Setting out on a major drive to establish itself in the switching arena, Cisco Systems Inc has announced a range of Fast Ethernet products that promise to offer switched internetworking systems from the desktop to the backbone. The latest additions include the Catalyst 2900, a high-speed, managed 10/100 Fast Ethernet workgroup switch; a 10/100Mbps selectable switch module for the Catalyst 5000; the Cisco Fast Ethernet SwitchProbe, which monitors RMON remote monitoring traffic at the data link, network and application layers; the CiscoPro EtherSwitch 2200, a 10/100 Fast Ethernet workgroup switch and a Fast Ethernet Interface Processor supporting 100Base-FX for Cisco’s high- performance 7000 and 7500 series routers. The company also announced that its 4500 and 4700 mid-range routers will support a Fast Ethernet Network Processor Module, which will enable high-speed and virtual local network communication between network devices. Combining wire speed performance with embedded traffic management including RMON monitoring and virtual local networks, the Catalyst 2900 – which features a 14-port fixed configuration chassis – is being targeted at highly managed 10/100 switched workgroups or backbones. The 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet Switching Module for the Catalyst 5000 offers is touted as a low-end system for mixed Ethernet and Fast Ethernet environments. Cisco’s Fast Ethernet SwitchProbe is a network monitor that provides RMON data to Traffic Director and other RMON monitoring applications. Supporting nine groups of the RMON Management Information Base in addition to virtual local network monitoring extensions, the Fast Ethernet SwitchProbe is designed to relay diagnostic and troubleshooting information to network managers from shared half-, switched half-, or full-duplex Fast Ethernet networks. The fixed-configuration CiscoPro EtherSwitch 2200, which combines wire-speed performance with embedded traffic management, is also aimed at 10/100 switched workgroups or backbones in small and medium-sized businesses. It is managed under CiscoVision, the firm’s Simple Network Management Protocol-based Windows network management system. The CiscoPro EtherSwitch 2200 features a 14-port fixed configuration chassis and a Supervisor Engine that controls access to the switching backplane and which can switch more than one million packets per second. It has two configurations – 10/100Base-TX (10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet) and 100Base-FX (100Mbps Fast Ethernet). To broaden its Fast Ethernet support further, Cisco has also announced its intent to provide a new version of the Fast Ethernet Interface Processor as well as future support for a Fast Ethernet Network Process Module for the Cisco 4500, Cisco 4700 and CiscoPro 4500 modular access routers. In terms of availability, both the 10/100Base-T and 100Base-F of the Catalyst 2900 will start shipping in July, while the Catalyst 5000 10/100 Module is available now. The CiscoPro EtherSwitch 2200, Ethernet and Fast Ethernet modules will arrive in July. As for router interfaces, the 7000 FEIP-FX and the 7000 FEIP-TX are due this quarter, with the 4000 NPM due next. The Fast Ethernet Switch Probe is due this quarter. No prices have been given yet.
