4/2/2007 -- Hewlett-Packard Co.'s ProCurve networking division last week added a pair of new switches to its lineup of Layer 2 switching offerings.

HP plans to pitch its new ProCurve 1400 and 1700 Series switches to midmarket companies and other organizations that don't have large IT staffs or significant in-house networking expertise.

The ProCurve 1700 series switches come in either eight or 24 10/100 port configurations; they feature Web-based management capabilities and support at least one dual personality Gigabit port. The ProCurve 1400 series, on the other hand, features eight or 24 10/100/1000 ports.

Analysts say the combination of price and management ease -- along with the attractiveness of their quiet operation (via fanless design) -- could give HP's newest Layer 2 deliverables an SMB edge.

"[B]ecause of the aggressive price points for the 1400 and 1700 series switches...[and the fact that they're] backed by HP's lifetime warranty, the new offerings make an attractive option for not only the SMB/SME customer, but also the larger enterprise, offering a new choice for conference room, workgroup and remote office solutions," wrote Michael Brandenburg, an analyst for enterprise network systems with consultancy Current Analysis.

Both the 1400 and 1700 fill in an entry-level gap in HP's ProCurve product line, Brandenburg said. They're priced at a slight premium, at least relative to some of HP's low-price switching competitors, but HP also has a trump card to play in this respect: Its lifetime warranty which, Brandenburg concluded, helps "ProCurve stand out from the pack." --Stephen Swoyer