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Software-defined networking is great technology, but the cost of new products is prohibitive for some companies. If yours is one, take a look at the secondary market and pre-owned equipment.

In a previous blog post, 5 reasons to buy refurbished Cisco equipment, I talked about five facts to keep in mind as you consider how to proceed with your Cisco hardware solutions.

Well, my engineering group reminded me of something else to consider for any hardware solution, not just a Cisco solution.

Cisco's Catalyst Multigigabit switches with NBASE-T will help users get more that 1 gig of speed from their existing infrastructure -- without having to rip everything up and replace it.

Over the past year, Cisco has raised prices on a number of networking devices throughout its portfolio. These increases are forcing many organizations to take action – finding a way to stretch your budget has become a challenge. We at CXtec have some suggestions on how you can combat rising Cisco prices.

Back in 2014, CXtec started the “Defend Your Investment” program. The program originally rewarded customers with toy Army men, after purchasing a equal2new® product to signify the advantage organizations have by defending their investment with pre-owned hardware. The Army men have since greeted jeeps, tanks, helicopters, ships, motorcycles and wooden gliders. Pre-owned equipment is an integral piece of maximizing value in a technology investment. Businesses should be rethinking their approach to network hardware as they can save 40% to 90% on network hardware. Here are some things to consider.

Shiny new Cisco equipment is appealing, but it is also pricey and could be overkill. Meanwhile, refurbished network equipment has many benefits you might be overlooking.

"More power" was something Captain Kirk had requested from Mr. Scott on numerous occasions in some form or fashion. "More" is one of many eternal human quests. Bigger, better, faster, now. Power over Ethernet is no different.

We aren't answering a distress call from Outpost 4 or trying to escape a Tholian web, that’s unfortunately true, but we are looking to find enough power so that our devices can operate effectively or in many cases at all.

So what’s the deal with Power over Ethernet or PoE?

Recently, there has been a lot of buzz around the HPE/Aruba M series of switches. Katie Taisey's curiosity led her to look and see what customers would receive from the M version of switches as compared to the F versions of the same switches.

In her latest blog post, Taisey looks specifically at the 2930F 48 POE+ (JL256A) versus the 2930M 48 POE+ (JL322A). The twist? Are you a gamer? Think of the 2930F as Fortnite and the 2930M as PUBG.

Last month it was Catalyst 9000 switches, and this month its routers. Yes, my project engineering staff have had a surprising amount of inquiries regarding routers.

Have you seen the buzz around the Cisco 8540 wireless controller? The 8540 controller is an impressive unit, featuring Cisco DNA and SD-ACCESS wireless - but with a price to match. Most customers in your shoes do not need DNA and SD-ACCESS wireless. In some cases, buyers don’t even know what this functionality is. If this is the case for you, there are alternative devices that won’t break the bank.

My project engineering staff has been getting more and more information requests for Cisco’s new line of Catalyst 9000 switches, especially the 9300 switch. That has me wondering why.

One of the hottest topics on the minds of our customers for 2018 continues to be their wireless infrastructure. As WLAN 802.11ac wave 2 devices becoming mainstream, Cisco has placed a stake in the ground claiming to be the “value leader.”

I had a customer ask for pricing on a high-end router recently. The sticker shock threw them into a panic. Have you ever been here? You’re looking for reliable network hardware equipment, but the price resembles your house payment. Now is the time to take a step back and evaluate what your true needs are.

In general, there are three types of switching solutions: standalone, stacked, and chassis. As the middle child, I’m biased towards a stacked switching solution – my reasons may be skewed, but even within the stacking world there is stacking and then there is true stacking. One of the major benefits to all stacking is simplified management. Before stacking came along, you had to daisy chain multiple switches together and configure them separately by logging in with a different IP address one by one.