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Q: Why make the
move to Gigabit
Ethernet?
The primary security features and applications supported by these switches include
access control lists (ACLs), filtering, port security, IEEE 802.1x, multilevel console
security, and Secure Shell (SSH) Protocol. This unique combination provides the
enhanced security needed to support new and expanding network services,
addressing three distinct areas of concern in the network:
•
Authentication
In other words, is the user supposed to have network access?
•
What's the user permitted to do on the network?
Authorization
•
Who's using the network and what are they doing?
Accounting
All together, the security features supported by Cisco Catalyst switches offer the
protection and control needed to prevent both malicious acts and inadvertent
mishaps.
These features can be used to address performance as well as security issues.
Hardware-based filtering, for instance, is typically used to screen MAC addresses
to restrict access to sensitive areas of the network. But it can also be used to deal
with a specific host that's been bogging down the network, denying it access while
allowing all others to enter. The protected port feature eliminates the possibility of
unauthorized IP traffic on virtual LANs (VLANs).
Finally, it's worth noting that Cisco Catalyst switches support applications to deal
with another concern: physical security. Their multiservice capabilities make them
ideally suited for IP video surveillance applications, providing an effective, yet
affordable, alternative to conventional video monitoring systems.
A: Because networks need room to grow.
At speeds of 1000 megabits per second (Mbps), Gigabit Ethernet provides the
bandwidth that networks need to evolve and meet new demands, alleviating
bottlenecks, boosting performance, and increasing the return on existing invest-
ments in infrastructure.
As the industry leader in LAN switching, Cisco makes the transition to Gigabit
Ethernet faster and easier with standards-based solutions for both fiber-optic and
copper cabling. Cisco products can also be deployed in stages for a more gradual
migration to Gigabit Ethernet, starting at the core and moving on to the wiring closet.
Organizations can use Cisco Catalyst switches to extend Gigabit Ethernet to the
desktop, simply and affordably, to support today's powerful computers, sophisti-
cated applications, and high traffic volumes. Delivering up to 10 gigabits per
second (Gbps), the range of solutions offered by Cisco will satisfy even the most
bandwidth-hungry environments.
The Evolving Network
3
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