Nortel (NYSE: NT) put some substance around its plans for an integrated branch-office device with the recent unveiling of the Secure Router 4134. The multi-function device for branch offices underscores a trend Nemertes has been documenting for two years: IT staffs want to consolidate the number of networking devices they must install and manage at remote sites.

The number of networking devices at the typical branch office has dropped from seven to five in the past year, in part because 17% of organizations already are using these all-in-one devices. (Another 31% are evaluating them).

Several vendors, including Adtran (NASDAQ:ADTN), Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO), Fortinet , Juniper (NASDAQ:JNPR), and Packeteer (NASDAQ:PKTR), already compete in the all-in-one space with products that combine any number of functions such as switching, routing, VPN, firewall, IDS, network optimization, and voice over IP. Nortel is combining routing, switching, security, power-over-Ethernet, and VOIP into the Secure Router 4134, which will be available in third quarter.

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