Table of Contents

Product Overview
Key Features and Benefits
Specifications
Ordering Information

10/100 Desktop Connectivity
Stacking/Clustering
Aggregation

Catalyst 3500 Series XL — Stackable 10/100 and Gigabit Ethernet Switches

Product Overview

The Cisco Systems Catalyst 3500 series XL is a scalable line of stackable 10/100 and Gigabit Ethernet switches that deliver premium performance, manageability, and flexibility, with unparalleled investment protection. This line of low-cost, high-performance switching solutions provides next-generation stackable switching. Catalyst 3500 XL stacks allow management of all switched ports from a single IP address and provide interconnected switches with an independent high-speed stack bus that preserves valuable desktop ports.

Cisco Catalyst 3500 series XL switches take stacking to a new level with revolutionary Cisco Switch Clustering technology and GigaStack GBICs. With Cisco Switch Clustering, users can manage over 380 ports from a single IP address, and connect up to 16 switches, regardless of physical location, with a broad range of Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet media. Cisco Switch Clustering is supported on all Catalyst 3500 XL, 2900 XL and Catalyst 1900 switches.

All Catalyst 3500 series XL switches feature Cisco IOS software and Cisco Visual Switch Manager (CVSM) software, an easy-to-use Web-based management interface. All high-performance Catalyst 3500 series XL switches are available in either Standard or Enterprise Editions. Enterprise Edition switches offer advanced software features, including complete 802.1Q and ISL VLAN support, TACACS+ security, and fault tolerance through Uplink Fast.

Key Features and Benefits

Exceptional Performance

• 10 Gbps switching fabric and up to 6.5 million packets-per-second forwarding rate, ensuring full-wire speed operation for each 10BaseT/100BaseTX and Gigabit Ethernet port

• 4 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

• Full-duplex operation on all ports, delivering up to 200 Mbps on 10/100 ports or 2 Gbps on 1000BaseX ports

• 8 MB DRAM and 4 MB Flash memory onboard, enabling the addition of a continuous stream of feature upgrades

• Two priority forwarding queues on each 10/100 port and eight priority forwarding queues on all Gigabit Ethernet ports, enabling network traffic prioritization and seamless data, voice, and video integration (enabled in future software)

Flexible and Scalable Switch Clustering and Stacking

• GigaStack GBIC delivers a low-cost, independent stack bus with a 1 Gbps forwarding bandwidth in a daisy-chain configuration, with up to nine Catalyst 3500 XL or gigabit-enabled Catalyst 2900 series XL switches or a 2 Gbps forwarding rate in a point-to-point configuration

• Cisco switch clustering technology allows a user to manage up to 16 interconnected Catalyst 3500 XL, 2900 XL, and Catalyst 1900 switches through a single IP address regardless of location

• GBIC-based Gigabit Ethernet ports give customers a choice of 1000BaseSX, 1000BaseLX/LH, or Cisco GigaStack stacking GBICs to fit their connection needs

Integrated Cisco IOS Switching Solution

• Bandwidth aggregation through Fast EtherChannel and Gigabit EtherChannel technology, enhancing fault tolerance and offering from 400 Mbps up to 4 Gbps of aggregated bandwidth between switches, and to routers and individual servers

• Cisco Group Management Protocol (CGMP) Fast Leave support reduces network traffic by allowing a switch to selectively and dynamically forward routed IP multicast traffic to targeted end stations, providing network support for multimedia and minimizing network traffic

• Virtual LAN trunks can be created from any port using either standards-based 802.1Q tagging or the Cisco ISL VLAN architecture

Superior Manageability

• Built-in Web-based Cisco Visual Switch Manager (CVSM) provides easy-to-use Web-based management interface through a standard browser such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer

• Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and Telnet interface support deliver comprehensive in-band management, and a CLI-based management console provides detailed out-of-band management

• Manageable through CiscoWorks 2000 network management software on a per-port and per-switch basis, providing a common management interface for Cisco routers, switches, and hubs

• Embedded Remote Monitoring (RMON) software agent supports four RMON groups (history, statistics, alarms, and events) for enhanced traffic management, monitoring, and analysis

• IEEE 802.1p Layer-2 prioritization protocol ready, allowing users to assign data packets to prioritized forwarding queues

Specifications

Hardware Specifications for the Catalyst 3500 Series XL

For software specification information, access Cisco Connection Online at http://www.cisco.com

Ordering Information

The three major product applications of the Catalyst 3500 series XL are defined as follows:

10/100 Desktop Connectivity

Catalyst 3500 series XL switches can be deployed for high-performance desktop connectivity providing dedicated 10 or 100 Mbps to workstations (Figure 1-8.). Gigabit Ethernet ports will be used for uplink connections to servers or uplinks to the corporate backbone. The Catalyst 3512 XL offers a low entry price 10/100 solution, while the Catalyst 3524 XL offers the lowest price-per-port.

Stacking/Clustering

The Cisco GigaStack GBIC and Cisco Switch Clustering technology offer customers a wide range of stack and cluster connectivity options. Several Catalyst 3500 XL, 2900 XL, and Catalyst 1900 switches may be deployed in a switch clustering or GigaStack GBIC configuration and managed with a single IP address. The switches are used mostly for desktop connectivity with limited aggregation. Gigabit Ethernet ports will be used for uplinks to corporate backbone or connections to a Gigabit aggregation switch. Illustrated here are three sample configurations: Independent Stack Bus, Point-to-Point Connections, and Cisco Switch Clustering. Performance levels scale from a 1 Gbps forwarding rate in a daisy-chain configuration up to a 2 Gbps forwarding rate in a point-to-point connection.

Aggregation

The Catalyst 3500 XL switches can be deployed in wiring closets to aggregate workgroup networking devices such as Ethernet and 10/100 switches; 10BaseT and 10/100 hubs; and workgroup servers. The Catalyst 3524 XL and 3512 XL are well suited for customers who need a 10/100 aggregation switch with Gigabit Ethernet uplinks to backbone or servers (as shown in Figure 1-12.). The eight Gigabit Ethernet ports on the Catalyst 3508G XL make the switch ideal for aggregating a group of 10/100 switches with Gigabit Ethernet uplinks and Gigabit Ethernet servers in a high-performance wiring closet aggregation configuration.

Posted: Wed Sep 27 05:15:16 PDT 2000
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