Intel just won't let go of this networking equipment thing

Intel, the downmarket networking equipment manufacturer, is is beefing up its portfolio with a clutch of routers and a switch, all aimed at medium-sized companies. The 6000 Series Switch Chassis and eight-port Gigabit Module will both be available from 28 September and are expected to cost around $14,000 and $19,000 respectively. The switch is based on a modular form-factor designed to minimise network downtime. Next year Intel plans to add Intelligent Capabilities to the switch -- this refers to the ability of the switch to differentiate network data packets based on their contents. The 9500 router family is available immediately. The 9510 will cost $1449 and the 9520 will sell for $1749. The 8200 familiy will be launched by the end of this year, with pricing to be announced then. The routers are avilable in multiple configurations, depending on the needs of the user. They support a broad range of Wide Area Network (WAN) protocols and feature hardware-based compression at speeds up to 2Mbps on WAN ports to help maximise data throughput on the WAN links. John Miner, vice president at Intel, says that the growth of the Internet has triggered a greater demand for more, and better networking products. "Networking has become one of Intel's fastest growing and most successful businesses, one that will continue to grow," he said. ®