Workgroup and LAN specialist, SMC, has released two Hub Switch Modules (HSMs) to upgrade its TigerStack 100 and allow the incorporation of legacy Ethernet segments into Fast Ethernet (FE) environments.According to SMC (South Africa) country manager, Greg Perkins, the new switching modules complements SMC`s TigerStack 100 by offering an economical way to extend the reach and size of a FE network. "It effectively broadens the overall bandwidth of a predominately 100Mbit LAN by allowing the inclusion of 10Mbit segments for less performance-driven applications," Perkins said.The 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX module is ideal for integrating a legacy Ethernet LAN into an FE network, while the 100BASE-FX version can be used to connect distant hubs or remote segments to a central site and can be effective for distances up to 2km.Perkins says the two modules are targeted at two primary markets - that looking to merge separate FE and legacy networks for management purposes; and the price-sensitive customer wanting to extend the reach, expand the size and broaden overall bandwidth of a Fast Ethernet network."Integrating low cost switching (10Mbits per second legacy Ethernet) into segmentable FE hubs is a key component of SMC`s Connect 100 Fast Ethernet strategy," he says. These news hubs feature the first fully Integrated Switch Module (ISM) on the market, which provides up to 4 segments of Fast Ethernet switching - within the stack itself. "The TigerStack 100 eliminates the need for an external switch, and at less than half the price of a traditional switch," says Perkins. "In addition, since each stack is fully segmentable up to 16 Fast Ethernet segments per stack, the product is scaleable up to 1.6 Gigabits of aggregate bandwidth."Both modules offer full support for full-duplex operation which, on the one hand allows the creation of high-speed `pipes` into application, database or file servers and, on the other, enables high-speed transmission speeds to be maintained over distances of up to 2km using fibre. "This means that data can be simultaneously transmitted and received at 100Mbits [per second] - providing an effective bandwidth of 200Mbits," he explains.As is customary with SMC products, both new modules are covered by the company`s three-year warranty and backed by free pre- and post-purchase technical support.
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