Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(37)EX for Cisco Catalyst Express 520 Series
Cisco® announces Cisco IOS® Software for the new Cisco Catalyst® Express 520 Series switches. These switches provide a secure, high-performance foundation for essential business applications that is both affordable and easy to deploy and use. A component of the Cisco Smart Business Communications System-a complete system of advanced voice, data, video, and wireless networking products designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs)-the Cisco Catalyst Express 520 Series supports business's voice, security, and wireless networking services with a single, comprehensive solution.
This family of Layer 2-managed switches provides the reliability, scalability, and rich feature set businesses need in a cost-effective, easy-to-manage platform. Table 1 highlights the various configurations available in the Cisco Catalyst Express 520 Series.
Table 1. Product Descriptions
Product Name (Part Number)
Description
Cisco Catalyst Express 520-8PC
(WS-CE520-8PC-K9)
• Eight 10/100 Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports for desktop, wireless, IP telephony, or closed-circuit TV camera connectivity
• One 10/100/1000BASE-T or Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP) port for uplink connectivity
• Twenty-four 10/100/1000 ports for high-speed desktop or server connectivity
• Two 10/100/1000BASE-T or SFP ports for uplink connectivity
This product bulletin provides content and delivery information about Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(37)EX, which is the first Cisco IOS Software release that provides support for the Cisco Catalyst Express 520 Series switches. Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(37)EX is an Early Deployment release, based on Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(37)SE.
Features in Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(37)EX
The Cisco Catalyst Express 520 Series switches are manageable through the GUI Device Manager or Cisco Configuration Assistant. Table 2 lists the features supported in Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(37)EX, and Table 3 lists product specifications.
Table 2. Primary Features
Feature
Description
Smartports (Preset Cisco Recommended Network Enhancements, Quality of Service [QoS], and Security)
Desktop
The port is configured for optimal desktop performance.
IP Phone and Desktop
Voice traffic is prioritized to help ensure clear voice conversation.
Router
The port is configured for optimal connection to a router or firewall for WAN connectivity.
Switch
The port is configured as an uplink port to a backbone switch for fast convergence.
Access Point
The port is configured for optimal connection to a wireless access point.
Server
Servers can be prioritized as trusted, critical, business, or standard.
Printer
The port is optimized so that printer traffic does not affect mission-critical and voice traffic.
Guest
Guests are allowed access to the Internet, but not to the company network.
Diagnostic
Customers can connect diagnostics devices to monitor traffic on other switches (configurable through Cisco Network Assistant only).
Other
Customers can configure the VLAN.
Security
Levels
Three security levels: low, medium, and high (configurable through Cisco Configuration Assistant only)
• Low: For business environments where there is limited guest access.
• Medium: For business environments where security is important; only authorized devices are allowed on the company network.
• High: For business environments where security is critical; only authorized devices and authenticated users are allowed on the company network.
Multicast
High-bandwidth video traffic is optimized so that it does not affect other applications on the network.
Table 3. Product Specifications
Standard
Specification
Standards Supported
• IEEE 802.1d Spanning Tree Protocol
• IEEE 802.1p class of service (CoS) classification
• IEEE 802.1q VLAN
• IEEE 802.1w Rapid Convergence Spanning Tree Protocol
• IEEE 802.1x Port Access Authentication
• IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP)
• IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet
• IEEE 802.3x full duplex on 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, and 1000BASE-T ports
Figure 1 displays Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(37)EX functionality relative to the 12.2 and 12.2S releases. This diagram also identifies the recommended migration path for Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(37)EX. Note that Release 12.2(37)EX is a special one-time "X" release with no planned maintenance releases. Thus, bugs that would have otherwise been fixed in a maintenance release will be fixed in the 12.2SE train and will be available in the 12.2(37)EXX release or a release based on 12.2SE. For more information about the Cisco IOS Software release process, refer to Product Bulletin No. 537.
