SMC Networks 100 Switch User Manual


 
D
ESCRIPTION
OF
S
OFTWARE
F
EATURES
1-3
Authentication – This switch authenticates management access via the
console port, Telnet or web browser. User names and passwords can be
configured locally or can be verified via a remote authentication server (i.e.,
RADIUS or TACACS+). Port-based authentication is also supported via
the IEEE 802.1X protocol. This protocol uses the Extensible
Authentication Protocol over LANs (EAPOL) to request a user name and
password from the 802.1X client, and then verifies the client’s right to
access the network via an authentication server.
Other authentication options include HTTPS for secure management
access via the web, SSH for secure management access over a
Telnet-equivalent connection, IP address filtering for SNMP/web/Telnet
management access, and MAC address filtering for port access.
Access Control Lists – ACLs provide packet filtering for IP frames
(based on address, protocol, TCP/UDP port number or TCP control
code) or any frames (based on MAC address or Ethernet type). ACLs can
by used to improve performance by blocking unnecessary network traffic
or to implement security controls by restricting access to specific network
resources or protocols.
Port Configuration – You can manually configure the speed, duplex
mode, and flow control used on specific ports, or use auto-negotiation to
detect the connection settings used by the attached device. Use the
full-duplex mode on ports whenever possible to double the throughput of
switch connections. Flow control should also be enabled to control
network traffic during periods of congestion and prevent the loss of
packets when port buffer thresholds are exceeded. The switch supports
flow control based on the IEEE 802.3x standard.
Rate Limiting – This feature controls the maximum rate for traffic
transmitted or received on an interface. Rate limiting is configured on
interfaces at the edge of a network to limit traffic into or out of the
network. Traffic that falls within the rate limit is transmitted, while packets
that exceed the acceptable amount of traffic are dropped.