If you enjoy CCNP Study, you are sure to enjoy this article for the content it contains. Every effort has been taken to provide you with quality content which might be useful to you. http://www.ccnpstudy.com 2010-07-31T16:04:09+01:00 text/html 2009-03-08T22:57:40+01:00 http://www.ccnpstudy.com http://www.ccnpstudy.com/general/cisco-callmanager.html As with the 3Com NBX 100, the Cisco product uses quality of service settings to ensure voice quality on a busy LAN. Unlike the NBX phones, the Cisco IP phones are NetMeeting enabled. This means that you can perform NetMeeting tasks, such as video conferencing and application sharing, simply by hitting a button on your Cisco phone. The phones are available in 12- and 30-feature button versions for $550 and $650 (list), respectively. Because the system will work with almost any trunk line gateway, it is fairly scalable; you can populate a single LAN with several hundred IP phones. As with the 3Com NBX phones, the Cisco IP phones provide dual 10-Mbps Ethernet ports that can take a phone and a client PC to the same wall jack. The CallManager costs $14,995 list and is sold separately from the IP phones. The software runs on Windows NT and requires Microsoft Internet Information Server to access the menu via a standard browser. We found it easy to install the IP phones and set up the users. Each phone includes a DHCP client that can automatically an address. On the administrator side, all we had to do was provide a range of IP addresses for the phones. We found it easy to assign a phone number and a user name to each phone. The bundled voice mail system was also easy to set up, and the user can perform several tasks using the handset, including recording a message and setting up the voice mailbox. As do all of the products we reviewed except the Mitel system, the CallManager lets you forward any voice mail you receive to an SMTP e-mail address. The message is recorded and saved as a WAV file, which the e-mail recipient can open and listen to. The administration... text/html 2009-03-08T22:57:40+01:00 http://www.ccnpstudy.com http://www.ccnpstudy.com/general/catalyst-does-browser-management.html Network switching hub As a network manager, you already know that faster network switches will provide a better, more responsive experience for your Web browser. But what you might not know is that a browser can also improve your switching experience -- with a little help from Cisco's latest line of network switching hubs. Ideally suited as workgroup segment or edge switches, Cisco's Catalyst 2900 Series XL products, including the Catalyst 2916M XL that I tested, offer a strong solution for sites looking for a midrange feature set. Although it offers extras over competing units from Bay Networks and 3Com, the Catalyst currently lacks key features demanded by enterprise customers. Like most new network switches, the 2916M XL has only basic expansion capabilities. However, Cisco expects to add more expansion accessories down the line. The Catalyst 2916M XL is a 16-port 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet switch that sports a 3.2 Gigabit Ethernet switching fabric and supports as many as 2,048 Media Access Control addresses, making it ideal as a segment switch. The unit also has two expansion bays that support either a four-port 100Base-TX or a two-port 100Base-FX module. Cisco expects to add other modules, including a Gigabit Ethernet module, and other feature upgrades later this year. Browser-based managementM The feature I found to be most useful is the 2916M XL's built-in Web server, which provides network administrators with browser-based access to virtually every aspect of switch management. I was pretty impressed with this capability, which allowed me to perform quick-and-dirty remote management tasks, such as viewing port and unit statistics or configuring other unit settings. The Catalyst's Web-based management is indeed powerful. For example, I was able to send Cisco IOS (the OS embedded on the unit) commands to the Catalyst via my Web browser. I also performed browser-based management from... text/html 2009-03-08T22:57:40+01:00 http://www.ccnpstudy.com http://www.ccnpstudy.com/general/cisco-catalyst-1900-smoothes-path-for-sites-migrating-from-hubs.html Network hardware Designed for enterprise branch offices that have 100 nodes or less, the Enterprise Edition of Catalyst 1900 from Cisco Systems, with its third generation ASIC and smaller footprint, solves the needs of small to medium-size businesses looking to migrate from a hub-centric environment. Simple migration The Catalyst 1900 allows enterprises to migrate from 10Base-T hubs to a switched architecture supporting 10Base-T and 100Base-TX with strong management support (through Cisco's Internetworking OS, CiscoWorks, and CiscoView) and RMON capabilities. The switch I tested is one of four belonging to the Catalyst switch family. In our Feb. 24 issue, we reviewed Cisco's Catalyst 2820. (See Networking Product Reviews, page N/2.) The Catalyst 1900 is on the lowest-end of this managed-switch product line. It has 24 10Base-T ports with