Catalyst 2940, and Catalyst Express Series Fixed-Configuration Switches
Spring 2009 V.4
Cisco Catalyst Switches
Scalable, intelligent LAN switching for Campus, Branch,
and Data Center networks of all sizes.
This is your guide to Cisco® Catalyst® switches, the industry’s most
advanced and versatile portfolio of modular and xed-conguration
LAN switches.
Individually, these switches offer the performance and features
required for virtually any deployment, from small workgroups
and wiring closets to corporate data centers and network cores.
Working together, they are the building blocks of an integrated
network that delivers intelligent services from the wiring closet to
the core-protecting, optimizing, and growing your network as your
business needs evolve.
The network is the platform for transforming the way people live,
work, and play by enhancing application performance and creating
new experiences. The proliferation of powerful desktop computers,
bandwidth-intensive applications, and new devices, such as
wireless access points, IP phones, and video surveillance has left
networks—and network managers—looking for holistic and simple
solutions to their business challenges.
Cisco, the worldwide leader in networking systems for organizations
of every size, offers an architectural approach to networking that
makes it easy for organizations to adapt and grow. As part of the
foundation of the human network, Cisco Catalyst switches provide
the application intelligence, unied network services, integrated
security, non-stop communications, virtualization, and operational
manageability needed for today’s most valuable converged
network services, including networked applications, IP voice and
video, wireless access, and other demanding applications.
Cisco Catalyst Switches
Quick Reference Guide
Introduction
Cisco Catalyst Family Overview ................................................4
The agship Catalyst switching platform delivers the highest levels of services for every place in the network. Industryleading scalability (32 Gbps to 1.4 Tbps) and the broadest offering of interfaces provide excellent solutions for the
Wiring Closet, Distribution, Core, Data Center, Wide-Area Network routing, and Metro-Ethernet.
• Virtualization: Scalability up to 1.4
Tbps with the Virtual Switching
System 1440, service modules
support up to 256 virtual instances,
network virtualization with MPLS,
VRF-Lite and GRE-Tunnels,
multicast VPN
• Application Intelligence: H/W
accelerated network based
application recognition (NBAR),
URL Filtering, netflow for IPv6 and
multicast
• Unified Network Services: Highe st
PoE port density; enhance d PoE
support for more than 15.4W per
port; wireless controller module,
advanced quality-of-ser vice
• Non-Stop Communications:
Sub-200 ms link recovery,
Cisco IOS Software Modularit y,
In-Service Soft ware Upgrades
• WAN Aggregation: Extensive
choice of WAN interfaces from
DSO to OC-192, FE, GbE and
10GbE; MPLS; VPLS; H-VPLS
• Flexible Options: Modular 3-, 4-, 6-,
9-, and 13-slot chassis all support
redundant supervisors; wide range
of AC and DC power supplies
(950W to 8,700W)
• Highest Port Densities: Up to 1,152
10/100 ports, 770 10/100/1000
ports, 820 SFP Gigabit Ethernet
ports, or 260 10 Gigabit Ethernet
(10GbE) ports
From edge to core, Cisco Catalyst switches provide a complete range of services for all levels
of application intelligence, unied network services, integrated security, virtualization, non-stop
communications and operational manageability.
Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series
High performance Midrange modular switches for unied communications designed for high resiliency and simplied
operations, offering intelligent Layer 2–4 switching network services up to 320 Gbps and 250 mpps and exceptional
investment protection for Enterprise access layer and mid-market collapsed Core and Distribution layer.
Unified Communications:
Cisco pre-standard and IEEE 802.3af
PoE Support. 20w PoE suppor t for
802.11n access points. Up to 30 watts
per port with E-Serie s line cards.
Extensive QoS features with up to 8
user configurable queues per port .
