Features and key benefits, Exceptional performance – Cisco 2950 User Manual

Page 3

Cisco Systems, Inc.

Page 3 of 9

Catalyst 2950 switches can be configured either as command

or member switches in a Cisco switch cluster. The command

switch serves as the single-IP address management point and

disburses all management instructions dictated by the network

administrator. Command switches can cluster up to 15

additional interconnected member switches regardless of

interconnection media. CMS also allows the network

administrator to designate a standby or redundant command

switch, which takes the commander duties should the primary

command switch fail.

Enhanced Security, Management, and Integrated Cisco

IOS Features

Cisco Catalyst 2950 Series switches have several exceptional

features to increase network performance, manageability, and

security. Network managers can implement higher levels of

data security and boost LAN performance by deploying up to

64 virtual LANs (VLANs) per switch. This ensures that data

packets are forwarded only to stations within a specific

VLAN, creating a virtual firewall between groups of ports on

the network and reducing broadcast transmission.

VLAN trunks can be created from any port using the

standards-based 802.1Q VLAN trunking architecture. Per

VLAN Spanning Tree (PVST+) allows users to implement

redundant uplinks while also distributing traffic loads across

multiple links. This is not possible with standard Spanning

Tree Protocol (STP) implementations. Cisco Uplink Fast

technology ensures immediate transfer to the secondary

uplink, much better than the traditional 30 to 60 second

convergence time. This is yet another enhancement of the STP

implementation.

With Catalyst 2950 switches, network managers can

implement high levels of port and console security. Media

Access control (MAC) address-based port level security

prevents unauthorized stations from accessing the switch.

Static and dynamic address limits can be created, giving

administrators powerful control over network access.

Multilevel access security on the switch console prevents

unauthorized users from accessing or altering switch

configuration. Terminal access controller access control

system (TACACS+) authentication enables centralized

coordination of access control across a large group of

networking devices.

Features And Key Benefits

Exceptional Performance

• Wire-speed, nonblocking performance on all ports,

including Gigabit ports

• 8.8-Gbps switching fabric and 6.6 million

packets-per-second maximum forwarding rate ensures

maximum throughput—even for the most

performance-sensitive applications

• 12- or 24- 10BaseT/100BaseTX autosensing ports, each

delivering up to 200 Mbps of bandwidth to individual

users, servers or workgroups to support

bandwidth-intensive applications

• Catalyst 2950T-24 has two built-in, Gigabit Ethernet

(1000BaseT) ports that deliver up to 4 Gbps aggregated

bandwidth to the Gigabit Ethernet backbone, Gigabit

Ethernet servers or between switches—leveraging existing

Category 5 cabling infrastructure—up to a distance of 100

meters

• Catalyst 2950C-24 switch has two multimode

(100BaseFX) fiber uplinks deliver up to 200 Mbps

of bandwidth over an extended distance of up to 2

kilometers

• 8 MB shared memory architecture ensures the highest

possible throughput with a design that eliminates

head-of-line blocking, minimizes packet loss, and delivers

better overall performance in environments with extensive

multicast and broadcast traffic

• 16 MB of DRAM and 8 MB of Flash on-board enable the

addition of future feature upgrades, maximizing customer

investments

• Bandwidth aggregation through Fast EtherChannel and

Gigabit EtherChannel technology enhances fault tolerance

and offers up to 4 Gbps of aggregated bandwidth between

switches, to routers and to individual servers

• 802.1Q standards-based VLAN trunking on each port; 64

VLANs per switch with 64 instances of Spanning Tree

(PVST+)

• Superior multicast management via support for IGMP

snooping in hardware