two 100Base-TX ports (there is a lower-end model of the Catalyst 1900 that has 12 instead of 24 10Base-T ports) and an AUI port on the back of the unit. The two 100Base-TX ports primarily are used for connecting the switch to servers or a high-speed backbone. The 100Base-TX ports support bandwidth aggregation as fast as 400Mbps for connection to a server or other switches or routers. All of the ports on the switch have full-duplex support -- effectively doubling available bandwidth -- and a feature called CollisionFree, which Cisco officials say reduces packet collisions. It also supports cut-through or store-and-forward switching methods. Multiprotocol support The Catalyst 1900 has three intriguing features. It supports virtual LANs, or VLANs, has no per-port Media Access Control (MAC) address limitations (it supports a maximum of 1,024 MAC addresses), and supports Ciscos Group Management Protocol (CGMP). Cisco officials said CGMP will allow the switch to selectively forward routed IP multicast traffic to multimedia nodes to reduce network congestion. I found this intriguing but was unable to test the... text/html 2009-03-08T22:57:40+01:00 http://www.ccnpstudy.com http://www.ccnpstudy.com/general/flexible-cisco-vpn-suits-small-networks.html Cisco Router Virtual private network (VPN) technology is moving from the gee-whiz stage into the day-to-day arena of networking professionals. And Cisco's new 1720 router shows that the networking giant is paying attention to the trend. The 1720 is somewhat similar to the 1600 line of small office/home office routers, but the new version adds VPN capabilities and greater flexibility, thanks to its two WAN Interface Card (WIC) slots. I would definitely recommend it for small offices, especially in cases where leased lines would cost a fortune. The 1720 does not offer any greater functionality than dedicated VPN solutions, but its all-in-one approach is attractive. One box handles routing, firewall capabilities, and VPNs, which should make administering remote offices much easier. Using the 1720 is, thankfully, pretty much like using any other device powered by Cisco's Internetworking Operating System (IOS) networking device. It took just a few minutes to get the unit up and running, and to establish a VPN connection over the Internet. The 1720 is the first router I've worked with that sports Cisco's new IOS 12.0, but this new version is quite similar to IOS 11.x, and should not cause any confusion. The 1720 supports the IPSec protocol -- as well as Layer 2 Tunneling protocol and Layer 2 Forwarding tunneling -- making it easy to integrate the router into existing networks as well as newer infrastructures. Configuring IPSec using the command line interface took a bit of learning, but it shouldn't be difficult for anyone familiar with IOS. Cisco is promising a future version of its ConfigMaker software, which will allow GUI-based configuration of IPSec; the current version supports most of 1720's features, but not the IPSec portion. Although ConfigMaker can be handy, it's probably not terribly important. If someone needs a GUI to configure a router,... text/html 2009-03-08T22:57:40+01:00 http://www.ccnpstudy.com http://www.ccnpstudy.com/general/access-point-scales-up-wlans.html CISCO'S 802.11B AIRONET 1100 SERIES HAS A LONG REACH BUT TAKES CONSIDERABLE SETUP TIME CISCO SYSTEMS INC.'S 2.4GHZ 802.lib Aironet 1100 Series access point provides good reach and satisfactory performance on wireless LANs. In eWEEK Labs' tests, we configured the $599 Aironet 1100 Series access point to harness VLANs (virtual LANs), quality-of-service markers and Cisco Wireless Security Suite schemes using Cisco's IOS (Internet Operating System) commands, which should be second nature to IT technicians who work with Cisco gear. This is the first time Cisco has implemented its widely used IOS in the Aironet line. IT managers should consider use of a single access point that provides 802.11b and either the 802.11a or 802.11g standard. The Aironet 1100 has a single radio transmitter that will be field-upgradable to 802.11g in the second half of next year. Once upgraded, 802.11b clients can still get to the access point, albeit at the much lower data rate supported by the standard. Competitor Intel Corp.'s Pro/Wireless 5000 LAN dual access point uses a two-radio approach to provide simultaneous support for 802.11a and 802.11b, which are incompatible with each other. We got good performance between the Aironet 1100 access point, which shipped in October, and our Cisco Aironet 350 Series WLAN adapter cards (see screen). Even at distances of more than 120 feet with two elevator shafts in between, we got 700K bps to 750K bps of throughput while using FTP to transfer a large movie file. We tested the Aironet 1100 with four wireless clients and configured it to provide equal access to all test clients. The product can also be configured to prioritize throughput: As expected, highpriority clients had data transmission rates similar to those in our first round of tests. During heavy network use, low-priority clients, by design, got less access