UNSPSC 43222615: Storage area network SAN switch

A storage area network (SAN) is a high-speed special-purpose network (or subnetwork) that interconnects different kinds of data storage devices with associated data servers on behalf of a larger network of users. Typically, a storage area network is part of the overall network of computing resources for an enterprise.

A storage area network is usually clustered in close proximity to other computing resources but may also extend to remote locations for backup and archival storage, using wide area network carrier technologies.SANs support disk mirroring, backup and restore, archival and retrieval of archived data, data migration from one storage device to another, and the sharing of data among different servers in a network. SANs can incorporate subnetworks with network-attached storage (NAS) systems

UNSPSC 43222615 Storage area network SAN switch is a Commodity code capturing enterprise data storage networking infrastructure that state and local governments procure to support internal IT operations, data center environments, and institutional network expansion. The code spans network switching hardware deployed in both traditional SAN architectures and modern converged infrastructure settings. State and local buyers under this code include city IT departments, county governments, independent school districts, state agencies, and transit authorities—with school districts representing a particularly active segment due to E-Rate funding availability for network infrastructure upgrades. Recent activity shows issuers soliciting through multiple notice types: direct competitive ITBs for specific equipment models, cooperative purchasing agreements that bypass competitive bidding, and E-Rate-funded RFPs that link procurement to federal discounts administered by USAC. Cisco, HPE Aruba, and Palo Alto Networks equipment dominate recent solicitations, though some buyers specify brand-agnostic equivalency allowances. Wake County IT in North Carolina, Jackson County Board of Commissioners in Georgia, and the City of Eugene in Oregon represent recent repeat issuers, with the latter leveraging NASPO cooperative vehicles to accelerate procurement timelines.

Activity clusters in the Southeast and across Texas, with Georgia school districts (Houston County, Bibb County, Savannah-Chatham County, Fayette County, Gordon County) conducting the densest procurement volume through E-Rate channels. Recent representative opportunities include Wake County's Cisco equipment procurement for the Sommerset 2 Building Site (ITB, response due July 10, 2026); Jackson County Board of Commissioners' replacement of Cisco switching and routing infrastructure with professional services (RFP, proposals due July 2, 2026 with a mandatory pre-proposal conference June 18); and Seminole County Public Works' network hardware equipment bid for Advanced Traffic Management System infrastructure (IFB, bids due July 22, 2026). Pricing models vary widely—some buyers issue fixed-unit competitive bids, others establish indefinite-quantity catalog discount agreements through cooperative purchasing vehicles like Region 7 Purchasing Cooperative (NET2628, $12.011 million estimated over two years), and E-Rate-funded procurements impose lowest-corresponding-price compliance and USAC SPIN registration requirements. Cooperatives and group purchasing organizations remain active demand drivers, with OMNIA Partners, Sourcewell, TASB BuyBoard, and H-GAC appearing frequently in recent awards. Geographic concentration in Texas and Georgia reflects both K–12 district E-Rate procurement cycles and state agency infrastructure modernization initiatives.