Samsung Enters Enterprise Networking Market, Introduces Convergence Platforms
"Today's network is experiencing unprecedented changes," says Youngsoo Ryu, the General Manager and Senior Vice President at Samsung. "While data and voice convergence is in full swing, wired and wireless convergence is beginning to gather momentum. We see incredible opportunities to address the new growing market, where a single converged network providing voice, data, and video over any access medium is increasingly becoming wireless. In fact, taking historical technology advancements as evidence, all access to the network will be done wirelessly in the near future, and we certainly intend to be a driving force as this market develops."
Samsung plans to deliver convergence for the enterprise market. "The enterprise market presents an obvious choice for us because competitive pressures encourage enterprises to pioneer in new technologies to drive out cost and increase productivity. In other words, economies of scale mean that they have the most to gain by being faster at adapting new technologies and that will definitely be the case for the mobility-enable networks Samsung is developing," explains Youngsoo Ryu.
Specifically, Samsung plans to introduce products in four areas that represent convergence points: Networking Infrastructure, Voice Communications, Mobility, and Security. At the center of these changes is Internet Protocol, therefore, the future network must be protected from IP-based malicious attacks. With all these new user devices, Samsung has made security the top priority, and it will play an integral part of Samsung enterprise solutions going forward.
The initial products for Network Infrastructure are the Ubigate iBG Series Convergence Platforms. The Ubigate iBG Series delivers features such as routing, switching, security and voice integration into a single platform for easy management, reduction in total cost of ownership, and return on investment. The Ubigate iBG Series offers customers carrier-class routing, including MPLS, large switching port-density, unified threat management, and VoIP features. Ubigate iBG Series supports both analog and digital voice interfaces, as well as IP Telephony for the total package in voice communication.
The Ubigate iBG Series product line comes in four different models. The iBG3026, designed for medium to large sites, is available for orders now in Korea and China, and will be rolled out throughout the world by the end of 2006. The iBG2016 and the iBG2006, targeted for smaller offices, will be available worldwide later this year. The larger iBG3046, targeted for enterprise headquarters, will be available in the second quarter of 2007.
Samsung has already recruited market leaders as its partners. As a part of the strategic alliance announcement made in December of 2005, Samsung has finished basic interoperability tests and is now carrying out advanced tests between the Samsung Ubigate iBG Series and Avaya voice solution. Samsung has also recently concluded interoperability tests with Meru Networks and both companies have entered into a solution partnership. On the security side, Samsung is actively working with Microsoft to provide comprehensive end-point security through integration with Network Access Protection, Microsoft's policy enforcement platform.
"This is an exciting and historical time for Samsung," said Kitae Lee, the President of Telecommunications Business at Samsung. "We believe that the data/voice and fixed/mobile convergence market presents a large, untapped opportunity for us and we can provide unprecedented values to our customers as we have done in the mobile handset and semi-conductor markets. We are very committed to this new initiative, and by leveraging the full range of products, Samsung will offer the most complete convergence solution set in the market."
SOURCE: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.