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What is open source cisco and why should you care
Open Source Cisco is a company that offers affordable, open-source alternatives to Cisco products. In the past its been difficult for many businesses to justify purchasing their offerings when they could purchase a comparable product from one of the multitude of other companies. Yet now a days with Open Source Cisco’s Entry-level Edge Routing 24 port switch and $300 plus per month plan, there is just no reasonable excuse not to stop using your current product and start using one of these amazing products that will save you time and money. The company started in 2003, yet the company that is offering alternatives to Cisco products started way back in 1998. One thing I have learned from their web site is that if you are looking for customer support then you are looking at the wrong place. Their product can do just as much and even more than Cisco’s offerings and they also offer product upgrades and support every 6 months.
I am going to assume that you have read the above paragraph before you read this article, so lets get into the meat of this article. First off, I must say that Open Source Cisco is an amazing company. I have always had a good relationship with them and their team in my day to day work, but after reading the above paragraph, I realized that they are truly an amazing company.
The benefits of using an open source cisco alternative
Well for starters its open source, which means that instead of paying $20,000 dollars per node effective pricing, you would be paying $300 dollars plus $25 dollars per node. Not to mention you get a fully featured platform to start with. You also get updates and rebooting time scales reduced from 52 hours to just 4 minutes. Lastly, you get more features and options than any other company can offer. This means that your customers can get even more out of your system.
“Open source cisco alternative” http://www.machinespark.com/interactive_code/ [ARTICLE END]
References:
http://www.machinespark.com/interactive_code/ (accessed 3/2/10)
This site is for reference purposes only. If you want to use the information mentioned above for any reason, please contact Rik Kirkland at [email protected] to provide the required permissions and terms.
Credit: Original article written by Rik Kirkland and published here with his permission.
Copyright © Sales and Marketing Corporation 2010. All rights reserved.
We’ve added a new section to our software pricing guide dealing with open source Cisco alternatives, which is available on our website at http://www.salesandmarketingcorp.com.
We’ve also created a blog post that discusses the benefits of open source networking, which is available at http://blog.salesandmarketingcorp.com/2010/02/01/the-benefits-of-an-open-source-cisco-alternative.html
How to choose the right open source cisco alternative for your business
The different versions offer different price-tag options. The one that I would pick would be the middle option because you get a lot of configuration options and it is not too expensive. The next thing to consider is the hardware that is being offered and if it will meet your need? I have personally used their CRS series switches in my network for a few years now and it is working fine for me. Open source software is great because you can find better hardware for the same price range. *Also see:* [Open source cisco alternative]
For open source software, I choose Cisco because I’ve used their products for several years now and they are great. They are much cheaper than similar Cisco equipment, which will make it a great solution if your company is on tight budget. Next you need to consider the features that are offered with each project. If you are not looking for any specific feature then pick the project that is cheaper. This will save you quite a bit of money *See more:* [Open source cisco alternative]
The top five open source cisco alternatives available today
Cisco Catalyst 2960 Series Switch Cisco Catalyst 2960 Series Switches are the ideal choice for your small business, as these switches are available in a variety of configurations including one unit that has 11 Gigabit Ethernet ports, four 10GBASE-T SFP+ ports and two independent management modules. The Catalyst 2960 supports quality of service (QoS) and 802.1p class of service (CoS). The two independent management modules allow redundant control plane operation in the event one module fails. The Cisco Catalyst 2960 has two power supplies that enable redundancy. If the primary supply fails, the secondary supply automatically takes over and all modules remain online. To make a purchase follow this link: http://www.open-source-cisco.com/products/2960-series-switch.html
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Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series Switches The Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series Switches are the perfect choice for your small business because it has a compact design and four 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports. It also offers up to five independent 10 Gigabit interfaces for VPN (Virtual Private Network), voice and data. To make a purchase follow this link: http://www.open-source-cisco.com/products/Cisco-Catalyst-4500-Series-Switch.html
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Redundant Services Router Cisco Redundant Services Routers are the perfect choice for your small business because they offer the availability and scalability of a modular router with the simplicity and cost of an integrated router. The Cisco Redundant Services Router Series is available in three to six slot platforms with support for over 40 interfaces. https://www.open-source-cisco.com/products/redundant-services-router.html
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