Brocade Redefines the Economics for Enterprise Campus Networking

Brocade Challenges the Status Quo With Enterprise-Class Solutions at a 35% TCO Advantage

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Nov. 25, 2011 – Brocade (NASDAQ: BRCD) today announced the introduction of new enterprise networking solutions that help organizations adapt to demanding new applications and ever-changing business requirements.

The first of these new products is the Brocade® ICX™ 6610 Switch, a high-performance Ethernet access switch that combines chassis-like reliability and performance with the flexibility and affordability of a stackable switch. Optimized for today's demanding applications and mobile workforce, it delivers five times the stacking bandwidth of the leading competitor. In addition, the Brocade ICX 6610 provides 8×10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) uplink ports and the highest aggregation bandwidth in its class. As a result, the Brocade ICX 6610 offers a 35 percent improvement in total cost of ownership (TCO) compared to competitive offerings as well as a longer functional product life for an improved return on investment (ROI).

"We are impressed with what we have seen so far in the Brocade ICX 6610. The number of interfaces and layout of the switch allow for a great deal of flexibility in how we can deploy it. For a small sized network staff we need simple, reliable technology that scales and fits our business and the ICX 6610 can meet that," said Roger Holtsmith, network supervisor, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic.

Continuing its goal of improving the economics for aggregation and core networks, Brocade also announced new blades and significant performance and scalability enhancements for the Brocade FastIron® SX Series of chassis-based aggregation and core switches. The new high-density 8×10 GbE blades set a new standard for price-performance value, enabling the Brocade FastIron SX to scale up to 128 ports of 10 GbE. Featuring hitless failover to provide the highest levels of availability, the Brocade FastIron SX is ideal for today's business-critical campus LAN environments. Additional new features include Multi-Chassis Trunking (MCT) for active-active resiliency that delivers twice the bandwidth of traditional active-passive redundant designs, plus MACsec and Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE)-ready hardware for investment protection.

As the demands on enterprise IT have exploded in recent years, organizations are relying on applications such as video conferencing, unified communications and collaboration to improve productivity and enhance communication with customers and partners -- making a reliable and high-performance network a key business enabler. Any disruption to the network infrastructure can lead to lost productivity and a loss of customer confidence and revenue. Other key challenges for the IT organization include overpriced networking solutions that introduce unnecessary complexity and further stress already-tight budgets, aging hardware that can't support new business and application requirements and the proliferation of a wide variety of mobile devices that require always-on network access.

"In a time where many network offerings are either over-engineered, complex and expensive, or just can't meet the current needs of the campus environment, customers should consider alternative vendors that offer the right level of functionality for today at a fair price -- with seamless, non-disruptive upgrade paths for the future to extend the useful life of your investment," said Mark Fabbi, vice president and distinguished analyst for Gartner.

According to a recent report from Gartner, "... too many enterprises overpay for their network solutions. Despite all efforts by network managers to 'future-proof' their networks, too many enterprises complain about insufficient agility and flexibility when they need to adjust to changing business needs."(1)

Commitment to Channel Partners
With the introduction of these new networking solutions, Brocade is reinforcing its commitment to the channel by continuing to provide Brocade Alliance Partner Network (APN) partners with innovative, industry-leading solutions that enable them to offer highly reliable enterprise networking solutions to their end customers. To provide partners with the support and resources to effectively sell Brocade solutions, the APN program offers a broad range of benefits, including access to Brocade technical experts via the Implementation Help Desk and flexible use of marketing development funds, which are intended to promote deeper levels of customer engagement and increased profitability.

"Brocade's uniqueness lies in its ability to execute with innovation within both the SAN Fibre Channel and Ethernet network infrastructure realms, and its adept execution. Brocade innovations, such as 100 GbE, Ethernet fabrics and the new Brocade ICX 6610 Switch, allow us to deliver solutions that scale to our customers' business requirements, while lowering their overall TCO within their data center, wired and wireless LAN environments," said Rodney Turner, co-founder and president, Layer 3 Communications. "In today's budget-constrained world, the cost factor is top-of-mind with end customers. Working with Brocade enables us to drive our business forward, while staying competitive in an increasingly crowded marketplace."

Pricing and Availability
The Brocade ICX 6610 will be available this month directly through Brocade and its channel partners with a starting price of $5,595 USD. The new Brocade FastIron SX Series modules will also be available in November 2011, with a starting price of $4,495 USD. Multi-Chassis Trunking (MCT) will be available in early 2012 for the Brocade FastIron SX Series. As an extension to these product introductions, Brocade is also announcing a price reduction for Brocade FCX Series stackable switches effective immediately(2). Customers can enjoy a price benefit on average of 20 percent for these products.

These new products and other Brocade networking solutions will also be available through Brocade Network Subscription, which revolutionizes network acquisition by giving customers the flexibility to scale up and down according to actual network utilization -- with minimal risk and no capital outlay. With Brocade Network Subscription, customers pay for their network infrastructure on a monthly basis, allowing them to align network capacity with actual usage and thereby reducing costs and mitigating capital risk.