Tag Archives: network switch

Gateway vs Router: What’s the Difference?

When it comes to the difference between gateway vs router, many people who are unfamiliar with gateway and router may be confused. So it’s necessary to clarify the differences between them. To help you get a general idea about the differences between gateway and router, this article will focus on what is a gateway, what is a router, gateway vs router: what’s the difference, and when to choose which.

What Is a Gateway?

As is suggested by its name, a gateway is a network entity and also called the protocol converter. It can connect a computer of one network to another and define the boundaries of a network. If two networks of different protocols want to connect with each other, both networks need to have gateways which provide exist and entry points for computers from the two networks to communicate. In another word, a gateway can join dissimilar systems.

Gateway vs router: How a gateway works as a protocol converter

Figure1: How a gateway works as a protocol converter

What Is a Router?

As a network layer device, a router connects multiple networks together and controls the data traffic between them. People who are new to router often muddle it with network switch, which is a high-speed device that receives incoming data packets and redirects them to their destination on a LAN. Based on internal routing tables, a network router reads each incoming packet’s IP address and its destination IP address, then decides the shortest possible path to forward it. What is a routing table? A routing table contains a list of IP addresses that a router can connect to transfer data. Besides, routers usually connect WANs and LANs together and have a dynamically updating routing table. Gigabit Ethernet switches and hubs can be connected to a router with multiple PC ports to expand a LAN. Not only that, a router divides broadcast domains of hosts connected through it.

Gateway vs router: How a router works in wired and wireless connections

Figure2: How a router works in wired and wireless connections

Gateway vs Router: What’s the Difference?

What are the differences between gateway and router? The following chart will differentiate them from 7 different aspects.

Network Equipment
Router
Gateway
Primary Function
To ensure that data packets are switched to the right addresses.
To connect two networks of different protocols as a translator.
Feature Support
DHCP server, NAT, static routing, wireless networking, IPv6 address, Mac address
Protocol conversion like VoIP to PSTN, network access control etc.
Dynamic Routing
Supported
Not supported
Hosted on
Dedicated appliance (router hardware)
Dedicated/virtual appliance or physical server
Related terms
Internet router, WIFI router
Proxy server, gateway router, voice gateway
OSI layer
Works on Layer 3 and 4
Works up to Layer 5
Working principle
Installing routing information for various networks and routing traffic based on destination address
differentiating what is inside network and what is outside network

Gateway vs Router: When to Choose Which?

To choose between gateway vs router, you need to consider the requirement of your network.

Connection In One Network With Router

For example, there are 30 computers connected inside Network A. All these computers communicate with each other. In this situation, no gateway is needed. Because a router with a routing table that defines the hops within those 30 computers is enough.

Connection Between Different Networks With Gateway

In another hand, we suppose that there are two networks, that are Network A and Network B. Computer X from Network A wants to send data to Computer Y from Network B, then there need to have both a Gateway A and a Gateway B so that the two networks will be able to communicate.

Summary

Gateway vs router is detailedly explained in the above passage from the aspects of primary function, supporting feature, support of dynamic routing, working principle, etc. Briefly speaking, a gateway is a single point of access to computers outside your network like a door, while a router determines the shortest possible path your data can travel from Computer A to Computer B, like a hallway or a staircase. All in all, it is important to consider both your current and potential future needs when assessing what option to use between gateway vs router.

Understanding the Two Terms: EVPN vs VXLAN

EVPN vs VXLAN is one of the most popular network technology. They were developed because enterprises need to deliver data and share resources at different geographical locations. Therefore, the efficient, reliable and high speed interconnection is required for the different sites. EVPN vs VXLAN are born as the new upcoming technology to meet today’s network demands.

Introduction of EVPN vs VXLAN

What Is EVPN

EVPN or Ethernet VPN, is regarded as a next generation all-in-one VPN technology. It offers Ethernet multipoint services over MPLS (multiple protocol label switching) or IP networks. Using EVPN service and with the help of MPLS core network, users can connect the offices located in different areas via the lay 2 network for sending messages. This is similar to the work that extends LAN to WAN. Also, it greatly reduces the difficulty of network deployment and maintenance. In addition, EVPN supports MPLS, VXLAN, and other data plane encapsulations.

