D-Link’s DGS-1100-10/ME Managed L2 Metro Ethernet Switch is a managed Gigabit Ethernet switch with eight 10/100/1000Base-T ports and two combo ports. It is designed to be used as a high-end residential switch or access layer switch in a Metro Ethernet. Targeted at IPTV applications, it provides complete multicast functions in a reliable hardware design. The Ethernet port can sustain 6 kV voltage surges so the device can be protected from being damaged by events such as lightning striking outdoor wires. The combo uplink port design makes it suitable for both ETTH or FTTB/FTTH application.

 

Multicast Capability

With the growing demands of IPTV usage, the DGS-1100-10/ME is ideal as it provides a variety of functions to enhance transmission quality and management efficiency, such as IGMP Snooping, Limited IP Multicast, ISM VLAN, and MLD Snooping for an IPv6 environment. In Limited IP Multicast, users can set Multicast Address profiles and associate them to a port or multiple ports, allowing the switch to permit or deny join requests sent by subscribers. The ability to set a profile eases the management effort required to add or delete subscribers from a channel package. ISM VLAN (IGMP Snooping Multicast VLAN) needs configuration on both the access switch and the uplink aggregation L3 switch, and the duplicated stream can be eliminated in the uplink when users in different VLANs are watching the same channel. While migrating to IPv6, MLD Snooping takes over and ensures that multicast quality stays high in the future when IPv6 becomes widely used.

 

Security

The DGS-1100-10/ME also enables security functions to keep the network devices in control. Through Static MAC, administrators can filter packets sent by non-registered devices. Port Security can limit the number of MAC addresses learned per port and prevent MAC address flooding attacks.

 

Strong Performance and Redundancy

As a metro access switch, the DGS-1100-10/ME is equipped with functions that help networks remain stable and easy to manage. Supporting Loopback Detection, it can easily prevent data loops from happening and minimize the risk of breaking down the network. The DGS-1100-10/ME also supports QoS (Quality of Service). Packets can be classified based on contents, and assigned to different queues. The prioritization mechanism helps users to differentiate traffic in terms of service packages and customer levels. The bandwidth control feature allows network administrators to define the ingress/egress throughput levels for each port with granularity down to 16 kpbs. The switch also supports the storm control feature which minimizes problems from excessive traffic within the network.

 

Authentication

The DGS-1100-10/ME supports port-based and host-based 802.1X access control with local server or RADIUS server. Administrators can also put unauthorized users into Guest VLAN and give them limited access rights.

 

Management

The switch features a variety of management tools and supports several communications standards. Configuration can be done through Telnet, SNMP, and HTTP. The graphical web user interface provides administrators a straightforward and convenient way to manage their networks. The Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) allows the switch to advertise its identity and capabilities on the local network and to detect neighboring devices, so that the devices can provide topology information to management software applications.

 

Troubleshooting

The DGS-1100-10/ME helps administrators do quick troubleshooting and diagnostics. The Cable Diagnostics function can detect the cable length of connected cables and display the cable status. This saves administrators a lot of inconvenience in looking for network problems and conducting repairs. The DGS-1100-10/ME also supports IEEE802.3ah, a data link layer protocol which provides network administrators the ability to monitor the health of the network and quickly determine the location of failing links or fault conditions on point-to-point and emulated point-to-point Ethernet links.