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Counterfeit Cisco Gear Showing Up In US

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the procurement-via-eBay dept.

spazimodo writes to point out a Network World report on the growing problem of counterfeit networking equipment. The article surveys the whole grey-market phenomenon, which is by no means limited to Cisco gear — they just happen to be its biggest target. From the article: "Thirty cards turned out to be counterfeit... Despite repeated calls and e-mails to his supplier, Atec Group, the issue was not resolved... How did a registered Cisco reseller (also a platinum Network Appliance partner and gold partner to Microsoft and Symantec) acquire the counterfeit [WAN interface cards] in the first place?... Phony network equipment [has] been quietly creeping into sales and distribution channels since early 2004... Counterfeit gear has become a big problem that could put networks — and health and safety — at risk. 'Nobody wants to say they've got counterfeit gear inside their enterprises that can all of a sudden stop working. But it's all over the place, just like pirated software is everywhere,' says Sharon Mills, director of IT procurement organization Caucus."

9 of 182 comments (clear)

  1. Work great by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    those Gears work nicely here. BTW first po$%&$&R/&A98908 NO CARRIER

  2. I'm in no danger by antifoidulus · · Score: 5, Funny

    I know a genuine Sysco 4507 when I see one!

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    Monstar L
  3. It's apparently a life-threatening problem! by rickkas7 · · Score: 5, Funny
    FTA: "What if it wasn't a bank subnet that went offline because of a faulty card in the router? What if it were an air-traffic control network instead?" van de Gohm asks. "This is no different than counterfeit medicine in the pharmaceutical industry. And it's potentially just as life-threatening."

    If the air traffic control system can go down because of a single faulty card in a router, fake or not, I'm thinking I want to avoid planes, and look up a lot more than I do now.

  4. Working to stop global warming! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Yaay, pirates!

  5. Re:Don't say I didn't warn you by Trillan · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hey, that was my thought!

  6. Re:If they can make something good enough for coun by wizzard2k · · Score: 2, Funny

    Point aside, I'd hope they come up with a better brand name than SuperCrapola. Something just doesnt ring right. I dunno, maybe too many syllables? I'm not a marketing guru.

  7. Top Ten Fake Cisco Equipment Brand Names by operagost · · Score: 1, Funny

    "Crisco": Trans fats, very bad!
    "Frisco": Works okay, but seems a bit too... flamboyant
    "Disco": Status lights all blink in hypnotic rhythm. Once you get really into it, it dies.

    --

    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    1. Re:Top Ten Fake Cisco Equipment Brand Names by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 2, Funny

      those who wonder why you'd write 10 base 3 as "ten".

      And then there are those who write 10 base 2 as 'thin net.'

  8. Re:Folex or illegal production? by lucifuge31337 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sounds like you're an idiot. Back to your parents' basement.

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    Do not fold, spindle or mutilate.