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HPE/Aruba’s 802.11AC Wave 2 access points offer extra features - multi-user MIMO and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) being some of the most notable, but also allows users to take advantage of the new IEEE 802.3bz standard for multi-gig Ethernet.

Our team had the opportunity to exhibit at last week’s Gartner IT Financial, Procurement & Asset Management Summit. The summit featured a very engaged audience – everyone there was looking to improve their technology strategies in some fashion. Here are several of the major recurring themes we saw addressed at the summit.

When considering adding switches to your edge, many people often assume stackables are the only way to go. However, there is another option - a chassis solution. We take the time every day to help recommend what may be best for anyone's unique network. In the Cisco world, you may be considering a member from the 3750 or 3850 family, but don’t forget the 6509E chassis is always an option.

Star Wars is a great movie. An instant classic. Only a few short years after the release of the original, The Empire Strikes Back took something great and made it even better. This isn't always the case with movie part two's (maybe because Empire is actually Episode V), but in the world of wireless sequels, this trend continues to ring true.

For those of you that have purchased Cisco Catalyst 6500s, you know how powerful, versatile and dependable they are. But there’s yet another reason to be happy about your purchase; you don’t have to ditch an expensive chassis system when Cisco lists it as end of sale (EoS). Cisco has created a path forward to their 6807 chassis!

When you compare throughput and routing/switching capacity within the HPE switch lines, making a decision on what to buy can become less about cramming as much as possible into your shrinking budget and more about designing a better network.

Independence is not something to be taken lightly. I think of independence as the ability to do what you wish, what you feel is best for you, as opposed to what outside forces want you to do. Working for CXtec, a leading provider in secondary market networking equipment, puts me in a unique position to help customers exert their independence. We call it Technology @ Your Pace®.

Just like dealing with fire, there are some important factors you’ll want to think about before you get into the business of protecting your network. If you don't, it could get out of control and all go up in flames.

On June 11, Microsoft announced its latest product in the Xbox series - Xbox One X.           Previously referred to as Xbox Project Scorpio, Xbox One X will be in stores on November 7 but is already receiving a lot of buzz.  With all this hype around the new release, it made me wonder if it was time to upgrade to the next generation in the Xbox One family. This is the same decision HP customers are facing when they look to upgrade or purchase HP 5400 chassis equipment.

When the FCC released its official document (FCC 14-30A1) in April of 2014, wireless manufacturers were given two years to cease the sale of the old standard 5 Ghz radio spec. This is what led Cisco to shift from the -A part number to the -B part number now present in their wireless access points.

You know how important it is to set up a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) for your IP network. It can greatly increase your efficiency by eliminating the need to manually configure every device. If you're assigning DHCP options to Avaya 9600 Series or Avaya 4600 Series phones, we have a resource that can really help you out.

Is your wireless network growing? Of course it is; isn’t everybody’s? As this happens, you’re forced to add access points and purchase more licenses to handle that larger quantity of APs. Which is fine, but it’s important to consider the strategy you use. Making a smart decision can allow you to potentially save big budget money.

Compatibility is an important concept. Most people can relate! You want a job that’s compatible with your skill set, and a partner whose interests match yours. It just makes sense. When it comes to technology, compatibility is a must to ensure that systems run smoothly. Brand-name SFPs from Cisco can be extremely costly, creating a challenge when you’re trying to stay on budget. Luckily there is an alternative: Cisco compatible SFPs.

Recently, Avaya announced its plan of reorganization meant to reduce its debt by more than $4 billion. For those looking to support Avaya infrastructures in their network, this is a good sign. But it’s just the first step. In this time of uncertainty, we’ve been advising everyone we speak with not to panic.

While we can’t advise you on which streaming service to use (although season one of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is now available on Netflix… by the power of GreySkull anyone?) or which kitchen gadget is the best, we can talk switches. We think the new Nintendo Switch is pretty sweet, but at CXtec our true expertise lies in networking technology.

Finding a trustworthy, dependable secondary market hardware vendor can become a near-impossible task. If you don’t do your due diligence, the quest can exhaust your resources and budget, while assets sit idle and your network isn’t performing optimally.

The main benefit to Multigigabit is that it’s for switches that have the latest/greatest 802.11ac Wave 2 wireless APs connected to them. The term refers to a port’s ability to connect to devices (like APs) that require more than 1 gig of throughput. If you really want to get technical, the speeds supported by Cisco’s Multigigabit ports are 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps, 2.5 Gbps, and 5 Gbps on Cat5e cable, and up to 10 Gbps over Cat6a cabling.

You have your network up and running, and you’re seriously considering your recovery plan and your maintenance options. Who do you turn to? The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or a third-party maintenance provider?