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NETGEAR M7100-24X
10 Gigabit Copper L2+ Managed Switches

NETGEAR M7100

Sorry, this product is no longer available, replaced by the XSM4348S-100NES.

 

Overview:

NETGEAR Prosafe
Lifetime warranty
Lifetime Tech Support
NBD 3-year-on-site service

The NETGEAR® 10 Gigabit M7100 series consists of a fully managed, low-latency, line-rate 10G Copper "Base-T" switch solution; 24 ports 10GBase-T (RJ45) that support Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gigabit speeds for server, storage and network progressive upgrade; 4 ports SFP+ that broaden 10 Gigabit connectivity for 1G/10G fiber uplinks and other DAC connections.

M7100 series is ideal for all organizations considering reliable, affordable and simple 10 Gigabit Ethernet Top-of-Rack server access layer; and high-density, high-performance 10GbE backbone architectures.

Layer 2+ with static routing
  • M7100 series comes with Port-based / VLAN-based / Subnet-based "static routing" Layer 2+ versions
  • L3 fixed routes to the next hop towards the destination network are added to the routing table
  • L3 routing is wire-speed in M7100 series hardware with up to 128 static routes (IPv4)
10 Gigabit transition with Base-T
  • 10GBase-T, like other Base-T technologies, uses the standard RJ45 Ethernet jack
  • It is backward compatible, auto-negotiating between higher and lower speeds – thereby not forcing an all at once network equipment upgrade
  • Cat5/Cat5E are supported for Gigabit speeds; when Cat6 twisted pair copper cabling is minimum requirement for 10 Gigabit up to 30 meters
  • Cat6A or newer Cat7 cabling allow for up to 100 meter 10GBase-T connections
Top-of-the-line performance and IPv6 ready
  • 32K MAC addresses; 480Gbps switching fabric; 12K jumbo frames; Auto-iSCSI Flow Acceleration; Auto-EEE Energy Efficient Ethernet
  • IPv4/IPv6 comprehensive traffic filtering (ACLs), and prioritization (QoS - DiffServ)
Top-of-rack availability
  • Two redundant, hot-swap power supplies (one PSU comes with the switch; second optional PSU is ordered separately)
  • Two removable fan trays provide front-to-back cooling airflow for best compatibility with data center hot aisle / cold aisle airflow patterns
Industry standard management
  • Industry standard command line interface (CLI)
  • Fully functional NETGEAR web interface (GUI)
Industry leading warranty
  • NETGEAR M7100 series is backed by NETGEAR ProSafe Lifetime Hardware Warranty
  • Also included ProSupport Lifetime 24x7 Advanced Technical Support*
  • Also included 3-Year Next Business Day Onsite Hardware Replacement**

* Maximum wireless signal rate derived from IEEE Standard 802.11 specifications. Actual data throughput will vary. Network conditions and environmental factors, including volume of network traffic, building materials and construction, and network overhead lower actual data throughput rate.

At a Glance:

  Front Rear  
Model name 100/100/10GBase-T RJ45 ports 1000/10GBase-X Fiber SFP+ ports Management console Storage (image, config) Modular PSUs (redundant, hot-swap) Modular Fan Trays (front-to-back cooling, hot-swap) Model number
M7100-24X 24 4 (shared) 1 x RS232 DB9,
1 x Mini-USB
(selectable)
1 x USB 2
(Part-number:
APS300W)
(1 power supply
already installed)
2
(Part-number:
AFT200)
(2 fan trays
already installed)
XSM7224 v1h1
  • M7100-24X is a 24 x 10Gbase-T version, Layer 2+
    • 4 shared SFP+
  • M7100 series rear view
  • 2 modular, redundant PSUs
    • Each M7100 series ships with one installed modular PSU
    • Aditional PSU unit is available for hot swap HA (APS300W)
  • 2 modular fan trays
    • Each M7100 series ships with two installed fan trays
    • Spare units are available for hot swap HA (AFT200)

Software at a glance

  Layer 2+ Package  
Model name IPv4/IPv6 ACL and QoS IPv4/IPv6 Multicast filtering Auto-iSCSI Auto-VoIP EEE (802.3az) Auto-EEE VLANs Convergence IPv4 Unicast Static Routing Model number
M7100-24X L2, L3, L4, ingress, egress, 1 Kbps IGMP and MLD Snooping, Querier mode, MVR Yes Yes Static, Dynamic, Voice, MAC, Subnet, Protocol-based, QoQ, Private VLANs LLDP-MED, RADIUS, 802.1X, timer Yes (Port-based, Subnet, VLANs) XSM7224 v1h1