Non-stop Communications:
Redundant supervisor engines
with In Service Soft ware Upgrade
(ISSU), Non-stop Forwarding/
Stateful Switchover (NSF/SSO)
offering 50 ms failover; redundant
power supplies with power circuit
redundancy; hot-swappable
fan trays with redundant fans
Simplified Operations:
Minimize network operational time
with ISSU, EEM, AutoQoS, Smartports
RSPAN; TDR, OIR, Netflow,
CiscoWorks and CNA
Comprehensive Security:
Integrated Network Admission
Control (NAC) and 802.1x, H/W-based
Control Plane Policing (CoPP);
integrated man-in-the-middle and
DoS attack mitigation; NetFlow;
access control lists and SSH
Flexible Options:
3,6,7 and 10-slot chassis supporting
numerous connectivity configurations
with 24 gig per slot capacity, 10/100,
10/100/1000 (PoE or Non-PoE), GE
SFP Fiber and 10GE linecards. Mix
and match classic line cards with high
performance E-Series line cards for
maximum flexibility
• High Port Density: Up to 384 Fast
Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet Ports
(PoE or Non PoE) or 34 10 Gigabit
Ethernet (10GbE) ports
Investment Protection:
Evolutionary centralized modular
Architecture, media flexibility, and
scalability of the Catalyst 4500
Series delivers maximum investment
protection with backward and
forward compatibility across several
generations dating back to 1999
45
Introduction
Series Overview (continued)
Fixed-conguration Switches
Cisco Catalyst 4900 Series
Fixed-conguration switches offering
high-performance and highest
availability in 1-2 RU conguration,
optimized for data center top of rack
server aggregation and for space
constrained branch collapsed core/
distribution LAN aggregation
• Standalone fixed-configuration
for low-latency and wire-speed
switching
• Wire-rate performance with 96-320
Gbps nonblocking switching fabric
• Layer 2–4 switching and intelligent
services with dynamic IP routing and
IPv6
• Configurations from 48 10/100/1000
ports to 24 10GbE por ts
• TwinGig converter module for
migrating from 1 Gigabit Ethernet
(SFP) to 10GbE (X2) on 4900M
• Dual, hot-swappable internal AC or
DC power supplies
• Hot-swappable fan trays
Cisco Catalyst 3750-E Series
Stackable switches offering multilayer
switching and the enhanced Cisco
StackWise™ Plus technology for
enterprise branch ofces and
mid-market organizations.
• Stackable fixed-configuration
switches featuring Cisco StackWise
Plus technology, a 64 Gbps
interconnect for a unified, resilient
system of up to nine switches
(including Cisco Catalyst 3750
Series switches)
• Layer 2–4 switching and intelligent
services with dynamic IP routing
and IPv6
• Gigabit Ethernet and upgradeable
Gigabit Ethernet to 10GbE
connectivity
• Up to 48 10/100/1000 ports plus
two 10GbE X2 ports per stackable
switch or four GbE ports
• Enhanced PoE support; the
capability to power beyond
15.4W per port
• AC power supply failure protection
with external power system
Cisco Catalyst 3750 Series
Stackable switches offering multilayer
switching and Cisco StackWise™
technology for enterprise branch
ofces and mid-market organizations.
• Stackable fixed-configuration
switches featuring Cisco StackWise
technology, a 32 Gbps interconnect
for a unified, resilient system of up to
nine switches
• Layer 2–4 switching and intelligent
services with dynamic IP routing and
IPv6
• Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet and
10GbE connectivity
• Up to 48 10/100/1000 ports plus four
SFP ports per stackable switch
• Integrated PoE (Cisco pre-standard
and IEEE 802.3af); up to 24 por ts with
15.4 watts or 48 ports with 7.3 watts
• AC power supply failure protection
with external power supply
Cisco Catalyst 3560-E Series
Fixed-conguration switches
combining Gigabit Ethernet
connectivity and PoE for enterprise
LAN access and branch ofces.
• Standalone fixed-configuration
switches
• Layer 2–4 switching and intelligent
services with dynamic IP routing and
IPv6
• Gigabit Ethernet and upgradable
Gigabit Ethernet to 10GbE uplinks
• Up to 48 10/100/1000 ports plus
two 10GbE X2 ports per stackable
switch or 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports
• Enhanced PoE support; the
capability to power beyond
15.4W per port
• AC power supply failure protection
with external power system
Cisco Catalyst 3560 Series
Fixed-conguration switches
combining Gigabit Ethernet
connectivity and PoE for enterprise
LAN access and branch ofces.
• Standalone fixed-configuration
switches
• Layer 2–4 switching and intelligent
services with dynamic IP routing and
IPv6
• Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet
connectivity
• Up to 48 10/100/1000 ports plus four
SFP ports
• Integrated PoE (Cisco pre-standard
and IEEE 802.3af); up to 24 por ts with
15.4 watts or 48 ports with 7.3 watts
• AC power supply failure protection
with external power supply
• Compact Fast Ethernet PoE with
no fan
Cisco Catalyst 2960 Series
Fixed-conguration switches offering
Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet
connectivity with enhanced L AN
services for mid-market and branch
ofce networks.