EVPN vs VXLAN——EVPN

Figure 1: Example of EVPN

What Is VXLAN

VXLAN is short for Virtual Extensible LAN. As the name implies, we know this technology is designed to provide the same transmission service for Ethernet connection that VLAN do today, but in a more extensible way. Technologically, VXLAN is a MAC in IP/UDP encapsulation technique with a 24 bit segment identifier in the form of a VXLAN ID, which is larger than the LAN with 12 bit segment ID. Also, it supplies a way to span Layer 3 network by VXLAN tunnel that is established between VETP (VXLAN Tunnel End Point). Thus it has a higher scalability to address more Layer segments.

vxlan

Figure 2: Example of VXLAN

Route VXLAN with EVPN

EVPN vs VXLAN are both virtual technology. VXLAN explained that EVPN could be the control plane of VXLAN, which uses the BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) to provide high scale, multi-tenant separation and fast convergence for host and VM mobility. So EVPN helps us to deploy VXLAN tunnels without controllers. Routing VXLAN is available in two architectures—centralized or distributed. Compare these two approaches, it’s clear that the distributed architecture will simplify the traffic flow. And here is the place for routing VXLAN with EVPN according to VXLAN tutorial.

For the distributed architecture, asymmetric IRB (integrated routing and bridging) and symmetric IRB are the two models to achieve inter-subnet routing with EVPN. Both of them are valuable, so choose the suitable model for your legacy network system.

FS.COM Solution for EVPN vs VXLAN

FS.COM S5850 series switches are designed for hardware based VXLAN function. The following is a 10gb Ethernet switch from FS.COM.

This S5850-48S6Q is a Layer 3 switch. This fibre switch has an advanced architectural design with 48 port 10G SFP+ and 6 port 40G QSFP+ in a compact 1U form factor. It can provide extensive data centre service features and switching capacity of 1.44Tbps. Besides, the wind direction of the switch is front-to-back, or you can change it to back-to-front. With support for advanced features, including MLAG, VXLAN, IPv4/IPv6, SFLOW and so on, this switch can help enterprises to build a scalable data centre network platform in the cloud computing era.

switch

Figure 3: S5850-48S6Q Switch

Conclusion

From the above, we have a better understanding of EVPN vs VXLAN. FS.COM, as an excellent provider of enterprises solutions, offers different kinds of switch such as PoE network switch, SDN switch to satisfy customers’ various network demand.

What Is VLAN Switch and Why Do We Need It?

VLAN or virtual LAN is a type of LAN that is defined to map workstations based on everything except for geographic location. It develops when the network has increased in size and complexity, and many companies require more access ports or a network design. Basically, it’s a networking technology which allows the network to be segmented logically without geographic restrictions. But how much do you know about VLAN switch?

What Is VLAN Switch?

VLAN switch is built on the fibre optic switch of LAN, which realizes the division and management of logical working group as a software. As defined in IEEE standard 802.1Q, VLAN switch can provide a way to transform one network into multiple broadcast domains. And each broadcast domain is usually matched with IP subnet boundaries, so that each subnet has its own VLAN. Therefore, users can obtain various wired LANs for different purposes that are co-existed physically, which means you don’t need to buy additional hardware or cabling at a large expense. With the development of IoT, VLAN switch is extremely useful.

VLAN switch

Figure1: VLAN Example

Why Do We Need VLAN Switch?

As an important feature of modern network technology, VLAN switch not only can create a separate broadcast domain, but also isolate traffic. Besides, it enjoys several advantages as followed that help to optimize the network.

  • Security. Separating system of the VLAN switch can isolate the sensitive data from the general network, so that people will have slim chance to see the information that they aren’t authorized to see.

  • Performance. With LAN data rates increase, traditional routers may generate a bottleneck when sending data in software. VLAN switch can settle this issue. It can segment LAN into VLANs to achieve multiple broadcast domains, which helps to reduce unnecessary network traffic and increase the bandwidth. After a successful setup, VLAN switch will benefit the whole network performance.

