Rumor: Amazon is considering selling network switches
Amazon is considering selling network switches and is currently conducting a test among a small number of customers. That claims The Information based on its own sources. The first products should appear within a year and a half.
According to The Information these are so-called white-box switches, which means that Amazon uses unbranded hardware that opens up open source software. These devices have ‘built-in connections to services from Amazon Web Services’, claims one of the site’s sources. They should make it easier for customers to switch workloads between their own data centers and AWS. The company would have started the project early last year and expects to come up with a product in the next year and a half.
In addition, it wants to offer lower prices than network equipment manufacturer Cisco. According to The Information, the plans would mean a change of course for Amazon, which has always maintained that a complete transition to cloud services would take place. Although several large tech companies use such white-box switches for their own services, Amazon would be one of the first companies to offer them to business customers. Amazon has not responded to the rumor.
In addition, it wants to offer lower prices than network equipment manufacturer Cisco. According to The Information, the plans would mean a change of course for Amazon, which has always maintained that a complete transition to cloud services would take place. Although several large tech companies use such white-box switches for their own services, Amazon would be one of the first companies to offer them to business customers. Amazon has not responded to the rumor.