GS-4012F/4024 User’s Guide
35 Chapter 1 Getting to Know Your Switch
VRRP
Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP), defined in RFC 2338, allows you to create
redundant backup gateways to ensure that the default gateway of a host is always available.
STP (Spanning Tree Protocol) / RSTP (Rapid STP)
(R)STP detects and breaks network loops and provides backup links between switches,
bridges or routers. It allows a switch to interact with other (R)STP -compliant switches in your
network to ensure that only one path exists between any two stations on the network.
Link Aggregation
Link aggregation (trunking) is the grouping of physical ports into one logical higher-capacity
link. You may want to trunk ports if for example, it is cheaper to use multiple lower-speed
links than to under-utilize a high-speed, but more costly, single-port link.
Port Authentication and Security
For security, the switch allows authentication using IEEE 802.1x with an external RADIUS
server and port security that allows only packets with dynamically learned MAC addresses
and/or configured static MAC addresses to pass through a port on the switch.
Maintenance and Management Features
• Access Control
You can specify the service(s) and computer IP address(es) to control access to the switch
for management.
• Cluster Management
Cluster management (also known as iStacking) allows you to manage switches through
one switch, called the cluster manager. The switches must be directly connected and be in
the same VLAN group so as to be able to communicate with one another.
• Configuration and Firmware Maintenance
You can backup or restore the switch configuration or upgrade the firmware on the
switch.
1.3 Hardware Features
This section describes the ports on the switch.
Mini-GBIC Slots
Install SPF transceivers in these slots to connect to other Ethernet switches at longer distances
than the Ethernet port.
