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Minimum Standards
As departments are upgrading their internal networks it is important that they purchase devices which provide the minimal functionality required to reliably integrate with the MSUnet backbone. The following list of specifications is the recommended standard for any new switch that is being purchased.
- 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports
- Non-blocking (full line rate on all ports)
- Support for 256 simultaneous 802.1Q VLANs in the range from 1 to 4096
- Management via SSH, SNMPv2, SNMPv3
- Advanced Spanning Tree Protocols (RSTP, or MSTP)
- 802.1X support with dynamic VLAN capability
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Standards for Advanced Features
If it is desired to take advantage of some of the more advanced features of the MSUnet backbone, meeting additional specifications becomes necessary. Depending on the depth of the network deployment, location, and purpose some of the following features may also be required.
- 10/100/1000/10000 Ethernet ports
- Fiber or “dual personality” ports
- Support for 4096 simultaneous 802.1Q VLANs in the range from 1 to 4096
- Redundant power supply
- Individual admin login accounts
- Quality of Service (QoS)
- Power over Ethernet (PoE)
- Especially in locations that have IP phones or WiFi access points.
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Support
The IT Services Network Services group offers consulting services to support your upgrade. IT Services has experience with both Juniper and HP switching that meets these standards. Each has benefits that should be considered. Due to the MSUnet backbone being comprised of Juniper equipment it would be cleaner to interface to the campus Spanning Tree if Juniper is also deployed in the department. HP switches offer a lifetime warranty and a lower cost. Many other vendors also have switches that meet the standard.
If you have any questions about a switch being supported or meeting these standards please contact the IT Service Desk.
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