagship XMR series router, the MLX offers the highest 10GbE and GbE density available to address current and forthcoming service provider capacity requirements. With Foundry’s compelling price of only $600/Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) port, industry leader Cisco Systems is starting to take notice.

After more than four years in development, the Carrier Routing System, or CRS-1 was released by Cisco in 2004 at a development cost of $500M. However due to changes in the IOS (Internetwork Operating System) and cost of almost $450,000 upon release, it only offered a rare glimpse of light for competition in the metro network space. Not surprisingly, competitors Foundry and Juniper quickly jumped into the ring.

Built on newer chip technology and advanced processors, Foundry’s XMR series edge routers answered the demand for a comparable router that is almost 1/5th of the price. Released in 2006, the MXR 3200 and MLX-32 MPLS enabled routers were developed to

offer the highest 10GbE and GbE density and provide up to two billion packets per second (Bpps) of IP/MPLS routing in a 128-port system. These improvements targeted the Triple and Quadruple play service providers who host bandwidth intensive applications, such as video on-demand, broadcast television, and large scale Voice over IP (VoIP).

Just this month, semiconductor developer Cadence Design Systems announced they would be integrating the NetIron MLX as part of their new centralized data center network. With a price/performance level that rivals any router on the market, Foundry has raised the stakes in the competitive 10Gbe market. Rival Cisco has already started to position itself as a provider of a broad range of management solutions targeted towards the coveted triple-play sector. The release and initial positive market response to the MLX series will likely prove a challenge to Cisco’s previously uncontested dominance.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Brocade Foundry Fastiron Deals

Are you looking for Brocade Foundry Fastiron? If you are really tired of searching, then www.brocadenetworkproducts.com is the one stop destination for you. We provide high quality routers to cater all your needs. We specialize in technical assistance as far as reliability is concerned. We provide guarantee along with warranty for a period of one year. Secure and fast delivery is the main feature of the Brocade Foundry Fastiron. We ensure high quality delivery to the small and medium businesses and the branch offices of the small enterprises.

The Brocade Foundry Fastiron provide embedded encryption based on hardware. This is enabled by Brocade IOS software security image. An optional module for VPN acceleration is also provided for enhancing the VPN performance. Added to this, an IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) along with the firewall functions is also provided. In order to meet the connectivity requirements, interfaces are provided in a wide range. The router has external and modular form factor. It comes with an installed memory of 128 MB and can be expanded up to 384 MB which is the maximum expansion capacity of the router. The flash memory installed is 64 MB which can be expanded up to a maximum limit of 128 MB.

The Brocade Fiber Channel Switchs come with two data link protocols- Ethernet and Fast Ethernet. The Ethernet cables supplied by us for fastiron 4802 include Belkin 10 foot Ethernet Patch Cable, Belkin 14 foot Fast CAT Ethernet Patch Cable, Black and Belkin Cat 6 Network Cable. Belkin 10’Ethernet Patch Cable belongs to the category of 5e Network Patch Cable and is black in colour. Its base is TX Ethernet. Belkin 14 ft Fast CAT Ethernet Patch Cable also belongs to the category of 5e Network Patch Cable and is also black in colour. Belkin Cat 6 Network Cable is a high performance patch cable. The product code for Belkin 10’ Ethernet Patch cable, Black is fastiron x448, the product code for Belkin 14 ft Fast CAT Ethernet Patch Cable, Black is fastiron fes2402 and the product code for Belkin Cat 6 Network Cable is fesx448 prem.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Where to Buy Refurbished Cisco Router Equipment

For those who don't know or aren't aware, Veteran Group Technology, Inc is the universal leader when it comes to the internet's networking. In today's world, one will find that all networks are a very important part of home communications, business, government and education - all the important things in life.

Networking solutions from Cisco Internet Protocol-based are the foundations of all of these networks and that is what makes them so essential; as without them the technical world of today wouldn't really be the way it is. Refurbished Cisco router equipment is available all over; online there are many different websites where you can buy such equipment.

