Cisco Expert Network Consulting Catalyst Switches Support From CCIE and CCNP Qualified Experts
Cisco's latest line of smart switches are aimed at providing intelligence at the network edge, where one network communicates with another. The need for intelligence at the edge of the network is fueled largely by four key trends:
Increase in PC processing power
Introduction of bandwidth-intensive programs
Presence of confidential information on the network
Greater assortment of devices, such as Voice over IP phones and wireless LAN access points
The most recent line-of-business applications demand higher bandwidth and create the necessity to differentiate and manage traffic flow. Applications like enterprise resource planning and VoIP need more network bandwidth than less time-critical processes such as FTP or, for e-mail, SMTP. It is no longer justifiable, for example, for a big file download destined to a single port on a switch to extend the latency, and lower the intelligibility, in voice traffic destined to a different port on the same switch. This situation is eliminated by ensuring that voice processes are properly classified and expedited across the network.
Cisco switches deliver industry-leading QoS to make sure that network traffic is differentiated and prioritized, and that congestion is eliminated. Set up of Quality of Service (QoS) is greatly streamlined via automatic QoS (auto-QoS), a process that senses Cisco IP phones and sets up the switch for the appropriate classification and exit buffering. This optimizes process hierarchies and system availability without forcing your network management group to devise a complex set up plan.
Through Cisco Catalyst switches for small and midsize companies, Cisco allows organizations to get the full advantages of incorporating intelligent services into their infratstructure. Cisco's switches allow you to install capabilities that make the network infrastructure highly available to handle time-critical requirements, scalable to support growth, safe so as to guard sensitive data, and capable of differentiating and managing traffic flows to enhance network operations.
Cisco Catalyst 2950 Family Cisco Catalyst 2950-24 and 2950-12 fixed-configuration, managed Ethernet switches offer basic workgroup networking for small to medium-size companies. These wire-speed desktop switches offer IOS Software features for basic data, video, and voice services at the network edge.
Cisco Catalyst 2950G-12, 2950G-24, and 2950G-48 Series switches are stackable switches that provide wire-rate connectivity to the desktop and Gbit uplink capability using a variety of optional Gbit Interface Converter (GBIC) uplinks. These devices, as well as the Cisco 2950T-24 and 2950C-24 devices, offer smart features such as resiliency, security, and QoS to the network edge using the simple Cisco Cluster Management Suite (CMS) Software web utility. These appliances also include Cisco Enhanced Image Software installed to implement smart services.
The Cisco 2950C-24 offers 24 10/100 ports plus two fixed 100BASE ports. The Cisco 2950T-24 Series provides an easy migration path to Gigabit by using in-place copper wiring infrastructure with 24 10/100 Ethernet ports plus 2 fixed 10/100/1000BASE-T uplinks. Incorporated in the Catalyst 2950 Series is the Cisco Cluster Management Suite (CMS) Software web interface, which enables users simultaneously to configure and repair multiple Catalyst desktop products using a standard browser.
Cisco Catalyst 3560 Switches The Catalyst 3560 family is a line of non-modular switches that includes IEEE 802.3af and Cisco PoE capability in 10/100 Ethernet and 10/100/1000 implementations. The Catalyst 3560 Series switch is an ideal access-layer switch for small enterprise network access or satellite-office environments, offering both 10/100/1000 and Power over Ethernet (PoE) options for optimal productivity and fast ROI while facilitating the installation of new technology including VoIP, wireless access, video monitoring, and building management systems. IT managers can activate networkwide smart services such as advanced quality of service (QoS), rate limiting, ACLs, multicast administration, and broadband IP routing with the ease of conventional network switching.
The Cisco Catalyst 3560 switch is equipped with a robust set of capabilities that permit network scalability and higher resilience through IP routing as well as a complete complement of Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) enhancements designed to increase availability in an access Layer network. Improvements to the conventional Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), such as Per-VLAN Spanning Tree Plus (PVST+), and Uplink Fast, plus advances like as Flex Links Layer 2 interfaces, maximize network efficiency. PVST+ supports Layer 2 load sharing on redundant connections to efficiently use the extra capacity associated with a redundant architecture.
Efficient technologies including OPSF, EIGRP, BGP, and Policy Based Routing increase network capacity; Protocol Independent Multicast maximize system resources; and VRFLite secures traffic. data.
