Extreme Beats Cisco in Convergence

LONDON -- Recent tests have further demonstrated that Extreme Networks, Inc.'s (Nasdaq: EXTR) market-leading BlackDiamond® 6808 and Summit®48si Ethernet switching platforms provide superior performance and a better value for IP convergence applications when compared to Cisco Systems Catalyst 6500 series and 3550 series switches supporting Cisco's AVVID architecture.Tests performed by The Tolly Group underscored that Extreme Networks' high performance switching solutions, featuring Quality of Service (QoS), delivered toll-quality voice traffic even during periods of congestion on both the inter-switch links and in the network backbone while Cisco's Catalyst switching platform began to suffer at just 40 percent of network utilisation. Network architects using Extreme Networks' multi-layer switching solutions as the underlying network infrastructure can support Cisco AVVID voice traffic alongside data. Notably, the Extreme Networks infrastructure tested by the Tolly Group costs approximately 50 percent less than the similarly equipped Cisco switching infrastructure under test.Extreme delivered consistent voice quality, latency and jitter even as congestion levels rose to 100 percent of network utilisation of core switch ports and interswitch links. The Cisco Catalyst product solution did not maintain delivery of priority traffic streams during the same oversubscribed times, even with QoS mechanisms enabled. AVVID equipment used in this test consisted of the Cisco Call Manager and the Cisco 7960 series IP telephones.This Tolly report can be accessed directly via the Internet: http://www.extremenetworks.com/go/TollyExtremeAwidWP.htm"Enterprises must confirm the performance of their network infrastructure before introducing converged services across their network," said Martin van Schooten, marketing director, EMEA for Extreme Networks. "Extreme delivers the necessary performance capabilities to implement VoIP resulting in a clearly superior network foundation when compared to Cisco switches on the AVVID architecture."Extreme Networks Inc.Tolly Group