Last month’s rains caused a massive amount of problems for southern California residents and business owners but MULTI-LINK Communications Products (MLCP) was there to help. The highly respected alternative Cisco provider for businesses all over the world is headquartered in Torrance, California and wasn’t affected by the storms, but several small businesses in the La Crescenta/La Canada area were. MLCP was quick to rise to the occasion and help out local businesses that lost networking hardware equipment due to water leaks and minor flooding.

”We wanted to do everything we could to help these business owners,” explains MLCP President Eric Tanaka. “Those that had water damage have to spend a lot of money cleaning up and replacing furniture, equipment, computers… at a time like that, you really can’t afford to have your network down and be doing no business whatsoever until the insurance pays and you can replace what was lost.” MLCP assisted six small businesses in a few different ways. “For all of the businesses, we rushed new equipment to them the day they ordered. We put them on an extended financing plan so that they could get up and running again without spending any of the cash they’re going to desperately need to get them through this difficult period,” says Tanaka. MLCP also helped in other ways; offering trade-in credit on damaged equipment helped lower costs for affected business owners as well.

“Most of the equipment we accepted is damaged but not beyond repair. Because we sell networking equipment to companies all over the world, we maintain a huge surplus. Our technicians can use pieces of the damaged equipment to refurbish other components much like you would with a car,” says Kris Cox, a long-time employee at MLCP who handled the companies affected by the storms. “California has had such a hard time the past year or so. It’s important to us to do everything we can to keep small businesses afloat—no pun intended.”

Because the companies were all local, MULTI-LINK Communications Products also shipped the new hardware at no charge, and provided an installer for free. “Everyone we dealt with was grateful for any help we could give them,” explains Tanaka. “Most of our new customers come to us in a crisis situation hoping we can do something for them that the distribution chain won’t. It’s this type of personalized service that helps us grow our company to what it is today. These business owners will all be customers for life. If other companies would just realize that sometimes taking a short term loss will actually help you expand your customer base in the long term, I think more would step in and help when they can.”

And ‘long term’ is a word that MLCP takes seriously. The company is now going on its 15^th year in business. Since 1995, MULTI-LINK Communications has been a reliable supplier of network hardware and equipment from Cisco and other companies like Juniper, Foundry, and many more. The company buys used equipment for generous trade-in credit or cash, and sells both new and refurbished equipment at discount prices. Whether you need to replace a simple network cable, or upgrade to an entirely new network with higher-performing Cisco routers, start and end your search with MLCP.

A NAM, or Network Analysis Module, provides  (as described by industry leader Cisco Systems) integrated network monitoring services within a switch. The NAM, for example the WS-SVC-NAM-1, collects network traffic statistics for real-time traffic analysis, performance monitoring, and troubleshooting. In the Cisco Catalyst 6500 series, the NAM analyzes and monitors levels of network traffic using remote monitoring, RMON extensions designed for switched networks (SMON), as well as other management information bases (MIBs). This combination allows the NAM to closely monitor traffic on the network.

Using Gigabit Ethernet,Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, trunk port, or RSPAN source port or Fast EtherChannel SPAN, the NAM analyzes Ethernet VLAN traffic from the aforementioned sources. What use is the data collected by the Network Analysis Module? The collected data is used for performance monitoring, real-time traffic analysis, and of course, troubleshooting.

Cisco Systems has been known for years as a networking giant and industry leader when it comes to outfitting small and large-scale businesses with networking systems designed to expand communications and sales. But Cisco is also thinking on a much bigger scale.  It recently sent the first router into space and would love “to put a router on every communications satellite” according a Cisco press release.

Cisco’s space-bound router  successfully completed initial in-orbit tests this month after being launched Nov. 23 aboard the Intelsat 14 communications satellite now 22,300 miles above the Earth. The launch is only one in a series that make up Cisco’s initiative called ‘Internet Routing in Space (IRIS)’ which will hopefully extend the same IP technology we’ve come accustomed to knowing through the world wide web much further beyond the planet.  Cisco’s ultimate goal is to route data, voice, and video traffic between existing satellites in a way that’s more efficient and cost-effective by using a sinle IP network. Cisco believes that it will be far superior to the fragmented networks we have now.

