Extreme Networks launches fully-automated secure networking solution for campus environments

IT managers are in need of an easier and faster way to manage the 8.4 billion connected devices expected to overload networks with data this year, according to Gartner.

To address the time constraints and resources spent on managing complex networks, Extreme Networks, Inc. has launched Extreme Automated Campus, described as a cost-effective alternative to outdated traditional networking solutions that delivers plug-and-play simplicity and true business agility. The solution comes within just two months of Extreme closing on its acquisition of Avaya's networking business, and combines Avaya's field-proven Fabric Connect infrastructure, Extreme's Extreme Management Center and Extreme's top-ranked support services to eliminate networking complexity, increase security and deliver increased visibility into the network.

Now with over 1,500 unique deployments, spanning every industry, Fabric Connect has been proven to deliver 11x faster time to service, 7x faster mean time to repair and provide a 100% reduction in outages as a result of human error, according to Fabric Connect Customer Experience Research Report. With this announcement, Extreme wired and wireless edge products have been integrated into the Fabric Connect architecture, giving customers greater choice on how they evolve their network edge. Additionally, Avaya's networking portfolio has been integrated into Extreme Management Center, bringing a unique 360-degree view of the network, users, devices and applications for actionable business insights.

Also available are two new fabric enabled hardware platforms for high performance 10/40/100 Gigabits per second aggregation and core networking. The first is the VSP 8600, an innovative small 7RU form factor core chassis with over 21 Tbps of switching capacity. The other is the VSP 8404C, a 2RU modular core form factor with four pluggable slots providing for highly flexible deployment options. Finally, to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, the end-to-end solution is supported by Extreme's top-ranked services and support organisation.

Key Facts:

• The enterprise market's only fully-automated end-to-end campus solution: Extreme is introducing a consistent policy-based, fabric-enabled architecture extending from core to wired/ wireless edge – enabling true dynamic services through a suite of zero-touch policy and networking features.

• Enhanced security through frictionless hyper-segments: Extreme's Automated Campus leverages hyper-segments – which contain breaches and isolate and protect critical applications, information or users – for heightened security. These hyper-segments can be implemented with greater ease and far greater scale than traditional networking technologies. Centralised, intuitive, role-based policies control user and device access to hyper-segments.

• 360-degree visibility: Extreme's Automated Campus solution is unique in its ability to provide a true 360-degree view of the network (wired and wireless), users, devices and applications - with context and scale - through integrated management, analytics and policy. IT managers can create centralised policies for as many as 200,000 users and devices and gain actionable insights with customisable signature sets for more than 7,000 applications. Additionally, through open APIs, Extreme Management Center integrates with third party solution providers so that customers can orchestrate workflows based on third party alerts, providing a holistic and programmable solution.

• First-person resolution: Underlying the end-to-end solution is Extreme's top-ranked 100% in-sourced support and services, according to Gartner's Peer Insights, with a first-person resolution rate of over 90 percent.

Executive Perspectives

Dan Dulac, Vice President, Product Management & Solution Strategy, Extreme Networks, Inc.
"When we acquired Avaya's networking business, we promised to deliver a stronger combined value proposition that leveraged each company's core strengths that would best serve customers. The introduction of our first integrated solution delivers on this promise just two short months following the close of the acquisition. We developed Extreme Automated Campus to give both Avaya and Extreme customers the best of both worlds by providing a leading end-to-end software-driven solution from the core to the wired / wireless edge – and in this case, an automated, secure, policy-enabled campus architecture that is easy to manage."

Russell Bristow, Managing Director, Ampito Group
"As Extreme continues to bring innovative end-to-end solutions to the market and takes on the role of the third largest networking player, we've been able to build credibility and increase revenue streams. The integration of Avaya's Fabric Connect and Extreme's EMC 8.0 is a perfect example of the type of solutions that are contributing to our success as we're able to put the customer first, making their job in managing network activity easier."

Mark Starry, CTO, Concord Hospital
"We consider the network in the same critical category as electricity, oxygen, and water. It needs to be available 24x365. Fabric Connect has provided us with a secure, self-healing, highly available network that enables us to serve our patients effectively in our complex paperless environment. We are looking forward to the latest innovations from Extreme, namely the VSP 8600 and Extreme Management Center, in order to increase capacity and scale within our core and to provide increased control, visibility and management of the end-to-end network."