to the wireless bandwidth. Rivals in... text/html 2009-03-08T22:57:40+01:00 http://www.ccnpstudy.com http://www.ccnpstudy.com/general/wireless-lans-cisco-aironet-wireless-340-series.html The Cisco Aironet Wireless 340 Series' AIR-AP342E2C access point and AIR-PC342 Wireless PC Card turned in the best performance of any of the 802.11b-based products we tested, and Cisco's access point management software and client utility software, are in a class of their own, earning the product our Editors' Choice. But that performance comes at a price: The AIR-AP342E2C lists for $1,299, the most of any access point in our review group. The AIR-PC342 PC Card lists for $249, also near the top in terms of price. The AIR-AP342E2C access point is tiny, about the size of a desktop modem. It has dual swiveling antennas--one on each side--and can be desk- or wall-mounted. Initial setup of the access point is done with an unusual female-to-female 9-pin to 9-pin RS-232 serial cable, but we were miffed to find that one isn't provided in the box. Once you've set the IP address via the serial interface, you can perform the rest of the configuration from any Web browser using the Cisco Aironet's browser interface. This browser interface is more complicated and less attractive than 3Com's, but it offers finer control over authentication, encryption, and compatibility options. Like the 3Com interface, the Cisco Aironet browser interface has a quick-start button to help guide you through the initial configuration steps. The Cisco Aironet access point also provides a complete command line interface via a serial or telnet connection. The Cisco Aironet's outstanding client software includes signal strength, site survey, and link-testing tools. The onscreen signal-strength meter is large enough to be seen across the room; it's a nice feature to have when you're trying to optimize access point placement by watching the signal strength on a laptop 30 feet away. Another small touch we liked was a faint beep signal that lets you know when you've wandered... text/html 2009-03-08T22:57:40+01:00 http://www.ccnpstudy.com http://www.ccnpstudy.com/general/cisco-gears-up-simple-voip-wares-for-smbs.html CISCO SYSTEMS INC. IS developing a voice-over-IP package designed for small and medium-size businesses looking for a simple, allin-one option for IP telephony. The offering, dubbed Cisco CallManager Express and due next month, comprises an upgrade to Cisco's Internetwork Operating System software and a module for the entire portfolio of Cisco access routers, including the 2600-and 3600-series routers, according to sources familiar with the plans. Cisco CallManager Express, which has been available in Europe for several months from resellers, should help shore up Cisco's competitive weakness in simple, low-cost VOIP offerings for the SMB space, analysts said. "Competitors are eating Cisco's lunch when it comes to selling IP telephony into the [SMB] market," said analyst Brian Riggs, of Current Analysis Inc., in Sterling, Va. "Competitors generally had more integrated, easier-to-use [and lower-cost] solutions." While competitors such as Avaya Inc., Nortel Networks | Ltd. and Alcatel S.A. offer integrated IP telephony, voice mail, call control functions and data switching in a single device, Cisco has offered those capabilities only in separate devices that require more specialized training to support, Riggs added. Today, Cisco offers the high-capacity, carrier-class Cisco MGX 8000 Series carrier voice gateway and the Integrated Communications System 7700 for midsize businesses, both of which require the Cisco CallManager software running on Cisco's MCS (Media Convergence Server). Features such as voice messaging or conferencing are offered as separately priced software modules for MCS. Cisco CallManager Express will be packaged to support configurations of 24 or 48 Cisco IP phones, said one source familiar with Cisco's plans. The integrated telephony offering, which is in extensive field testing in the United States, complements the centralized Cisco CallManager call control server and supports the same Cisco IP phones. Not all Cisco IP telephony users will jump at the new offering, however. "We've looked at it, but we have our system in... text/html 2009-03-08T22:57:40+01:00 http://www.ccnpstudy.com http://www.ccnpstudy.com/general/cisco-addresses-wlans.html LAUNCHES PRODUCTS THAT AIM TO MANAGE WLANS CENTRALLY CISCO SYSTEMS INC. AND ATHEROS Communications Inc. are each introducing new products that address WLAN administrators' biggest concerns: management and security. Cisco will announce this week the Structured Wireless-Aware Network, a series of products and upgrades that address the trend toward centrally managed wireless LANs. This summer, the networking company will begin rolling out hardware and software designed to ease management and make it possible to manage more access points while using Cisco's existing routers and switches. On the hardware side, the San Jose, Calif., company next month will ship Version 2.0 of the Cisco Works WLSE (Wireless LAN Solution Engine), an