It’s one small step for Cisco, but one giant step for technology.

Every month we pick a component to focus on and this month, to start the new year out, we’ve chosen the Cisco WS-F6700-DFC3CXL. Why do we love this product? This distributed forwarding card increases your switching performance considerably and comes with the WS-X6708-10G-3CXL.  With a whopping  1,000,000 IPv4 routes and 256,000 NetFlow entries, it will undoubtedly be a significant asset to your system’s scalability. The WS-F6700-DFC3CXL comes with 1 GB DRAM of default memory too!

The WS-F6700-DFC3CXL isn’t the only daughter card option. The Cisco WS-F6700-DFC3A, WS-F6700-DFC3B, WS-F6700-DFC3BXL,  and WS-F6700-DFC3C are also available to give that system a boost, but the WS-F6700-DFC3XL is the grand-daddy, or perhaps grand-daughter, of daughter card options as the WS-F6700-DFC3C offers only 128,000 IPv6 routes compared to the WS-F6700-DFC3XL’s 500,000.

As a replacement part for the now obsolete WS-F6700-DFC3A, the Catalyst 6500 Distributed Forwarding Card-3CXL for WS-X67xx is a great investment for the future.

A DFC is installed in DFC-enabled line-card modules to perform distributed forwarding supported by the  Supervisor Engine. When the Distributed Forwarding Card is installed, line cards that are DFC-enabled make forwarding decisions locally, leaving the supervisor engine free to perform routing and management functions.  This increases your overall performance and scalability. The Distributed Forwarding Card replicates Layer 2 and 3 forwarding logic in hardware as well as a bus on each line card as well.

For example, the 8-port 10GbE module WS-X6708-10G-3C has 40 Gbps connection to the fabric and can demonstrate up to 64 Gbps local switching. The distributed forwarding card (DFC) can forward traffic at 48 Mpps enhancing the module’s speed and performance.

Often, these are field upgradeable.

Here it is, everyone! The product of the month!  If you’ve been looking for a Cisco-Compatible GE SFP, LC connector LX/LH transceiver, look no further. We found the GLC-LH-SM-OEM on special for only $75 at MULTI-LINK Communications Products.

Transceivers are small, but they’re an important part of any network and with the same Cisco transceiver listed at $995, this third-party transceiver saves you 92% off the manufacturer’s price.  In addition, it carries a Lifetime warranty and is guaranteed compatible with your existing Cisco equipment.  Normally, you would expect this kind of a discount on pre-owned or refurbished products, but this transceiver is brand new and guaranteed from a reputable third-party manufacturer.

Purchasing this transceiver alone for your Cisco networking system saves you more than $900.  For that price, we’d typically encourage you to buy a spare as well, but with the Lifetime Warranty, it’s not even necessary.

When it comes to network hardware, it seems like nothing is cheap.  Routers and switches and memory components can be expensive especially if you go with an industry leading manufacturer like Cisco or Foundry. You may even find that your company really needs to upgrade (or even downgrade) under the current business climate but because you spend thousands of dollars on your existing system, you’re reluctant to do so.

Investment Recapture Programs are designed to help people reclaim some of the cash they spent on their system by trading in existing equipment for a discount on new or refurbished hardware, or simply selling it to an alternate provider who will turn around and resell the hardware to someone else who needs it.

The notion of de-installing equipment and visions of a complete network meltdown in the process is another deterrent in trading in or selling equipment a company no longer needs.  If you’re selling to a reputable company, they’ll help you through the process, ensuring that you don’t encounter a business interruption while switching from one system to another.

Another benefit of using a reputable company is that they will offer you a free, no-obligation quote on your existing networking equipment whether it be a Cisco ATA 186 Telephony or the Juniper E-Series routers. You should also have the opportunity to speak to someone live about your needs, their quote, and how the process works.

With reputable companies offering investment recapture programs, there’s no need to feel like you’re stuck with equipment that you’ve long outgrown or provides benefits you no longer need.  Networking equipment can be affordable and it should always suit the requirements of the company.

