Specifications

D-Link xStack Switch Series: Meeting the Need at the Edge of the Network 2
D-Link Systems, Inc.
October 2004
Executive Summary
The way in which businesses use LANs is changing and the performance requirement at the edge
of the network is becoming more demanding. IP Telephony and other collaborative applications
are driving more traffic to the edge of the network. As file sizes continue to grow, users need
more bandwidth. Quite simply, the convergence of voice, video, data, and storage enables users
to do more from their desktop. Enterprises need to be able to address today’s increased demands
and still prepare for the unknown demands of tomorrow. By re-assessing how they’re using the
wiring closet, they can achieve both goals, and be assured that their investments will be protected
for a long time to come.
With the xStack Multilayer Switch Series, D-Link meets the switching demands of growing
medium and large businesses. The xStack Series is a line of Enterprise-class switching products
that provide the industry’s highest density Gigabit connectivity, managed Layer 2 Ethernet
switching, full-featured Layer 3 IP routing, robust security, advanced QoS, and blazing 10-
Gigabit support—all in one compact 1RU chassis. With strict adherence to industry open
standards, xStack switches are designed and priced to help businesses build a cost effective,
powerful, and professional network.
Delivering the greatest Gigabit switch throughput performance in the industry, the D-Link
xStack Series enables deployment of intelligent services faster and more efficiently than ever
before. Even the most demanding customer can now have it all: investment protection for years
to come, intelligence to support new services and simplify the network, and high availability
features that will keep users connected and productive.
Before we discuss the features and benefits of the D-Link xStack Series, it is important to first
understand the current driving forces behind the demand for Gigabit and 10-Gigabit at the
network edge.
The Demand for Gigabit and 10-Gigabit Ethernet
Frustrated network users, new bandwidth-intensive applications, rapid Gigabit rollouts, and
falling prices are making 10-Gigabit Ethernet a necessity in the Enterprise network. With 10-
Gigabit Ethernet, bandwidth-challenged Enterprises can meet their acute network needs with
10Gbps solutions that provide the benefits of Ethernet while preserving investments in 1-Gigabit
Ethernet and 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet LANs. Initially, Enterprises are using 10-Gigabit
Ethernet on network segments that aggregate extremely high volumes of traffic, such as campus
backbones and very high-speed links between supercomputer clusters, or between servers and
switches in datacenters. By preserving Ethernet from end to end, such links leverage existing
Enterprise infrastructures while lowering costs and simplifying training and network
management. Furthermore, Enterprises can deploy the 10-Gigabit Ethernet links without
worrying about compatibility problems, because the standard coming out of the IEEE 802.3ae
working group preserves the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet frame format, minimum and maximum frame
size, and media access control (MAC) client interface. This means that existing products from
the leading vendors will support the new 10-Gigabit Ethernet standard.