• Standalone fixed-configuration
switches
• Layer 2 switching with intelligent
Layer 2–4 services
• Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet
connectivity
• Up to 48 10/100 ports or
10/100/1000 por ts
• Power over Ethernet: 24 full PoE port
and 24-port (PoE supported on 8
ports) configurations
• AC power supply failure protection
with external power supply
• Compact Fast Ethernet and Gigabit
Ethernet switches with no fan
Fixed-conguration LAN Lite switches
offering Fast Ethernet connectivity with
Basic LAN ser vices for mid-market and
branch ofce networks.•
Standalone fixed-configuration
switches
• Layer 2 switching with Basic Layer
2–4 services
• Fast Ethernet connectivity
• Up to 48 10/100 ports
• Compact Fast Ethernet model with
no fan
Cisco Catalyst 2940 Series
Compact xed-conguration switches
with Fast Ethernet connectivity for
workgroups, conference rooms, and
classrooms.
• Standalone fixed-configuration
Layer 2 switches with no fan
• Fast Ethernet connectivity with
Gigabit Ethernet Uplinks
• Up to eight 10/100 ports
Cisco Catalyst Express Series
Cisco-class switches that simplify
advanced services and IP
Communications for businesses with
20 to 250 employees.
• Standalone fixed-configuration
Layer 2 switches
• Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet
connectivity
• Up to 24 10/100 ports with optional PoE
• Up to 24 10/100/100 ports plus
2 SFP ports
• Simple GUI based management
67
Introduction
Technology Spotlight
The architectural foundation of Services Oriented Network Architecture
Cisco Systems offers the industry’s most complete range of switching solutions,
supporting a wide variety of deployment requirements in networks of every size.
Yet Cisco Catalyst switches are much more than a collection of point products to
meet isolated IT needs; they are part of an integrated approach to the broader
goals of protecting, optimizing, and growing networks for years to come.
Cisco Catalyst switches provide an architectural foundation for the intelligent
services that enable new applications and uses for the network.
Key Elements
Hardware Integration
At the core of Cisco’s hardware integration is
application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)
innovation. Cisco has developed more than one
hundred ASICs for the Cisco Catalyst switching
family since 1995, with each generation including
more capabilities. For example, Cisco was the
first vendor to integrate Layer 3 switching into
hardware, and has gone on to integrate security
access control lists (ACLs), quality of service (QoS)
classification, and queuing across the entire Cisco
Catalyst line. Cisco is also the only switching
vendor to offer hardware-based services modules,
which integrate key functions such as firewalling,
content networking, and network analysis directly
into Catalyst 6500 switches.
Predictable Performance
Cisco offers among the highest performance
modular and stackable switches in the industry,
but throughput alone is not enough. Organizations
need to be assured of predictable performance,
regardless of variables like congestion, traffic
type, or the use of software- or hardware-enabled
services. That’s why all Cisco Catalyst switches
are designed to maintain predictable performance
through a unique combination of mechanisms,
including Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF), Ternar y
Content Addressable Memory ( TCAM), buffering,
and congestion management. This ensures that
network managers can enable complex features
without fear of losing speed in their networks.
Unified Network Services
Scaling rich media applications, voice, video, and
data on a single network requires a comprehensive
approach to network services. The Catalyst
portfolio leads the industry in Gigabit and 10
Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) port density. Desktop
Gigabit Ethernet, also called 10/100/1000, provides
investment protection for future connectivity
needs while also making use of the “free” LANon-motherboard solutions shipping on most new
desktop and laptop computers. Similarly, 10GbE is
being rapidly adopted in many enterprise networks,
particularly in the network core, distribution, and in
data center networks. Another key consideration
is Power over Ethernet (PoE), which simplifies the
deployment of devices such as IP phones and
wireless access points. PoE eliminates the need
for additional power cabling. Cisco drove the
802.3af power standard through IEEE and today
offers extensions to the IEEE standard through
the use of intelligent power management. In
keeping with Cisco’s evolutionary approach, the
Cisco Catalyst line includes switches that support
both pre-standard inline power as well as IEEE
802.3af-compliant devices, enabling our customers
to deploy new technology while continuing to make
the most of past investments. Cisco offers the
highest density of IEEE 802.3af PoE devices (up to
420) in a single chassis with full power redundancy.
Virtualization
Cisco Catalyst Series switches offer a wide variety
of technologies that enable the scaling of a single
physical network into multiple, logical networks.
Identity services such as 802.1x and Network
Admission Control (NAC) ensure users are able
to access appropriate resources. Path isolation
technologies provide a means for traffic isolation.
These include Generic Route Encapsulation (GRE),
Virtual Route Forwarding (VRF) and Multiprotocol
Label Switching (MPLS). Additionally, service
modules such as the Application Control Engine
(ACE) for the Catalyst 6500 can be virtualized to
offer up to 256 dif ferent instances.