Justin,
I started to respond to you with a detailed message on the CSCO thread, but I got sidetracked and didn't complete.
First, it is important to acknowledge that both CSCO and LU play in the service provider and enterprise market space. And there is definitely some overlap on the data networking side if you were to compare spreadsheets. Specific overlaps could be found with dial-access, ATM switches and ATM concentrators. However, as Mr. Fun pointed out, LU did not have a meangingful market share with these products. The ASND acquisition provides direct product overlap in these areas (including frame relay switches) with CSCO, but with a far more significant market share.
In the enterprise, CSCO has the data products and LU has the voice products. CSCO is enhancing their data products to support voice. LU has developed ATM and IP interfaces for their voice and circuit switch products, but doesn't really have a robust data offering for the enterprise.
In the enterprise, even though a spec sheet comparison of products would come up with few matches, what is happening is that CSCO's voice strategy is delaying customer decisions to purchase traditional voice products, and LU's strength with voice products and reputation with Bell Labs buys them an entre' into the converged voice/data market.
The short answer is: they are moving toward the same place from different directions. Hopefully I have eliminated any bias in my response, though I certainly have one.
JXM |
