Adtran pumps up VPN support in low-end routers

HUNTSVILLE, ALA. - Adtran this week is continuing its attempt to give corporate customers low-priced remote network gear while trying to undercut the prices of low-end Cisco routers.

At NetWorld+Interop, the company plans to announce VPN support for the NetVanta 3200 and NetVanta 3305 routers, an upgrade the company had promised by year-end. The devices now can let users create either site-to-site or remote-access IP Security VPNs over the Internet.

Adtran says these routers are aimed at Cisco's 1720, 2611 and 2621 routers, all of which can support VPNs. The management interface for the Adtran gear mimics Cisco's command-line interface (CLI).

The company has set up a Web site where potential customers can simulate configuring an Adtran router based on their knowledge of Cisco's CLI.

The price of the Adtran gear is also notable vs. Cisco's. The NetVanta 3200 costs $1,490 with VPN support, while the Cisco 1720 costs more than $2,000 and can cost more, depending on options.

While Adtran says its gear can cost half that of the comparable Cisco product, the trade-off is they don't have all the features of a Cisco, says Zeus Kerravala, an analyst with The Yankee Group.

The Adtran gear has no quality-of-service mechanism, whereas this is a Cisco strong point. Adtran supports only IP, while Cisco supports IP, IPX, Apple Talk and SNA. Until the VPN upgrade, Adtran supported only RIP 1 and RIP 2, but is adding Open Shortest Path First routing support. Cisco supports these protocols plus some of its own.

"I don't see a lot of companies getting rid of their Cisco gear to buy Adtran. And they won't mix them. They're not going buy six Cisco routers and four Adtran," Kerravala says.

The price is what drove Spark Engineering in Richmond, Va., to buy a NetVanta 3200. "It was a good deal compared to Cisco," said Bill Riley, the company's managing partner.

Branch office routers claim about $2 billion per year in sales, according to IDC, with Cisco taking the lead, followed Linksys, Efficient, Vanguard Managed Systems and Zyxel.

NetVanta 3305 costs $2,290 with VPN support. NetVanta 3200 and NetVanta 3305 will be available next month.

Adtran also is introducing a high-speed, point-to-point wireless device that can connect LANs in places where it is difficult or expensive to buy wired connections. The Tracer 5045, available next month, will cost $11,100.

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