Where to Buy VLAN Switch

Using network switches to realize VLAN switch is today’s common solution for network congestion. FS.COM develops a series of network switches such as 1G switch, 10GbE switch, 40G switch and 100G switch. Some products offer VLAN such as S3800-24T4S 24-port 10/100/1000 base-T Gigabit stackable managed switch and 24-port Gigabit PoE+ managed switch, while some are without the support of VLAN like S5800-48F4S 48-port Gigabit SFP L2/L3/MPLS switch and N8000-32Q (32*40GbE) 40GbE spine/core layer switch. Now, we’ll take 24-port Gigabit PoE+ managed switch as an example.

This S1600-24T4F PoE network switch supports 24 RJ45 ports with each PoE power consumption at 30W. For safety, each port is equipped with separated overload and short-circuit protection, and along with LED to show power status. When connected with CAT5e, each port can achieve single port power and data transmission. It accepts the dual-mode PoE standard and compliant with IEEE802.3af/at. Besides, its switching capacity can reach 52Gbps. The switch helps secure the network through supporting dynamic or static binding by users’ definition like IP, MAC, VLAN and so on.

Figure2: 24-Port Gigabit PoE+ Managed Switch

Summary

VLAN switch is a wonderful technology and tool to assist your network. Using FS.COM VLAN switches just by logging into the switch and entering the parameters for the VLAN, you can easily create a VLAN and enjoy your perfect networking experience.

TL-SG1008PE vs S1130-8T2F 8 Port PoE Switch

If you want to buy two 8-port network switch rather than one single 16-port switch just because of tight budget, it’s a wise choice. Then how to choose 8-port switches? Here I want to recommend 8 port poe switch. Poe is a term refers to Power Over Ethernet which is a technology that lets network cables carry electrical power. With poe switch, we can push power and data further than ever before. Now I want to introduce you TL-SG1008PE and S1130-8T2F 8 port poe switch.

TL-SG1008PE 8-Port Gigabit PoE Switch

TP-LINK TL-SG1008PE is a 8-port 10/100/1000Base-T gigabit Ethernet unmanaged switch. It has a total power budget of 124w and up to 30w per port. It also supports IEEE 802.3x flow control for full duplex mode and backpressure for half duplex mode, internal power supply. Moreover, the TL-SG1008PE can save at most 75% of the power consumption with help of innovative energy-efficient technology. TL-SG1008PE is easy to install and use. It requires no configuration and installation. With desktop/Rack mount design, outstanding performance and quality, the TP-LINK TL-SG1008PE 8-Port Gigabit Desktop/Rack mount Switch with 8-Port PoE is a great selection for expanding your home or office network.

S1130-8T2F 8-port PoE Managed Switch

FS.COM S1130-8T2F 8-port PoE managed switch comes with 8 10/100/1000Base-T RJ45 Ethernet ports, 1 console port, and 2 gigabit SFP slots of which the transmission distance can be up to 120 km. This switch is designed fanless, which provides silent and reliable operation. It supplies power to network equipment such as weather-proof IP cameras with windshield wiper and heater, high-performance AP and IP telephone. With high resistance to electromagnetic interference, it also features superior performance in stability, environmental adaptability.

S1130-8T2F 8 Port PoE Switch

TL-SG1008PE VS S1130-8T2F 8 Port PoE Switch

Both the two switches are 8-port poe switches. They have the port priority function which will help protect the system if the system power becomes overloaded. There are some differences between them, as one is managed switch and the other is unmanaged .

The key difference between a managed and unmanaged switch is the capability to configure the switch and to prioritize LAN traffic to ensure that the most important information gets through.

Managed switches present you more management over your LAN traffic and offer advanced features to control that traffic.

An unmanaged switch simply allows Ethernet devices to “talk to” one another, such as a PC or network printer, and those are typically what we call “plug and play.” They are shipped with a fixed configuration and do not allow any changes to this configuration.

Managed switches contain all the features of an unmanaged switch and provide the ability to configure, manage, and monitor your LAN. And this gives you greater control over how data travels over the network and who has access to it.

Conclusion

When it comes to long cable runs and cameras installed far away from the data source, nothing is more disappointing than losing the signal transmission. FS.COM power-over-Ethernet switches are designed to make installations simple, powerful, and effective. Come and contact us.

