Extreme Networks’ Extended Edge Solution, delivered with
its edge switching portfolio, enables retailers with a power
fabric solution to leverage their IT network infrastructure
more effectively and more efficiently power large-scale
business environments.
Retailers and Transportation and Logistics is experiencing
a digital shift. As brands look to enhance the in-store
experience and augment their back-of-house operations,
more and more connected devices, users, and (IoT) “things”
are in retail and T and L environments today.
Traditional retail staff and in-store associates are becoming
digitally empowered with hand-held inventory devices
and applications to help them restock, manage inventory,
change pricing, better support in-store shoppers, and more.
This is the same for supporting staff in warehouses and
distribution centers, who rely on devices and applications
to ensure the inventory management, shipping, and supply
chain work flows are effectively managed. The retail user
is more connected than ever, as they rely on their mobile
devices as part of the in-store shopping experience, as well
as using brand ‘loyalty’ apps to access additional services
and exclusive promotions.
To support and enable the increased (and increasing)
volume of users, devices, and applications in retail and
T and L environments, businesses need better coverage,
higher capacity, and more bandwidth. However, this poses
complications from a connectivity and electrical standpoint.
As previously cited, to support the general upkeep of the
business and advance innovative digital initiatives, retailers
and T and L business require significant technology
investments for their properties, especially to those
environments with large physical footprints.
These investments include deploying a comprehensive
network infrastructure solution across their stores,
warehouses, and distribution centers. The upfront costs
and maintenance of these networks can be heavily taxing
on the business’ budget. Not to mention, they come with
complex physical cabling environments consisting of
copper and fiber-optic cabling deployed over time. This
cabling is required both for network connectivity as well
as to power their networked devices, including switches
and wireless APs. Furthermore, these network devices and
related electronics must often be enclosed in specialized
units (or IDFs) to ensure their protection from harsh
environmental conditions – which is a common risk for
warehouses or distribution centers.
Because of this model, retailers and transportation and
logistics organizations are incurring a multitude of costs; the
lost of deploying a complex infrastructure to support both
their network and power needs, the cost to house networking
and power devices in specialty mounting/housing enclosures,
as well as the general cost of managing and updating all the
various network and electrical solution components.
Extreme’s Extended Edge solution removes the complexity and the costs of these deployments, employing a power fabric infrastructure with a simpler, economic model. The solution meets the unique technology requirements of these environments and enables their organizations with robust infrastructure, to support the increased connectivity needs of retail and T and L industries today.
This deployment model allows retailers to remove:
• Complex cabling that builds up over time
• Expensive IDF electronics closet(s)
• Specialty mounting and network cabinets
• Local IDF electricity requirements
This is accomplished with Extreme’s edge switching
products, including the ExtremeSwitching X465 series PoE
switches along with Extreme’s V300 Series edge devices.
The X465 Series switch can be deployed in the
environment’s main MDF and then deliver PoE power to
the V300 Series, a hardened edge device. The V300 does
not require specialty enclosures to remain cool or to avoid
damage from hazardous conditions or weather. Retail
and Transportation and Logistics businesses can also then
remove the need for local power and the enclosures, since
the X465 Series switch is providing all power to the V300
switches. as well as connected edge devices. Last, since
the V300s are centrally managed by the X465 switch, the
solution allows businesses to minimize the operational cost
in their IDFs, as well as the cost of labor to initially configure
the edge switches and upgrade them over time.
Taking the average size of a large retail stores, 300 feet by
350 feet wide, the reconfigured deployment model would
typically save 50% on deployment costs alone. These
cost savings are consistent even when scaled to larger
environments and introduce further POE needs.
Making the Smart Store (or Warehouse) Smarter
With Extreme’s X465 Series and V300 PoE switching model,
retailers are provided with:
1. Robust Port Based Security
2. Highly Scalable Policy Control
3. Lower Infrastructure Costs
4. Lower Operational Costs
5. Reduced Time to Service
6. DC Power Delivering over the Network
V300 edge switches also provide zero-touch provisioning
and are automatically discovered and configured when
connected to the X465 switch. This streamlines network
configuration even more, saving on valuable installation
time and resources. To recap, Extreme’s Extended Edge
solution transforms traditional business models for retail
and transportation and logistics, by preparing them for the
demanding network requirements in the industry today
with a flexible, economical solution. Organizations can now
reduce the number of necessary IDFs and cables, optimize
the overall cabling infrastructure, use fewer resources
to deploy and/or maintain the network, subsidize the
need for skilled labor for complex deployments, and save
significantly on deployment costs.
