HP's switch carries lifetime warranty

Network Architecture This newsletter is sponsored by Secure Computing Webinar: Securing up network access Learn how token-based, one-time password authentication systems can help enterprises reduce business risk, better comply with regulations, are easy to manage and most importantly keep networks secure. Tune in to this webinar. Network World's Network Architecture Newsletter, 09/13/07 HP's switch carries lifetime warranty By Jeff Caruso ProCurve Networking by HP this week introduced a core LAN switch, but one of the most interesting aspects of the switch isn't the backplane capacity or the ports. It's the warranty. HP is offering a lifetime warranty on the device, which the company defines this way: "For as long as a product is owned, with next-business-day advance replacement (available in most countries)." Switch owners will be entitled to "standard next business day advanced-replacement (availability varies by location) with phone and e-mail support." HP notes that it also provides software and firmware updates for its product line. Network World Buyer's Guides Find the right products for your enterprise - fast. With seven categories - security, storage, convergence and VoIP, network infrastructure, network applications, wireless and LAN/WAN management - you can quickly pinpoint the hardware or software you need. With the side-by-side comparison tool you can evaluate product features and make the best purchase decisions for your enterprise. Click here to go to the Buyer's Guides now. The intent, of course, is to provide customers with a certain level of peace of mind. While HP is second only to Cisco in the enterprise LAN hardware market, the company faces a lot of competition from the very well-entrenched leader, as well as a host of other companies like Foundry Networks and Extreme Networks. Introducing the product with a lifetime warranty is one way of getting some attention and standing out from the crowd. Dell'Oro Group recently reported that HP grew worldwide port shipments 46% in the second quarter of 2007, compared to the same period in 2006 - and that's more than twice the industry growth rate. Plus, HP expanded its Power over Ethernet (PoE) shipments 249% during that time, compared to the overall market's growth of 60%. That puts HP second in the market for PoE with 10% market share. HP is also second in Layer 2 and Layer 3 total Gigabit and 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports. HP continues to make waves, and the warranty is the latest step in that process. What do you think? Does the warranty matter?   What do you think? Post a comment on this newsletter

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Contact the author: Jeff Caruso is managing editor of online news for Network World. He oversees daily online news posting and newsletter editing, and writes the NetFlash daily news summary, the High-Speed LANs newsletter and the Voices of Networking newsletter. Contact him at jcaruso@nww.com This newsletter is sponsored by Secure Computing Webinar: Securing up network access Learn how token-based, one-time password authentication systems can help enterprises reduce business risk, better comply with regulations, are easy to manage and most importantly keep networks secure. Tune in to this webinar. ARCHIVE Archive of the Network Architecture Newsletter. BONUS FEATURE IT PRODUCT RESEARCH AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Get detailed information on thousands of products, conduct side-by-side comparisons and read product test and review results with Network World’s IT Buyer’s Guides. Find the best solution faster than ever with over 100 distinct categories across the security, storage, management, wireless, infrastructure and convergence markets. Click here for details. PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered to your inbox each day. Extend your knowledge with a print subscription to the Network World newsweekly, Apply here today. International subscribers, click here. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World newsletter, change your e-mail address or contact us, click here. This message was sent to: networking.world@gmail.com. Please use this address when modifying your subscription. Advertising information: Write to Associate Publisher Online Susan Cardoza Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 Copyright Network World, Inc., 2007