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Technology Stocks : 3Com Corporation (COMS) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Network Pukka who wrote (11606)	12/4/1997 8:25:00 PM
From: RBB	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 45548

News : 3com stacks total control hub zdnet.com

To: Network Pukka who wrote (11606)	12/4/1997 8:44:00 PM
From: Andrei Rogosin	Respond to of 45548

Thanks, info from the frontlines is great to have. If you get a chance, I have a couple more questions. I know you might not have time to answer them all so feel free to pick and choose. I would very much appreciate your help. How compelling is Layer 3 switching over traditional routing (the price per port and performance seem to make it a no-brainer, but I don't have experience with how purchasing decisions are made). Will we still be buying routers a year from now? Who do you feel has the best Layer 3 stuff? Why does it seem networking spending has slowed in the past year? Are Gigabit pipes gonna be a big thing and how soon? (How is Coms positioned with the CoreBuilder 3500 and the coming 9000) How seriously do IT people at the large enterprose level take 3Com 1)in general 2)as an end-end solution provider. Do IT people look at Cisco like people see Microsoft -- a company not to crossed? What's the best way for a someone to get into the networking field as a profession? Thanks again.

To: Network Pukka who wrote (11606)	12/4/1997 9:15:00 PM
From: gfr fan	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 45548

<<I have about a dozen csco 5500 catalysts with the Route Switch Module RSM, installed which is a layer 3 blade that for all intensive purposes is a layer three switch at wire speed with all of the traditional functions built in. It is a sweet product.>> Network Pukka- sorry, if you believe this you've drank the CSCO kool aid. There are two ways to route - in hardware (ASICS) and software (traditional routers). The CB3500 is an ASIC router - the RSM is a hardware router (Cisco router). It has a maximum throughput of less than 200,000 pps - about 2 FE streams. I've tested it every which way with a Smart Bits - know this for fact. So, I disagree that it is wirespeed and a sweet product. I'd say it's overpriced and slow and about to become obsolete. Layer 3 switches route one of two ways. Packet by Packet (what traditional routers do, as does the CB3500) or "cut through" routing. Examples of cut through routing are Fast IP, NetFlow, and Tag Switching. However, to date, CSCO has not shipped a product that has NetFlow or Tag Switching on it - this is still vaporware. COMS has had ASIC based routing for three years - the 3500 is third generation, and they have (per IDC) shipped more layer three enabled switched ports than anyone else.