The enterprise network is evolving from a best effort network to the primary conduit of enterprise communications. The role of the network in consolidating, scaling, and deploying IT investments is creating new competitive threats and opportunities. This service provides the detailed worldwide data and reliable forecasts needed to make business decisions in this market and understand how trends in enterprise networks influence mobility, servers, and storage. The service analyzes user requirements, technology trends, vendor strategies, product advancements, distribution channel activity, and market directions. It provides the industry's most comprehensive worldwide coverage of enterprise network equipment.

This service covers the following segments of the enterprise network market:

• LAN switches
• Routers
• Wireless LANs
• IP PBX
• IP telephones
• RFID infrastructure

Throughout the year, this service will address the following topics:

• Next-generation networking for the enterprise: 10GbE
• Enterprise network equipment spending in large, medium-sized, and small businesses
• Impact of IP PBXs on LANs
• LAN switches: Ethernet, 100Mb, GbE, 10GbE, and Layers 2, 3, and 4-7
• Routers: Small office/home office (SOHO), branch, headquarters, and new multifunction WAN gateways
• Wireless LANs: Access devices, network interface cards (NICs), and access point controllers
• Convergence trends: unified communications, storage, video, and security
• Market-leading enterprise networking equipment suppliers and promising start-ups
• The impact of new network devices such as RFID readers and surveillance cameras

Our research addresses the following issues that are critical to your success:

1. Which networking equipment markets and sectors are growing the fastest? Which will have the greatest future growth, and why?
2. What is the impact of new technologies such as wireless LANs, voice/data convergence, and RFID systems on purchases?
3. How will the introduction of classic IT architectures in building network equipment change this market?
4. How do merger, acquisition, and partnership actions affect the competitive landscape?
5. How well are established and start-up suppliers positioned to increase market share?

IDC's Enterprise Networks service examines how major and emerging suppliers in the enterprise networking equipment market are positioning themselves to compete. This service reviews strategies, market positioning, and future direction of several providers in the enterprise network market, including:

3Com, Accton, Alcatel-Lucent, Alien, Allied Telesyn, Altera, AltiGen, Ancor, Aruba, Asante, Ascendent Systems/RIM, Avaya, Bandspeed, Belkin, Bluesocket, BreezeCOM, Broadcom, Cisco Systems, Cistera Networks, Citrix, CNet Technology, Cognio, Colubris, Dell, Digicom, D-Link, Emulex, Enterasys, Ericsson, Extreme Networks, Firetide, Force 10, Fortress, Foundry Networks, Fujitsu, Hitachi, HP, Huawei, IBM, Intel, Intermec, Inter-Tel, Intoto, IPCelerate, Juniper, LiteScape, Marconi, Marvell, MCK Communications, Melco, Meru, Microsoft, Mitel, MMC, Motorola, NEC, Netergy, NETGEAR, Netopia, Network Peripherals, Nokia, Nortel, OnRelay, Pingtel, Polycom, PowerDsine, Praxon, Proxim, Pulse, Radware, ReefEdge, Reva Systems, Samsung, ShoreTel, Siemens, SMC, Sphere Communications, Sputnik, Strix Systems, Sun Microsystems, Symbol Technologies, Texas Instruments, Thingmagic, Thomas, Toshiba, Trapeze, Traverse Networks, Vernier, Xirrus, and ZyXEL.

Throughout the year, this service will offer insight into the latest trends impacting the market. Potential studies include:

This study identifies the opportunities surrounding this rapidly advancing market, including market shares, product and vertical forecasts, vendor profiles, and key accelerators and inhibitors.

This study identifies the opportunities surrounding the market for pure and hybrid IP PBXs and hardware IP phones, including market shares, product forecasts, vendor profiles, and key accelerators and inhibitors.

This study analyzes the current LAN switch market and provides an overview of LAN switches by technology; Layers 2, 3, and 4-7; and geographic region.

This study regularly examines and analyzes the major trends in the router market; evaluates performance by vendor, sector, and technology; and provides a forecast for the market.

IDC offers a complete market intelligence solution customized to meet your business requirements. The array of products and services available to you includes:

• The opportunity to have your specific questions answered through personal interaction with industry experts who cover the topics and markets in your service
• Around-the-clock access to our market intelligence on idc.com, IDC's personalized Web experience
• A view of the market's future with 12 months of continuous intelligence about its direction and the reasons behind it, along with actionable advice for taking advantage of existing and emerging opportunities
• Special client discount pricing on purchases of research from other services
• Complimentary admission to IDC's annual Directions conference, where you'll hear our latest forecasts and network with IDC analysts and other industry professionals
• Complimentary invitations to monthly executive telebriefings, interactive forums designed to provide you with insights about research and strategies directly from IDC analysts

To find out how our flexible packaging options can meet your specific business needs, please contact your IDC sales executive.

As a privately held company, IDC believes that our customers are our primary constituency. A large percentage of every revenue dollar is reinvested back into our products, including more analysts, more geographic coverage, and extensive primary research.

Our steady growth over the past 10 years reflects our commitment to investing in our customers.