Cabletron's ARM SmartSwitch 6000 doubles as a router

Cabletron has launched a product that converts network switches into routers.

Cabletron has launched a product that converts network switches into routers.

The networking vendor said a switch module for the flagship network switch - SmartSwitch 6000, called the Advanced Router Module (ARM) - should appeal to users who may not have the need or the resources to buy a high-powered, standalone router. Within the ARM, two modular interface slots provide the flexibility to deploy combinations of Gigabit Ethernet, 10/100 Fast Ethernet, and Wan connectivity.

The new ARM should enable a basic switch to handle six million packets of data per second, compared with 2.2 million packets per second without the module.

However, Gareth Williams, industry analyst at Frost & Sullivan, said that when users migrate to a more advanced network infrastructure they will typically look for at a one-step upgrade, whereas Cabletron's product only provided a small part of the solution.

"Routing and switching functionality is getting blurred," he added.