9/28/2004 -- Last week, Cisco Systems, Inc. fleshed out its MDS 9000 series Multilayer Intelligent directors and fabric switches with two new products. In addition, Cisco introduced a number of new software features for the MDS 9000 series, including a new version 2.0 release of its SAN-OS.

For the record, Cisco introduced the MDS 9216i fabric switch and the MDS 9000 Multiprotocol Services Module, which are equipped with 14 Fibre Channel ports (2 Gbps) along with two Gigabit Ethernet ports. Officials say the new Multiprotocol Service Module is designed for use with any of the company’s MDS 9000 modular chassis products, specifically Cisco’s MDS 9500 Series directors and the MDS 9200 Series Modular fabric switches. The standalone Cisco MDS 9216i, on the other hand, is similar to the 9216 and 9216A but supports any of Cisco’s MDS 9000 series modules.

Steven Schuchart, an analyst with consultancy Current Analysis Inc., says Cisco’s new SAN products and SAN-OS 2.0 release are designed to be complementary, as well as to emphasize Cisco’s commitments to the extension of SANS onto IP networks and multiprotocol support. “Cisco knows very well from its experience in the Ethernet market that favoritism for one protocol or another leads to dissatisfied customers,” he writes. “With its dominant IP and Ethernet solution portfolio, Cisco stands to gain from SAN extension onto the IP network more than any other vendor in the SAN market.”

In this respect, he says, SAN-OS 2.0 is a major release from Cisco, boasting security enhancements and a bevy of new features.

“Cisco has not only improved its security position with encryption for data in transit with AES and IPSec based encryption but has added features to serve the SAN extension market,” he writes. “Tape acceleration and hardware assisted data compression for FCIP applications will put Cisco in a good position for the SAN extension market, where every byte counts.”

Schuchart notes, however, that Cisco once again finds itself at a competitive disadvantage vis-à-vis most of its competitors. “While all of these SAN extension features are a good thing for Cisco, they are far from the first to market and are clearly late to market with a comprehensive SAN solution,” he writes. “In addition to that, Cisco isn’t even shipping any of these products yet — expecting them to ship in the beginning of Q4 2004.”

In this respect, he notes, Cisco’s intention announcement could be enough to give some fence-sitting customers pause. “Making the announcement so close to the finish of qualification testing is a move that is designed to get customers that are considering alternate solutions from competing vendors to hesitate and wait for Cisco,” he speculates.

At the same time, Schuchart notes, Cisco has its work cut out for it in this space, its reputation and clout notwithstanding. “The truth is that in this area, Cisco is playing catch-up to Brocade and McDATA, both of which have dedicated SAN extension products already shipping,” he writes. “Cisco is starting from almost ground zero, with only a slight bump from the now-discontinued SN5400 series of SAN routers. SAN-OS 2.0 is a nice feature upgrade, as is the MDS 9216, but neither product is particularly groundbreaking and Cisco’s strengths are still with its particular modular approach, VSAN capabilities, and familiarity for administrators who are used to Cisco devices, particularly at the command line.” -Stephen Swoyer