Cisco Catalyst 2900 Series XL Installation guide

Copyright © 1998 Cisco Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Page 1 of 6
OVERVIEW
Catalyst 2900 Series XL
The Cisco Catalyst®2900 series XL is a full line of 10/100
autosensing Fast Ethernet switches from the leader in
networking that combines outstanding performance, ease of
use, and integrated Cisco IOS®software. The Catalyst 2900
series XL includes five models, each with different port
densities, configuration options, and pricing to meet a broad
range of network design requirements. Available in Standard
and Enterprise Editions, the software embedded in Catalyst
2900 series XL switches is upgradeable so your investment is
protected if your network grows or changes.
The 24-port Catalyst 2924M XL switch is an excellent
aggregation device, as well as the perfect solution for
providing dedicated 10- or 100-Mbps bandwidth to
individual users. The 12-port Catalyst 2912MF XL switch is
ideal for aggregating small and mid-sized campus networks
over 100BaseFX fiber connections. The two versatile module
slots of the Catalyst 2912MF XL and Catalyst 2924M XL
provide expansion capabilities, higher-speed connectivity,
and support for feature modules, allowing you the flexibility
to upgrade your network and preserve your initial
investment. The 12-port Catalyst 2912 XL, 24-port Catalyst
2924 XL, and Catalyst 2924C XL switches are ideal for
deliveringlow-cost,high-performance,and10-or100-Mbps
bandwidth to individual users and servers.
Applications
High-Performance Desktop Connectivity (10/100 to the Desktop)
The Catalyst 2912 XL, Catalyst 2924 XL, Catalyst 2924C
XL, and Catalyst 2924M XL can all be deployed as
high-performance solutions to provide 10/100 bandwidth
directly to the desktop. The Catalyst 2912 XL and
Catalyst 2924 XL offer the lowest price per port in a
fixed configuration. The Catalyst 2924C XL contains
two 100BaseFX ports for networks that need to deploy
high-performance 100-Mbps desktop connectivity over an
extended distance (up to 2 kilometers) with fiber-optic
cabling. The Catalyst 2924M XL switch accepts 10BaseT/
100BaseTX and 100BaseFX expansion modules today and a
broader range of uplink modules in the future. All Catalyst
2900 XL products support the aggregation of multiple ports
via Fast EtherChannel®to provide redundant, high
bandwidth connections between switches, servers, and other
key network stations.
Figure1 TheCatalyst2912XL,Catalyst2924XL,Catalyst2924CXLandCatalyst
2924M XL for High-Performance Desktop Connectivity
Enterprise Workgroup and Server Aggregation
The Catalyst 2924M XL will be deployed in wiring closets
to aggregate workgroup networking devices such as Fast
Ethernet hubs, Ethernet hubs and switches, and workgroup
servers. Fast EtherChannel technology allows customers
to logically ‘bond” multiple Fast Ethernet links, creating a
high-capacity uplink to the corporate or campus backbone.
Future high-speed modules will allow customers the
flexibility to upgrade their networks and preserve their
initial investment in the Catalyst 2924M XL.
Catalyst
2924C XL
Switch
10/100 Workstations
Catalyst 8500, 5500,
and 4000 Series
Enterprise Switches
Fast EtherChannel
Technology

Copyright © 1998 Cisco Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Figure 2 The Catalyst 2924M XL for Enterprise Workgroup Aggregation
Catalyst
2924M XL
Switch
10BaseT Hub
Catalyst 8500, 5500,
and 4000 Series
Enterprise Switches
Fast EtherChannel
Fast EtherChannel
or 100BaseTX
Local Servers
FastHub Series
10/100 Hubs Catalyst 1900/2820 Series Ethernet Switch
Catalyst 2900 XL
10/100 Switch
Disbursed Midsized Campus Aggregation
The12-port Catalyst 2912MF XLis ideal for aggregatinggeographically disbursed Fast Ethernetworkgroupsover 100BaseFX fiber
connections on a small or midsized campus environment. Two high-speed uplink slots enable users to add up to eight additional
100BaseFX or 10BaseT/100BaseT ports. Future high-speed modules will allow customers the flexibility to upgrade their networks
and preserve their initial investments.
Figure 3 The Catalyst 2912MF XL for Disbursed Small Campus Aggregation
Catalyst
2912MF XL
Switch
Catalyst 8500 or 5500,
Enterprise Switch
Fast EtherChannel
Fiber Fast EtherChannel
or 100BaseFX Connections
FastHub Series
10/100 Hub Catalyst 1900 Ethernet Switch
Catalyst 2900 XL
10/100 Switch

