Reliability and Availability
The A2 design incorporates redundancy and failure protection mechanisms complete with
automatic failover and recovery capabilities to provide a reliable network. An integral power
supply is the primary source of power for the A2 and complete power redundancy is provided
by an optional external power supply. In addition to the standard version of the A2, there is also
a redundant Power over Ethernet (PoE) version of the A2 which supports network devices that
require external power such as wireless access points, VoIP phones, and network cameras. A
virtual switch can be created by interconnecting as many as 8 A2s in a single stack, which can
be managed via a single IP address with redundant management connections. The A2’s closed-
loop stacking (CLS) capability utilizes bi-directional switch interconnects to maintain connectivity
within the virtual switch despite any physical switch-level failure. Up to 4 Ethernet ports can be
grouped together to create a multi-link aggregation group (LAG). A LAG’s Ethernet ports can be
collocated on a single A2 or they can be distributed across multiple A2s within a stack to prevent
a switch-level failure from disrupting data communications.
Advanced Quality of Service
Robust QoS features enable strong support for integrated multimedia networks, including VoIP
and video, as well as all types of data-intensive applications. The A2 provides 8 hardware-based
priority queues for each Ethernet port in order to support a suite of differentiated services with as
many as 8 distinct priority levels. The strict and weighted round robin queuing algorithms ensure
that mission-critical applications receive prioritized access to network resources.
Security
The A2 provides a secure network by utilizing its authentication and security features, which can
be applied at the port level or at the user level. The A2 supports a single user/device per port,
which can be authenticated via IEEE 802.1X or MAC address.
Investment Protection
The A2 is a cost-effective, feature-rich, stackable switch that provides a broad set of features today
and will continue to deliver benefits well into the future. Customers can grow and/or enhance their
networks while protecting their investment by adding A2s into existing A2 networks and/or stacks.
When multiple A2s are stacked together, each switch in the stack assumes the feature set that
is common to all switches in the stack to ensure operational compatibility. All A-Series products
include a lifetime warranty that continues for 5 years after the date of product discontinuation. For
more information regarding warranty terms and conditions please go to
Performance & Scalability
The A2 provides scalable, wire-rate performance in support of the bandwidth-intensive and delay-
sensitive requirements of today’s demanding applications. Along with a switch capacity of 17.6
Gbps, the A2 provides up to 48 10/100Base-T or 24 100Base-FX Ethernet ports as well as two
10/100/1000 Ethernet ports, which can be used as uplink or stacking connections. As many
as 8 A2s can be interconnected in a single stack to create a virtual switch that provides 140.8
Gbps of capacity and up to 384 10/100Base-T or 192 100Base-FX Ethernet ports as well as 32
10/100/1000 Ethernet ports for uplink or stacking connections.
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