Enterasys A-Series A4 - Manual

Product Overview
The Enterasys A4 is a highly reliable fast Ethernet edge switch that provides scalable, wire-rate
performance in support of the bandwidth-intensive and delay-sensitive requirements of today’s
demanding applications. The A4 also provides multi-layer packet classification and priority queuing
for differentiated services. Along with a switch capacity of 17.6 Gbps, the A4 provides up to 48
10/100 Ethernet ports as well as 4 Gigabit Ethernet uplink ports. Leveraging the A4’s stacking
capability, as many as 8 A4s can be interconnected in a single stack to create a virtual switch
that provides 140.8 Gbps of capacity and up to 384 10/100 Ethernet ports as well as 16 Gigabit
Ethernet uplink ports.
The A4 includes enterprise-class features in a 10/100 stackable switch that ensure seamless
connectivity and application performance. With support for 16,000 MAC addresses, the A4 is an
excellent choice for medium to large enterprises that need to support thousands of endpoints.
Robust Quality of Service (QoS) features enable strong support for integrated multimedia networks,
including Voice over IP (VoIP) and IP video, as well as all types of data-intensive applications. In
conjunction with its non-blocking L2 switching architecture, the A4’s intelligent queuing mechanisms
ensure that mission-critical applications receive prioritized access to network resources.
The A4 includes a 24 port model with a very quiet design that operates fan-less in a typical office
environment, making it ideal for classrooms and conference rooms.
A highly-scalable architecture and a lifetime warranty ensure that an A4 network investment will
sustain a secure, feature-rich, and cost-effective network well into the future.
Reliability and Availability
The A4 design incorporates redundancy and failure protection mechanisms complete with
automatic failover and recovery capabilities to provide a reliable network. An integral power supply
is the primary source of power for the A4 and complete power redundancy is provided by an
optional external power supply. In addition to the standard version of the A4, there are also IEEE
802.3af Power over Ethernet versions which supports network devices that require external power
such as wireless access points, VoIP phones, and network cameras. A virtual switch can be created
by interconnecting as many as 8 A4s in a single stack, which can be managed via a single IP
address with redundant management connections. The A4’s closed-loop stacking capability utilizes
bi-directional switch interconnects to maintain connectivity within the virtual switch despite any
physical switch-level failure. Up to 4 Ethernet ports can be grouped together to create a multi-link
aggregation group (LAG). The A4 can support multiple LAG’s distributed across several A4s within a
stack to prevent a switch-level failure from disrupting data communications.
There is nothing more important
than our customers.
Benefits
Business Alignment
• Granular QoS capabilities support
converged multimedia networks
• Reliable network operation for mission-
critical applications
Operational Efficiency
• Scalable architecture supports
continued growth of network capacity
• Consolidated management capabilities
reduce network operational expenses
• Highly available design ensures reliable
network operations
Security
• Network access secured by 802.1x
and MAC address authentication
methods
• Network security maintained
concurrently with user mobility
• Architecture designed with integral
network security
Support and Service
• Industry-leading customer satisfaction
and first call resolution rates
• Personalized services, including site
surveys, network design, installation,
and training
• Comprehensive lifetime warranty,
including feature upgrades and more
High-availability design assures
reliable network operations
Granular QoS capabilities support
converged multimedia networks
PoE supports a variety of
network devices
Investment protection via
lifetime warranty
140.8 Gbps capacity and 104.8 Mpps
A-Series A4
Fast Ethernet Stackable Edge Switch
DATASHEET