Catalyst 3750 Series Switches For mid-size businesses and enterprise branch sites, the Cisco Catalyst 3750 Series simplifies deployment of converged technologies and accommodates changing business environments by providing setup flexibility, ability to manage unified network traffic, and management-free set up of smart system functions. In addition, the Cisco Catalyst 3750 Series switch is optimized for high-volume 1000 Ethernet deployments and incorporates a wide selection of switches that meet access, aggregation, or small-network backbone-connectivity requirements.
Cisco's Catalyst 3750 switch is offered with the IP Base image or the IP Services image. The IP Base image features include industry-leading quality of service (QoS), rate-limiting, access control lists (ACLs) access control lists, and basic static and Routing Information Protocol routing support. The IP Services image provides a richer selection of high-end functions, including sophisticated hardware-based IP unicast and multicast routing.
Cisco StackWise technology is a stacking architecture optimized for Gigabit Ethernet. Cisco StackWise is designed to respond to installs, deletions, and redeployments while maintaining constant operation. StackWise technology unites as many as nine individual switches into one logical unit, utilizing custom stack-interface cables and software. Any of the switches can be any combination of the Catalyst 3750 Series and the Catalyst 3750-E switches. The stack behaves as an individual switching device that is directed by a control switch, selected from one of the stack of switches. The master switch intelligently builds and updates all the switching and optional routing tables. A deployed stack can accept new devices or delete old switches without service interruption.
Cisco Catalyst 4500 Family Switches Cisco Catalyst 4500 switches are targeted for enterprise LAN access, local offices, Layer 3 distribution points, small and medium-sized businesses, and metro Ethernet deployments. The Catalyst 4500 family consists of a selection of chassis ranging from 3 to ten expansion slots and a set of control engines delivering up to 136 Gbps of Layer 2-4 switching. Catalyst 4500 Series switches accept an extensive set of interface cards, including dense 10/100, 10/100/1000 Ethernet (both with 802.3af Power over Ethernet [PoE] availability), 100BASE-FX, 100BASE-BX-D, plus Gigabit and 10 Gigabit Ethernet.
The Cisco's Catalyst 4500 Series offers a price-performance selection of chassis: Catalyst 4510R (10 slots) with backup supervisor capability), Cisco's Catalyst 4507R (seven expansion slots) with backup supervisor option), Cisco Catalyst 4506 (6 expansion slots) and Cisco Catalyst 4503 (three expansion slots).
Cisco Catalyst 4948 Switches The Catalyst 4948 Series switch is a wire-speed, low-latency, layers 2 through 4, 1 RU fixed-configuration switch for rack-optimized server switching. Based on the tested Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series architecture, the Catalyst 4948 Series provides high performance and reliability for multilayer aggregation of high performance servers and workstations. High performance and scalability of intelligent system functions is enabled with dedicated mechanisms called TCAM. Ample TCAM resources (64K entries) enable high function density, offering wire-speed routing and switching throughput with concurrent provisioning of services that include Quality of Service (QoS) and protection. This allows scalability for today's network needs with plenty of capacity for downstream growth.
The Catalyst 4948 Series provides 48 ports of wire-rate 10/100/1000BASE-T with four alternative wired ports that can accommodate optional 1000BASE-X SFP optics. Exceptional dependability and serviceability are provided with available internal AC or DC 1 + 1 redundant hot-swappable A-to-B failover power supplies and hot-swappable cooling fans.
The Catalyst 4948 switch can separate different data link layer network traffic at the same time, while conserving IP address space. The Cisco Catalyst 4948 switch can prevent man-in-the-middle and IP spoofing attempt to the rest of community with no adjustment of the server configuration.Such attacks can be logged by the Catalyst 4948 Series switch for security analysis.
Catalyst 6500 Family Switches The Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series is a high-performance modular switch and router engineered for convergence of data center, corporate campus, and WAN in one device. Corporate Wide Area Network, Internet access, data center access features including Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), resilience, QoS, and security together with IOS Software versatility offer investment protection in the LAN and expand that value proposition to the WAN.