Online is a great place to shop because you have such a variety and you can research as much as you want before you decide on something. Cisco is a very popular brand when it comes to networking. It doesn't matter whether the equipment you are looking to buy is refurbished or brand new, you will find what you are looking for at one of the many Internet stores. There are so many stores online, how do you know which one you should use to purchase from? This is an important purchase you will be making, so you have to make sure that you make the right decisions.

Do some research and find a few websites that sell what you are looking for, and once you have about four or five sit down and think of a few things. First of all, which is the most cost effective for you? Remember that you don't want something that is too cheap. The question people ask themselves when they see that something is too cheap is "what is wrong with the product?" So go for something that has a reasonable price, not too expensive but also not too cheap. It will also depend on the type of equipment you are looking for, like switches, routers and other accessories that are needed for networking.

Another aspect you should look at is if you are getting a warranty with your purchase. It doesn't matter that the equipment is refurbished; you should still get your warranty. With a warranty you at least know that if something does happen to the equipment you bought you can send it back and get a refund or another product. This is a guarantee that you will receive products in excellent condition, and only a store that is confident about what they sell will offer something like this. If they offer a warranty they have to be pretty sure that their products are good and people aren't going to need to use their warranty.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

5 Reason Switching to Brocade VoIP

If you would like to take advantage of the low cost and extra features of VoIP

, you may decide to replace your traditional telephone service with a VoIP service, Here are 5 reason why switching to Brocade VoIP.


1. Low-cost

The biggest advantages of VoIP is the low-cost. The basic monthly fee is lower than PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) and the price also includes services such as call display and call forwarding that traditional telephone companies charges extra for.
Basic VoIP plans start as low as $5.99 a month. If you have a fast Internet connection

(DSL or cable) you can make PC-to-PC phone calls anywhere in the world for free.

2. Free calling feature

VoIP users can enjoy many other free calling features, this make VoIP attractive. Call forwarding, call waiting, voicemail, caller ID and three-way calling are some of the many services included with Internet telephone at no extra charge. You can also send data such as pictures and documents at the same time you are talking on the phone.

3. Unlimited long distance call

You can also sign up with a VoIP service provider which charges a monthly fee in return for unlimited calls within a certain geographic area. For example, some VoIP services in the United States allow you to call anywhere in North America at no extra charge. Overseas calls are charged at a relatively small rate.

4. Portability

You can make and receive phone calls wherever there is a broadband connection simply by signing in to your VoIP account. This makes VoIP as convenient as e-mail – if you are traveling, simply pack a headset or Internet phone and you can talk to your family or business associates for almost nothing

5. Easy to Install

A computer is not necessary but makes it more convenient to access your VoIP account.
The basic equipment need for VoIP is a broadband modem (either cable or DSL), a router, and an IP phone. Simply plug the router into the modem and plug the IP phone into the router. There is no need for service calls to get equipment installed

Monday, June 7, 2010

Selling Cisco Routers

Ebay has for a long time been the defacto choice for many IT Managerslooking to sell used, out of service or excess Cisco networking hardware. Ebay can produce a successful, fair-market return on your Cisco hardware, but sellers often make critical mistakes when listing their Cisco routers, switches and other products on Ebay.

Mistake #1 – Not Doing Your Homework! Most Ebay sellers do not adequately research the Cisco part numbers of the routers, switches, firewalls and other Cisco hardware they are selling. Make sure to accurately inventory your Cisco products and write down the exact Cisco SKU (Typically stickered on your router or switch), as well as the Cisco serial number. The better and more accurate your description, the more buyer’s will generally pay for your Cisco products.

Mistake #2 – LOusy Quality or “Stock” Photos – When listing a Cisco router, switch or firewall for sale on Ebay, take a bit more time to snap some well lit digital photos of each item. Whatever you do, don’t just grab a “stock photo” off the web, or worse yet, list your product for sale with no photos at all. Cisco buyers love to see actual photos of the item for sale.

Mistake #3 - Selling Cisco Products Untested or “As-Is” – Cisco buyers will often pay 20% more for a Cisco router or switch that is listed as “tested and guaranteed in working order”, versus an item that is sold “As-Is”.

