Linux router

Linux Router Stands Alone : Sangoma.com tries to overcome skepticism of its router card solution among enterprise managers - Company Business and Marketing

Though convinced his Linux-based integrated router cards have big league potential, Gary Collins said he's tired of being ignored when he knocks on the enterprise door.

Collins, president of Sangoma.com, a Markham, Ont.-based vendor of wide-area network products, said it's the lack of interest which has forced him to focus his company's marketing efforts on medium-size businesses.

"It's all about security," Collins said. " The risk factor for them (IT managers) in deploying new technology points directly to job security. That's why the small- to medium- sized bus will usually pick up new technologies. There's a price/performance consideration and the risk is smaller."

The product, known as WANpipe, was launched nearly four years ago and is in fact a routing solution rather than a router, Collins added. Because LAN routing capabilities are now built-in to today's servers, a LAN interface card such as WANpipe can leverage the server's memory, disk storage and processing power and connect to the WAN.

Given the availability of these features, a stand-alone router -- and its assortment of power and data cables -- is neither desirable nor necessary, Collins added.

While the stand-alone modem has virtually disappeared in the world of personal computing, it continues to thrive in the enterprise, though Collins said he expects the same trend will catch up to the corporate space as well.

"The router is nothing but a big modem. This will move into the card," Collins said.

What makes the lack of enterprise interest particularly strange, said Collins, is the alternative to the stand-alone could go a long way to saving enterprise IT manager time and money.

"I certainly believe it is (well-suited). It's even better than an external device because there's fewer points of failure. The router business grew out of a proprietary operating system. Therefore, you have to be a Cisco engineer ... That's a huge cost component."

Then there's WANpipe's Linux factor. According to Collins, anyone familiar with Windows, Unix or Linux is qualified to put the cards in and manage the server as a router.

As well, the Linux platform continues to gain acceptance in the enterprise: Collins cited figures that show Linux server shipments were up 166 per cent in Q4 1999.

"So not only is it cheaper, comparatively, it's way easier to implement, because you can have your reseller do the installations very easily. You reduce the cost of training and you can manage and deploy it much easier. In those cases, it's certainly much better than deploying an external device."

As well, WANpipe software features debugging capabilities which can automatically pinpointing problems, Collins added.

Dan McLean, network analyst with IDC Canada in Toronto said the concept of moving away from the standalone router is much-talked about though largely unproven concept.

"People are looking to move large functions such as routing and distribute them to other points throughout the network," McLean said, which includes integration with desktops as well as servers, he added.

However, McLean said larger IT shops are likely to continue using proprietary technology from better established vendors such as Cisco and Nortel and added that given the former's dominance, it will not be easy for companies such as Sangoma.com to be heard.

"People aren't just going to step to this thing," McLean said. "They need some customer references, some really successful implementations."