IBM REDBOOKS B24X - Manual

IBM Ethernet Switch B24X 1
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IBM Ethernet Switch B24X
IBM System x at-a-glance guide
The IBM Ethernet Switch B24X is a compact, high-performance, high-availability, and high-density 10
GbE solution that meets mission-critical data center and High Performance Computer (HPC)
requirements. It can support 1 GbE servers until they are upgraded to 10 GbE-capable Network Interface
Cards (NICs), simplifying migration to 10 GbE server farms.
In addition, the B24X is a fully featured switch with IPv4 Layer 3 capabilities that can provide cost-efficient
10 GbE network aggregation for 1 GbE access switches. The switch runs a feature-rich and mature
IronWare Operating System with an industry-standard command-line interface (CLI), minimizing
re-training and operational costs. Supporting a full range of Request for Comments (RFC) and Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards for interoperability, along with compatibility for
vendor-specific protocols such as Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) and Per-VLAN Rapid Spanning Tree
Plus (PVRST+), the B24X integrates seamlessly into existing network infrastructures.
Figure 1. IBM Ethernet Switch B24X (front view)
Figure 2. IBM Ethernet Switch B24X (back view)
Did you know
The IBM Ethernet Switch B24X is the most power-efficient 10 Gbps switch in its class at 176 watts per
twenty-four 10 GbE ports. This saves customers up to 56% in power and cooling costs over competing
switches. In addition, the high-performance, cut-through, full-mesh non-oversubscribed (1:1) architecture
of the B24X offers up to twice the performance with lower latencies and uses up to 2 - 3 times less rack
space.
The no-compromise B24X also features data center class network resiliency and hardware availability
features to support non-stop networking, making the switch ideal as an all-purpose Top of Rack switch