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Cisco Systems Intelligent Gigabit Ethernet Switch Modules for the IBM BladeCenter, Software Configuration Guide
24R9746
Chapter 1 Overview
Features
VLAN Support
• The switches support 250 port-based VLANs for assigning users to VLANs associated with
appropriate network resources, traffic patterns, and bandwidth
• The switch supports up to 4094 VLAN IDs to allow service provider networks to support the number of
VLANs allowed by the IEEE 802.1Q standard
• IEEE 802.1Q trunking protocol on all ports for network moves, adds, and changes; management and
control of broadcast and multicast traffic; and network security by establishing VLAN groups for
high-security users and network resources
• VLAN Membership Policy Server (VMPS) for dynamic VLAN membership
• VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP) pruning for reducing network traffic by restricting flooded traffic
to links destined for stations receiving the traffic
• Dynamic Trunking Protocol (DTP) for negotiating trunking on a link between two devices and for
negotiating the type of trunking encapsulation (IEEE 802.1Q) to be used
• VLAN 1 minimization to reduce the risk of spanning-tree loops or storms by allowing VLAN 1 to
be disabled on any individual VLAN trunk link. With this feature enabled, no user traffic is sent or
received. The switch CPU continues to send and receive control protocol frames.
• Multiple management interface support allowing multiple interfaces to be assigned to a unique IP
address.
Security
• Bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) guard for shutting down a Port Fast-configured port when an
invalid configuration occurs
• Protected port option for restricting the forwarding of traffic to designated ports on the same switch
• Password-protected access (read-only and read-write access) to management interfaces (device
manager and CLI) for protection against unauthorized configuration changes
• Port security option for limiting and identifying MAC addresses of the stations allowed to access
the port
• Port security aging to set the aging time for secure addresses on a port
• Multilevel security for a choice of security level, notification, and resulting actions
• MAC-based port-level security for restricting the use of a switch port to a specific group of source
addresses and preventing switch access from unauthorized stations
• TACACS+, a proprietary feature for managing network security through a TACACS server
• IEEE 802.1x port-based authentication to prevent unauthorized devices from gaining access to the
network
• IEEE 802.1x accounting to track network usage
• IEEE 802.1x with wake-on-LAN to allow dormant PCs to be powered on based on the receipt of a
specific Ethernet frame
• Standard and extended IP access control lists (ACLs) for defining security policies