Alternatives of Cisco 24-Port Gigabit PoE+ Managed Switch

In modern offices and homes, it is quite common to see several devices that utilise power over Ethernet (PoE, 802.3af), such as wireless access points, Internet cameras and voice over IP phones. For a midsize office or a relatively large house, it often requires a gigabit PoE switch to power all these devices. And a 24-port gigabit PoE managed switch is popular among most users. But in the past ten years, some devices are designed to use more power than traditional PoE, which demands the newer PoE+ (802.3at) standard that delivers higher power over an Ethernet cable. So 24-port gigabit PoE+ managed switch is used to power them. The Cisco Catalyst 2960S-24PS-L is eligible in every aspect when cost is not a problem. In this post, we’re going to find the 24-port gigabit PoE+ managed switch that can replace this network switch in most situations.

24-port gigabit PoE+ managed switch

Overview on Cisco 24-Port Gigabit PoE+ Managed Switch

Cisco WS-C2960S-24PS-L is the 24-port gigabit PoE+ managed switch model of the Catalyst 2960-S series switches. It is a managed layer 2 switch with 24 Ethernet 10/100/1000 PoE+ ports and 4 gigabit Ethernet SFP ports. Its total available PoE power is 370 Watts, which means it can support up to 24 PoE devices or up to 12 PoE+ devices. (To calculate how many PoE/PoE+ devices the switch supports, simply divide the total PoE Budget by 15.4W/30W.) Its switching bandwidth and forwarding rate are 176 Gbps and 41.7 Mpps respectively. Some other parameters that we will take into consideration are VLAN IDs (4000), maximum VLANs (256) and jumbo frames (9216 bytes). It is a fully managed switch that supports WEB GUI, CLI, Telnet, SNMP (v1, v2, v3).

Cisco 2960S 24-port gigabit poe+ managed switch

Comparison of 24-Port Gigabit PoE+ Managed Switches

Cisco Catalyst 2960s-24PS-L is an excellent 24-port gigabit PoE+ managed switch. Since there are cases when we want to support the same number of PoE/PoE+ devices but do not require a 176Gbps backplane bandwidth, or to cut the budget down as well, we want to find a replacement for this full-managed Cisco 24-port gigabit PoE+ switch. Here are four different 24-port gigabit PoE+ managed switches that have equal numbers of VLAN IDs, maximum VLANs and jumbo frames with Cisco Catalyst 2960s-24PS-L. They are HP 2920-24G-PoE+, Netgear M4100-24G-POE+, Ubiquiti US-24-500W and FS.COM S1600-24T4F. The following table gives some information of them.

Switch Model Cisco WS-C2960S-24PS-L HP 2920-24G-PoE+ Netgear M4100-24G-POE+ Ubiquiti US-24-500W FS S1600-24T4F
Device Type 24-port Gigabit PoE+ managed, Layer 2 24-port Gigabit PoE+ managed, Layer 2+ 24-port Gigabit PoE+ managed, Layer 2+ 24-port Gigabit PoE+ managed, Layer2 24-port Gigabit PoE+ managed, Layer 2+
Ports 24 RJ45 10/100/1000 PoE+ ports, 4 1G SFP ports 24 RJ45 10/100/1000 PoE+ ports, 4 combo ports 24 RJ45 10/100/1000 PoE+ ports, 4 combo ports 24 RJ45 10/100/1000 PoE+ ports, 2 1G SFP ports 24 RJ45 10/100/1000 PoE+ ports, 2 combo ports, 2 1G SFP ports
Switching Capacity 176 Gbps 128 Gbps 48 Gbps 52 Gbps 52 Gbps
Forwarding Rate 41.7 Mpps 95.2 Mpps 35.714 Mpps 38.69 Mpps 38.69 Mpps
PoE Budget 370 W 370 W 380 W 500 W 600 W
Price $1,165.00 $1,139.00 $671.84 $528.79 $419.00

From the table we can see that the 24 RJ45 ports of these five switches are all 802.3af/at compliant. And each switch is designed with 2/4 gigabit fibre uplink ports. The main differences between them are the switching capacity, forwarding rate and PoE budget.

Comparing Cisco WS-C2960S-24PS-L with HP 2920-24G-PoE+, they have similar new device price and identical PoE budget. The HP 24-port gigabit PoE+ managed switch also has a more than 100Gbps switching capacity but much higher forwarding rate than the Cisco 24-port gigabit PoE+ managed switch. They can support the same number of PoE/PoE+ devices.

