Brocade cuts 115 jobs Storage switch vendor Brocade Communications Systems has cut its workforce. The announcement marks the second time in two quarters that the company has slashed jobs. In November, Brocade laid off 160 employees (12 per cent). Brocade said the layoffs were necessary to “better align and optimise” its business model. It now has 1200 workers worldwide. The company said it would take a one-time charge related to the layoffs in its second fiscal quarter that ends this month. Brocade said it would disclose the amount of the charge on May 14 when it released its second-quarter financial results.

LAN protection tackled SonicWall is marrying a VPN appliance to a wireless access point in an attempt to make it easier to set up and secure wireless LANs at small corporate offices. SonicWall SOHO TZW enables secure WLANs and secure links across the Internet using IP Security (IPSec) VPN technology. It creates IPSec tunnels between wireless devices and the access point as well as tunnels to other SonicWall boxes at other sites. In addition, SOHO TZW is interoperable with standard 801.11b wireless cards. On the WAN side, the device plugs into a broadband Internet-access device, such as a DSL or cable modem through which it tunnels to SonicWall devices at other sites. On the LAN side it plugs into the local switch to connect with up to 25 wired desktops and other LAN devices.

Nokia to slash 1800 jobs Pressure to reduce costs and return to profitability during the current economic downturn has forced Nokia to slash 1800 jobs in its network infrastructure division. The division, which manufactures mobile phone infrastructure equipment such as base stations and mobile switching centres, posted a substantial first-quarter loss this year, Nokia said in a statement.