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The MTCs provide three offerings, matching the different stages in customers' evaluation process: strategy briefings, architecture design sessions and proof-of-concept (POC) workshops. The new ProCurve network is particularly useful for the POC workshops, where the infrastructure must be essentially rebuilt every week to simulate a new customer's information technology (IT) environment.
"Our business relies on our ability to provide high-performance simulations - accurate
emulations of customers' real-world environments," said Jauch. "ProCurve has higher speeds, higher throughput, and lets us simulate a larger network than our previous equipment. And the ProCurve network is easy to reconfigure quickly, which gives us increased flexibility to assemble the often complex POC projects for a variety of different customers who have vastly different requirements."
In addition, the ProCurve network can handle the MTCs' ever-increasing network security demands, enabling them to run several completely separate POC engagements at the same time.
The PoE functionality built into all ProCurve 5400 switches has also improved the POC engagements by simplifying the unified communications demonstration, which features a number of different IP telephone brands. With the built-in PoE capability, phones can be connected anywhere without the need to worry about how to power them. Fewer cables, fewer devices and greater simplicity have made the MTCs' unified communications demonstration even more compelling.
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MTCs host multiple POC engagements at the same time, and each requires a different configuration of hardware and software running on a separate Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN). This means that the POC environment has to be taken apart and rebuilt every week, and it is essential that it be recreated as quickly as possible with minimal disruption.
Previously, the POC engagements required the MTCs to pull together a network of equipment and software to meet each customer's individual requirements. In contrast, the ProCurve 5400 switches provide flexibility across all of the MTC's desktops and servers. Additionally, the ProCurve Manager Plus software (PCM+) and Identity Driven Manager (IDM) monitoring tools have proven to be much more powerful and user-friendly than the older solution, making it much easier for the MTCs to manage their VLANs.
Replacing the previous switch solution with the more powerful ProCurve offering was done seamlessly without any disruptions to ongoing projects.
Lars Lindstedt, head of the U.K. MTC, compared the process at that facility to a heart transplant: "The ease of installation of the ProCurve equipment was a tribute not just to the technology, but also to the ProCurve engineers and the MTC staff who worked through a weekend to get the job done. We took out our previous vendor infrastructure on the Friday evening and by Monday morning we were fully up and running with the whole network replaced. There would have been six very unhappy customers if that had not gone smoothly. Our customers are big organizations and the projects we do are major ones, so this is a far from trivial exercise for us."
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Microsoft and ProCurve jointly present to clients such as financial institutions, where security is a major concern and a highly available network is a must. With the aid of technologies such as the recently introduced ProCurve Network Immunity Manager and ProCurve Network Access Control Module 800 integrated into the ProCurve portfolio, all managed by the PCM+ network management tool, security threats are effectively countered.
Additionally, the Silicon Valley MTC was the site of the first implementation of Microsoft's Network Access Protection (NAP) technology, which has been deployed at all MTCs worldwide. Like all the other MTC technologies, NAP is running on the ProCurve network.
Significantly, all customers visiting an MTC anywhere in the world will be exposed to ProCurve solutions.
"ProCurve Networking by HP is the only IP switching networking partner in the Microsoft Technology Centers worldwide," said Jauch. "The ProCurve network is mission-critical for MTC, and it baselines everything we offer. There is no other piece of the MTC that every customer touches."
What's more, whereas other products used in the MTCs
- e.g., computers, servers, storage - have at least two vendor options, ProCurve is the only category that doesn't have an alternative. "We chose to have only a single, exclusive networking option because networking is so critical to our operations," explained Jauch.
John Mathieu, Director, Microsoft Technology Center Global Alliance concludes: "Our Microsoft Technology Centers require state-of-the-art technology combined with reliability that is easy to configure, manage and maintain. If you take these elements into consideration, ProCurve Networking is a great choice."
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Microsoft wanted to replace its outdated network solution at its Microsoft Technology Centers (MTCs) with one that was more powerful, secure and manageable, to demonstrate its leading-edge technologies to a variety of customers with very different requirements.
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- Replaced existing and outdated switch network with ProCurve 5412zl switches, with integrated Gigabit Power over Ethernet (PoE)
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IT Improvements
- Much easier to reconfigure the network on a daily basis thanks to the manageability of the new ProCurve network.
- The ProCurve solution provides more network ports and greater bandwidth but has a much smaller physical footprint than the previous vendor's equipment.
- The MTCs can more simply provide security across a variety of Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs).
- ProCurve switches' integrated PoE capability enables VoIP phones to be connected anywhere without worrying about how to power them.
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- Reliable and robust networking solution reduces the risk of disrupting ongoing engagements.
- Ability to securely isolate proof-of-concept engagements for security-conscious clients.
- Increased productivity and ability to provide major enterprises and Independent Software Vendors (ISPs) with realistic demonstrations of leading-edge technologies.
- Peace of mind provided by ProCurve's leading lifetime warranty*, as well as its unmatched reliability, built-in convergence and highly flexible, open infrastructure.
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Hardware
- ProCurve Switch 5412zl
- ProCurve Switch 5406-48G
- ProCurve Access Point 530
Software, Service & Support
- ProCurve Manager Plus (PCM+) networking management software
- Identity Driven Manager (IDM) plug-in to PCM+
- Lifetime warranty on most products*
- Software updates, telephone and email technical support**
- Comprehensive network design and configuration services**
*For as long as you own the product, with next-business day advance replacement (available in most countries). The following hardware products and their related family modules have a one-year warranty with extensions available: The ProCurve Routing Switch 9300m Series, ProCurve Switch 8100fl Series, ProCurve Access Control Server 745wl and the ProCurve Network Access Controller 800. Standalone software may have a different warranty duration. For details, refer to the ProCurve Software License, Warranty and Support booklet at: http://www.hp.com/rnd/support/warranty/index.htm
**For the most up-to-date information, go to www.procurve.com.
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The ProCurve Networking business unit of HP delivers wired and wireless enterprise networking products, services and solutions. The foundation for ProCurve's business model is the Adaptive Networks strategy in which networks are adaptive to users, applications and an organization's needs.
Further information on ProCurve networking solutions and products is available at www.procurve.com.
When you are ready to explore the benefits a ProCurve Networking solution can offer you, call HP at 1−800−975−7682.
Purchase: HP business solutions, products, and supplies can be purchased at your local HP partner, or bought directly from HP either online or by calling 1−800−613−2222.
Finance: HP finance plans provide all the benefits of new technology without the risk or cost of ownership. For details, call 1−888−999−4783.
Accessibility: HP is committed to providing products and services that are accessible to people with disabilities. For more information, please visit the HP Accessibility web site or call 1−888−259−5707.
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