The Netgear M4100-24G-POE+, Ubiquiti US-24-500W and FS.COM S1600-24T4F have much smaller switch fabrics and slightly lower forwarding rates than the Cisco model. M4100-24G-POE+ supports the same number of PoE/PoE+ devices as Cisco Catalyst 2960S-24PS-L. It’s half the price of the Cisco model. But it has the smallest switch fabric and lowest forwarding rate among the five 24-port gigabit PoE+ managed switches. The Ubiquiti US-24-500W and FS.COM S1600-24T4F have higher PoE budget than the other three switch models. So they can support more PoE/PoE+ devices simultaneously. The prices of the last two switch models are the lowest among them. And the 24-port PoE+ gigabit switch S1600-24T4F has the highest total PoE budget in comparison.

24-port gigabit PoE+ managed switch fs.com S2600-24T4F

Summary

In this article we intend to find some 24-port gigabit PoE+ managed switches that can be used to replace the Cisco Catalyst 2960S-24PS-L in some situations. If you want to replace it with an equivalent 24-port gigabit PoE+ managed switch but with higher forwarding rate, the HP 2920-24G-PoE+ is a suitable choice. If the switching fabric is not a key requirement and there’s need to pare the budget down, have a look at the Netgear M4100-24G-POE+, Ubiquiti US-24-500W and FS.COM S1600-24T4F. Considering the total PoE/PoE+ devices that will be used in the switch, if more than 12 PoE+ devices are to be connected, the Ubiquiti US-24-500W and FS.COM S1600-24T4F are better options.

Related Article: Managed 24 Port PoE Switch: How Can We Benefit From It?

Differentiate the 3 Technologies: Switch Stacking vs Cascading vs Clustering

When we have more than one switches on hand we often seek a better way in making use of them and managing them. There are mainly three technologies that we might use when we interconnect or combine several Ethernet switches together, which are switch stacking, cascading and clustering. For many people that firstly get in touch with these terms, they can’t figure out the differences between them. Some discussions of the switch stacking versus switch clustering and switch stacking versus switch cascading have been put forward, but comprehensive comparison between them has not been made. So this post is a discussion of switch stacking vs cascading vs clustering.

switch stacking vs cascading vs clustering

Switch Stacking vs Cascading vs Clustering

The comparison of switch stacking, cascading and clustering should be based on knowing the meaning of these technologies. So firstly we will see what switch stacking, cascading and cluster are.

What Are Switch Stacking, Cascading and Clustering?

Switch stacking is a technology that combines two or more switches together at the backplane typically via a specialised physical cable (stack cable), so they work as a single switch. The group of switches forms a “stack”, and it requires a stack master. There’s also virtual stacking, where switches are stacked via Ethernet ports rather than stack cable/module. In such a scenario, switch stacking vs cascading seems to be much similar. The port density or the switch capacity of a stack is the sum of the combined switches. For example, when you cascade two 24-port switches, you will get one large 48-port switch when it comes to configuration. And all the switches in the stack share a single IP address for remote administration instead of each stack unit having its own IP address. Only stack switch is able to be stacked together. And it should be noted that, when the switches are stacked, there is no need to connect switches in the group via copper or fibre port besides the stacking ports, because the stack logically is one switch. It is like connecting 2 ports together on the same switch, which can cause loop.

By cascading more than one switch you can have multiple ports interconnecting each of your switches in the group. But they are configured and managed independently. Switches that are cascaded together should all support Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), in order to allow redundancy and to prevent loop. Generally, switches of any models or from any manufacturers can be cascaded. But it does not rule out the cases that two switches can not be cascaded.

A switch cluster is a set of switches connected together, whether through common user port or special ports. One switch plays the role of cluster command switch, and other switches are cluster member switches, which are managed by the command switch. In a switch cluster, only one IP address is needed (on the command switch). Not all switches can be clustered. Only specific cluster-capable switches from the same manufacturer can be clustered. And different manufacturers may use different software for clustering.

Switch Stacking vs Cascading

Where it comes to switch stacking vs cascading, the most obvious difference is that only stackable switches can be stacked while almost all switches can be cascaded. And the stackable switches are generally of the same model or at least belonging to the same manufacturer.