appliance that manages access points and automates their software upgrades. Version 2.0 increases support from 500 to 2,500 access points, officials said. Its list price is $8,495. Version 2.5, due later in the year as a software upgrade, will add management tools for site surveys, detection of rogue access points and interference problems. "The rogue [access point] detection has typically been something you had to get from an outside supplier," said Cisco user David Hemindinger, chief technology officer at LifeSpan, a hospital group in Providence, R.I. "Management tools from Cisco [were] somewhat lacking. We had some third-party stuff from other companies, but they didn't integrate quite as well." Cisco will also release corresponding software upgrades for its Aironet 1100 and 1200 lines of access points this month, with another upgrade due with the release of WLSE 2.5. Management software that will make Cisco's switches and routers wireless-aware is due by year's end, officials said. Separately, Cisco is announcing a new outdoor wireless bridge that supports 802.11a. The Aironet 1400 Series Wireless Bridge is due this month. Meanwhile, Atheros this week is announcing seven WLAN chip sets for various combinations of the 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g Wi-Fi... text/html 2009-03-08T22:57:40+01:00 http://www.ccnpstudy.com http://www.ccnpstudy.com/general/cisco-and-linskys-it-works-it-does-not.html Cisco sold expensive networking gear to enterprises, service providers and carriers; Linksys sold low-margin, high-volume gear to end users, mostly through the retail channel. So it was somewhat of a shock when Cisco announced the purchase of Linksys two weeks ago, but it does make some sense. It might seem like a crazy purchase, for sure, but $500 million for a rapidly growing company that has mastered its channel is a bargain. It's especially a bargain when compared with Cisco's $6.9 billion purchase (the paper equivalent, that is) of Cerent three and a half years ago. Cerent products now sell used for less than a third of their original price. Here's how the Linksys deal works. Cisco wants to be the king of wireless. It's already the leader in the enterprise space, owning more than 30 percent of the market. (Note that Cisco got to this position via the purchase of Aironet in 1999-2000 for $800 million.) Linksys, meanwhile, has become a leader in the retail space. Anyone with an 802.11 card can see that most nonsanctioned hot spots (those put up without corporate backing) use Linksys gear and the default unsecured Linksys settings. Cisco has said Linksys will operate as a separate division within Cisco and retain its own branding. That's a good move for now. What Cisco really needs is for all the Linksys cards and drivers (and operating systems) to support Cisco's LEAP (Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol). Once that happens, Cisco can finally get out of the networking card business and focus on enterprise security. Interestingly, Linksys will most likely pursue the 802.11i standard for security, which is not compatible with LEAP. Here's where the deal faces some issues. Linksys is not the upstart that many think it is. It's been around since 1988 and is just four years younger than Cisco.... text/html 2009-03-08T22:57:40+01:00 http://www.ccnpstudy.com http://www.ccnpstudy.com/general/cisco-to-release-wlan-products.html CISCO SYSTEMS INC. LAST WEEK Announced WLAN offerings designed for IT managers who eventually want to deploy faster wireless products but still support existing ones. The Cisco Aironet 1200 Series Access Point supports the simultaneous operation of 802.11b and 802.11a wireless LAN radios. 802.11b, also known as Wi-Fi, is the prevalent WLAN standard today, offering data transmission rates of up to 11M bps. (Laptop computers that support WLAN generally support 802.11b.) 802.11a runs on a different frequency band than its predecessor, so to support both, an access point must contain two radios. 802.11a permits rates of up to 54M bps but has been a tough sell to customers that already have Wi-Fi. “We don't see the need for the speed increase,” said Brian Jones, senior manager of IT research and development at CUNA Mutual Group, in Madison, Wis. CUNA has Cisco 802.11b WLAN products at 20 locations. Cisco, of San Jose, Calif., designed the new access point to be modular, allowing for both single- and dual-mode operation in both the 2.4GHz (for 802.11b) and 5MHz (for 802.11a) bands. It ships with 802.11b support but has a slot for an 802.11a upgrade. Customers can buy the radio modules as an installed option or as separate modules. Both the b and a modules will be upgradable to future standards that run on their respective frequency bands, officials said. This includes products based on 802.11g, which uses the same band as 802.11b but at speeds comparable to 802.11a. Cisco will release products based on 802.11g next year, officials said. The access point costs $999 and is slated to ship this month. The dualband version costs $1,499, and an 802.11a client card costs $229. Both will ship in August.