ZyXEL Communications MES3500-24, User Manual

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MES3500-24/24F User’s Guide
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H A P T E R
1
Getting to Know Your Switch
This chapter introduces the main features and applications of the Switch.
1.1 Introduction
The Switch is a layer-2 standalone Ethernet switch. The MES3500-24 has 24 10/100 Mbps fast
Ethernet ports. The MES3500-24F has 24 100 Mbps fast Ethernet SFP slots. Both also have four
GbE dual personality interfaces with each interface comprising one mini-GBIC slot and one 100/
1000 Mbps RJ-45 port, with either port or slot active at a time.
With its built-in web configurator, managing and configuring the Switch is easy. In addition, the
Switch can also be managed via Telnet, any terminal emulator program on the console port, or
third-party SNMP management.
See Chapter 46 on page 333 for a full list of software features available on the Switch.
This section shows a few examples of using the Switch in various network environments.
1.1.1 Backbone Application
The Switch is an ideal solution for small networks where rapid growth can be expected in the near
future. The Switch can be used standalone for a group of heavy traffic users. You can connect
computers and servers directly to the Switch’s port or connect other switches to the Switch.
In this example, all computers can share high-speed applications on the server. To expand the
network, simply add more networking devices such as switches, routers, computers, print servers
etc.
Figure 1
Backbone Application