Performance at a Glance

  Table Size  
Model name Packet buffer CPU ACLs MAC address table ARP/NDP table VLANs DHCP server Fabric Latency Static Routes Multicast IGMP Group membership sFlow Model number
M7100-24X 16 Mb 800Mhz 256M RAM 128M Flash 1K ingress 512 egress 32K MAC 6K ARP/NDP VLANs: 1K DHCP: 16 pools 1,024 max leases 480Gbps line-rate 10GBase-T <3.7 μs SFP+ <1.8 μs 128 IPv4 2K 32 samplers 52 pollers 8 receivers XSM7224 v1h1

Product Brief:

The 10 Gigabit Aggregation M7100 series switches are NETGEAR affordable fully managed switches for 1G/10G server access layer in campus and enterprise networks, and for high-density, high-performance 10GbE backbone architectures. The M7100 series delivers pure line-rate performance for top-of-rack virtualization or convergence, without having to pay the exorbitant acquisition and maintenance costs associated by other networking vendors. NETGEAR 10 Gigabit Aggregation solutions combine latest advances in hardware and software engineering for higher availability, lower latency and stronger security, at a high-value price point. Like all NETGEAR products, the M7100 series delivers more functionality with less difficulty: Auto-iSCSI optimization, Private VLANs and Local Proxy ARP take the complexity out of delivering network services for virtualized servers and 10 Gigabit infrastructures.

NETGEAR 10 Gigabit M7100 series key features:
  • Line-rate 10G Copper "Base-T" switch solution with low latency
  • 24 ports 10GBase-T (RJ45) supporting Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gigabit speeds for server and network progressive upgrade
  • 4 ports SFP+ for 1G/10G fiber uplinks and other DAC connections
  • IPv4 routing in Layer 2+ package (static routing) with IPv4/IPv6 ACLs and QoS
  • Enterprise-class L2/L3 tables with 32K MAC, 6K ARP/NDP, 1K VLANs, 128 static L3 routes
  • Two redundant, hot-swap power supplies (one PSU comes with the switch; second optional PSU is ordered separately)
  • Two removable fan trays and front-to-back cooling airflow for best compatibility with data center hot aisle / cold aisle airflow patterns
  • Auto-EEE Energy Efficient Ethernet associated with Power Back Off for 15% to 20% less consumption when short copper cables
NETGEAR 10 Gigabit M7100 series software features:
  • Innovative multi-vendor Auto-iSCSI capabilities for easier virtualization optimization, iSCSI flow acceleration and automatic protection / QoS
  • Automatic multi-vendor Voice over IP prioritization based on SIP, H323 and SCCP protocol detection
  • Voice VLAN and LLDP-MED for automatic IP phones QoS and VLAN configuration
  • IPv4/IPv6 Multicast filtering with IGMP and MLD snooping, Querier mode and MVR for for simplified video deployments
  • Advanced classifier-based hardware implementation for L2 (MAC), L3 (IP) and L4 (UDP/TCP transport ports) security and prioritization
  • Unidirectional Link Detection Protocol (UDLD) prevents forwarding anomalies
NETGEAR 10 Gigabit M7100 series link aggregation and channeling features:
  • Flexible Port-Channel / LAG (802.3ad) implementation for maximum compatibility, fault tolerance and load sharing with any type of Ethernet channeling
  • Including static (selectable hashing algorithms) or dynamic LAGs (LACP)
  • Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation (MLAG) in future maintenance release for active-active teaming across two independant M7100 series (Layer 2 LACP or STP)
NETGEAR 10 Gigabit M7100 series management features:
  • DHCP/BootP innovative auto-installation including firmware and configuration file upload automation
  • Industry standard SNMP, RMON, MIB, LLDP, AAA and sFlow implementation
  • Selectable serial RS232 DB9 and Mini-USB port for management console
  • Standard USB port for local storage, configuration or image files
  • Dual firmware image and configuration file for updates with minimum service interruption
  • Industry standard command line interface (CLI) for IT admins used to other vendors commands
  • Fully functional Web console (GUI) for IT admins who prefer an easy to use graphical interface
NETGEAR 10 Gigabit M7100 series warranty and support:
  • NETGEAR ProSafe Lifetime Hardware Warranty
  • Included ProSupport Lifetime 24x7 Advanced Technical Support*
  • Included 3-Year Next Business Day Onsite Hardware Replacement**

