Cisco Cisco Catalyst 2960X-48FPS-L Switch White Paper
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White Paper
Simplify Your Network: Easy as 1+1=2
Imagine you manage a warehouse for a small shipping firm. You have a simple job:
route packages. But your employer expands to 25 western cities and 50 locations.
After further expansion you now need to track packages coming by truck, rail, and
plane and route them based on contents and weight to 10,000 different locations
worldwide. While keeping traffic in and out tightly secured, making sure each package
reaches its destination on time, and without going over budget.
route packages. But your employer expands to 25 western cities and 50 locations.
After further expansion you now need to track packages coming by truck, rail, and
plane and route them based on contents and weight to 10,000 different locations
worldwide. While keeping traffic in and out tightly secured, making sure each package
reaches its destination on time, and without going over budget.
You might be wondering how things could get so complicated so quickly. But as an IT professional, you are nodding
your head, because it all sounds very familiar.
your head, because it all sounds very familiar.
More Users + More Devices = More Complexity
Networks are getting more complex and harder to manage. A decade ago, you simply had an employee connecting
over the corporate LAN with a corporate-controlled PC. One type of user connecting to one network using one type
of device. And users would typically access corporate-owned applications and resources.
over the corporate LAN with a corporate-controlled PC. One type of user connecting to one network using one type
of device. And users would typically access corporate-owned applications and resources.
Today employees, partners, customers, and guests all have different levels of access. Many of them use their own
laptops, tablets, and smartphones and, increasingly, their own applications on the enterprise network. On top of that,
a growing number of network users are connected devices such as cameras, printers, phones, energy meters,
medical devices, industrial machine sensors, and vehicles. Ten billion devices already connect to the world’s
networks, and the Cisco® Visual Networking Index projects that number will double by 2018.
laptops, tablets, and smartphones and, increasingly, their own applications on the enterprise network. On top of that,
a growing number of network users are connected devices such as cameras, printers, phones, energy meters,
medical devices, industrial machine sensors, and vehicles. Ten billion devices already connect to the world’s
networks, and the Cisco® Visual Networking Index projects that number will double by 2018.
These devices and users are creating more traffic over a diverse array of networks: wireless, public Internet, and
remote VPNs. And that traffic is no longer accessing only corporate resources. Many are connecting with personal
and cloud applications operated by third parties. (See Figure 1.)
remote VPNs. And that traffic is no longer accessing only corporate resources. Many are connecting with personal
and cloud applications operated by third parties. (See Figure 1.)