Cisco is expected to unveil new and enhanced data center products that are designed to more easily interconnect and allocate resources among multiple data centers and are optimized for cloud computing and virtualization.

Enterasys this week is introducing a major upgrade to its Ethernet switch line in an effort to better serve converged networks, including those that are heavily virtualized. 

Cisco's "Big Bang" switching upgrade will emerge in late January and encompass more than just the Catalyst 6500.

OEM reference supplier Fulcrum Microsystems has unveiled a 10Gbit/sec. Ethernet data center switch design that vendors can use to make "lossless" alternatives to Fibre Channel fabrics.

Tellabs this week unveiled a Metro Ethernet aggregation switch designed to extend services closer to end users.

Switching will take center stage at this week's Interop New York conference, where vendors such as Foundry Networks, Enterasys Networks and Force 10 Networks will roll out new and enhanced products in defiance of a downcast IT spending environment.

Enterasys will roll out this week at Interop New York a line of stackable switches that feature integral 10Gbps Ethernet ports, IPv6 support and increased bandwidth and throughput vs. its earlier models.

Foundry Networks this week at Interop New York is unveiling a switching line for small and midsize businesses, branch offices and distributed enterprise workgroups, plus stackables and stacking upgrades for existing switches.