Highlights:

Modern Access Layer Features Highlights
Layer 3 hardware with L2+ software affordability
M7100 series models are built upon L3 hardware platform while Layer 2+ software package allows for better budget optimization
  • M7100 series uses latest generation silicon low-power 65-nanometer technology
  • M7100 series L2 and L3 switching features (access control list, classification, filtering, IPv4 routing) are performed in hardware at interface line rate for voice, video, and data convergence
M7100 series Layer 2+ software package provides straight forward IP static routing capabilities for physi- cal interfaces, VLANs and subnets
  • M7100-24X
  • At the edge of campus networks or in the server room, static routes are often preferred for simplicity (L3 fixed routes to the next hop towards the destination network are manually added to the routing table), without any impact on performance because L3 routing is wire-speed in M7100 series hardware
Top-of-the-line switching performance
32K MAC address table, 1K concurrent VLANs and 128 static routes for demanding enterprise and campus network access/distribution layers
80 PLUS certified power supplies for energy high efficiency
Green Ethernet with Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) defined by IEEE 802.3az Energy Efficient Ethernet Task Force
  • Supports Auto-EEE mode
  • Additionally, Power Back Off feature drops power consumption by 15% to 20% when short copper cables are detected
Increased packet buffering with up to 16 Mb dynamically shared accross all interfaces for most intensive virtualization applications
Low latency at all network speeds, including 10 Gigabit Copper links
Jumbo frames support of up to 12Kb accelerating storage performance for backup and cloud applications
iSCSI Flow Acceleration and Automatic Protection/QoS for virtualization and server room networks containing iSCSI initiators and iSCSI targets by:
  • Detecting the establishment and termination of iSCSI sessions and connections by snooping packets used in the iSCSI protocol
  • Maintaining a database of currently active iSCSI sessions and connections to store data about the participants; this allows the formulation of classifier rules giving the data packets for the session the desired QoS treatment
  • Installing and removing classifier rule sets as needed for the iSCSI session traffic
  • Monitoring activity in the iSCSI sessions to allow for aging out session entries if the session termination packets are not received
  • Avoiding session interruptions during times of congestion that would otherwise cause iSCSI packets to be dropped
Ease of deployment
Automatic configuration with DHCP and BootP Auto Install eases large deployments with a scalable configuration files management capability, mapping IP addresses and host names and providing individual configuration files to multiple switches as soon as they are initialized on the network
Both the Switch Serial Number and Switch primary MAC address are reported by a simple “show” command in the CLI - facilitating discovery and remote configuration operations
Automatic Voice over IP prioritization with Auto-VoIP simplifies most complex multi-vendor IP telephones deployments either based on protocols (SIP, H323 and SCCP) or on OUI bytes (default database and user-based OUIs) in the phone source MAC address; providing the best class of service to VoIP streams (both data and signaling) over other ordinary traffic by classifying traffic, and enabling correct egress queue configuration
An associated Voice VLAN can be easily configured with Auto-VoIP for further traffic isolation
When deployed IP phones are LLDP-MED compliant, the Voice VLAN will use LLDP-MED to pass on the VLAN ID, 802.1P priority and DSCP values to the IP phones, accelerating convergent deployments
Versatile connectivity
Large 10 Gigabit choice for access with 10GBase-T ports for legacy Cat6 RJ45 short connections (up to 300m) and Cat6A/Cat 7 connections up to 100m; and SFP+ ports for fiber optic uplinks or short, low-latency copper DAC cables
Automatic MDIX and Auto-negotiation on all ports select the right transmission modes (half or full duplex) as well as data transmission for crossover or straight-through cables dynamically
100Mbps and 1000Mbps backward compatiblity on all 10GBase-T RJ45 ports
1000Mbps backward compatibility on all SFP+ fiber ports
IPv6 support with multicasting (MLD for IPv6 filtering), ACLs and QoS
Tier 1 availability
Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation (MLAG - future maintenance release) for distributed link aggregation across two independant switches
  • A server with two Ethernet ports (or any Ethernet device such as an edge switch) can use Ethernet chanelling or LACP bonding across two M7100 series
  • Active-active teaming across two separate fabrics at Layer 2 without creating loops
  • Load-balancing and automatic failover ensure greater bandwidth network layers and maximize redundancy
Rapid Spanning Tree (RSTP) and Multiple Spanning Tree (MSTP) allow for rapid transitionning of the ports to the Forwarding state and the suppression of Topology Change Notification
IP address conflict detection performed by the embedded DHCP server prevents accidental IP address duplicates from perturbing the overall network stability
