Documento

Technology Brief

Metro Ethernet Technologies on the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switch
In more than 25 years, Ethernet technology has experienced several changes, evolving from a shared-media half-duplex 10 Mbps LAN technology to a full-duplex switched 10/100/1000/10000 Mbps LAN technology, as the demand for higher networking speeds has grown. Ethernet switches, too, have evolved with advancedcapabilities; notably, advanced quality of service (QoS) and security, which previously were available only for other more expensive media. By offering cost effective bandwidth, Ethernet has made it possible for digital applications to flourish by taking advantage of a high-performance infrastructure and delivering unprecedented services. Because of its intrinsic qualities, Ethernet has been thedesktop technology of choice since it emerged as the most cost effective delivery option for high-speed connectivity. More recently, a similar trend has emerged in the metropolitan-area networks (MANs), where dark fiber allows providers to offer cost-effective high-speed Ethernet connections to business and residential customers. MAN architectures using Ethernet technology are based on two typesof network design: a classic IP-centric Layer 3 design or a pure Layer 2 design. The pure Layer 2 design is popular because of its simplicity and its “transparency” to user traffic and protocols. This is referred to as Transparent LAN Services (TLS). In the evolution of Ethernet switching and routing in metropolitan environments, the contribution of Cisco Systems® is dependable and is marked bymilestones, such as the introduction of several important metro technologies. Cisco® has summarized these milestones in Metro Solutions for Service Providers guides (for more details, see [1]). These guides provide methodologies for building an advanced metropolitan network that takes advantage of the latest Cisco networking products and technologies. As a cornerstone of Cisco metro solutions, theCisco Catalyst® 6500 Series Multilayer Switch spearheads the evolution toward a highly scalable, multifaceted network architecture that can adapt easily to evolving needs by growing in flexibility and performance and by offering customers unique investment protection. The flexibility of the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series makes it suitable to use in any tier of a multitiered network architecture. Itsupports the powerful features that are oriented to the core, distribution, and access layers of a network. When deployed end-to-end in a network, the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series provides maximum benefits and a high return on investment (ROI).

All contents are Copyright © 1992–2006 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Important Notices and Privacy Statement. Page 1 of 19

PRIMARY BENEFITS OFCISCO CATALYST 6500 SERIES SWITCH The most flexible network device available for any metro solution is Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switch. Several effective reasons account for this flexibility (see Table 1). Table 1.
Feature Advanced Layer 2 Features Advanced QoS Capabilities Layer 3 through 4 Features High Availability Advanced Multicast Support Support for 10 GbE, Coarse and Dense WavelengthDivision Multiplexing (CWDM and DWDM) Interfaces

The Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switch Advantages
Description Productivity—Enables new services and provides better network resiliency. Availability of mission critical applications—Ensure the night applications and users receive the correct service levels throughout the network infrastructure. Scalability and protection—Allow the network tosupport IP services and secure information assets by preventing unauthorized access at the source. Productivity—High availability maximizes productivity and minimizes support costs. Productivity—Enable new innovation in voice and video applications while maximizing network efficiency. Scalability—Maximize network bandwidth and facilitate network design.

All the benefits in Table 1 result from the...