Alcatel 6800 User Manual

The Best Value in Advanced Gigabit Ethernet Switching

OmniSwitch 6800 Family

Enterprise-wide manageability, availability and security

The way enterprise networks are used today has changed how switches must perform and the

capabilities they need to have at the edge of the network. More users are mobile today and not

just within an office building. Today, they work from across campus, across town, and across

the country over wireless and wired connections. Users need to be able to have access to voice,

video, and data applications, yet do so securely, from any of those locations. To address these

needs, enterprise networks require intelligent workgroup switches that deliver high throughput,

are highly available, are easily managed, and provide secure LAN access for mobile users.

The Alcatel OmniSwitch 6800 family of stackable Ethernet switches were designed to meet these

changing needs. They are fixed configuration, triple-speed (10/100/1000) switches that deliver

the advanced features and services required today with the ability to expand to meet the needs

of tomorrow. The OS6800 increases network performance, improves application response

times, secures the LAN, and enhances user productivity by maximizing mobility, network

capacity, and services over existing category 5/5E/6 cabling.

The OS6800 provides wire rate layer-2 forwarding and layer-3 routing with advanced security, unicast and multicast

routing, and comprehensive QoS services. Dynamic user mobility with authentication allows users to connect

securely anywhere in the LAN using 802.1x. This, in conjunction with emerging host security technologies, provides

a method to verify end users and their device status. The OS6800 also supports Alcatel’s Automated Quarantine

Engine (AQE), which provides the enterprise the ability to automatically react to network-based attacks, quarantining

the offending device throughout the network.

With triple-speed capability, built-in combo ports (four 10/100/1000 and four mini-GBIC) and support for optional

wire speed, two port, 10 Gigabit Ethernet modules, the small to large enterprise can now simultaneously protect its

current investment in legacy end devices while providing seamless migration in the future.

A compact, one unit (1U) high form factor, virtual chassis design and a comprehensive set of features makes the OS6800

perfect for the following applications:

• Enterprise workgroups / LAN wiring closets

• Edge deployments and branch offices

• L3 aggregation / distribution layer switches in three-tier networks

• Small enterprise core switching

• Quality of service (QoS) for mission critical applications

• Data center server clusters

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Alcatel OmniSwitch 6800 Family

ALCATEL 3 >

OmniSwitch 6800L

The OmniSwitch 6800L (OS6800L) switches are the ONLY ones on the market that provide industry
leading advanced features and performance at 10/100 speeds that are easily and inexpensively
upgraded via a software key to 10/100/1000. Network managers can turn on this gigabit
capability to the desktop on a switch-by-switch basis as their bandwidth needs grow.

The OmniSwitch 6800 switches currently available are:

OS6800-24, which is a Gigabit Ethernet L3 stackable fixed configuration chassis in a
1U form factor with 24 operational ports. There are 24 10/100/1000 RJ-45 ports and
four miniGBIC ports. The last four RJ-45 ports (ports 21-24), and the miniGBIC ports (also
numbered 21-24) are combo ports providing the user a choice of copper or fiber.*

OS6800-24L, which is a low-priced, dual-speed (10/100) stackable fixed configuration
chassis in a 1U form factor that is upgradeable to GigE through a software license. It
provides wire rate layer-2 forwarding and layer-3 routing plus the same advanced
security, routing, and QoS services as the OS6800-24. On the OS6800L-24, there
are 24 operational ports on the switch. 20 are 10/100 RJ-45 ports (software key
upgradeable to 10/100/1000), four are 10/100/1000 RJ-45 combo ports (ports 21
–24), and there are four miniGBIC combo ports (also numbered 21-24) providing the
user a choice of copper or fiber.*

OS6800-48, which is a Gigabit Ethernet L3 stackable fixed configuration chassis in a
1U form factor with 48 operational ports plus support for an optional two port 10G
module. There are 48 10/100/1000 RJ-45 ports and four miniGBIC ports The last four
RJ-45 ports (ports 45-48), and the miniGBIC ports (also numbered 45-48) are combo
ports providing a choice of copper or fiber.*

OS6800-48L which is a low-priced, dual-speed (10/100) stackable fixed configuration
chassis in a 1U form factor that is upgradeable to GigE through a software license. It
provides wire rate layer-2 forwarding and layer-3 routing plus the same advanced security,
routing, and QoS services as the OS6800-48. The OS6800-48L has 48 operational ports
of which 44 are 10/100 RJ-45 ports (software key upgradeable to 10/100/1000) plus
support for an optional two port 10G module. For the four remaining ports (45-48), the
user has an option of copper (10/100/1000 RJ-45) or miniGBIC combo port.*

OS6800-U24, Gigabit Ethernet L3 standalone fixed configuration chassis in a 1U
form factor with 24 operational ports. There are 24 miniGBIC (SFP) ports and four
10/100/1000 RJ-45 ports. The last four miniGBIC (ports 21-24), and the four
10/100/1000 RJ-45 ports (also numbered 21-24) are combo ports providing a
choice of copper or fiber.*

OmniSwitch OS6800-48 rear view

(Shown with optional 10G and

back up power connector modules)

OmniSwitch OS6800-48

OmniSwitch OS6800 power shelf

(Shown with eight OS6800-BPS power

supplies inserted)

OmniSwitch OS6800-U24

OmniSwitch OS6800-24L

*Combo ports on all models consist of four 10/100/1000 RJ-45 and four mini-GBIC ports. These combo ports allow the use of either the
copper (RJ-45) port or the fiber (miniGBIC) port of the same number.

