The Cisco WS-C2960X-24TS-L is a 24-port Gigabit Ethernet switch from the Catalyst 2960-X Series, designed to provide high-performance, reliable network connectivity for small to medium-sized businesses, branch offices, and enterprise edge environments. This switch is engineered for Layer 2 switching, offering 24 Gigabit Ethernet ports and 4 SFP+ uplink ports for 10 Gigabit fiber connectivity, which supports high-speed, long-distance network links.
Key Features and Benefits:
1. 24 Gigabit Ethernet Ports:
- The WS-C2960X-24TS-L is equipped with 24 Gigabit Ethernet ports for standard network connectivity, providing reliable access for computers, servers, printers, and other devices on the network. The switch supports high-speed data transmission, ensuring seamless communication between network devices.
2. 4 SFP+ Uplink Ports:
- This model includes 4 SFP+ uplink ports, which support 10G fiber connectivity, making it suitable for high-performance and long-distance network links. These uplink ports provide flexibility to connect the switch to other core switches, routers, or data centers, offering reliable and high-speed interconnectivity between different network segments.
3. Layer 2 Switching:
- The WS-C2960X-24TS-L is a Layer 2 switch, which means it operates based on MAC address forwarding. It provides essential Layer 2 features such as VLAN support, MAC address learning, and traffic forwarding, ensuring efficient data management and network segmentation. The support for VLANs allows businesses to segregate network traffic for better performance and security.
4. Energy-Efficient:
- The WS-C2960X-24TS-L is designed to be energy-efficient, incorporating Cisco EnergyWise technology. This helps reduce energy consumption without compromising on network performance, making it a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for businesses.
5. Quality of Service (QoS):
- The switch supports Quality of Service (QoS), which allows you to prioritize critical applications and traffic types, such as voice (VoIP) and video conferencing. By giving priority to time-sensitive traffic, the WS-C2960X-24TS-L helps ensure that these applications run smoothly without experiencing delays or interruptions.
6. Network Security:
- The WS-C2960X-24TS-L offers advanced network security features, including Port Security, 802.1X authentication, and Access Control Lists (ACLs). These features protect the network from unauthorized access, ensuring that only authorized devices can connect to the network and enhancing overall security.
7. Stackable Design:
- The switch supports Cisco StackWise Plus technology, which allows you to stack multiple switches together, managing them as a single logical unit. This simplifies the management of large networks and provides greater scalability, allowing you to expand your network as your business grows without significant increases in administrative overhead.
8. Simple Management:
- The WS-C2960X-24TS-L can be managed using Cisco IOS Software, which supports both a command-line interface (CLI) and web-based management for easy configuration and monitoring. The switch can also be integrated with Cisco Prime Infrastructure for centralized network management, helping streamline network operations and maintenance.
9. High Availability:
- The switch is designed with redundant power supply options and robust hardware to provide high availability and uptime for critical business operations. This ensures that your network stays operational even during hardware failures or power disruptions, minimizing potential downtime.
10. Cost-Effective Solution:
- The WS-C2960X-24TS-L is an ideal choice for businesses seeking an affordable yet feature-rich networking solution. It provides essential Layer 2 functionality and scalability while offering reliable performance and advanced security features, making it a cost-effective option for organizations that need a secure and efficient network.
Use Cases:
- Small to Medium-Sized Businesses (SMBs): The WS-C2960X-24TS-L is perfect for SMBs that require Gigabit Ethernet connectivity for their networked devices, along with the ability to connect to a high-speed backbone network via the 10G SFP+ uplink ports.
- Branch Offices: For businesses with multiple locations, this switch is an ideal solution for creating high-speed connections between branch offices and the central network or data center via the 10G fiber uplinks.
- VoIP Deployments: The switch is also well-suited for VoIP (Voice over IP) environments. Its QoS capabilities ensure that voice traffic is given priority, resulting in clear, uninterrupted voice communications across the network.
- Wireless Networks: The switch can power wireless access points (APs) through PoE-enabled models (if upgraded). This makes it ideal for organizations that are expanding or upgrading their wireless network infrastructure.
- Enterprise Edge and Data Center Interconnect: The 10G SFP+ uplink ports allow the switch to be integrated into high-performance environments, providing connectivity to data centers, core switches, and other critical network segments that require high bandwidth.
Summary:
The Cisco WS-C2960X-24TS-L is a 24-port Gigabit Ethernet switch with 4 SFP+ uplink ports for 10G fiber connectivity, designed for high-performance Layer 2 switching. It provides businesses with a reliable, secure, and scalable network solution that supports VLANs, network security, and energy-efficient operation. With its QoS capabilities and stackable design, it’s an ideal choice for small to medium-sized businesses and branch offices seeking to improve network performance, scalability, and security. The WS-C2960X-24TS-L is an affordable, high-performance solution that can support your growing network needs.
