Switching strategy, Cisco touts switches' affordability

Cisco trumpeted a "complete refresh" of its fixed switches and related products Wednesday. The new switches are part of Cisco's "Borderless Access" initiative, which is a component of the "Borderless Networks" plan it rolled out last fall. The idea behind the whole Borderless strategy is to give users the ability to get onto their networks from any device--all the while enhancing network security and energy efficiency.

What may be most interesting about the new switches, however, is their price. Not one to ever give things away cheaply, Cisco appears to be marketing this latest gear in a price-competitive fashion. But, as Andy Greenberg at Forbes notes, "Cisco isn't cutting its prices out of charity." There is growing competition from some pretty hefty players in Cisco's bread-and-butter business these days, particularly from Hewlett Packard.

Jennifer LeClaire at NewsFactor explores the evolving market situation that Cisco faces. Historically, the network gear maker might have been able to convince customers to spend a little more than they wanted to spend and end up with a fancier product than they really needed. With tougher competition in the mix now, it has to offer a broader array of options.

For more:
- see Cisco's "Borderless Access" announcement [1]
- see Andy Greenberg's take [2] at Forbes
- see Jennifer LeClaire's article [3] at NewsFactor

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