Cisco Catalyst 6500 switches offer a wide array of interface technologies ranging from DS0 to OC192/STM64, 10Mbps to 10-GE line cards. Cisco Catalyst 6500 switches act as the foundation of enterprise WAN infrastructure by offering advanced IP routing technologies, built-in IPv4 and 6, Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), and high-performance incorporated in one device. The Catalyst 6500 Series switch is the top Cisco Layer 3 switching solution for the enterprise Wide Area Network, connectivity, aggregation, and core edge of the corporate network with advantages in expandability and flexibility such as 720 Gbps integrated switch fabric performance with Cisco Catalyst 6500 Supervisor Engine 720, the ability to expand as high as 400 million packets per second performance with distributed forwarding, 32 Gbps bus-based architecture for low-speed WAN aggregation, a fast processor for Layer 3 interface convergence and stability, as well as scalable IP routing and Multiprotocol Label Switching functions accelerated in silicon without throughput deterioration.
How Progent Can Help You with Catalyst Switching Solutions
Progent's CCIE certified engineers can show you how to select and integrate Cisco switches in a manner appropriate for your current IT requirements and your plans for future expansion. Progent's Cisco Certified Internetwork Experts offer world-class troubleshooting for the most challenging network problems, and Progent's remote support professionals can monitor your system operations and uncover early-stage problems and resolve them so they don't significantly impact your network. Progent's CISSP qualified network security support professionals can help you develop a comprehensive security strategy and set up switches so they help support your protection plans.
To find out more details concerning Progent's engineering support for Cisco products, choose a subject:
Cisco Catalyst 2950-24 and 2950-12 fixed-configuration, managed Ethernet switches offer basic workgroup networking for small to medium-size companies. These wire-speed desktop switches offer IOS Software features for basic data, video, and voice services at the network edge.
The Catalyst 3560 family is a line of non-modular switches that includes IEEE 802.3af and Cisco PoE capability in 10/100 Ethernet and 10/100/1000 implementations. The Catalyst 3560 Series switch is an ideal access-layer switch for small enterprise network access or satellite-office environments, offering both 10/100/1000 and Power over Ethernet (PoE) options for optimal productivity and fast ROI while facilitating the installation of new technology including VoIP, wireless access, video monitoring, and building management systems. IT managers can activate networkwide smart services such as advanced quality of service (QoS), rate limiting, ACLs, multicast administration, and broadband IP routing with the ease of conventional network switching.
For mid-size businesses and enterprise branch sites, the Cisco Catalyst 3750 Series simplifies deployment of converged technologies and accommodates changing business environments by providing setup flexibility, ability to manage unified network traffic, and management-free set up of smart system functions. In addition, the Cisco Catalyst 3750 Series switch is optimized for high-volume 1000 Ethernet deployments and incorporates a wide selection of switches that meet access, aggregation, or small-network backbone-connectivity requirements.
Cisco Catalyst 4500 switches are targeted for enterprise LAN access, local offices, Layer 3 distribution points, small and medium-sized businesses, and metro Ethernet deployments. The Catalyst 4500 family consists of a selection of chassis ranging from 3 to ten expansion slots and a set of control engines delivering up to 136 Gbps of Layer 2-4 switching. Catalyst 4500 Series switches accept an extensive set of interface cards, including dense 10/100, 10/100/1000 Ethernet (both with 802.3af Power over Ethernet [PoE] availability), 100BASE-FX, 100BASE-BX-D, plus Gigabit and 10 Gigabit Ethernet.
The Catalyst 4948 Series switch is a wire-speed, low-latency, layers 2 through 4, 1 RU fixed-configuration switch for rack-optimized server switching. Based on the tested Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series architecture, the Catalyst 4948 Series provides high performance and reliability for multilayer aggregation of high performance servers and workstations. High performance and scalability of intelligent system functions is enabled with dedicated mechanisms called TCAM. Ample TCAM resources (64K entries) enable high function density, offering wire-speed routing and switching throughput with concurrent provisioning of services that include Quality of Service (QoS) and protection. This allows scalability for today's network needs with plenty of capacity for downstream growth.
The Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series is a high-performance modular switch and router engineered for convergence of data center, corporate campus, and WAN in one device. Corporate Wide Area Network, Internet access, data center access features including Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), resilience, QoS, and security together with IOS Software versatility offer investment protection in the LAN and expand that value proposition to the WAN.