Power redundancy for higher availability when mission critical, including hot-swap PSUs and Fans
Ease of management and control
Dual firmware image and dual configuration file for transparent firmware updates/configuration changes with minimum service interruption
Flexible Port-Channel/LAG (802.3ad) implementation for maximum compatibility, fault tolerance and load sharing with any type of Ethernet channeling from other vendors switch, server or storage devices conforming to IEEE 802.3ad - including static (selectable hashing algorithms) or dynamic LAGs (highly tunable LACP Link Aggregation Control Protocol)
Unidirectional Link Detection Protocol (UDLD) and Aggressive UDLD detect and avoid unidirectional links automatically, in order to prevent forwarding anomalies in a Layer 2 communication channel in which a bi-directional link stops passing traffic in one direction
Port names feature allows for descriptive names on all interfaces and better clarity in real word admin daily tasks
SDM (System Data Management, or switch database) templates allow for granular system resources distribution depending on IPv4 or IPv6 applications: ARP Entries (the maximum number of entries in the IPv4 Address Resolution Protocol ARP cache for routing interfaces), IPv4 Unicast Routes (the maximum number of IPv4 unicast forwarding table entries), IPv6 NDP Entries (the maximum number of IPv6 Neighbor Discovery Protocol NDP cache entries), IPv6 Unicast Routes (the maximum number of IPv6 unicast forwarding table entries), ECMP Next Hops (the maximum number of next hops that can be installed in the IPv4 and IPv6 unicast forwarding tables), IPv4 Multicast Routes (the maximum number of IPv4 multicast forwarding table entries) and IPv6 Multicast Routes (the maximum number of IPv6 multicast forwarding table entries)
Loopback interfaces management for routing protocols administration
Private VLANs and local Proxy ARP help reduce broadcast with added security
Management VLAN ID is user selectable for best convenience
Industry-standard VLAN management in the command line interface (CLI) for all common operations such as VLAN creation; VLAN names; VLAN “make static” for dynami- cally created VLAN by GRVP registration; VLAN trunking; VLAN participation as well as VLAN ID (PVID) and VLAN tagging for one interface, a group of interfaces or all interfaces at once
System defaults automatically set per-port broadcast, multicast, and unicast storm control for typical, robust protection against DoS attacks and faulty clients which can, with BYOD, often create network and performance issues
IP Telephony administration is simplified with consistent Voice VLAN capabilities per the industry standards and automatic functions associated
Comprehensive set of “system utilities” and “Clear” commands help troubleshoot connectivity issues and restore various configurations to their factory defaults for maximum admin efficiency: traceroute (to discover the routes that packets actually take when traveling on a hop-by-hop basis and with a synchronous response when initiated from the CLI), clear dynamically learned MAC addresses, counters, IGMP snooping table entries from the Multicast forwarding database etc...
All major centralized software distribution platforms are supported for central software upgrades and configuration files management (HTTP, TFTP), including in highly secured versions (HTTPS, SFTP, SCP)
Simple Network Time Protocol (SNTP) can be used to synchronize network resources and for adaptation of NTP, and can provide synchronized network timestamp either in broadcast or unicast mode (SNTP client implemented over UDP - port 123)
Embedded RMON (4 groups) and sFlow agents permit external network traffic analysis
Engineered for convergence
Audio (Voice over IP) and Video (multicasting) comprehensive switching, filtering, routing and prioritization
Auto-VoIP, Voice VLAN and LLDP-MED support for IP phones QoS and VLAN configuration
IGMP Snooping for IPv4, MLD Snooping for IPv6 and Querier mode facilitate fast receivers joins and leaves for multicast streams and ensure multicast traffic only reaches interested receivers without the need of a Multicast router
Multicast VLAN Registration (MVR) uses a dedicated Multicast VLAN to forward multicast streams and avoid duplication for clients in different VLANs
Schedule enablement
Enterprise security
Traffic control MAC Filter and Port Security help restrict the traffic allowed into and out of specified ports or interfaces in the system in order to increase overall security and block MAC address flooding issues
DHCP Snooping monitors DHCP traffic between DHCP clients and DHCP servers to filter harmful DHCP message and builds a bindings database of (MAC address, IP address, VLAN ID, port) tuples that are considered authorized in order to prevent DHCP server spoofing attacks
IP Source Guard and Dynamic ARP Inspection use the DHCP snooping bindings database per port and per VLAN to drop incoming packets that do not match any binding and to enforce source IP/MAC addresses for malicious users traffic elimination
Layer 2 / Layer 3-v4 / Layer 3-v6 / Layer 4 Access Control Lists (ACLs) can be binded to ports, Layer 2 interfaces, VLANs and LAGs (Link Aggregation Groups or Port channel) for fast unauthorized data prevention and right granularity