In a switch stack, the port capacity is the combination of all the member switches and the bandwidth is also the sum of all switches. But by cascading switches, the bandwidth will not be increased. There’s even possibility of congestion at the cascade ports if you have only one connection between each switch.

The stack is managed as a whole. When you configure one switch, the change will be duplicated to every other switch in the stack, which is time-saving. However, in a switch cascade, you have to manage and configure every switch separately.

Stacking has a maximum number of stackable switches that you can have in a group. For example, you can connect up to four FS S3800-24F4S or FS S3800-24T4S in a stack. The switch cascading has a limitation on the layers that you can have, which are usually the traditional three layers topology: core, aggregation and access. When the limitation is exceeded, there might be problems of latency and losing packet.

FS S3800-24F4S or FS S3800-24T4S stackable switch

Switch Stacking vs Clustering

Stacking and clustering are very similar in that a stack or a cluster both use only one IP address, and member switches are managed as a whole. So when you want to simplify the management of multiple switches, both stacking and clustering are technologies that can be adopted.

Stacking might be a bit easier to configure since the stack can automatically recognise new stack member, while in a cluster, you have to manually add a device to be the switch cluster. The management of stack members is through a single configuration file. Cluster members have separate, individual configurations files. So the management by a stack master is complete on every stack switch, but the cluster command switch is the point of some management for all cluster members.

The distances between clustered switches can be more flexible. They can be in the same location or they can be located across a Layer 2 or Layer 3. But stacked switches are in the same layer and generally they are located in the same rack. Only virtual stackable switches can be placed in different locations.

Conclusion

After reviewing the discussion of switch stacking vs cascading vs clustering, you may find that the three technologies have the similarity that switches in a stack/cascade/cluster group need to be physically connected. Some are through common Ethernet ports, while some are through special stack ports. Cascading has the minimal requirements on the switch model, while both stacking and clustering require the switches to be stackable/cluster-capable, and are of the same model or at least from a single manufacturer. Stacking and cascading are based on hardware implementation while clustering is based on software implementation. The management of a stack is the most complete of the three.

Related Article: Understanding Two Technologies: Switch Stack vs Switch Cluster

Affordable 8-12 ports 10G SFP+ Switches for SMB HCA Expansion

Hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) has been earning a good reputation in data centres, whether it is of the entire branch offices, the IT duties of small and medium businesses (SMBs) or the virtual desktop infrastructure deployments. HCI offers numerous integrated services such as backup, data protection and solid-state drive storage, and allows seamless management and expansion of various compute, storage and network devices, i.e., users can scale the network flexibly by adding a new appliance to the hyper-converged cluster. For SMBs, the requirements for network switches is not the same as large enterprises when adding a 10G appliance. This post is to suggest some affordable 8-12 ports 10G SFP+ switches for SMBs during hyper-converged appliance (HCA) expansion.

10G SFP+ Switches Requirements for SMB HCA Expansion

In today’s SMBs, applications are requiring higher data rate and some management features. For an SMB with a considerable size, the core switches might be required to a fully managed switch with strong capacity, high bandwidth and high port count. The switches for the connectivity of the cluster (compute, storage and network devices) may also have many ports. But when adding a new appliance to the cluster, the switch usually needs not to be high port count or with high data rate. An 8-12 ports 10G SFP+ switch is generally enough for hyper-converged appliance expansion, which is rational considering the expenditure for expansion as well. The following table gives some 8-12 ports 10G SFP+ switches in the market for your reference.

Switch Model Ports Switching Capacity Fowarding Rate Switching Layer Price
Dell X4012 12 x 10G SFP+ 240 Gbps 178.6 Mpps L2+ $1,063.54
Netgear M4300-8X8F 8 x 10G SFP+ and 8 x 10GBASE-T 320 Gbps 238.1 Mpps L3 $1,719.00
Cisco SG500XG-8F8T 8 x 10G SFP+ and 8 x 10GBASE-T 320 Gbps 238.1 Mpps L3 $2,146.59
FS S5800-8TF12S 12 x 10G SFP+ and 8 x 1GBASE-T/SFP Combo 240 Gbps 178.6 Mpps L3 $1,699.00
D-link DXS-1210-12SC 10 x 10G SFP+ and 2 x 10GBASE-T/SFP+ Combo 240 Gbps 178.6 Mpps L3 $1,055.00

12 10G SFP+ FS S5800-8TF12S

According to the information available, these switches can be got online well under $3K in brand new condition. Suppose that an SMB has a core switch which has a fabric capacity of 960 Gbps, and now it needs to add 5 nodes of 10G speed to the cluster for downstream, an 8-12 ports 10G SFP+ switch will not only give enough ports for current nodes and for uplink to the core, but also gives the SMB space to grow.

