One device, endless capabilities: Grandstream’s GCC6020 series brings together communications, security, VPN connectivity, and switching into a single, compact solution that seems almost unbelievable — until you see it in action.
This appliance combines an IP PBX, firewall, VPN router and network switch into one sleek platform. In this article, we examine the GCC6020 series and highlight its compelling characteristics for both small and mid-sized businesses. Read on to see how these devices make enterprise-grade performance easier and more affordable than ever.
Grandstream has devised a UC + networking convergence device portfolio that combines the most essential functions required for a secure and reliable network. It adds a built-in IP PBX delivering advanced UC services, providing a complete communications package in one compact platform.
UC + networking convergence products are primarily aimed at SMBs looking for a cost-effective way to incorporate UC into their network ecosystem. A while back, we reviewed the GCC6010 series, and now we’re excited to share our views on the new GCC6020 series, which further expands this innovative portfolio.
The new series consists of two devices: the GCC6020 and the GCC6021. These resemble network switches on the outside, but contain much more functionality on the inside. Both include a built-in IP PBX that provides voice and video communications with advanced collaboration features. And both have an enterprise-grade firewall and a built-in VPN router. Here are some of the specifics:
Both devices in the series feature a built-in IP PBX, which supports up to 50 UC users and 16 concurrent calls right out of the box as well as having all the features of a UCM6300 series IP PBX! Upgrades can be purchased for a low one-time fee for the product’s lifetime to expand capabilities to up to 200 users and 48 concurrent calls.
The IP PBX provides all the rich telephony features you have come to expect from Grandstream, including IVR, audio and video conferencing, and full API integration with third-party platforms. It also includes support for property management systems (PMS), call centers, and CRM integration.
Security is important no matter how big or small your business is. Both devices support advanced firewall features, including DDNS, DMZ, and content filtering. A wide variety of next-generation firewall (NGFW) features are available, including enterprise-grade layer 3 to 7 deep packet inspection, ensuring that the network edge is well protected.
Many SMBs today use VPNs to allow remote employees to connect to the company’s internal network and to interconnect remote branch sites easily, cost-effectively, and securely. The GCC6020 series devices support today’s state-of-the-art VPN security standards, including IPsec, PPTP, L2TP, and OpenVPN. Although VPN mechanisms often slow down data transfer, both devices are rated at an IPsec VPN throughput of 1.3 Gbps.
In addition to all the features described above, the devices are also high-speed network switches, enabling you to connect end devices such as PCs, laptops, IP phones, and other network peripherals, including IP cameras, network printers, and wireless access points, to name a few.
These devices incorporate high-tech QoS capabilities, including support for multiple traffic classes; port-, IP-, and DSCP-based filtering; and traffic policing with application and protocol monitoring for detailed traffic statistics. The devices have built-in prioritization for all VoIP traffic, ensuring that the quality of voice conversations is never compromised.
Both devices support Grandstream’s Device Management System (GDMS), the GWN app, and a local web GUI. Monitoring and management protocols include SSH, SNMP, and command-line interface configurations.
In addition to these management options, the GCC6020 devices have a Network Nodes module, which is essentially a mini network management controller. This unit can manage and monitor additional Grandstream network devices, including switches and wireless access points (WAPs). It can also configure and manage an overall Wi-Fi network across all WAPs, including SSID configurations, security, wireless channel usage, and wireless meshing.
Wireless clients can be monitored, accumulating useful statistics. Moreover, a captive portal can be established using many options, including policies, guest services, customized splash pages, and vouchers for managing paid Wi-Fi access.
Both devices can be configured with multiple WAN connections, enabling WAN link load balancing and failover. Any network port can be configured as a WAN connection, with a maximum of three WAN ports for the GCC6020 and five for the GCC6021.
Both models in the series offer all the features we’ve mentioned so far. The primary differences between the two are related to capacities, high availability, and physical characteristics, all of which are detailed below.
The GCC6020 has one 10 GE SFP port for fiber uplink connections, one 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) RJ-45 port, and four GigE RJ-45 ports, making it perfect for small businesses with a few workstations and limited networking throughput requirements. All five RJ-45 ports support IEEE 802.3af/at PoE.
The GCC6021 goes beyond this feature set with four 10 GigE SFP ports, eight 2.5 GigE RJ-45 ports, and 16 GigE RJ-45 ports, efficiently serving the network edge for SMBs with dozens of users. All 24 RJ-45 ports support the same PoE standards as those of the GCC6021, with eight of them additionally supporting the more advanced IEEE 802.3bt PoE standard as well.
The GCC6021 offers high-availability deployment options, where two GCC6021 devices can be paired in a failover arrangement. In this way, if any connection being served by one device fails or any hardware component on one device malfunctions, the other device is already up and running and able to take over. This is especially useful for SMBs with mission-critical services operating over their communications networks.
In most measurable metrics, the GCC6021 outperforms the GCC6020 simply because it is designed for greater capacities. This can be seen especially in the throughput measurements, maximum clients, memory capacities, and PoE power outputs delivered by each device. These metrics for the GCC6020 and the GCC6021 are shown in the table below.
Due to the size of each model and the number of devices it supports, the deployment methods differ for each one. Whereas the GCC6020 can be deployed on the desktop, mounted on the wall, or in a standard network rack, the GCC6021 supports only desktop and rack-mountable options.
Here is a more complete feature list that highlights some of the most important capabilities of these two devices.
Network interfaces:
Power over Ethernet (PoE):
Features common to both devices:
SMBs of all types continue to search for the happy medium of maximizing the communications services they enjoy while minimizing the effort and cost needed to deploy them. Grandstream’s UC+ network convergence solutions address this need. The GCC6020 series rounds out the portfolio, making enterprise-grade services accessible through these compact and highly cost-effective devices.
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