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Cisco ME 3400 Ethernet Access Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Chapter 1 Overview
Features
• Cisco IOS File System (IFS) for providing a single interface to all file systems that the switch uses
• In-band management access for up to 16 simultaneous Telnet connections for multiple CLI-based
sessions over the network
• In-band management access for up to five simultaneous, encrypted Secure Shell (SSH) connections
for multiple CLI-based sessions over the network (requires the cryptographic versions of the switch
software).
• In-band management access through SNMP Versions 1, 2c, and 3 get and set requests
• Out-of-band management access through the switch console port to a directly attached terminal or
to a remote terminal through a serial connection or a modem
• User-defined command macros for creating custom switch configurations for simplified deployment
across multiple switches
Availability Features
• UniDirectional Link Detection (UDLD) and aggressive UDLD for detecting and disabling
unidirectional links on fiber-optic interfaces caused by incorrect fiber-optic wiring or port faults
• IEEE 802.1D Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) for redundant backbone connections and loop-free
networks (supported only on NNIs). STP has these features:
–
Up to 128 supported spanning-tree instances
–
Per-VLAN spanning-tree plus (PVST+) for balancing load across VLANs
–
Rapid PVST+ for balancing load across VLANs and providing rapid convergence of
spanning-tree instances
• IEEE 802.1s Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP) on NNIs for grouping VLANs into a
spanning-tree instance and for providing multiple forwarding paths for data traffic and load
balancing and rapid per-VLAN Spanning-Tree plus (rapid-PVST+) based on the IEEE 802.1w
Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) for rapid convergence of the spanning tree by immediately
transitioning root and designated port NNIs to the forwarding state
• Optional spanning-tree features available in PVST+, rapid-PVST+, and MSTP modes on NNIs:
–
Port Fast for eliminating the forwarding delay by enabling an NNI to immediately transition
from the blocking state to the forwarding state
–
Bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) guard for shutting down Port Fast-enabled NNIs that receive
BPDUs
–
BPDU filtering for preventing a Port Fast-enabled NNI from sending or receiving BPDUs
–
Root guard for preventing switches outside the network core from becoming the spanning-tree
root
–
Loop guard for preventing alternate or root port NNIs from becoming designated ports because
of a failure that leads to a unidirectional link
• Flex Link Layer 2 interfaces to back up one another as an alternative to STP for basic link
redundancy in a nonloop network (requires metro IP access or metro access image)
• HSRP for Layer 3 router redundancy (requires metro IP access image)
• Equal-cost routing for link-level and switch-level redundancy (requires metro IP access image)
