The technology group at Colliers International Property Consultants Inc.s Seattle office buys its PCs, notebook computers and edge servers from Dell Computer Corp. So, when Dell leapt into the telecommunications networking arena with a set of managed and unmanaged switches last fall, it made sense for Colliers to test the computer makers networking gear.
“Dell support has always been excellent,” said David Bobzien, regional technology manager at Colliers, in Seattle. “The Dell switch is menu-driven. For manageability, that takes a load off, especially when you talk about man-hours.”
Last week, Dell extended its PowerConnect switch line to include two products for small and midsize businesses. The Round Rock, Texas, manufacturer champions the switches ease of use and plug-and-play capability and an option for redundant power.
For small and midsize businesses that want to upgrade to Gigabit Ethernet networking without adding to the complexity of their systems, Dell released the PowerConnect 2508. With eight ports, the 2508 provides traffic aggregation and connectivity for servers and workstations.
To connect high-speed desktops, notebooks, workstations or printers to a server or backbone switch, Dell launched the PowerConnect 2124, a 24-port Fast Ethernet switch.
Bobzien, who has been testing an earlier release, the PowerConnect 3024, since September, said he plans to deploy the switch in as many as 10 offices in the western United States and Canada this year.