A Core Competence Product Evaluation

Roles for Port Switch Hub 40

When we compare managed hubs with port switching hubs, we find port switching hubs to be effective substitutes or replacements for shared media hubs in the following circumstances:

• The bandwidth provided by shared Ethernet is generally satisfactory, but some users and servers would benefit by dividing the existing single LAN segment into two (or more) segments to reduce or balance the load on both shared Ethernet segments. Whereas two managed hubs would be needed for this segmentation, a single port switch hub might be used to create workgroups that associate users with servers they most frequently access. The economics and administrative aspects often favor the deployment of a single port switch hub over multiple managed hubs.

• There is a need to quickly accommodate workgroup adds, moves, and changes. Since port switching exhibits virtual LAN characteristics, workgroup composition (users and servers) can be maintained when endstations are moved from office to office, or changed when users are assigned to different workgroups. Using basic repeater technology, the same changes often require re-wiring. And when used in combination with VLAN switching and campus or WAN connections, VLANs established on Port Switching Hubs can be extended beyond the geographical constraints that must be imposed on basic Ethernet repeater technology.

• Compartmentalization (traffic isolation) is required. Without introducing a second hubbed Ethernet segment, a set of endstations sharing information of a sensitive nature can be logically cordoned off from the rest of the endstations connected to the port switching hub. The economics and administrative benefits in this case mirror the case where load balancing is needed.

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