Cape Town: H3C Unveils Cost-Effective & Enterprise-Grade SMB Portfolio
H3C Company Background
The presentation kicked off by establishing H3C’s strong lineage in the networking industry. Tracing its roots back to a joint venture between the American company 3Com and Huawei in China in 2003, H3C evolved significantly. After a mutual separation from Huawei in 2006, H3C became an independent brand and was later acquired by HPE in 2010.
Notably, H3C continues to manufacture 100% of HPE networking equipment (excluding Aruba) and even some HP servers. In 2016, Tsinghua Unigroup acquired a majority stake (51%) in H3C, with HPE retaining a 31% ownership. Despite its Chinese ownership, H3C operates with global standards and has no trade restrictions or limitations, emphasising its ethical practices and international alignment.
R&D and Manufacturing Capabilities
A significant differentiator highlighted was H3C’s robust R&D and supply chain. The company reinvests a minimum of 12% (14% last year) of its $7.4 billion revenue back into R&D. With a massive 10,000 employees dedicated to R&D, many being PhDs and doctorates from Tsinghua University (ranked 15th globally), H3C is at the forefront of technological innovation.
They own silicon manufacturing plants, producing chips and developing all hardware in-house. This allows them to manufacture products, including full data centre chassis, within four to six weeks, avoiding the long lead times often faced by other vendors. H3C equipment runs on Comware, one of the most common operating systems in the world, offering full enterprise-grade functionality and interoperability with industry standards.
SMB Portfolio Overview
The core of the presentation focused on the SMB portfolio, designed to be enterprise-grade at an accessible price point. Key offerings include:
- Switches: Ranging from basic web-managed switches to Layer 2+ and Layer 3 light switches, with advanced features like IRF stacking (Intelligent Resilient Framework) up to 9 switches without proprietary cables or licensing.
- Wireless Access Points (APs): Supporting Wi-Fi 6 and soon real Wi-Fi 7, available in various form factors like high-density, in-wall, and outdoor APs.
- Wireless Service Gateways (Controllers): Offering 3-in-1 or 4-in-1 functionality (security, firewall, switching, wireless control, and optional PoE). Licenses for AP management are perpetual and transferable, a notable benefit.
- Firewalls & Routers: Full enterprise-grade next-generation firewalls and highly functional routers, some capable of multi-homing WAN ports.
Cloudnet Platform
A significant highlight was Cloudnet, H3C’s 100% free cloud controller. Hosted in Microsoft Azure in Singapore and Spain, Cloudnet offers robust management, automation, and detailed operations and management (O&M) features. Its intelligent O&M capabilities, including root cause analysis, can diagnose network issues (even with non-H3C products) and provide suggestions for fixes.
Cloudnet supports zero-touch provisioning (ZTP) via QR code scanning, allowing for automatic device connection and configuration. It is also fully hierarchical and multi-tenant, making it ideal for managed service providers (MSPs).
Magic Hub Solution
Beyond networking, the H3C Magic Hub was showcased. This all-in-one Windows computer comes in 65 and 86 inches with 4K or 8K displays. It features a 4K camera with “follow me” capabilities and a 14-microphone array for superior audio, filtering out white noise. Its 2mm fully laminated display offers industry-leading durability.
The Magic Hub is versatile, catering to conferencing, medical, and educational use cases, offering intuitive whiteboard functionality and seamless content sharing.
Conclusion
The event underscored H3C’s commitment to innovation and providing comprehensive, value-driven solutions. H3C does not sell directly to customers, prioritising and protecting its partners. For demos, large opportunities, or technical support, H3C encourages partners to reach out, reinforcing their dedication to collaborative success.
