The Cisco® Catalyst® Blade Switch 3030 (Figure 1) is an integrated switch for Dell PowerEdge Blade Server customers thatextends Cisco infrastructure services to the server edge and uses existing network equipment to help reduce operationalexpenses.
Figure 1. Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 for Dell
Designed for the Dell Power Edge Blade Server Enclosure, the Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 helps ensure consistency across the network for advanced services such as security and resiliency. It also allows customers to use the end-to-end Cisco Systems® management framework to simplify ongoing operations.
CONFIGURATION
The Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 provides the following hardware configuration:
• 10 internal 1000BASE ports connected to servers through the PowerEdge enclosure backplane
• 4 external 10/100/1000 Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP)-based ports; it supports copper and fiber (SX) modules from Cisco Systems
• 2 external 10/100/1000BASE-T ports
• 1 external console port
Available with LAN base Cisco IOS® Software, the Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 offers a complete set of intelligent services to deliver security, quality of service (QoS), and availability in the server farm access environment.
INTELLIGENCE IN THE SERVER ACCESS NETWORK
As companies increasingly rely on the network as the strategic business infrastructure, and with servers having Gigabit Ethernet capabilities, it is more important than ever to consistently help ensure network security, high availability, and QoS-from the server edge out to the clients at the network edge.
Cisco Catalyst switches, including the Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030, enable companies to realize the full benefits of adding intelligent services into their networks. These capabilities make the server network infrastructure:
• Secure to protect confidential information
• Highly available to deliver on time-critical needs
• Scalable to accommodate future growth
• Capable of differentiating and controlling traffic flows to handle the increasing number of critical business applications
ENHANCED SECURITY
With the wide range of security features that the Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 offers, businesses can protect important information, keep unauthorized people off the network, guard privacy, and maintain uninterrupted operation.
To guard against denial-of-service and other attacks, access control lists (ACLs) can be used to restrict access to sensitive portions of the network, blocking unauthorized access to servers and applications, by denying packets based on source and destination MAC addresses, IP addresses, or Transmission Control Protocol/User Datagram Protocol (TCP/UDP) ports. ACL lookups are done in hardware, so forwarding performance is not compromised when ACL-based security is implemented.
Port security can be used to limit access on an Ethernet port based on the MAC address of the device that is connected to it. It can also limit the total number of devices plugged into a switch port, reducing the risks of unauthorized servers being plugged into the blade enclosure.
Secure Shell (SSH) Protocol, Kerberos, and Simple Network Management Protocol Version 3 (SNMPv3) encrypt administrative and network management information, protecting the network from tampering or eavesdropping. TACACS+ and RADIUS authentication enable centralized access control of switches and restrict unauthorized users from altering the configurations. Alternatively, a local username and password database can be configured on the switch itself. Fifteen levels of authorization on the switch console and two levels on the Web-based management interface provide the ability to give different levels of configuration capabilities to different administrators.
The MAC Address Notification feature can be used to monitor the network and track servers by sending an alert to a management station so that network administrators know when and where servers are plugged into a blade enclosure or removed. The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Interface Tracker (Option 82) feature tracks where a server is physically connected on a network by providing both the switch and the port ID to a DHCP server.
The Private VLAN Edge feature isolates ports on a switch, helping to ensure that traffic travels directly from the entry point to the aggregation device through a virtual path and cannot be directed to another port. This can help isolate a server from other servers in the same blade enclosure.
HIGH AVAILABILITY
The Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 offers several high-availability features to minimize network downtime, maintain mission-critical servers and applications, and reduce total cost of ownership.
Enhancements to the standard Spanning Tree Protocol, such as Per-VLAN Spanning Tree Plus (PVST+), UplinkFast, and PortFast, maximize network uptime. PVST+ allows for Layer 2 load sharing on redundant links to efficiently use the extra capacity inherent in a redundant design. UplinkFast, PortFast, and BackboneFast help reduce the standard 30-to-60-second Spanning Tree Protocol convergence time. Loop Guard and Bridge Protocol Data Unit (BPDU) Guard provide Spanning Tree Protocol loop avoidance.
Customers can achieve maximum power and cooling availability for a server farm data network when a Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 uses the redundant power and cooling capabilities of the blade enclosure.
ADVANCED QoS
The Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 offers superior multilayer, granular QoS features to avoid congestion and help ensure that network traffic is properly classified and prioritized. The Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 can classify, police, mark, queue, and schedule incoming packets and can queue and schedule packets at egress. Packet classification allows the network elements to discriminate between various traffic flows and to enforce policies based on Layer 2 and Layer 3 QoS fields.