Mistake #4 – Leaving Lots of Money on the Table – Cisco sellers on Ebay will often intentionally price their Cisco networking products at a very low “Buy It Now” price, in order to attract a quick buyer and turn around sale and payment quicker. In our experience, items sold on Ebay in a tradition, “auction” style format, produce a higher sale return than “Buy It Now” listed items.

Mistake #5 – Failure to Fully Inventory – Sellers of Cisco networking products on Ebay often fail to accurately and fully inventory/catalog their Cisco networking products. If you are listing a Cisco router for sale on Ebay, for example….take a moment to see if the router contains upgrades or interface modules that will increase the market value of the item if accurately accounted for.

CiscoBuy.com offers sellers of Cisco networking hardware an excellent alternative to Ebay. If you are selling Cisco Routers, Cisco Switches, Firewalls, and other Cisco hardware, visit us online at www.discountciscoequipment.com.com. We maintain a convenient product submission form for uploading your Cisco items for sale.

Friday, June 4, 2010

WIC-1enet Routers

A WIC-1enet router is one of the most versatile, and widely used tools on the market today; and for good reason. A router is a woodworking tool designed to rout, or mill out an area in the surface of a piece of wood, and can feasibly perform almost any kind of shaping and wood cutting application. It would be difficult to determine the application in which a router is most commonly used; they dominate edging operations, and are masterfully equip for box joining, mortising, dovetailing, dadoing, and rabbeting to name only a few.

There are several types of router available, each having individual features, benefits and their own favorite applications. The most popular types of router are the fixed-base and the plunge-base router; each of which offering their own set of pros and cons which I will attempt to shed some light upon. Beginning with the first born, the fixed-base router is a favorite of many craftsmen because of its more simple more, compact and versatile design, and its relative ease of operation. In a fixed-base router, the motor is securely clamped into the base, and has a more light weight design making it easier to work and maneuver. Built for table mounting and more stationary routing, the fixed-base router is generally better for running slots, rabbeting, and edging or molding patterns than its top heavy, plunging brother. For plunge cuts, however, the fixed-base router must be tilted or angled into the workpiece which can be a difficult procedure to master. Because the base is not fully supported as the bit enters the wood, plunge cutting can be much more difficult with a fixed-base WIC-1enet. These routers have simple and accurate depth adjustment systems. They must, however, be stopped and reset in between each cut.


Unlike the fixed-based router who's configuration has changed relatively little over time, the plunge-base router is more innovatively designed. The plunge-cut router is built so its motor sits atop two spring-loaded posts; this trait allows for the vertical motion which makes the plunging action possible. The vertical movement of the router essentially "plunges" the router bit into your workpieces without ever tilting or lifting the tool enabling users to get directly into the center of a workpiece without any pre-drilling or acrobatics. With the plunge-base router, making through cuts, deep grooves and mortises is generally much easier than with its fixed-base counterpart; but although a plunge-base router is the best choice for applications requiring more and deeper cuts, it is much heavier and can be difficult to move and adjust. Understanding which router is right for you can be a long process. The information below will help you narrow down your search options and determine which router fits you best.

To begin, again, with the fixed-base router, Bosh offers a 2 HP (horse power) fixed-base router with a powerful 11 Amp motor and 25,000 RPM. This router is built with a precision centering design that makes it significantly easier to keep your bits on their intended cut line. The 8.3 lb tool is also designed with a macro and microfine bit adjustment system with resettable depth indicator for constant precision. This system provides always fast and accurate depth setting adjustment. Bosch has also incorporated a large 3-3/4 in base opening (6in. base diameter) plus a 2in. subbase opening to accept larger bits. For fast and easy template guide changes there is also a tool-free template guide adapter. The 1617 router has one-piece armature shaft for enhanced accuracy and long bit shank capacity.

Bosch's fixed-base router also has a right or left switch location for user preference and consistency and a new dust sealed power switch for enhanced durability. The router features hardwood handles and a 10ft. flexible rubber cord. The 1617 also includes the RA1161 fixed-base system which allows for bit height adjustment from above the router table. For additional convenience the fixed-base system also has threaded holes that allow it to be mounted to the router table (in Bosch's four hole pattern or the common three hole pattern). Bosch's 1617 fixed-base router includes ¼in. and ½in. S.R. collet chucks, a 16mm shaft wrench, 24mm collet nut wrench, tool-free template guide adapter, a chip shield, and fixed-base.

