Extreme moves cloud-based network management to the edge

Extreme Networks has unveiled a cloud-based network management package called ExtremeCloud Edge that lets customers administer their growing edge-based resources regardless of their location.

The company also expanded its portfolio of Universal switches with new core and aggregation boxes and released a new power-efficient Wi-Fi 6E access point.

The ExtremeCloud Edge package unifies the company’s core ExtremeCloud applications, which include the ExtremeCloud IQ wireless and wired network-management offering, CoPilot AI-based management tool, and SD-WAN. With an integrated package, customers can deploy a variety of management and networking features, from analytics and AI support to edge networks, all via a single cloud-based console.

The idea is to offer cloud consumers a simple way to manage edge networks and automate tedious tasks, such as device provisioning, configuration, and troubleshooting.

For some customers, there’s a reluctance to use public cloud providers such as Amazon and AWS because of latency, governance, sovereignty, or security issues, according to Extreme. That concern is eliminated with ExtremeCloud Edge because it provides the entire stack of applications, which customers can locate in the edge data center or wherever they want, and all of the data stays resident there, Extreme stated.

ExtremeCloud Edge will be available this summer for select partners, and it includes ExtremeCloud IQ, ExtremeCloud SD-WAN, and Extreme Intuitive Insights applications. Extreme’s entire application portfolio will be generally available to all customers, across the cloud continuum from edge to public environments, in early 2024, the company says.

On the hardware side, Extreme expanded its line of Universal switches with three new boxes – the 7520, 7720 and 8820 – that the company says are high-density, deep buffer, switch routers designed for large enterprise networks. 

As with other switches in the Universal Switching lineup, the new devices let customers pick and choose wired or wireless where they need it, or upgrade software to both new and legacy equipment. The universal hardware products can be deployed across a wired or wireless edge, aggregation, and wiring-closet environments.

The 7520 comes in two fixed form models: a 48 x 1Gb/10Gb 10GBaseT copper port version and a 48 x 1Gb/10Gb/25Gb SFP28 fiber port form factor. The boxes can be used as switches for leaf, spine, aggregation, or core applications, Extreme stated.

The 7720 lets customers address higher-speed core switching needs with up to 32 x 100Gb ports.

The 7720 supports Extreme’s Fabric Connect, which lets customers automate discovery and configuration of fabric-enabled switches and access points. With this integration, customers can more easily extend connectivity to new sites while keeping costs low and improving security, visibility and application performance, Extreme stated.

The Extreme 8820 switch is aimed at large enterprises and service providers and can be used in the data center as a border leaf or spine switch and provide core aggregation, Extreme stated.   

The 8820 will be available in 40 x 100GB or 80 x 100Gb (QSFP28) configurations, with the ability to split to 4 x 25/10Gb resulting in either 80 x 40Gb, 144 x 25Gb, 144 x 10Gb or, with the 8820-40C, to 40 x 40Gb, 72 x 25Gb, 72 x 10Gb configurations, the vendor stated.

Lastly, Extreme rolled out a new Wi-Fi 6E access point, the AP300, that’s available now. It includes two 2×2:2 radios and can aggregate data rates up to 4.8 Gbps. in the 6 GHz, 5 GHz, and 2.4 GHz bands. The box is aimed at dense or harsh environments, such as classrooms, warehouses, healthcare clinics, and manufacturing applications.

The AP is lean and green, Extreme says, and is designed to optimize performance using 13.9 watts of power versus the 30 watts many industry APs require.