As organizations demand more business applications, data centers have become more complex, cumbersome and expensive to manage. IBM eServer BladeCenter offers a solution to help consolidate the data center to lower costs while enhancing performance by accommodating many integrated technologies. This Nortel Layer 2/3 Gigabit Ethernet Switch Module offers new, integrated switch options enabling you to consolidate full Layer 2-3 LAN switching and routing capabilities into a single BladeCenter chassis. This consolidation helps flatten the data center infrastructure and reduces the number of discrete devices, management consoles and equipment vendors that administrators need to deal with, helping lower costs and simplifying deployment. Helps protect your investment with an upgrade path to full Layer 4-7 services.