Copyright © 1998 Cisco Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Page 3 of 6
Workgroup and Server Aggregation for Small to Medium-Sized Networks
The24-port Catalyst 2924M XL may be used asa flexible, scalable,network backbone fora small to medium-sized business(SMB).
The switch is a effective solution for aggregating network resources and delivering dedicated 10- or 100-Mbps connectivity to
individual users and workgroups in an SMB. Two high-speed uplink slots enable users to add up to eight additional 100BaseFX or
10BaseT/100BaseT ports.
Figure 4 The Catalyst 2924M XL as SMB Aggregator and Backbone
Catalyst
2924M XL
Switch
10BaseT Hub
Fast EtherChannel,
100BaseTX, or
100BaseFX Connections
10/100/1000 Servers and
Workstations
FastHub Series
10/100 Hubs Catalyst 1900/2820 Series Ethernet Switch
Catalyst 2900 XL
10/100 Switch

Copyright © 1998 Cisco Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Page 4 of 6
Features and Benefits Summary
Feature Description Benefit
10BaseT/100BaseTX
Support 12, 22, and24 autosensing switched 10BaseT/100BaseTXports Delivers performance where required, such as server farms, power workgroups, and individual users
Preserves investment in legacy 10BaseT equipment, such as NIC cards,
hubs, and switches
Four-port 10BaseT/100BaseTX switch module (Catalyst
2912MF XL and 2924M XL only) Provides a cost-effective means to increase the port density of the Catalyst 2912MF XL and 2924M XL
100BaseFX Support Two switched100BaseFXports(Catalyst2924C XLonly) and 12
switched 100BaseFX ports (Catalyst 2912MF XL only) Delivers high-speed connectivity between Catalyst 2912MF XL, Catalyst2924CXL,andanotherdeviceoveranextendeddistanceof up to 2
kilometers
2-port and 4-port 100BaseFX switch modules Cost-effective means to deliver connectivity between a Catalyst 2912MF
XL or 2924M XL and another device over an extended distance of up to 2
kilometers
Versatile Module Slots
(Catalyst 2912MF XL and
2924M XL)
Two versatile module slots accommodate future network
expansion plans Provides a flexible means to enhance the base switch offering without the need for a forklift upgrade
Future support for Gigabit Ethernet (1000BaseX) and OC-3 ATM
Virtual LANs on all Ports Upto 64 port-based VLANs per Catalyst 2900 XL switch enable
groups of devices on a LAN to communicate as if they are on
the same wire, even if they are on different LAN segments
Improve performance and scalability by evaluating network traffic
patterns and assigning users to VLANs associated with appropriate
network resources and bandwidth
Reduce administrative costs and simplify network moves, adds, and
changes
Enable better management and control of broadcast and multicast traffic
Improve network security by establishing separate VLAN groups for
high-security users and relocating workgroup servers into secured,
centralized areas
Support for standards-based IEEE 802.1Q and Cisco ISL VLAN
trunking protocols (Enterprise Editions only) Enables deployment of up to 64 enterprise-wide VLAN trunks per 2900 XL switch, spanning multiple routers, chassis switches, and access servers
Autosensing on Each
10/100 Port Detects the speed of the attached device and automatically configures the port for 10 or 100 Mbps Eases deployment of the switch in mixed 10BaseT and 100BaseT environments
Autonegotiating on Each
10/100 Port Automatically selects half- or full-duplex transmission mode Optimizes bandwidth utilization
Outstanding Performance 3.2-Gbps switching fabric and 3.0 million packets-per-second
forwarding rate Meets the demands of the most intensive network applications
Ensures full wire-speed operation for each 10BaseT/100BaseTX port
Full-duplex operation on switched 100BaseT ports Delivers up to 200 Mbps of bandwidth to end stations and servers, and
between switches
4-MB shared memory architecture Ensures highest possible throughput by eliminating head-of-line blocking,
minimizing packet loss, and reducing congestion from multicast and
broadcast traffic
Bandwidth aggregation through FastEtherChannel technology Delivers up to 800-Mbps connectivity between switches, and to routers
and individual servers
Enhances fault tolerance
Per-port broadcast storm control Prevents faulty end stations from degrading overall system performance
with broadcast storms
Cisco Group Management Protocol (CGMP) Enables the switch to selectively forward routed IP multicast traffic to
targeted multimedia end stations, reducing overall network traffic