DEWALT offers a 1-3/4 HP fixed-base router with an 11 Amp motor, 24,500 RPM, and enough power to rout out the toughest woods. The tool has an advanced microfine depth adjustment ring that provides precise depth adjustments in minute 1/64in. increments and can be adjusted vertically for a permanent switch/cordset location. This vertical movement adjusts with up and down actions rather than spinning; since the entire router doesn't turn, the whole of the tool remains in the same position. For quick and tight-locking depth adjustments/base changes, the DW616 also has a strong and adjustable tool-free steel motor cam lock. A dust-deal keeps the switch free of dust and debris enhancing its performance, durability, and overall life. And with a right or left switch and cordset location, the user has the option to hold the switch in either the right or left hand increasing comfort and versatility. The tool's overmolded rubber handles, and low center of gravity also contribute to the router's best-in-class comfort, balance, and control. The router's cordset is detachable to offer serviceability and the ability to use the same motor pack for all bases.

For easier bit changes DEWALT has built this router with a flat top - and with quick release motor latches for fast and simple motor pack removal. The router also has long, self-releasing, eight-slotted collets for better bit retention and elimination of frozen, or stuck bits. A clear LEXAN subbase (polycarbonate material specially developed for strength and impact resistance) delivers enhanced base durability and bit visibility, and also accepts standard template guide bushings. The subbase additionally has a concentricity gauge for best-in-class routing accuracy. With a heavy-duty, precision machined, die-cast aluminum base and motor housing - the tool is supremely durable, and weighs only 7.1 lbs. DEWALT's DW616 fixed-base router includes a motor pack, fixed-base, concentricity gauge, ¼ and ½ in collets, and two wrenches. The router is also available to purchase as a kit (DW616K), which includes the above with DEWALT's heavy-duty kit box.

As for the plunge router, Makita offers a 3-1/4 in plunge-router with a powerful 15 Amp motor and variable speed option from 9,000 - 23,000 RPM. The router's variable speed option ensures greater routing precision and always accurate projects. The router also has a pivoting multiple depth adjustment knob with three preset plunge depths, and a top handle depth adjustment which sets the tool to any specific routing depth. For easy penetration into your workpiece, the router also has a 0 - 2-3/8 in plunge depth capacity. Makita has incorporated an electric brake for fast bit stoppage which also helps to prevent accidental marring of working materials. And, with an electronic speed control, the tool maintains constant speed even under load. The 3612C plunge-router also has a bit deflector to keep chips and debris away from the operator and workpiece. The tool weighs 13.2 lbs, is double insulated, and has a strong, all ball bearing construction to extend the tool's overall life. Having a shaft lock for quick and easy bit changes, and a soft start feature for smoother start-ups, Makita's plunge router is equip to handle all your plunge-routing needs. The WIC-1enet includes a ¼ in collet sleeve, ½ in collet cone, and wrench.

DEWALT also offers a heavy-duty 3 HP plunge-router with a 15 Amp motor that utilizes advanced soft-start technology for always smooth operation. The motor is also full wave variable speed, and runs at 8,000 - 22,000 RPM. The DW625 runs with a constant speed, even under load, to ensure a fine, quality finish in all your projects, and its one piece motor and shaft spindle ensures perpendicularity and professional accuracy as you work. For always fast and accurate depth settings, the plunge-router also has a rack and pinion depth adjuster, magnified scale, and microfine depth adjustment mechanism. DEWALT's plunge-router has a spindle lock button that allows for simple one-wrench bit changes and a dust extraction adapter for a cleaner, safer work-space. The tool also has phosphorous bronze bushings that provide a smooth and accurate plunge, and a guide bushing adapter plate that accepts standard guide bushings - perfect for template work. DEWALT's DW625 plunge router weighs 11.2 lbs and includes a ¼ in and ½ in collet, dust extraction adapter, template guide bushing adapter, and wrench.

Both classes of router offer a different set of features and applications, and each individual tool has its own specifications. Each option, however, offers unique and professional finishes to your woodworking projects.


WIC-1enet