Specifications

D-Link xStack Switch Series: Meeting the Need at the Edge of the Network 4
D-Link Systems, Inc.
October 2004
APPLICATIONS FUEL DEMAND FOR 10-GIGABIT ETHERNET
Enterprises should consider deploying 10-Gigabit Ethernet as soon as possible, given that
1-Gigabit Ethernet is already migrating from servers at the core of the network to specialized
workstations and is starting to reach desktops at the edge of the network.
Equipment vendors are aggressively slashing prices for 1-Gbps equipment, primarily
LAN switches, network interface cards (NICs), and LAN on motherboards (LOMs), further
encouraging the use of 1Gbps connections. Price erosion is also being fueled by the advent of
Gigabit-over-copper (1,000Base-T) technology, which allows Enterprises to use their existing
Category 5 copper-based infrastructure while maintaining the robustness previously found only
in fiber links. At the same time, 10Gbps versions of NICs are expected to deploy in servers soon.
Enterprises will increasingly need the 10Gbps pipes for aggregation of 1Gbps connections and to
support the growing number of bandwidth-intensive applications. Very high-speed connections
are needed to accommodate the demand for more bandwidth between LAN switches and the
desire to aggregate server farms at high speeds. The growing availability of gigabit-over-copper,
the trend toward Gigabit-to-the-desktop connections, and the wider availability and use of high-
performance computing, multi-site collaboration, streaming media, and videoconferencing are
further swelling the demand for 10-Gigabit Ethernet connections.
Another positive factor for 10-Gigabit Ethernet: it gives Enterprises a valuable option in a time
of tight budgets. In such instances, firms may choose to install more bandwidth instead of
immediately migrating LAN switches to prioritization, managed switches, and from Layer 2 to
Layer 3. This has become known as "throwing bandwidth at a
problem." It is not an elegant solution— or one to be recommended in large and complex
networks— but it has worked for years where networks are relatively simple.
Introduction to the xStack Switch Series
The D-Link xStack Series represents the next generation in innovation and performance in a
stackable solution. They offer scalable and resilient solutions for Gigabit and 10-Gigabit
Ethernet, providing exceptional security features and support for enhanced convergence while
minimizing capital and operational expenses. All the features typically found in the more
expensive chassis-based solutions, at the price of a stackable.