You’re new to this networking hardware stuff and that’s okay. We’re here to help. Let’s start by talking about two major components of any network:  routers and switches. What do they do? And how do they do it?

A router is essential in the dispersing of data over a network because routers choose the best path in which to route data (hence their name).  Based on the destination of that message and its origin, a router decides which path that message needs to take to reach its destination most efficiently.  A router has the ability to direct data traffic to ensure that data isn’t colliding and slowing down or becoming jumbled. A router knows when it’s time to send data on paths that are short cuts and when to re-route data traffic if the system is becoming overloaded.

Switches do something entirely different.  They’re often called hubs and they store routers.  Switches, most of the time, electrically amplify signals as they move from device to device.  They do this by direction sending data to the correct location.  A switch enhances the router’s ability to work and increases a network’s overall efficiency. For example, the Cisco Catalyst WS-C3750E-48PD-SF switch provides a robust set of features including 64-Gbps, high-speed StackWise Plus stacking; 68-Gbps, wire rate backplane; 64-Gbps, high-speed StackWise Plus stacking; IP Base software feature set (IPB); a field-replaceable 1150WAC power supply and fan tray; IPv6; and 800W available for Cisco Enhanced PoE, allowing up to 15.4W to all 48 ports. 

When purchasing a car, some people see the value of buying a used vehicle while others wouldn’t dream of buying used, and yet others tout leasing as the way to go. Those who like buying new do so because they want to be the original owners. Why inherit someone else’s problem? I often hear them say. They’d rather have the best warranty or service agreement available and they take comfort in knowing that they’ll treat their car well, make sure it’s maintained properly, and know it will last them for years and years.  The people who look for pre-owned cars tend to see it differently.  They realize that there’s a tremendous mark-up on new vehicles and simply driving a car off the dealer’s lot brings it’s price down thousands of dollars. Is the car really worth less because you drove a few hundred feet? they ask.  The answer is no, they know that the inflated price of a new automobile is inflated and would rather purchase a great car used and get more for their money.  And then there are those who lease. These are people who don’t see the value in owning at all.  They may be willing to pay a little more for the option of sending that car back to the dealer and upgrading or downgrading every few years. These are the people who love the flexibility and don’t mind paying a little more to ensure they won’t be stuck with something that no longer meets their needs in the future.

But what about networking equipment like routers, switches, memory components, and the like?  Is it better to lease, buy new, or purchase refurbished?

Well, in some ways, networking equipment is like a vehicle.  You only need one, it’s about as expensive, and if it doesn’t do what you need it to do, you’re in trouble.   The benefits of buying new include the best warranties and best service agreement options but you tend to pay much more for the new equipment than those two items are actually worth. Buying refurbished or leasing actually makes the most sense depending on your situation.  If your business is not what you consider stable (ie, growing quickly or could experience a significant downturn in the next couple of years), leasing is the way to go. It allows you to get out of an expensive network that you no longer need and allows you to quickly switch to one that accomodates your needs. It’s always current. This is an important difference between a car and networking equipment.  A car can wear out– it’s transmission can go, the electrical system can go and need to be replaced, but that’s just the point.  Those items can be replaced. Networks rely on technology and sometimes advances in technology can help save you lots of money. In addition, most of the time, leased equipment is protected with warranties that are just as good as if you’d purchased the product.

If your business is growing slowly but steadily, or not growing at all, refurbished makes the most sense. You will save thousands of dollars by simply buying used equipment. For example, you can purchase the PA-2T3+ serial port adapter from Cisco refurbished for under $400.  The manufacturer lists this product at $18,000.  At that savings, you could repurchase the product more than thirty times before you’ve paid what you would pay new.  But that won’t happen because legitimate companies offer warranties as good as the manufacturer’s warranty on refurbished products, so this notion of inheriting someone else’s problem isn’t the case with networking equipment.

Overall, saving money on your equipment by buying refurbished allows you the same flexibility as leasing in many respects.  Because you haven’t overspent, you can always sell back the refurbished product and upgrade or downgrade to another used system whenever your company’s needs dictate.