Organizations continue to strive to be competitively superior and demand network infrastructures be resilient, secure, and do more with less. As requirements to protect, optimize, and grow the enterprise have extended from basic connectivity to a much high level of intelligent service-based infrastructures, the network has evolved to provide an even greater value to the organizations. The Brocade FastIron Edge Switch X Series provides greater flexibility, higher reliability, enhanced security, and extensive redundancy for better operational efficiency and faster response to business opportunities today and into the future.

FastIron Edge X Series offers a diverse range of switches that meet Layer 2/Layer 3 edge, aggregation, or small-network backbone-connectivity requirements with intelligent network services, including superior quality of service (QoS), predictable performance, advanced security, comprehensive management, and integrated resiliency. It is the ideal networking platform to deliver 10 Gigabit Ethernet.

Additionally, the FastIron Edge X Series features the benefits of a "pay-as-you-grow" architecture and price-performance value for fixed Ethernet solutions with the addition of a removable, replaceable, load-sharing power supply and 10GbE modules in a 1.5 Rack Unit (RU) form factor. The FastIron Edge X Series can be initially installed using "Small Form Pluggable" (SFP) Gigabit Ethernet modules, then field-upgraded with one or two "10 Gigabit Small Form Factor Pluggable" (XFP) modules, extending the usability of the product.

To meet existing and emerging network requirements, the FastIron Edge X Series supports advanced Layer 2 features, such as BPDU Guard, Root Guard, and Metro Ring Protocol; Base Layer 3 routing capabilities; complete quality of service (QoS) controls, including prioritization and rate limiting; and Brocade IronShield™ for denial of service (DoS) protection. The FastIron Edge X Series is also software upgradeable to full Layer 3, supporting the advanced routing protocol BGP4. The extensive feature set supports network requirements ranging from basic connectivity to multicast-based streaming audio/video applications for converged services including Voice over IP (VoIP), with the full Layer 3 upgrade.

Future-Proofing The Network With IPv6

Migration to IPv6 is inevitable, but by starting with the deployment of IPv6-capable hardware the transition can be more controlled and less disruptive to the network. Japan and Europe are aggressively deploying IPv6, and deployment in North America is on the rise. In fact, some government agencies are mandating the purchase of IPv6-capable switches and routers. Therefore, it is important that enterprises and service providers plan to deploy IPv6-capable devices to capitalize on this inevitable change.

The Brocade IPv6-capable FastIron Edge X Series, combined with other Brocade products such as BigIron® and NetIron®, provides the industry's most complete end-to-end IPv6 solution. Customers can deploy the FastIron Edge X Series switches knowing it is IPv6-capable hardware today, and with future separately priced software upgrades support IPv6 routing and advanced IPv6 features tomorrow.

The new IPv6-capable FastIron Edge X Series switches enable network managers to future proof the network to support IPv6. The high performance of IPv6-ready platforms, security, convergence, and complete IPv4/IPv6 visibility using em-bedded sFlow provides a robust edge-to-core IPv6 solution.

Configuration Alternatives

This FastIron Edge X Series of switches is optimized for flexibility, reliability, enhanced security, and extensive redundancy. Available in six compact models, the FastIron Edge X Series helps enterprises and Metro Service Providers reduce costs and increase return on investment by offering superior features and advanced security at industry-leading prices.

The FastIron Edge X 424 and FastIron Edge X 624

• 24 x 10/100/1000 Mbps ports with 4 combo ports
• 1+1 system power redundancy

The FastIron Edge X 448 and FastIron Edge X 648

• 48 x 10/100/1000 Mbps ports with 4 combo ports
• 1+1 system power redundancy

The FastIron Edge X 424HF and FastIron Edge X 624HF

• 20 x 100/1000 Mbps SFP ports with 4 combo ports
• 1+1 system power redundancy