| This document is a sample of written work only. Copyright remains the property of the respective owners. |
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| Upgrading the Firmware |
| A common task frequently performed by administrators is firmware upgrade. Not all switches offer easy upgrade of firmware. In fact, some are quite cumbersome, especially those that only allow a single firmware upgrade at a time, and only one method of upgrading through a web interface or command line. Ease of firmware upgrade is also an important area we should look at to minimize bottlenecks coming from unnecessary tasks managing the network. When getting a smart switch, ensure it has the ability to perform batch configuration with multiple interfaces (console and web) administration. It should also have utility software that automatically scan and discover all or multiple smart switches within the network segment for easy network administration. |
| Conclusion |
| In short, the smart switch we are looking for should have the following advantages: • Asymmetric VLAN for flexible implementation of network segmentation and control of shared resources • IP and MAC address access control list (ACL) to enable better security control at VLAN level • Port security and IEEE 802.1X user authentication • DSCP-based QoS for traffic prioritization and control of bandwidth utilization • Ability to detect and block network hosts with spoofed addresses by tracking IP addresses assigned by DHCP server to every host in the network • Defense mechanism against attack targeted at the switch • Web administration utility and/or console utility that provides batch configuration and firmware upgrade A smart switch with all the functionalities and advantages mentioned above is the D-Link® Web Smart III Switch. If you wish to find out more about the switch, please visit the vendors’ website. |
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