These switches have some features in common. These common features are very helpful in SMB network managing and ensuring data quality.

Management and Functionality Services

For all the switches mentioned above, some of them are fully managed switches while some are smart managed switches. But all of them are not limited to web interface management. They also support Command Line Interface (CLI), Telnet (multi-session support), SSH and SNMP (simple network management protocol). The most functions that an SMB might need are all equipped, such as VLAN, port mirroring, LACP (link aggregation control protocol) and RMON (remote network control).

QoS and Security Features

The QoS (Quality of Service) features include ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) inspection, ACLs (Access Control Lists), DSCP remark, etc. These features can contribute a lot in securing the SMB network, for example, with the help of ARP inspection and ACLs, the network switch can block fake ARP entries outside the system, so that data frames will not be easily sniffed or modified. Broadcast Storm Control is also supported in order to avoid traffic disorder caused by malicious attack from intruders.

How to Connect These 10G SFP+ Switches?

Although these 8-12 ports 10G SFP+ switches chosen for SMB hyper-converged appliance expansion are relatively low-priced, but the OEM 10G SFP+ fibre transceivers can overburden an SMB if bought in large quantity. Four OEM 10G SFP+ transceivers can cost as much as a 10G SFP+ switch we have found above. Fortunately, there is a way to release the SMBs from expensive OEM optics. That is cost-effective 10G SFP+ compatible modules. So the total cost for the HCA expansion will not exceed $3k either. In addition, most OEM switches support third party transceiver modules and DAC cables from third party transceiver vendors.

Summary

In sum, for SMB hyper-converged appliance expansion, the 10G SFP+ switches used to connect the core switch and the cluster need not to be high port count, but should be equippFed with enough management functions for SMB applications. An 8-12 ports 10G SFP+ switch is good enough.

Related article: 10GbE SFP Switch vs 10GBASE-T Switch: How to Choose?

Layer 3 Switch vs Router: Which to Choose?

Speaking of layer 3 switch and router, everyone may be confused about the two terms, because they both take IP packets, examine the destination address and pass the packet according to routing rules. It seems that the network switch is identical to a router in this way. Actually, they do have some difference not only in function, but also in other aspects. This article will explain how layer 3 switch vs router: how they differ from each other and a better option will be suggested for your reference.

Basics About Layer 3 Switch vs Router

In general, a layer 3 switch (routing switch) is primarily a gigabit switch (a Layer-2 device) that has been enhanced or taught some routing (Layer 3) capabilities and it was conceived as a technology to improve on the performance of routers used in large local area networks (LANs) like corporate intranets.

A router is a Layer-3 device that simply does routing only. In the case of a switching router, it is primarily a router that may use switching technology (high-speed ASICs) for speed and performance (as well as also supporting Layer-2 bridging functions).

Comparison Between Layer 3 Switch vs Router

layer 3 switch vs router

Performance versus cost—Layer 3 switches are much more cost effective than routers for delivering high-speed interVLAN routing. High performance routers are typically much more expensive than Layer 3 switches.

Port density—Layer 3 switches, have higher port count. Routers on the other hand typically have a much lower port density.

Flexibility—Layer 3 switches allow you to mix and match Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching, which means that you can configure a Layer 3 switch to operate as a normal Layer 2 switch, or enable Layer 3 switching as required.

WAN technologies support—Layer 3 Switch is limited to usage over LAN environment where Inter VLAN routing can be performed. However, when it comes to working on WAN and edge technologies, Layer 3 Switch lags behind. Router is the front runner in such scenario where WAN technologies such as Frame Relay or ATM need to be fostered.

Hardware/Software decision making—The key difference between Layer 3 switches and routers lies in the hardware technology used to build the unit. The hardware inside a Layer 3 switch merges that of traditional switches and routers, replacing some of a router’s software logic with hardware to offer better performance in some situations.

