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Cisco Systems, Inc.
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Gigabit Ethernet
Today’s knowledge workers are placing higher demands on their networks. They need to run multiple, concurrent
applications, and to do this productively, these users require higher bandwidth from the network. For example, a
worker joins a team conference call via IP videoconference, sends a 10-MB spreadsheet to meeting participants,
broadcasts the latest marketing video for the team to evaluate, and queries the customer relationship management
database for the latestreal-timefeedback.Meanwhile,themultigigabytesystembackupstartsinthebackgroundand
the latest virus updates are pushed to the client. Bandwidth enhancement beyond 100 Mbps—enabled by Gigabit
Ethernet—provides for a smoothly operating network with the ability to evolve.
Cisco makes the transition to Gigabit Ethernet faster and easier with standards-based solutions for both fiber and
copper cabling. At speeds of 1000 Mbps, Gigabit Ethernet provides the bandwidth that networks need to meet new
and evolving network demands, alleviate bottlenecks, andboost performance while increasingthe return on existing
infrastructure investments. Small and medium-sized networks with Cisco Catalyst 2950 Series switches deployed in
the access layer will find the Cisco Catalyst 2970 Series a cost-effective switch platform with which to begin the
migration to Gigabit Ethernet.
Intelligence in the Network
As companies increasingly rely on the network as the strategic business infrastructure, and with end users having
1000Mbps at their disposal, it is more important than ever to consistently ensure network security, high availability,
and QoS—from the desktop through the network core and out to the WAN.
Cisco Catalyst switches enable companies to realize the full benefits of adding intelligent services into their networks.
These capabilities make the network infrastructure
• secure to protect confidential information,
• highly available to deliver on time-critical needs,
• scalable to accommodate future growth, and
• capable of differentiating and controlling traffic flows to handle the increasing number of critical business
applications.
Enhanced Security
With the wide range of security features that the Cisco Catalyst 2970 Series offers, businesses can protect important
information, keep unauthorized people off of the network, guard privacy, and maintain uninterrupted operation.
The Identity-Based Networking Services (IBNS) feature in the Cisco Catalyst 2970 Series prevents unauthorized
access and helps to ensure that users get only their designated privileges. It provides the ability to dynamically
administer granular levels of network access. Using the 802.1x standard and the Cisco Secure Access Control
Server (ACS), users can be assigned a virtual LAN (VLAN) or an ACL upon authentication, regardless of where they
connect to the network. This allows IT departments to enable strong security policies without compromising user
mobility—and with minimal administrative overhead.