Bay Networks has formally launched the Accelar range of Layer 3 switches in South Africa, providing unprecedented performance alongside trouble-free migration. As network traffic patterns evolve, and new techniques and applications are widely deployed, traditional technologies are unable to shoulder the burden, forcing network managers to look to alternative means to sustain the growth of their network. Large enterprise networks must be subdivided to avoid extensive network collisions but, according to Bay channel and marketing manager Francois Bodart, the growing use of peer-to-peer communication has vastly increased the amount of inter-subnet traffic: "The old 80/20 rule regarding traffic patterns inside and outside subnets is reversing, placing substantial strain on the routers between subnets". At the same time, high volume servers easily capable of filling a Fast Ethernet feeder pipe are becoming common, stressing the need to improve backbone performance with new technology. The need for both speed via switching and network division by routing is clear; the network cannot operate without either. Migrating to new technologies can be an unpleasant process. Complex reconfiguration of subnets, VLANs, filtering and policies are disruptive and can extend downtime unnecessarily, due to work-around devices, new protocols and non-standard network devices. Bodart says Bay`s Accelar addresses all of these concerns. The product is a true Layer 3 Switch, combining switching and routing processes at the same speed, with extremely low latency. Because all the processes are hardware-based, there is none of the traditional router overhead. This hardware approach keeps latency to a minimum, while the extensive management support, and the integration of all L2 and L3 functions in a single device, makes configuration of protocol-specific VLANs, routing processes, and other functions considerably easier. "Typically, the migration process using Bay`s Accelar is a very simple process. As shipped, the Accelar functions as a high-performance switch, easily added to the network backbone in front of a router with no reconfiguration needed. "Once in place, individual ports can be configured to route, and single routers can have their subnets moved to Accelar ports. Because the Accelar can route between VLANs, a subnet carrying legacy protocols such as SNA, spanning multiple ports, can be created. "In time, the Accelar can take over all routing facilities with the exception of wide area access, where a traditional router will remain until the addition of WAN access options on the Accelar later this year." At no point in the migration process is anything other than momentary downtime experienced, because the Accelar uses only standard routing protocols, and interfaces cleanly with the entire network. Users wanting to migrate to Gigabit Ethernet, simplify the network structure and address routing bottlenecks can find a single solution in the Accelar. "The Accelar moves 7 million packets per second, much faster than competitive switches and enormously faster than routers. This throughput applies to both switched and routed packets. With consistent latencies of below 10 microseconds and negligible jitter regardless of port load, multiple router hops no longer form a bottleneck inhibiting the use of delay-sensitive applications such as multimedia, voice and video services. No other device available can sustain this level of throughput under high usage conditions," says Bodart. As networks evolve, Bay`s Accelar range provides the flexibility and headroom to ensure return on investment, regardless of what applications prevail, or how traffic patterns change.
Share
Editorial contacts