To implement QoS, the Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 first identifies traffic flows or packet groups and classifies or reclassifies these groups using the Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) field or the 802.1p class-of-service (CoS) field. Classification can be based on criteria as specific as the source/destination IP address, the source/destination MAC address, or the Layer 4 TCP/UDP port. At the ingress, the Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 will also police to determine whether a packet is in or out of profile, mark to change the classification label, pass through, or drop out of profile packets, queue packets based on classification, and service based on configured weights. Control-plane and data-plane ACLs are supported on all ports to help ensure proper treatment on a per-packet basis. The Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 supports four egress queues per port, which allows the network administrator to be discriminating and specific in assigning priorities for the various applications in the server farm. At egress, the switch performs scheduling and congestion control. Scheduling is a process that determines the order in which the queues are processed. The Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 supports Shaped Round Robin (SRR) and strict priority queuing. The SRR queuing algorithm helps to ensure differential prioritization.
MANAGEMENT
The Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 comes with an embedded GUI device manager that simplifies initial configuration of a switch. Users now have the option to set up the switch through a Web browser. Users familiar with the Cisco command-line interface (CLI) can also use the CLI to do initial configuration and setup. Hence, users do not need any retraining.
Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 provides for extensive management using SNMP network management platforms such as CiscoWorks for Switched Internetworks. Managed with CiscoWorks, Cisco Catalyst switches can be configured and managed to deliver end-to-end device, VLAN, traffic, and policy management. As part of CiscoWorks, the Web-based Cisco Resource Manager Essentials (RME) offers automated inventory collection, software deployment, easy tracking of network changes, views into device availability, and quick isolation of error conditions.
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
Table 1 describes features and benefits of the Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030.
Table 1. Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 for Dell Features and Benefits
Category
Features and Benefits
Ease of Use and Ease of Deployment
• Device manager simplifies initial configuration using a Web browser.
• DHCP autoconfiguration of multiple switches through a boot server eases switch deployment.
• Autosensing detects the speed of the upstream switch and automatically configures each 10/100/1000 uplink port for 10-Mbps, 100-Mbps, or 1000-Mbps operation, easing switch deployment in mixed 10BASE-T, 100BASE-T, and 1000BASE-T environments.
• Autonegotiating on 10/100/1000 ports automatically selects half-duplex or full-duplex transmission mode to optimize bandwidth.
• Dynamic Trunking Protocol (DTP) enables dynamic trunk configuration across all switch ports.
• Port Aggregation Protocol (PAgP) automates the creation of Cisco Fast EtherChannel® groups or Gigabit EtherChannel groups to link to the upstream switch/router or server blades.
• Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) allows the creation of Ethernet channeling with upstream switches that conform to IEEE 802.3ad. This feature is similar to Cisco EtherChannel technology and PAgP.
• Auto-media-dependent interface crossover (MDIX) automatically adjusts transmit and receive pairs if an incorrect cable type (crossover or straight-through) is installed on a copper 10/100/1000BASE-T port.
• IEEE 802.3z-compliant 1000BASE-SX and 1000BASE-T physical interface support through a field-replaceable SFP module provides superior flexibility in switch deployment.
• DHCP Relay allows a DHCP relay agent to broadcast DHCP requests to the network DHCP server.
• The default configuration stored in Flash memory helps ensure that the switch can be quickly connected to the network and can pass traffic with minimal user intervention.
Availability and Scalability
Superior Redundancy for Fault Backup
• Cisco UplinkFast and BackboneFast technologies help to ensure quick failover recovery, enhancing overall network stability and reliability.
• IEEE 802.1w Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) provides rapid spanning-tree convergence independent of spanning-tree timers.
• Per-VLAN Rapid Spanning Tree (PVRST+) allows rapid spanning-tree reconvergence on aper-VLAN spanning-tree basis, without requiring the implementation of spanning-tree instances.
• PVST+ allows for Layer 2 load sharing on redundant links to efficiently use the extra capacity inherent in a redundant design.
• Unidirectional Link Detection (UDLD) and Aggressive UDLD allow unidirectional links to be detected and disabled to avoid problems such as spanning-tree loops.
• Switch port autorecovery (errdisable) automatically attempts to reenable a link that is disabled because of a network error.
