Magnum 4K24 Switches Installation and User Guide (10/04)
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2.4 Applications
Magnum 4K24 Switches offer high performance flexibility, and are easily used
in a variety of applications including client/server computing, performance upgrades of
departmental networks, and collapsed backbone applications. The Dual-Speed
characteristic of the 4K24 Switches enables them to inter-connect a series of subnets (one
subnet per 4K-Series Switch port) in a LAN traffic center. The subnet connections may
be via either optional fiber or twisted pair cabling, and may be 100Mbps or 10 Mbps
speed and full-or half-duplex mode. The 24-ports non-blocking switching capability of
Magnum 4K24’s support larger networks with multiple workgroups.
The mixed-media capability is ideal for upgrading existing Ethernet LAN
networks, where existing cabling must be accommodated. The fiber-built-in media
capability is ideal for integrating future-proof fiber cabling into the LAN structure.
Example1:
In a typical application, a Switch is needed to provide a Fast
Ethernet departmental backbone. The 4K24F consists of twenty-two high-speed LAN
segments, each operating over 100Mb full-duplex RJ-45 lines. In addition, two fiber
backbone segments interconnect with the network center. The Switch needs to provide
high-speed switching support for two central servers, for a 100Mb connection to a router,
and to a mix of 10 and 100Mbps local workgroups of over a dozen users, printers, etc.
The Magnum 4K24F, equipped with two 100Mb fiber ports and 22 RJ-45 10/100 ports,
provides an economical solution in a rack-mount box. No Media Converters are needed.
The two-port Fiber FKM can be selected to provide the 100Mbps fiber connector type
desired. FKMs with either multi-mode or single-mode fiber types are available. The fiber
interconnects provide switched ports for fiber distances with high bandwidth.
The requirement for connecting local devices over twisted pair cabling is
handled by the Magnum 4K24F with 22 RJ-45 ports.
Since 100Mb fiber Ethernet has severe distance limitations at half-duplex, it is
necessary in high speed backbones to operate fiber links in the full-duplex mode. Many
low-end switches that only have RJ-45 N-way 10/100Mb ports would need to have a
media converter on each fiber line. But many media converters do not support auto-
negotiation and would not enable the fiber backbone lines to operate full-duplex. But the
Magnum 4K24F . . . with the optional two switched fiber ports at 100Mb speed, with
full-duplex mode as a default setting on fiber ports, and with a large batch of RJ-45 N-
way 10/100Mb ports as well. . . handles this application readily.