Copyright © 1998 Cisco Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Page 5 of 6
Outstanding Performance
(continued) CGMP Fast Leave Allows quick stoppage of multicasts to end stations that want to drop a data stream, reducing superfluous traffic on the network
Management and System
Setup Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and Telnet interface support Delivers comprehensive in-band management
Telnet support for five simultaneous sessions Allows menu-based management by terminal emulation software over the
network
Command-line interface (CLI)-based management console Provides detailed out-of-band management
Uses the same management interface as Cisco routers
Cisco Visual Switch Manager software Built-in HTTP server enables Web-based management interface through
standard browser such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer
Provides stack and network topology views of a group of Catalyst 2900XL
switches with one easy-to-use management interface
Support for CiscoWorks Windows and CiscoWorks2000
network management software Enables management on a per-port and per-switch basis
Provides a common management interface for Cisco routers, switches,
and hubs
Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) Enables a CiscoView network management station to automatically
discover the switch in a network topology without user intervention
Four groups of embedded RMON (History, Statistics, Alarms,
and Events) Providesenhancedmanageability,network monitoring, and traffic analysis
Network statistics gathered on a per-port basis or by using an
RMON probe Facilitates troubleshooting and capacity planning by characterizing each port’s utilization, errors, and other key statistics
SPAN support for connection to a network analyzer or RMON
probe Offers complete monitoring of a single port, group of ports, or the entire switch from a single network analyzer or RMON probe attached to a
switch port
Multifunction per-port LEDs for port status, half-duplex/
full-duplex, and 10BaseT/100BaseT indication, as well as
switch-level status LEDs for system, RPS, module status, and
bandwidth utilization
Providescomprehensive and convenient visualmanagementof the switch
Autoconfiguration Easesdeploymentofswitchesinthe network by automatically configuring
multiple switches across a network via a boot server
Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) Reduces the cost of administering software upgrades by downloading
from a centralized location
Default configuration stored in Flash memory Ensures that the switch can be connected to the network and can pass
traffic with minimal user intervention
Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) discovers the MAC
address that corresponds to the IP address for any given host
on the network
Allows the network manager, from a central console, to identify a host IP
address and its corresponding MAC address
19-inch rack-mountable Catalyst 2912 XL, 2924 XL, and 2924C
XL are available in one rack-unit-high (1.73 in.) enclosure.
Catalyst 2912MF XL and 2924M XL are available in two
rack-unit-high enclosures (3.46 in.)
Compliant with standard 19-inch rack-mount scheme for easy installation;
allows high-density port allocation while conserving valuable rack space
in the wiring closet
Fault Tolerance IEEE 802.1d Spanning-Tree Protocol Supports redundant backbone connections and loop-free networks for
improved fault tolerance
Redundant power supply option External RPS provides a redundant power source for up to four units for
improved fault tolerance
MTBF exceeds 164,000 hours Designed to provide the highest reliability for maximum network uptime
Feature Description Benefit

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Copyright © 1998 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA. Catalyst, Cisco, Cisco Systems, and the Cisco Systems logo, are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and certain other
countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. (9810R) 12/98 B&W
Argentina • Australia • Austria • Belgium • Brazil • Canada • Chile • China • Colombia • Costa Rica • Croatia • Czech Republic • Denmark • Dubai, UAE
Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hong Kong • Hungary • India • Indonesia • Ireland • Israel • Italy • Japan • Korea • Luxembourg • Malaysia
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Availability and Orderability
Security Secure addressing: secures a port to an individual MAC
address or a group of up to 132 MAC addresses; addresses
can be learned or manually entered; choice of actions upon
secure address violation
For security-sensitive applications, prevents unauthorized users from
accessing a network
Suspend, disable, or leave security violation port enabled Provides administrators the choice of level of security, notification, and
resulting actions
Password-protected in-band and out-of-band management Provides protection against unauthorized configuration changes and
secures against unwanted intruders
Multilevel security on console access Prevents unauthorized users from altering the switch configuration
Warranty Limited Lifetime Warranty Backed by Cisco'sservice and supportand the technologyleadership that
extends the reach of networks worldwide
Model Description Availability
WS-C2912-XL –A/-EN 12-port 10BaseT/100BaseTX autosensing Fast Ethernet switch January 1999
WS-C2912MF-XL 12-port 100BaseFX Fast Ethernet switch with two expansion slots January 1999
WS-C2924-XL –A/-EN 24-port 10BaseT/100BaseTX autosensing Fast Ethernet switch January 1999
WS-C2924C-XL –A/-EN 24-port switch with 22 10BaseT/100BaseTX autosensing Fast Ethernet ports and two 100BaseFX ports January 1999
WS-C2924M-XL –A/-EN 24-port 10BaseT/100BaseTX autosensing Fast Ethernet switch with two expansion slots January 1999
WS-X2914-XL -V Four-port 10BaseT/100BaseTX autosensing switch module for Catalyst 2912MF XL and 2924M XL, ISL/
802.1Q capable January 1999
WS-X2922-XL -V Two-port 100BaseFX switch module for Catalyst 2912MF XL and 2924M XL, ISL/802.1Q capable January 1999
WS-X2924-XL -V Four-port 100BaseFX switch module for Catalyst 2912MF XL and 2924M XL, ISL/802.1Q capable January 1999
Feature Description Benefit