Alcatel-Lucent's Data Center Plan Takes Promising Applications Angle

| Apr 6, 2011 | Enterprise Networking
| Analyst: Mike Spanbauer

Event Summary

April 5, 2011 - Alcatel-Lucent enters data center fray with the Application Fluency Network. Coupled with a new top of rack switch, the OmniSwitch 6900 and Virtual Machine Manager, a management application plugging into the VitalSuite platform, Alcatel-Lucent feels it delivers a unique solution for enterprises today. With a strong presence in the service provider environment, Alcatel-Lucent believes this new data center offering will attract new Enterprises both on feature merit and scale.

Quick Take

Analytical Summary

• Current Perspective: Positive on Alcatel-Lucent’s Application Fluency data center launch as it demonstrates forethought into the greatest challenges that customers face and attempts to stay a step ahead. With the explosion of virtualization, the next logical step in network performance and ultimately user experience, is to have the network regulate itself for optimum results. This offering is a step in that direction and, while not the first, is a strong entrance point for Alcatel-Lucent in the enterprise data center ecosystem theater.

• Vendor Importance: High to Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise as the challenge to gain market share and market visibility remains. This offering brings something unique to the enterprise table to discuss as customers look to their data center architecture and how to prepare for (or accommodate current) cloud requirements.

• Market Impact: Moderate on data center technology as the offering, while compelling, requires customers to displace a networking incumbent in order to bring in a new solution. The enterprise data center, perhaps more than any other area in an enterprise network, is the home of the risk averse and overcoming those fears, however irrational they may be, will be one of the greatest challenges that Alcatel-Lucent faces.

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