Bay expands Ethernet presence
The struggling networking giant Bay Networks targets small and midsized companies with new Ethernet gear.
The struggling networking giant announced a comprehensive set of hardware today that connects the small and midsized business to an Ethernet network and allows for an easy migration from traditional 10BaseT speeds to fast Ethernet.
The announcement underscores the need for Bay to protect its strong presence in the Ethernet and fast Ethernet switching space in the face of increased competition from large networking vendors such as 3Com and smaller upstarts.
New models include the BayStack 302T and 302F workgroup switches, which come with eight preconfigured Ethernet ports and either a fast Ethernet cable or fast Ethernet fiber port in a half/full-duplex configuration. Bay officials said the 302T is targeted at midrange customers while the 302F is ideal for enterprise accounts that want to connect LAN (local area network) segments to the administrative headquarters.
The 2216T switch provides desktop Ethernet connectivity with 16 ports and a single Fast Ethernet cable port for server or local area network (LAN) connections. The switch will hit the market at $125 per port and is targeted at Bay's small and midsized customers.
The new BayStack 50 series of Ethernet hubs includes 4-port, 8-port, and 16-port models and is targeted at small businesses with Ethernet bandwidth requirements that want to tie machines together. New fast Ethernet converters have also been introduced by Bay that make it easy to integrate fast Ethernet network segments into a traditionally Ethernet-based LAN topology.
The new BayStack 302T and 302F are available now and are priced at $2,495 and $3,295, respectively. The model 2216T desktop switch is available now and is priced at $2,125. The new BayStack 50 series of hubs will be available next month with prices starting at $149 for a 4-port hub. The BayStack 30 fast Ethernet converters are available now, with prices starting at $1,095.