Cisco Catalyst 2960 Series Datasheet page 6

Data Sheet
classification label, passes through or drops out of profile packets, and queues packets based on
classification. Control-plane and data-plane ACLs are supported on all ports to help ensure proper
treatment on a per-packet basis.
The Cisco Catalyst 2960 LAN Base Series supports four egress queues per port, giving network
administrators more control in assigning priorities for the various applications on the LAN. At
egress, the switch performs congestion control and scheduling, the algorithm or process that
determines the order in which queues are processed. The Cisco Catalyst 2960 LAN Base Series
Switch supports Shaped Round Robin (SRR) and strict priority queuing. The SRR algorithm helps
ensure differential prioritization.
These QoS features allow network administrators to prioritize mission-critical and bandwidth-
intensive traffic, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), voice (IP telephony traffic), and
computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), over applications such as FTP or e-mail.
For example, it would be undesirable to have a large file download destined to one port on a switch
increase latency in voice traffic destined to another port on this switch. This condition is avoided by
making sure that voice traffic is properly classified and prioritized throughout the network. Other
applications, such as Web browsing, can be handled on a lower-priority basis.
The Cisco Catalyst 2960 Series LAN Base can perform rate limiting through its support of the
Cisco committed information rate (CIR) function. Through CIR, bandwidth can be guaranteed in
increments as small as 1 Mbps. Bandwidth can be allocated based on several criteria, including
MAC source address, MAC destination address, IP source address, IP destination address, and
TCP or UDP port number. Bandwidth allocation is essential when network environments require
service-level agreements or when it is necessary to control the bandwidth given to certain users.
Management
The new Express Setup feature simplifies the initial configuration of a switch. Now you can set up
the switch through a Web browser, eliminating the need for terminal-emulation programs and the
command-line interface (CLI). Express Setup reduces the cost of deployment by helping less-
skilled personnel quickly and easily set up switches.
Cisco Network Assistant is a PC-based network-management application optimized for LANs with
up to 250 users. Cisco Network Assistant offers centralized management of Cisco switches,
routers, and WLAN access points. It supports a wide range of Cisco Catalyst intelligent switches
from Cisco Catalyst 2960 through Cisco Catalyst 4506. Through a user-friendly GUI, users can
configure and manage a wide array of switch functions and start the device manager of Cisco
routers and Cisco wireless access points. A few mouse clicks enable the Cisco recommended
security, availability, and QoS features without the need to consult a detailed design guide. The
Security wizard automatically restricts unauthorized access to servers with sensitive data.
Smartports and wizards save time for network administrators, reduce human errors, and help
ensure that the configuration of the switch is optimized for these applications. Available at no cost,
Cisco Network Assistant can be downloaded from the Cisco Website.
In addition to Cisco Network Assistant, Cisco Catalyst 2960 LAN Base Series Switches provide for
extensive management using SNMP network-management platforms such as the CiscoWorks
LAN Management Solution (LMS). CiscoWorks LMS is a suite of powerful management tools that
simplify the configuration, administration, monitoring, and troubleshooting of Cisco networks. It
integrates these capabilities into a world-class solution for improving the accuracy and efficiency of
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