Let’s take a simple, two-step analogy and tie it to new enterprise-grade offerings from network equipment manufacturer Edgecore Networks.
Imagine you're trying to water a large garden using just a small watering can. It’d take a long time. Instead, consider using a long, industrial hose connected to a powerful water source. That’d nail the job, efficiency-wise.
In a smart city environment, devices like traffic lights, security cameras, and many other smart-enabled systems need a lot of “water” (i.e. electricity, per this analogy) in order to function properly. Here, a smart switch basically acts like that long hose, ensuring that the right devices get the power they need.
That’s how the garden thrives with more than a watering can, so to speak. That’s the first step.
Now, let’s consider a garden with myriad plant types, each requiring different amounts of proper care; water, sunlight, fertilizer, the works. Some need regular attention (per a schedule) while others might be more “plug and play” in terms of attentiveness. What was once a simpler setup, much like evolving smart city needs, now demands smarter solutions regarding varying power supplies. To that end, you can’t just take a traditional power source and spray with a single uncontrolled hose, cross your fingers, and go off hope alone that your diverse garden gets what it needs.
Enter, again, smart switches. (Here, akin to an advanced irrigation system.) This system can precisely direct water (i.e. power) to specific sources with exactness. So, in a smart city context, smart switches intelligently direct power to streetlamps, roadways, and sensor networks (to name a few), ensuring they receive the right amount of electricity without wasting energy.
That’s the second step.
Just as a gardener or farmer may use advanced irrigation (e.g. valves and controllers) to manage water distribution, a smart switch uses electronic circuits and software to then manage power distribution. This enhances efficiencies, leading to smoother operations.
That, of course, is just one way to look at something like this. Not too reductive, but also not blatantly overcomplicated. Just efficient.
That’s what Edgecore Networks provides for data centers, telecommunication service providers, smart city ops, etc. And last week, Edgecore presented the latest additions to its smart switch lineup for enterprises: the ECS4150-54T and ECS4150-54P, along with its innovative ECS1100 series of PoE smart switches. They’re poised to elevate scalable performance across diverse “gardens,” if you will; from SMBs to large network providers and beyond.
For high-speed connectivity, the ECS4150-54T and ECS4150-54P are Gigabit Ethernet access switches equipped with six 25G SFP28 uplinks. These are tailored for ISPs, MSOs and cloud edge access for campus networks, multi-layered facilities, etc.
The ECS1100 series, including ECS1100-5P and ECS1100-10HP, represents a cutting-edge product line of Lite-L2 managed switches (offering robust surge protection), making it perfect for high-power devices and CCTV deployment. According to Edgecore, “Small but complete in every detail, the ECS1100 series offers comprehensive solutions with 5-10 ports and PoE capabilities ranging from 120W to 250W, making it a cost-effective choice in managed PoE switches for small offices, coffee shops, and more.”
Additional feature highlights include, but are not limited to:
- 802.3bt High Power PoE - ECS1100-10HP and ECS4150-54P both support 802.3bt PoE, enabling power to be supplied to multiple high-power devices such as key access points, VoIP phones, surveillance cameras, IoT devices, and more.
- Intelligent PD Alive Checking - The PD-Alive checking is ideal for IP surveillance networks, it can automatically check the connection status of real-time “PDs” (or powered devices) and restart them when systems detect network connectivity problems, ensuring hassle-free power consumption monitoring and enhancing network reliability.
- PoE Extend Mode - The PoE Extend Mode provides an extended power and data delivery distance of up to 250m for PoE devices (such as CCTV and IoT devices in large areas) while maintaining a stable 10Mbps speed.
“Drawing on our extensive expertise in switch product design and manufacturing, the teams at Edgecore cover a diverse array of switch offerings; these cover data centers, telecom, and enterprise applications,” said Edgecore Networks Vice President TT Hsu. “This enables us to deliver top-notch networking solutions of the highest quality; ones that cater to the distinctive needs of various customer profiles.”
Edgecore Networks will make select orders available later this year. Further updates and support can be found here.
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
