Whatever Happened to Brocade?

Whatever Happened to Brocade?

Much like the once-popular mall arcade that practically disappeared from our generational purview overnight, Brocade’s rearrangement two years ago left many of us scratching our heads and wondering: What the heck happened to a lot of their equipment and where do we go now for our needs?

While we’re not entirely sure where all the Terminator 2 and Skee-Ball machines ended up after years of adolescent torment (truck stops and dive bars, maybe?) we do know that, following a much publicized buyout, Brocade switch and router components were acquired by various players in the industry.

With Broadcom, Extreme, Arris, and Ruckus all acquiring pieces of the California-based company, it initially seemed like a nightmare scenario where nobody really knew just how relevant those parts would remain or how much they would change.

But as the dust of the Brocade buyout settled, things began to get clearer--although, even now, putting all the puzzle pieces together is still a bit of a head-scratcher. Lucky for you, networking resellers like Terabit Systems have years of product expertise and support from these brands and can give you the nitty gritty on any product changes you might find when deciding on your next purchase.

Let’s take a closer look at a few of these changes, shall we?

A not-so-Broad Brocade Switch

Whether you’re an ICX series loyalist looking to upgrade your enterprise visibility or just hoping to keep that same trusty switch support going forward, you’ll find solace in the fact that the changes from your previous Brocade go-to are easier to figure out than a Dane Cook punchline.

The Brocade Ruckus ICX series, now known as Ruckus ICX, never changed its makeup. Aside from the 6000 series cancellation, (which would have happened regardless of the breakup,) and Ruckus now being owned by Arris, (which is now owned by CommScope,) the only thing you really need to remember is the series name when looking to find great quality in a low-latency network switch.

With six different products in the 7000 ICX lineup that fit the needs of every networking administrator and a backing from (at least) three reputable brands, you can confidently continue to use ICX components in your network. At Terabit, we’re currently offering great deals on the ICX6610-48P-PE--a great stackable PoE switch that’s ready to power your enterprise.

Brocade MLXe goes Extreme

Brocade upped the ante in the ethernet market in 2010 when it released the MLXe Core, providing more density than competitors and proving its three-year investment into Foundry Networks was actually a pretty smart one.

A lot has changed in technology and network dynamics since then, but stubborn as a mule-sized cockroach, the MLXe has remained a staple on the market because it delivers the same dependability it always has — no matter what name it resides under.

Extreme Networks has extended the MLXe legacy by offering four ethernet interface modules — 100 GbE, 40 GbE, 10 GbE and 1 GbE — that allow enterprise networks to use a single platform for many applications and avoid major performance lags thanks to increased scalability. Simply put: the MLXe isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Brocade switches get stitches

Although many VDX and SLX switches were discontinued during the Brocade acquisition, Extreme Networks took a lesson from New Coke and decided to keep the ASIC architecture of the product lines intact. Rather than try to fix what ain’t broke, Extreme recognized it still had a winner in the data center market that was far from becoming obsolete.

Built with the same innovative Brocade technology that revolutionized data center configuration, Extreme VDX and SLX switches provide cloud computing support, IP fabric, great application mobility, and a network infrastructure that allows for easy configuration with existing hardware.

Breaking down a Brocade of worries

The team at Terabit Systems specializes in providing quality refurbished networking equipment—as well as industry leading customer service— to clients worldwide. We have decades of experience working with Brocade and other industry components and are ready to assist you with any question or need. Email us or call +1 (415) 230-4353 to speak to a Terabit representative for a quote today.