• Redundant power and cooling capabilities from the blade enclosure provide power and cooling resiliency.
• Bandwidth aggregation of up to 6 Gbps through Gigabit EtherChannel technology enhances fault tolerance and offers higher-speed aggregated bandwidth between this integrated switch and upstream switches/routers.
• Per-port broadcast, multicast, and unicast storm control prevents faulty servers from degrading overall system performance.
• IEEE 802.1D Spanning Tree Protocol support for redundant backbone connections and loop-free networks simplifies network configuration and improves fault tolerance.
• IEEE 802.1s Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP) allows a spanning-tree instance per VLAN and enables each VLAN to use a different uplink, allowing better utilization of uplinks.
• VLAN1 minimization allows VLAN1 to be disabled on any individual VLAN trunk link.
• VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP) pruning limits bandwidth consumption on VTP trunks by flooding broadcast traffic only on trunk links required to reach the destination devices.
• Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) snooping provides fast client joins and leaves of multicast streams and limits bandwidth-intensive video traffic to only the requestors.
• Multicast VLAN Registration (MVR) continuously sends multicast streams in a multicast VLAN while isolating the streams from subscriber VLANs for bandwidth and security reasons.
• FlexLink is a Layer 2 availability feature that can coexist with spanning trees. FlexLink allows convergence time of less than 50 milliseconds on switch uplink ports and remains consistent regardless of the number of VLANs or MAC addresses configured on those ports.
• The Trunk Failover feature allows rapid failover to the redundant switch in the blade enclosure if all uplinks from the primary switch fail. When the uplinks fail, the switch shuts down the ports connected to the blade servers and lets networkinterface card (NIC) teaming software direct traffic to the redundant switch. This feature is also known as Link State Tracking.
QoS
Advanced QoS
• 802.1p CoS and DSCP field classification are provided, using marking and reclassification on a per-packet basis by source and destination IP address, source and destination MAC address, or Layer 4 TCP/UDP port number.
• Cisco control-plane and data-plane QoS ACLs on all ports help to ensure proper marking on a per-packet basis.
• Four egress queues per port enable differentiated management of up to four traffic flows.
• Shaped Round Robin (SRR) scheduling helps to ensure differential prioritization of packet flows by intelligently servicing the egress queues.
• Weighted Tail Drop (WTD) provides congestion avoidance at the ingress and egress queues before a disruption occurs.
• Strict priority queuing guarantees that the highest-priority packets are serviced ahead of all other traffic.
• There is no performance penalty for highly granular QoS functions (for example, granular rate limiting).
• The Cisco Committed Information Rate (CIR) function guarantees bandwidth in increments as low as 8 Kbps.
• Rate limiting is provided based on source and destination IP address, source and destination MAC address, Layer 4 TCP/UDP information, or any combination of these fields, using QoS ACLs (IP ACLs or MAC ACLs), class maps, and policy maps.
• Asynchronous data flows upstream and downstream from the end station or on an uplink are easily managed using ingress policing and egress shaping.
• Up to 64 aggregate or individual policers per port are allowed.
Security
Networkwide Security Features
• IEEE 802.1x allows dynamic, port-based security, providing server authentication.
• IEEE 802.1x with VLAN assignment allows a dynamic VLAN assignment for a specific server, regardless of where the server is connected.
• IEEE 802.1x and port security are provided to authenticate the port and manage network access for all MAC addresses, including those of the server.
• IEEE 802.1x with an ACL assignment allows for specific identity-based security policies, regardless of where the server is connected.
• IEEE 802.1x with guest VLAN allows servers without 802.1x clients to have limited network access on the guest VLAN.
• Cisco security VLAN ACLs (VACLs) on all VLANs prevent unauthorized data flows from being bridged within VLANs.
• Port-based ACLs (PACLs) allow security policies to be applied on individual switch ports.
• SSH Protocol (v2), Kerberos, and SNMPv3 provide network security by encrypting administrator traffic during Telnet and SNMP sessions. SSH, Kerberos, and the cryptographic version of SNMPv3 require a special cryptographic software image due toU.S. export restrictions.
• Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) provides a secure means to use Web-based tools such as HTML-based device managers.
• Private VLAN Edge provides security and isolation between switch ports, helping to ensure that users cannot snoop on other users' traffic.
• Bidirectional data support on the Switched Port Analyzer (SPAN) port allows the Cisco Secure Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to take action when an intruder is detected.
