F5 joins Enterasys Networks, Extreme Networks and reportedly in enticing Nortel customers and resellers to trade in their loyalties for a more stable partner. Enterasys is offering Nortel and other competitors' customers a 100% credit on their equipment.

Extreme's program "grandfathers" Nortel channel partners into a comparable level in the Extreme channel partner program. For example, if a Premier Advantage partner in the Nortel program wants to join the Extreme partner program, the partner would be conditionally accepted into a similar Extreme level.

F5's program is aimed at customers and resellers of Nortel's Alteon application switches. The company is offering trade-in credits toward replacement, as well as customized consulting services to aid in the migration from the Alteon systems to F5's BIG-IP Application Delivery Controllers.

Specifically, customers can trade in select Nortel Alteon products to purchase an F5 BIG-IP solution and get as much as US$9,000 in trade-in credits, F5 says.