The OS6800 family uses a modular external backup power solution that provides redundant chassis
power on a 1:1 basis.

The OmniSwitch 6800 family is Alcatel’s first advanced, fixed-configuration Gigabit Ethernet to the
desktop family of switches. They complement the existing portfolio of Alcatel enterprise fixed­configuration workgroup switches which includes:

• OmniStack 6100 family switches: layer 2+ 10/100 stackable

• OmniStack 6300 family switches: layer 2+ 10/100/1000 standalone

• OmniSwitch 6600 family switches: layer 3 10/100 stackable

Alcatel’s fixed configuration switches are part of the larger Alcatel enterprise portfolio that includes the
modular-based OmniSwitch 7700, 7800, and 8800 series of core switches. Together, this portfolio
offers a complete edge-to-core solution with high availability, intelligent performance, and enhanced
security in an easy to manage, flexible and scalable package.

Alcatel understands the need to offer investment protection and provides a limited lifetime hardware
warranty on OS6100, OS6300, OS6600, and OS6800 families of switches.

Gigabit Ethernet

Many people get stuck on the term “Gigabit to the Desktop” because their focus is
purely on speed and not on the other tangible benefits this class of switch can offer.
The OS6800 provides an advanced, high performance feature set that is secure
and easy to manage and provides the necessary network services to ensure the
enterprise’s mission critical applications are always available and meet user
satisfaction needs.

Future proof

The OS6800s address the need for future proofing and Gigabit migration because they
maximize the bandwidth capabilities of existing cabling plants, support legacy 10/100
devices, and offer room for growth with optional 10G connectivity. With the value the
OS6800 offers, a business can invest in the future at prices it can afford today.

Additionally, the OS6800’s capabilities are not just for desktop connectivity. With a
160 Gbps switching capacity and a 40 Gbps stacking bandwidth, the OS6800 can be
a very cost-effective distribution layer, server aggregation, or core switch.

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FEATURES:

• Fixed configuration, triple-speed
(10/100/1000)

• Four mini-GBIC combo ports providing
a choice of copper or fiber

• Support for two port, 10 GigE modules

• Virtual chassis design

• Supports interoperability standards

• Advanced L2-L4 QoS/ACL
classification, marking and filtering

• Industry’s only all fiber (OS6800-U24)
Gigabit switch with full layer-3 routing
and 10 GigE support.

• 802.1s Multiple Spanning Tree

• 802.1x multi-client with multi-VLAN
assignment

• VLAN per port, DHCP, MAC address,
IP subnet and protocol including IPv6

• OS6800 and OS6800L can be mixed
in the same stack

Alcatel OmniSwitch 6800 Family

ALCATEL 5 >

Plus, the OS6800L switches provide even more security for your investment by being upgradeable and
stackable with other OS6800s. The low entry price allows you to improve your current network’s
performance and later, through a software license, allows you to upgrade to GigE.

Secure Networking The OmniSwitch 6800 can support a distributed security

approach, enhance emerging security technologies, and help secure the LAN edge
using proactive and reactive strategies.

One proactive solution is to perform a host integrity check, which ensures attached
devices are running administrator defined credentials. A host integrity check solution
is significantly enhanced by the OS6800 because it can automatically move hosts
that pass inspection dynamically into their proper VLAN based on the user,
regardless of where they are physically, or move them into a protected environment
where they could maintain limited access to network resources for remediation.

Since every security threat cannot be anticipated, the enterprise also needs a
reactive security solution that can respond quickly and effectively. When the
group mobility feature in the OS6800 is combined with the Alcatel Quarantine
Engine (AQE) and supported intrusion detection systems (IDS), the network can
automatically detect attacks and take protective action such as writing a rule that
drops the device’s traffic, turning off the device’s connectivity to the network or
quarantine it to a protected environment.

High Availability

A high performance network means nothing if it’s not available for use. The
OmniSwitch 6800 virtual chassis minimizes downtime, reduces operational
complexity and cost, and increases availability for mission-critical applications.

A virtual chassis takes the best availability attributes of a modular chassis like
redundant management, fault tolerant backplane and link aggregation including
10 Gig that can be configured across physical switch boundaries. These attributes
remove single points of failure that other stackable switches do not address.

A cost effective, highly available, scalable, and re-configurable network can be
achieved when the virtual chassis benefits of the OS6800 are deployed in
conjunction with the OS6600 family.

AQE Sequence of Events

Infected station attacks server (e.g.,
port scan)

IDP identifies the attack and source of
attack

IDP notifies OmniVista of type of attack and
source of attack

Trap or syslog event appears and network
administrator is offered predetermined
responses:

• Shut down faulty user port

• Create ACL on (port/VLAN/switch/
network)

• Move faulty MAC to quarantine VLAN
(network wide)

Response is activated in the network

1

2

3

4

5

End Stations

Client Integrity

1

OmniSwitch 6800

OmniSwitch 6800 OmniSwitch 6800

Aggregation

AQE

5

TRAP

4

Administrator

Agent

Data Center

Switch

Virtual Chassis

40 Gig Core

Interconnect

(Stacking Links)

Link

OmniVista

Critical Resources

1 Gig10 Gig1 Gig10 Gig

Link
Aggregation

3

2

IDP

OmniSwitch 6800

Virtual Chassis Virtual Chassis

OmniSwitch 6600