Data Sheet

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COM® SWITCH 8800 FAMILY
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KEY BENEFITS
(CONTINUED)
Standards-based link aggregation (via IEEE 802.3ad) allows scalable,
high-bandwidth interconnectivity between network devices, with the
ability to aggregate multiple Gigabit or 10-Gigabit links together as a
s
ingle “trunk”. Link aggregation of ports is supported across modules
within the Switch 8800 for virtually non-stop network availability.
PRIORITIZATION AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
Eight priority queues per port enable standard IEEE 802.1p Class of
Service Quality of Service (CoS/QoS). Protocol filtering and bandwidth
r
ate limiting capabilities allow the switch to enforce port-based controls
for efficient use of network resources and prioritization of business-
critical or time-sensitive applications, including Voice over IP (VoIP).
For example, protocols associated with key business applications can
receive prioritized, high-bandwidth service, while protocols associated
with non-critical (or even undesirable) applications can receive lower
priority and bandwidth resources, or be blocked completely.
STANDARDS BASED INTEROPERABILITY AND INVESTMENT
PROTECTION
Enterprises today rely on open standards-based technology solutions
to enable interoperability among new and existing systems and to
ensure that today’s investments will continue to provide value well
into the future without being locked-in to a particular vendor’s products
or technology.
The Switch 8800 has an open architecture, facilitating seamless growth
and migration based on widely accepted international standards, free
from costly lock-ins and the restrictions of proprietary approaches.
3Com’s standards-based design philosophy—inherent in the Switch
8800 and all other 3Com products—provides investment protection as
well as the flexibility to deploy “best-in-class” technology solutions
which leverage industry standards.
ENTERPRISE CLASS MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL
The Switch 8800 system features independent channels for data and
management control. The dedicated data channel provides high-speed
data switching and packet forwarding, while a separate management
channel provides control, monitoring, route learning and distribution.
A comprehensive set of management features allows the Switch 8800
to provide enterprise-wide visibility and control to IT staff for
configuration, network monitoring and advanced troubleshooting
capabilities. Management features are accessible via an intuitive com-
mand line interface (CLI), as well as by SNMP, with hierarchical access
controls and password protection for secure management access.
Additional management security is provided through user authentication
and the data encryption capabilities of SNMP v3 and SSH v2, further
reducing the likelihood of unauthorized access or snooping of manage-
ment traffic.
SEAMLESS MIGRATION TO IPV6
IPv6-ready hardware architecture enables migration from today's IPv4
networks to IPv6 whenever required, without the worry of costly forklift
upgrades. An optional Advanced Feature Software version enables com-
prehensive IPv6 capabilities including RIPng, OSPFv3, BGP-4, MLD, and
PIM (SM and DM). IPv6 routing functions are performed in hardware for
maximum routing performance.