Avid has selected top-of-rack (ToR) access switches from Force10 Networks (News - Alert). They will be used with Avid’s ISIS 5000 shared storage system and will provide media editing for small- and medium-size production facilities, the companies said.

Avid is using the S25N, S25P, S60 and S4810 1/10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) ToR access switches in the ISIS 5000.

In addition, Avid is using the Force10 S25N for smaller editing situations, and the S25P ToR switch is being used for smaller situations using fiber-based networks.

Avid will use either the S60 (for 1 GbE backbones) or the S4810 for 10 GbE medium-sized situations.

Avid selected Force10 Networks to give users increased productivity and provide better content quality, the company said.

"The network requirements needed for media editing share similar characteristics as some other industry verticals, such as enterprise data centers, Internet exchanges and high-performance computing where Force10 has enjoyed considerable global success," Arpit Joshipura, chief marketing officer, Force10 Networks, adds in a press statement. "Avid recognized the value of how Force10 ToR solutions provide ultra-low latency and enterprise-class features that are easily configurable and can be offered cost effectively for their small to mid-size customers who still rely heavily on the performance of the network."

"Post- and broadcast-facility production environments require high performance, the ability to collaborate and maintain flexibility depending on project growth as well as overall growth of the business," Jim Frantzreb, senior market segment manager Media Enterprise, Avid Technology, said in the statement. “Integrating the S-Series ToR access switches, with their ability to deliver low latency and unique buffering profiles, enables us to provide our customers with enterprise-level functionality at a lower cost."

Force10 Networks is used by data centers, service providers and enterprise customers. Their solutions virtualize and automate Ethernet networks. The solutions also make networks more efficient, and lower power and cooling costs, the company said.

In other recent company news, a study conducted by The Lippis Report and Ixia (News - Alert) gave Force10 Networks’ S-Series top-of-rack (ToR) access switch S4810 the lowest latency score, reported TMCnet. In a 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) configuration, the S4810 had a 70 percent lower latency than comparable switches, according to the Lippis Report.