ACLs on CPU interface (Control Plane ACLs) are used to define the IP/MAC or protocol through which management access is allowed for increased HTTP/HTTPS or Telnet/ SSH management security
Bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) Guard allows the network administrator to enforce the Spanning Tree (STP) domain borders and keep the active topology consistent and predictable - unauthorized devices or switches behind the edge ports that have BPDU enabled will not be able to influence the overall STP topology by creating loops
Spanning Tree Root Guard (STRG) enforces the Layer 2 network topology by preventing rogue root bridges potential issues when for instance, unauthorized or unexpected new equipment in the network may accidentally become a root bridge for a given VLAN
Dynamic 802.1x VLAN assignment mode, including Dynamic VLAN creation mode and Guest VLAN/ Unauthenticated VLAN are supported for rigorous user and equipment RADIUS policy server enforcement
  • Up to 48 clients (802.1x) per port are supported, including the authentication of the users domain, in order to facilitate convergent deployments: for instance when IP phones connect PCs on their bridge, IP phones and PCs can authenticate on the same switch port but under different VLAN assignment policies (Voice VLAN versus data VLANs
802.1x MAC Address Authentication Bypass (MAB) is a:
  • A list of authorized MAC addresses of client NICs is maintained on the RADIUS server for MAB purpose
  • MAB can be configured on a per-port basis on the switch
  • MAB initiates only after the dot1x authentication process times out, and only when clients don’t respond to any of the EAPOL packets sent by the switch
  • When 802.1X unaware clients try to connect, the switch sends the MAC address of each client to the authentication server
  • The RADIUS server checks the MAC address of the client NIC against the list of authorized addresse
  • The RADIUS server returns the access policy and VLAN assignment to the switch for each client
Double VLANs (DVLAN - QoQ) pass traffic from one customer domain to another through the “metro core” in a multi-tenancy environment:customer VLAN IDs are preserved and a service provider VLAN ID is added to the traffic so the traffic so the traffic can pass the metro core in a simple, secure manner
Private VLANs (with Primary VLAN, Isolated VLAN, Community VLAN, Promiscuous port, Host port, Trunks) provide Layer 2 isolation between ports that share the same broadcast domain, allowing a VLAN broadcast domain to be partitioned into smaller point- to-multipoint subdomains accross switches in the same Layer 2 network
  • Private VLANs are useful in DMZ when servers are not supposed to communicate with each other but need to communicate with a router; they remove the need for more complex port-based VLANs with respective IP inter face/subnets and associated L3 routing
  • Another Private VLANs typical application are carrier-class deployments when users shouldn’t see, snoop or attack other users’ traffic
Secure Shell (SSH) and SNMPv3 (with or without MD5 or SHA authentication) ensure SNMP and Telnet sessions are secure
TACACS+ and RADIUS enhanced administrator management provides strict “Login” and “Enable” authentication enforcement for the switch configuration, based on latest industry standards: exec authorization using TACACS+ or RADIUS; command authorization using TACACS+ and RADIUS Server; user exec accounting for HTTP and HTTPS using TACACS+ or RADIUS; and authentication based on user domain in addition to user ID and password
Superior quality of service
Advanced classifier-based hardware implementation for Layer 2 (MAC), Layer 3 (IP) and Layer 4 (UDP/TCP transport ports) prioritization
8 queues for priorities and various QoS policies based on 802.1p (CoS) and DiffServ can be applied to interfaces and VLANs
Advanced rate limiting down to 1 Kbps granularity and mininum-guaranteed bandwidth can be associated with ACLs for best granularity
Automatic Voice over IP prioritization with Auto-VoIP
iSCSI Flow Acceleration and automatic protection/QoS with Auto-iSCSI
Flow Control
802.3x Flow Control implementation per IEEE 802.3 Annex 31 B specifications with Symmetric flow control, Asymmetric flow control or No flow control
  • Asymmetric flow control allows the switch to respond to received PAUSE frames, but the ports cannot generate PAUSE frames
  • Symmetric flow control allows the switch to both respond to, and generate MAC control PAUSE frames
Allows traffic from one device to be throttled for a specified period of time: a device that wishes to inhibit transmission of data frames from another device on the LAN transmits a PAUSE frame
UDLD Support
UDLD implementation detects unidirectional links physical ports (UDLD must be enabled on both sides of the link in order to detect an unidirectional link)
  • UDLD protocol operates by exchanging packets containing information about neighboring devices
  • The purpose is to detect and avoid unidirectional link forwarding anomalies in a Layer 2 communication channel in which a bi-directional link stops passing traffic in one direction
Both “normal-mode” and “aggressive-mode” are supported for perfect compatibility with other vendors implementations, including port “D-Disable” triggering cases in both modes

