3Com’s New Router Offering - It Comes with an Application Stack!
Networkworld has this feature about 3Com’s new router offering that comes with an application stack that allows enterprise users to attach blade-type Linux servers on it. Yup, application stack on the network layer.
The news marks the company’s first significant product launch since 3Com veteran Edgar Masri rejoined the company as its CEO in August (see our Q&A with Masri). The move comes two months after 3Com bought out its joint venture with Huawei Technologies, the China-based network vendor that co-developed and built 3Com’s midsize- and large-enterprise infrastructure products.
3Com’s OSN module is a Linux-based server blade that fits into the company’s 6000 series routers. It is designed to run applications that benefit from being close to the network layer, the company says. The blade will operate inside the 6000 unit on top of the core IP routing and security layer, which runs on a proprietary operating system and hardware, as before. Administrators would control the OSN blade through a Web-based interface, independent of the control interface for the 6000 device.
I can think of a number of services that could benefit from this. Network applications should live closer to the network core like firewalls, VPNs, NATs, DHCP, DNS, authentication and many others. This seems like an interesting way to “revive” 3Com’s failed entry into the network router business.
