Cisco alternative recommendations?

I am in the process of designing/configuring a new company wide
network infrastructure with some help from outside vendors.

In all cases the vendors have proposed 100% Cisco equipment and along
with it the annual maintenance fees.

Has anyone successfully implemented a multi-location company-wide
network infrastructure using non-Cisco equipment that perhaps did not
carry can equip annual maintenance charge?

Also what make/model equipment was selected?

Thanks for any/all recommendations.

"bobmct" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am in the process of designing/configuring a new company wide
> network infrastructure with some help from outside vendors.
>
> In all cases the vendors have proposed 100% Cisco equipment and along
> with it the annual maintenance fees.
>
> Has anyone successfully implemented a multi-location company-wide
> network infrastructure using non-Cisco equipment that perhaps did not
> carry can equip annual maintenance charge?
>
> Also what make/model equipment was selected?
>
> Thanks for any/all recommendations.

Cisco stuff is very reliable,
But if you are against Cisco, you can look at juniper networks for starters.

I have som experience with VPN networking with ( older models ) of nortel,
like the connectivity 1010 and 600.

We use it in combination with cisco for the leased lines, but for vpn we use
the nortel ( for clients and branch office )...

And it works really good.
No extra maintenace fee's after you buy it,
and you still can upgrade to newest software versions without any charge...

If you want to now more, just send me a email


Br, Theo






"bobmct" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am in the process of designing/configuring a new company wide
> network infrastructure with some help from outside vendors.
>
> In all cases the vendors have proposed 100% Cisco equipment and along
> with it the annual maintenance fees.
>
> Has anyone successfully implemented a multi-location company-wide
> network infrastructure using non-Cisco equipment that perhaps did not
> carry can equip annual maintenance charge?
>
> Also what make/model equipment was selected?
>
> Thanks for any/all recommendations.