• TACACS+ and RADIUS authentication enable centralized control of the switch and restrict unauthorized users from altering the configuration.
• MAC address notification allows administrators to be notified of servers added to or removed from the network.
• Port security secures the access to an access or trunk port based on the MAC address.
• After a specific timeframe, the aging feature removes the MAC address from the switch toallow another server to connect to the same port.
• Multilevel security on console access prevents unauthorized users from altering the switch configuration.
• The user-selectable address-learning mode simplifies configuration and enhances security.
• BPDU Guard shuts down Spanning Tree Protocol PortFast-enabled interfaces when BPDUs are received to avoid accidental topology loops.
• Spanning Tree Root Guard (STRG) prevents edge devices not in the network administrator's control from becoming Spanning Tree Protocol root nodes.
• IGMP filtering provides multicast authentication by filtering out nonsubscribers and limits the number of concurrent multicast streams available per port.
• Dynamic VLAN assignment is supported through implementation of the VLAN Membership Policy Server (VMPS) client function to provide flexibility in assigning ports to VLANs. Dynamic VLAN enables the fast assignment of IP addresses.
• 1000 security access control entries are supported.
Manageability
• Cisco IOS Software CLI support provides a common user interface and command set with all Cisco routers and Cisco Catalyst desktop switches.
• Cisco Service Assurance Agent (SAA) support facilitates service-level management throughout the LAN.
• VLAN trunks can be created from any port, using either standards-based 802.1Q tagging or the Cisco Inter-Switch Link (ISL) VLAN architecture.
• Up to 1024 VLANs per switch and up to 128 spanning-tree instances per switch are supported.
• 4096 VLAN IDs are supported.
• Cisco VTP supports dynamic VLANs and dynamic trunk configuration across all switches.
• IGMP snooping provides fast client joins and leaves of multicast streams and limits bandwidth-intensive video traffic to only the requestors.
• Remote Switch Port Analyzer (RSPAN) allows administrators to remotely monitor ports in a Layer 2 switch network from any other switch in the same network.
• For enhanced traffic management, monitoring, and analysis, the Embedded Remote Monitoring (RMON) software agent supports four RMON groups (history, statistics, alarms, and events).
• Layer 2 traceroute eases troubleshooting by identifying the physical path that a packet takes from source to destination.
• All four RMON groups are supported through a SPAN port, which permits traffic monitoring of a single port, a group of ports from a single network analyzer, or an RMON probe.
• The Domain Name System (DNS) provides IP address resolution with user-defined device names.
• Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) reduces the cost of administering software upgrades by downloading from a centralized location.
• Network Time Protocol (NTP) provides an accurate and consistent timestamp to all intranet switches.
• Multifunction LEDs per port show port status and switch-level status LEDs show system status.
Device Manager
• The device manager simplifies initial configuration of a switch through a Web browser.
• The Web interface enables less-skilled personnel to quickly and simply set up switches, thereby reducing the cost of deployment.
CiscoWorks Support
• CiscoWorks network-management software provides management capabilities on a per-port and per-switch basis, providing a common management interface for Cisco routers, switches, and hubs.
• SNMPv1, SNMPv2c, SNMPv3, and Telnet interface support deliver comprehensive in-band management, and a CLI-based management console provides detailed out-of-band management.
• Cisco Discovery Protocol versions 1 and 2 enable a CiscoWorks network-management station for automatic switchdiscovery.
• Japan: VCCI Class A ITE (CISPR 22, Class A Limit)
• Australia/New Zealand: AS/NZS CISPR22, Class A Limit
• Korea: MIC
• Russia: GOST
Telecommunications
CLEI code
Warranty
90 days
SERVICE AND SUPPORT
Cisco is committed to minimizing total cost of ownership and offers technical support services to help ensure that Cisco products operate efficiently, remain highly available, and benefit from the most up-to-date system software. Table 5 describes service and support that is available directly from Cisco and through resellers.
Table 5. Cisco Catalyst Blade Switch 3030 Service and Support
Technical Support Service
Features
Benefits
Cisco SMARTnet® Service
• Access to Cisco IOS Software updates
• Web access to technical support tools and repositories
• 24-hour telephone support through the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC)
• Advance replacement of hardware
• Minimizes network downtime through reliable day-to-day support and prompt resolution to critical network issues
• Lowers total cost of ownership by using Cisco networking expertise and knowledge
• Protects your network investment through Cisco IOS Software updates, which provide patches and new function
