Extreme grows Universal Switch portfolio, adds Wi-Fi 7 access point

With a nod toward increasing customer installation options, Extreme Networks has extended its Universal Switch family for campus, branch and distributed site customers and jumped into the emerging Wi-Fi 7 arena with a cloud-managed access point.

The vendor introduced three 4000 Series Layer 2 edge cloud-managed switches, which fall under Extreme’s existing high-end Series 7000 and 5000 boxes. The two new boxes – the 24-port and 48-port model 4120s – support 1/2.5 multi-gigabit ports with 200Gb+ uplink capacity and 90W PoE support. The 4220 is available in 8-, 12-, 24- and 48-port models with gigabit and multi-gigabit (1/2.5/5Gb) access ports, up to 90W PoE and 4 x SFP+ uplink ports.

As with other Universal Switches, the 4000 Series lets customers pick and choose wired or wireless where they need it, or upgrade software to both new and legacy equipment. The universal hardware products can be deployed across a wired or wireless edge, aggregation, and wiring-closet environments. The boxes are managed by the company’s ExtremeCloud IQ package, which will let customers automatically set configuration workflows, as well as monitor and troubleshoot network resources.

The idea is to offer Extreme cloud consumers a simple way to manage edge networks and automate tedious management tasks, such as device provisioning and  switch port configuration, Extreme says. The boxes also support Extreme’s Instant Secure Port, offering integrated authentication and policy enforcement through ExtremeCloud Universal ZTNA. The Universal ZTNA feature includes network access control, zero trust features and mobile device management integration.

“Extreme’s Universal portfolio is centered on simplicity and flexibility, and the new 4000 Series extends that value for both existing customers and new market opportunities,” said Alan Weckel, co-founder and technology analyst with the 650 Group, in a statement. “When paired with ExtremeCloud Universal ZTNA, these new cloud-managed switches provide an additional layer of network security and peace of mind when it comes to managing security in a complex, distributed environment.”

The new Wi-Fi 7 access point, the Universal AP5020, also includes support for the ExtremeCloud Universal ZTNA package and adds a dedicated security sensor that can be paired with Extreme’s AirDefense security system for wireless intrusion prevention, Extreme stated.

According to Extreme, the AP5020 is built to support bandwidth-intensive, latency-sensitive applications and IoT devices. It includes dual IoT radios to support multiple IoT devices, such as sensors, electronic shelf labels, lighting or asset trackers, across multiple IoT protocols from a single access point.

Like the new switches, the Wi-Fi 7 AP is managed via the ExtremeCloud IQ cloud management platform to help proactively identify network issues and quickly resolve problems, Extreme stated.

Extreme is just one of many vendors angling to join the Wi-Fi 7 market. Fortinet just this month added a secure Wi-Fi 7 access point to its wireless portfolio. Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) is in its infancy; the IEEE is expected to agree to the final spec later this year, and the Wi-Fi Alliance has only just begun its official certification program for new devices and products. Wi-Fi 7 promises to support higher peak data rates and reduced latency. The technology targets mostly physical (PHY) and medium access control (MAC) improvements capable of supporting a maximum throughput of at least 30Gbps, experts say.