Chapter 1: Introduction - Cisco SLM2024 User Manual

Chapter 
Chapter :
Introduction
Thank you for choosing the Linksys Business Series Smart
Gigabit Ethernet Switch.
The new Linksys Business Series Smart Gigabit Ethernet
Switches are cost-effective switching solutions ideal
for small businesses, the network edge, or workgroups
within larger organizations. These easy-to-install, high-
speed switches offer many of the same Quality of Service
and Security features found in more expensive full Layer
2 managed switches but without their complexity. The
Smart Switches offer the following interfaces:
The SLM2024 and SLM2048 offer twenty four (24) or
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forty eight (48) 10/100/1000 Gigabit copper ports, with
two (2) shared copper or optical (SFP) uplink interfaces
for connecting the switch to the core network.
The SLM224G, SLM224P,
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offer twenty four (24) or forty eight (48) 10/100 copper
ports, with two (2) shared Gigabit copper or optical
(SFP) uplink interfaces for connecting the switch to the
core network.
The Smart Switch's simplified user interface is an intuitive
management tool enabling you to quickly utilize the
comprehensive feature-set of the switch, resulting in a
better optimized network.
For Wireless or VoIP deployments, the SLM224P and
SLM248P support the IEEE802.3af standard for Power over
Ethernet (PoE). This eliminates the need for additional
power cables and the need for a nearby power outlet,
thereby making installation simple and inexpensive,
allowing networking devices like cameras and Wireless
Access Points to be positioned in optimal locations like in
ceilings and walls -- even outdoors.
The Smart Switch includes numerous QoS features to
ensure that traffic is prioritized properly to deliver the
best possible user experience for real time applications
like voice and video or bandwidth intensive graphic/
video file uploads or downloads. With its IGMP Snooping
feature, the Smart Switch limits IP multicast traffic (real
time presentations, videoconferences, on-line gaming)
to only the ports that have requested it enabling the rest
of the network to operate at peak efficiency. Additional
QoS capabilities like IEEE 802.1p Priority Tagging, DSCP
(Differentiated Services Code Point), and 4 hardware
queues also maintain quality for real-time applications like
voice and video. Network traffic can be optimized with the
switch's 802.1Q VLAN (Virtual LAN) support which enables
you to quickly segregate network traffic by department
or workgroup. VLANs also provide an additional layer of
Business Series Smart Gigabit Ethernet Switch
SLM248G, and SLM248P
security by keeping sensitive data separated from other
workgroups on the network..
Network Security is an absolute requirement for any
business and preventing unauthorized access to the
company network is business-critical. The Smart Switch
secures the network through 802.1X port authentication
which prompts end-users to provide their username
and password before they are permitted to pass data.
User access can also be controlled through the Smart
Switch's MAC-Based Filtering capability which allows
network access only to those devices or workstations that
have been authorized as identified by their MAC (Media
Access Control) address. The Many-to-One or One-to-One
Port Mirroring feature of the Smart Switch enables you
to monitor the type of traffic being transmitted on the
network.
The Smart Switch includes features for quickly expanding
and growing your network. To substantially increase
network throughput speeds, especially useful for
companies whose employees are routinely backing up
their hard drives to a company server or storage platform,
the Smart Switch supports Link Aggregation which allows
multiple high-bandwidth trunks between switches to be
set up. Link Aggregation also provides a level of availability
and redundancy as traffic will continue to flow even if one
of the network links breaks. The Smart Switch's Spanning
Tree Protocol support (STP) and Storm Control features
help to control planned or inadvertent cable loops when
switches are connected to one another. These loops can
cause broadcast or multicast storms in the network and
severely limit its performance. With these features, you can
confidently build a mesh of switches and quickly expand
your network to support your growing workforce.
Introduction