Ethernet switch sales top $5 billion in 2Q12

MASSACHUSETTS, USA: Global Ethernet switch revenue topped $5 billion in 2Q12, up nine per cent from the previous quarter, and up 13 per cent year-over-year, finds research firm Infonetics Research.

"All the negative economic news in the world didn't keep Ethernet switch buyers from propelling the market past $5 billion in sales this quarter," reports Matthias Machowinski, directing analyst for enterprise networks and video at Infonetics Research.

Revenue for 1G ports, the largest segment of the Ethernet switch market, is up year-over-year in 2Q12, a positive sign for the overall switching market.

"Sales in North America, the largest Ethernet switch market, did especially well, providing an important boost to the overall market," Machowinski adds. "As usual, demand for 10G switches was strong, almost doubling from a year ago, and the 40G Ethernet market is taking off, as vendors round out their 40G solution portfolio."

For the second straight quarter, 40G Ethernet sales grew 50 per cent. Market share leaders Cisco, HP, and Juniper posted revenue gains in 2Q12, although Cisco and HP lost market share on a year-over-year basis.

Dell's Ethernet switch revenue is up by double-digit percentages from the year-ago second quarter, driven in part by its acquisition of Force10.