The Evolving Network
Q: How important
A: QoS is very important—
is QoS?
and becoming more so every day.
Advanced QoS prioritizes and directs traffic to minimize congestion and ensure
applications are allotted the bandwidth they need. Without those features, the
performance advantages of Gigabit Ethernet (or Fast Ethernet, for that matter)
cannot be fully realized.
Cisco Catalyst switches classify and mark data packets at the network edge, mini-
mizing congestion and allowing traffic to be prioritized, so time-sensitive applica-
tions such as IP telephony or videoconferencing take precedence over less critical
traffic, such as Web browsing.
Extending intelligence to the network edge also makes it possible for network man-
agers to set up policies on a per-user basis, and frees up router processing power.
This illustration shows the contents of a data packet:
MAC DA MAC SA
802.1Q/1p
length IP header info TOS
...
IP SA IP DA
...
TCP/UDP header DATA
Layer 2 info
Layer 3 info
Layer 4 info
Layer 2 switches only process Layer 2 information. Cisco Catalyst switches look
deeper into the packet and make decisions based on Layer 3 and Layer 4 informa-
tion —that's why they're called "intelligent." As a result, traffic flows more effi-
ciently through the network, helping to prevent bottlenecks. Utilizing Layer 3 and
Layer 4 information also provides a superior level of control over network traffic,
making it easier to adjust to changing requirements and priorities as networks
grow and evolve.
Q: What about
A: Security needs to evolve with
security?
the network, too.
As companies expand their networks, security becomes increasingly important —
and increasingly challenging to deliver. Adding users, deploying new services,
extending Internet access, and providing remote access can all increase the
potential risk to networks and data, both internally and externally.
According to a recent study by the FBI and Computer Security Institute, reported
financial losses due to security breaches in the United States approached $378 million
in 2001, up from $266 million the year before. So it's not surprising that for many
organizations, enhancing security is a major concern. Fortunately, it's also a major
benefit of deploying Cisco Catalyst switches.
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