Layer 3 Switch vs Router: When and Where to Use

Now let’s look into the scenarios when should Layer 3 switch or router be used.

When Is A Layer 3 Switch needed?

1. If you need to connect your Hub rooms and make an L3 decision and more Ethernet interfaces are required for direct server form connectivity, then you can use a switch.

2. If you need to connect your inter-offices via l2 circuits by the ISP you can directly terminate the link on the switch and configure routing on the same.

3. If you need more through-put and direct access and interVLAN communication, switch is the best option.

When Is A Router Needed?

1. If you are connecting an ISP directly to provide internet, then router is the box you need to deploy.

2. If you need to build tunnels between your offices (connecting 2 offices over the public internet securely ), then you need a router.

3. If you are a CE participating in MPLS configuration, then you need a router.

Conclusion

Having explained the mechanism of Layer 3 switch vs router, I guess you’ve already have an understanding of them. Simply put, they perform the same function but each has pro’s and con’s as to limitations. Generally, Layer 3 switches are primarily used in the LAN environment, where you need routing. Routers are used in the WAN environment. These days lots of people have started using layer 3 switches in WAN environment, like MPLS. If you are looking for switches or any fibre optic cables and optical transceivers for switches, take FS.COM as a consideration. Or if you have any question about your network deployment, feel free to contact tech@fs.com for help.

Related Article: Layer 2 vs Layer 3 Switch: Which One Do You Need?

Direct Attach Cables For 10 Gigabit Ethernet Application

The dramatic growth of bandwidth requirements has led to the increasing worldwide use of higher-performance servers. This in turn has led to the expanding need for 10 Gigabit Ethernet(10GE or 10GbE or 10 GigE), refers to various technologies for transmitting Ethernet frames at a rate of 10 gigabits per second (10×109 or 10 billion bits per second), is rapidly gaining traction within data centers. The IEEE 802.3ae standard permits distances between physical locations up to 40 kilometers over a single-mode fiber. Both single-mode and multi-mode fiber systems can be used with 10 GbE applications.

10GbE supports both copper and fiber cabling. However, due to its higher bandwidth requirements, higher-grade copper cables are required: category 6a or Class F/ cat 7 cable for links up to 100m. Unlike previous Ethernet standards, 10 gigabit Ethernet defines only full duplex point-to-point links which are generally connected by network switches. Half duplex operation and hubs do not exist in 10GbE.

Over the years, improvements in 10GbE technology, price, and performance have extended its reach beyond enterprise data centers to midmarket networks, they confidently deployed 10GbE in their corporate backbones, data centers, and server farms to support high-bandwidth, mission critical applications.

There are many 10 Gigabit Ethernet relevant products available, and the direct attach cable(DAC) is one of them. Direct Attach Cables are widely applied in storage, data, and high-performance computing connectivity. They are used to connect one Mobility Access Switch with another when forming a stack.

Important Of Direct Attach Cable:

DAC is supported only on 10G ports. Do not insert a DAC into a 1G port;

Do not attempt to unplug the integrated copper cable from the transceiver and insert a fiber cable into the transceiver.

Common direct attach cables include SFP cables, SFP+ cables, XFP to XFP cables, QSFP+ cables, MIni SAS cables, CX4 cables. These direct attach cables can meet the ever growing need to cost-effectively deliver more bandwidth, and they can be customized in different length to meet your requirement.

10G SFP+ Cables

Small form-factor pluggable plus transceiver (SFP+) direct attach copper cables, also known as Twinax cables, are suitable for short distances up to 23 ft (7 m), making them ideal for highly cost-effective networking connectivity within a rack and between adjacent racks. 10G SFP+ Cable connects from one SFP+ slot to another, without the need for SFP+ transceivers. The Direct-Attach cable is terminated on both ends with mechanical connectors that plug directly into SFP+ slots the same as SFP+ transceiver modules to. The cable is fully passive, it does not have signal buffers or amplifiers. 10G SFP+ Cable is an economical solution for interconnecting 10 Gigabit Net Optics products, also great for making short 10 Gigabit connections between network optic product and server, network switch, and monitoring equipment that have SFP+ slots.

Direct attach cable assembly is a high performance integrated duplex data link for bi-directional communication. Have a wide selection of direct attach cables at FiberStore, there always has one meets your demand.