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Software enhancements
Multicast Virtualization
Multicast virtualization of IGMP and
PIM-SM/SSM along with unicast virtu-
alization is supported on the same plat-
form through VRF-Lite, extending the
benefit of simplifying network design,
hardware investment and lowering opera-
tional expense — all combined with best-
in-class resiliency SMLT/RSMLT.
Nortel Automatic QoS
With Nortel Automatic QoS enabled,
an ERS 8300 supporting a Nortel
Unified Communications solution
automatically recognizes the special,
private Differentiated Service Code Point
(DSCP) values used by these applica-
tions, and optimizes the management
Egress Queues. Without this automated
functionality, operators would need to
have detailed knowledge of how QoS
works, and also the private DSCP values,
to enable manual configuration for opti-
mized Queue usage. With this feature,
the process is automated and optimized,
and protects against misconfiguration.
The introduction of Nortel Automatic
QoS support on the ERS 8300 will see
the Core functionality delivered first,
followed by Access functionality in a
subsequent release.
Multi-port Mirroring
The Ethernet Routing Switch 8600
includes RS line cards for enhanced
mirroring capabilities, including enabling
one-to-many, many-to-one and many-
to-many mirroring for traffic analysis
and IDS/TPS clustering.
Nortel Secure Network Access
Through Nortel Secure Network Access
(NSNA) v1.5, the Ethernet Routing
Switch 8600 offers ubiquitous and seam-
less secure access for internal end users
(i.e., wired or wireless LAN networks)
or outside users (i.e., remote access,
including SSL/IPsec/WAN networks).
Nortel (Networks) Command
Line Interface
The NNCLI (Nortel Networks
Command Line Interface) is a common
interface that follows the de facto
industry standard, ensuring a short
learning curve for engineers installing
the Ethernet Routing Switch 8600.
NNCLI is also supported by other
Nortel products, including the current
Nortel Ethernet Switching portfolio. A
common CLI for all devices simplifies
management and results in reduced ROI.
Service and Management (DfO)
Log references and messages, standard
MIBs, command support via NNCLI
and SNMP, data collection of pluggable
optics in real-time, etc. are a few
examples to minimize operational cost
and enhance service and management
of the switch.
Why choose Nortel?
Nortel is the only vendor in the industry
to offer multiple viable options that
enable IP VPN solutions across the
campus. These options include stan-
dard solutions of MPLS IP-VPN and
Nortel’s IP VPN-Lite, which offers the
added benefit by running over existing
IP infrastructure without the need for
additional capital investment or opera-
tional expense.
Nortel is also the only vendor that
delivers increased value per slot by intro-
ducing a combo module with copper
10/100/1000, SFP and XFP interfaces to
meet the demand of smaller aggregation
sites. Finally, Nortel has the distinction
of offering one of the industry’s highest
10G densities per module/rack, and the
only solution vendor to offer best-in-class
resiliency with SMLT for VMware server
virtualization in an iSCSI environment.
1
Summary
The Ethernet Routing Switch 8600
is a resilient, intelligent, secure solu-
tion that allows corporate networks to
provide a truly unified communications
network and business continuity for
critical applications. Enabling a Resilient
Terabit Switch Cluster solution, the
Ethernet Routing Switch 8600 allows
you to scale converged and web applica-
tions network-wide. Resiliency helps
ensure that network resources are always
available. Intelligence delivers bandwidth
and performance for those applications
that need it the most when they need
it. Security helps ensure that the infor-
mation traveling across your network
remains secure and unaltered. Resiliency,
intelligence and security are the basic
network building blocks that allow an
enterprise to use their network to grow
their business and provide a solid founda-
tion for their future network growth.
The Ethernet Routing Switch 8600 offers
a high-performance architecture that
combines with rich, advanced services
for convergence applications to enhance,
protect and simplify network service and
operations. Customers seeking to make
strategic investments in their campus
LAN infrastructure can now create solu-
tions that will support business growth
for years to come. As a provider of end-
to-end solutions that span voice, data,
applications and network management,
Nortel has the necessary expertise to
increase your opportunities for profit-
ability, streamline your business opera-
tions, increase productivity and help you
gain competitive advantage.
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Note that, where multiple iSCSI targets are used,
VMware recommends using ESX NIC teams
in “IP Hashing” mode to balance traffic across
NIC teams and take advantage of multiple switch
redundancy.
A real-world scenario:
Virtual Routing and Forwarding
An international airport, which handles a large
amount of traffic from multiple national and global
airlines and other local on-campus businesses, is
looking for a networking solution that will maximize
application uptime, safeguard information, while
providing excellent business value. By employing
Ethernet Routing Switch 8600 and VRF-lite
capabilities, the airport can keep airlines and
their respective traffic separate — all from one
economical, simple-to-implement and easy-to-
manage hardware platform.