Target Application:

M7100 Target application

10 Gigabit Ethernet and the server edge: Better efficiency

Mid-sized organizations are optimizing their data centers and server rooms by consolidating servers to free up space, power, and management overhead. The first step usually involves consolidating applications onto fewer servers than the old single-application-per- server paradigm. Often, the next step is server virtualization.

Server virtualization supports several applications and operating systems on a single sever by defining multiple virtual machines (VMs) on the server. Each virtual machine operates like a stand- alone, physical machine, yet shares the physical server processing power, ensuring no processing power is wasted. IT departments can reduce server inventory, better utilize servers, and manage resources more efficiently.

Server virtualization relies heavily on networking and storage. Virtual machines grow and require larger amounts of storage than one physical server can provide. Network attached storage (NAS) or storage area networks (SANs) provide additional, dedicated storage for virtual machines. Connectivity between servers and storage must be fast to avoid bottlenecks. 10GbE provides the fastest interconnectivity for virtualized environments.

10 Gigabit Ethernet SAN versus Fibre Channel: Simpler and more cost-effective

There are three types of storage in a network: Direct-attached storage (DAS), NAS, and SAN. Each has its advantages, but SAN is emerging as the most flexible and scalable solution for data centers and high-density computing applications. The main drawback to SAN has been the expense and specially trained staff necessary for installing and maintaining the Fibre Channel (FC) interconnect fabric. Nonetheless, SANs with Fibre Channel have become well established in large enterprises.

A new standard, the Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI), is making 10 Gigabit Ethernet an attractive, alternative interconnect fabric for SAN applications. iSCSI is an extension of the SCSI protocol used for block transfers in most storage devices and Fibre Channel. The Internet extension defines protocols for extending block transfers over IP, allowing standard Ethernet infrastructure to be used as a SAN fabric. Basic iSCSI is supported in most operating systems today. The latest iSCSI capabilities allow

10 Gigabit Ethernet to compare very favorably to Fibre Channel as a SAN interconnect fabric:

  • Reduced equipment and management costs: 10GbE networking components are less expensive than highly specialized Fibre Channel components and do not require a specialized skill set for installation and management
  • Enhanced server management: iSCSI remote boot eliminates booting each server from its own direct-attached disk. Instead, servers can boot from an operating system image on the SAN. This is particularly advantageous for using diskless servers in rack-mount or blade server applications
  • Improved disaster recovery: all information on a local SAN — including boot information, operating system images, applications, and data — can be duplicated on a remote SAN for quick and complete disaster recovery
  • Excellent performance: even transactional virtual machines, such as databases, can run over 10 Gigabit Ethernet and iSCSI SAN, without compromising performance

10 Gigabit Ethernet and the aggregation layer: Reduce bottlenecks

Until recently, network design best practices recommended equipping the edge with Fast Ethernet (100Base-T), and using Gigabit uplinks to either the core (for two-tiered network architectures) or aggregation layer (for three-tiered networks). Today, traffic at the edge of the network has increased dramatically. Bandwidth- intensive applications have multiplied, and Gigabit Ethernet to the desktop has become more popular as its price has decreased. Broader adoption of Gigabit Ethernet to the desktop has increased the oversubscription ratios of the rest of the network. The result: a bottleneck between large amounts of Gigabit traffic at the edge of the network, and the aggregation layer or core.

