[f-nsp] Extreme Networks bought MLX/VDX/SLX - what about future ?

[Wilbur Smith]

Wanted to send a quick update. Please regard my info as “unofficial” because Brocade hasn’t made any formal announcements, but the entire PM & Engineering teams for MLX, VDX, SLX, & StackStorm are slated to move over to Extreme. This is good news because it means Extreme will keep investing in these products and their roadmaps; there wouldn’t be a reason to bring all of the teams over (and pay their salaries) if Extreme was planning on sun setting these products early. Hopefully your account teams will have some additional details on what the transition plan is over the next few weeks. One challenge on sharing information is FTC rules about sharing information before the actual sale goes through, but as we get closer to the close date more info should be coming. 

On a side note, the Virtual SLX-OS code should be posted to MyBrocade soon; this is a modified version of SLX-OS we’ll be distributing for free to help prototype & test network design with the SLX. The code can be launched from any Linux KVM hypervisor, with on VM acting as the management module and additional VMs acting as the line cards. Version 1.0 will be control-plane only, so you can use it to get a feel for the CLI or test scripting against the supported APIs. Version 2 should launch later this year and will also include data-plane, so can prototype actual routing & switching scenarios virtually. 

Wilbur

On 3/31/17, 9:49 AM, "foundry-nsp on behalf of Wilbur Smith" <foundry-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net on behalf of wsmith at brocade.com> wrote:

    Hay Guys,
    
    More info should be coming out on how this will all work, but the MLX, VDX, & SLX will be continued to be developed by Extreme because frankly…it’s better that what they currently have. The SLX is basically the replacement for the MLX (based on MLX & VDX code) and Extreme needs that box. Both VDX & MLX have large install bases that generate revenue. Anyone acquiring those product lies wouldn’t kill them off because they need that revenue to pay down any debt used to finance the purchase; it doesn’t make financial sense.  All those products are also part of multi-year support contracts with the US Government (our largest customer), so Extreme or Arris couldn’t walk away from the products even if they wanted to. 
    
    
    
    I know…not the answer you wanted to hear (no one in Brocade wanted to be purchased either), but your account teams should have more info over the next few weeks. 
    
    
    
    Wilbur
    
    
    
    
    
    On 3/31/17, 3:51 AM, "foundry-nsp on behalf of Jethro R Binks" <foundry-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net on behalf of jethro.binks at strath.ac.uk> wrote:
    
    
    
        It is concerning that the edge has gone one way to Arris and the data 
    
        centre part to Extreme.  What's going to happen to the code which they 
    
        have been gradually unifiying over all these years?  Is it going to 
    
        fracture again?  Or, probably unlikely, is that spun off separately and 
    
        will sell to both units?  Or is there an agreement for one to maintain it 
    
        and the other to buy it in?  Can't see how that could work.  What branding 
    
        will be kept?  What will happen to those relationships you've built up 
    
        with account managers and technical support?
    
        
    
        Uncertain times, and I can't see a happy outcome with long-standing 
    
        Brocade/Foundry corporate customers who want both edge and core/dist/dc 
    
        equipment.
    
        
    
        Jethro.
    
        
    
        
    
        
    
        On Fri, 31 Mar 2017, Robert Hass wrote:
    
        
    
        > Hi
    
        > Just readed that Extreme Network bought MLX/VDX and SLX products from
    
        > Brocade/Broadcom:
    
        > 
    
        > https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.theregister.co.uk_2017_03_30_extreme-5Fnetworks-5Fto-5Fsplash-5F55m-5Fon-5Fbrocades-5Fdata-5Fcentre-5Fbiz_&d=DwICAg&c=IL_XqQWOjubgfqINi2jTzg&r=l86Fj-WC0GHHSCjQjuUvTzxOj0iW25AHL3VIC5Dog8o&m=LxPHGaJJz2a0asTjkuP6JoRl3HiltgsK1UokSVxBF6Y&s=Quv7QwdpoAUCH2BBkouOwRpgxEEWEHG4bgKZdW12cQI&e= 
    
        > 
    
        > I'm wondering what will be future for these products - especially as we
    
        > invested a lot of time and money to deploy them in our network.
    
        > 
    
        > I don't have any experiences with Extreme. Any thoughts ?
    
        > 
    
        > Rob
    
        > 
    
        
    
        .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .
    
        Jethro R Binks, Network Manager,
    
        Information Services Directorate, University Of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
    
        
    
        The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in
    
        Scotland, number SC015263.
    
        
    
        *** Please note I will be uncontactable 31st Mar to 18th Apr 2017 ***
    
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