Gigabit Ethernet has become quite inexpensive for implementation in the core of the enterprise. QoS standards compliance will play a critical role in the adoption of core switching platforms. The ability to provide higher levels of priority to delay-sensitive traffic will be important in the adoption of new convergence platforms. QoS and policy-based management have been important for users purchasing core and data center switches, but, moving forward, customers will actually need to use these features. This means that IT managers will need to know that these features can be implemented with ease and efficiency.
Tools are well underway to simplify the deployment of QoS in the enterprise.
These policy-based managers will continue to evolve to manage not only QoS, but authentication and access control as well. There is still significant room or growth in the policy-based management market, especially as it pertains to authentication and VPN access, as well as burgeoning new security methods, such as 802.1X. Users are looking for support guarantees from vendors, seeking promises that a given vendor will be able to support its equipment for the long haul, and in a timely manner. The abrupt exit of 3Com from the core enterprise market last year has left many users wary of vendors that may be considered marginal in support abilities. The overall outlook for core switching is very positive. Vendors continue to find new and innovative ways to alleviate the burden of managing the network while simultaneously improving network performance and functionality.