10 Gigabit Ethernet allows the aggregation layer to scale to meet the increasing demands of users and applications. It can help bring oversubscription ratios back in line with network-design best practices, and provides some important advantages over aggregating multiple Gigabit Ethernet links:

  • Less fiber usage: a 10 Gigabit Ethernet link uses fewer strands compared with Gigabit Ethernet aggregation, which uses one strand per Gigabit Ethernet link. Using 10 Gigabit Ethernet reduces cabling complexity and uses existing cabling efficiently
  • Greater support for large streams: traffic over aggregated 1Gigabit Ethernet links can be limited to 1 Gbps streams because of packet sequencing requirements on end devices. 10 Gigabit Ethernet can more effectively support applications that generate multi Gigabit streams due to the greater capacity in a single 10 Gigabit Ethernet link
  • Longer deployment lifetimes: 10 Gigabit Ethernet provides greater scalability than multiple Gigabit Ethernet links, resulting in a more future- proof network. Up to eight 10 Gigabit Ethernet links can be aggregated into a virtual 80-Gbps connection

Specifications:

NETGEAR M7100-24X Specifications
Physical Interfaces
Front Auto-sensing RJ45
100/1000/10GBase-T
Auto-sensing SFP+ ports
1000/10GBase-X
Storage port Console ports
M7100-24X 24 4 1 x USB Serial RS232 DB9,
Mini-USB (selectable)
Rear Modular PSUs Modular Fan Trays M7100 series comes with one PSU, and two fan trays already installed
M7100-24X 2 2
Total Port Count 10 Gigabit
M7100-24X 24
Processor/Memory
Processor (CPU) Freescale P1011 800Mhz (45nm technology)
System memory (RAM) 256 MB  
Code storage (flash) 128 MB Dual firmware image, dual configuration file
Packet Buffer Memory
M7100-24X 16 Mb Dynamically shared across only used ports
Performance Summary
Switching fabric
M7100-24X 480 Gbps Line-rate (non blocking fabric)
Throughput
M7100-24X 357.1 Mpps  
Green Ethernet
Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) IEEE 802.3az Energy Efficient
Ethernet Task Force compliance
Deactivated by default
Power Back Off Drops power consumption by 15% to 20% when short copper cables are detected 10GBase-T standard
Other Metrics
Forwarding mode Store-and-forward  
Latency (64-byte frames, 100 Mbps, Copper) <8.5 μs  
Latency (64-byte frames, 1 Gbps, Copper) <2.8 μs  
Latency (64-byte frames, 1 Gbps, Fiber SFP) <2.5 μs  
Latency (64-byte frames, 10 Gbps, Copper 10GBase-T) <3.7 μs  
Latency (64-byte frames, 10 Gbps, Fiber SFP+) <1.8 μs  
Addressing 48-bit MAC address  
Address database size 32,000 MAC addresses  
Number of VLANs 1,024 VLANs (802.1Q) simultaneously  
Number of multicast groups filtered (IGMP) 2K
Number of Link Aggregation Groups (LAGs - 802.3ad) 12 LAGs with up to 8 ports per group  
Number of hardware queues for QoS 8 queues  
Number of routes
IPv4
128  
Number of IP interfaces (port or VLAN) 128  
Jumbo frame support up to 12K packet size  
Acoustic noise (ANSI-S10.12) @ 25 °C ambient (77 °F)  
M7100-24X <60 dB Fan speed control
Heat Dissipation (BTU)
M7100-24X 587 Btu/hr  
Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) @ 25 °C ambient (77 °F) @ 55 °C ambient (131 °F)  
M7100-24X 172,955 hours
(~19.7 years)
35,725 hours
(~4.1 years)
 

Documentation:

Download the NETGEAR M7100 Datasheet (.PDF).