Comprehensive Virtual LAN Solution from Cisco Encompasses Switches, Routers, ATM Products and Switched Network Management Applications

Business Wire, March 28, 1995

LAS VEGAS, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 28, 1995--Cisco Systems, the worldwide leader in LAN switching, today introduced a virtual LAN (VLAN) solution that will give users unprecedented flexibility in designing, modifying and configuring their networks.

Cisco will be the first networking vendor to offer VLAN support across its router, switch and ATM product lines. There are three key elements of this solution that Cisco will deliver over the next three to six months:

First, Cisco is introducing a complete family of switching platforms that support embedded VLAN capabilities. These capabilities will be supported on the new Catalyst 5000 and Kalpana ProStack switching systems when they begin shipping in June (see accompanying releases), and on Cisco routers this summer.

Second, Cisco is supporting the development of VLAN communication standards to facilitate VLAN interoperability across different LAN technologies, its routers and switches, and other vendors' equipment. These standards include the IEEE 802.10 standards for transporting VLANs across common shared-media LAN technologies such as FDDI. Cisco also supports ATM Forum-defined LAN Emulation for communicating through ATM fabrics and is leading development at the Forum of the Common Native Mode ATM Protocol (CNAP), a distributed method for routing between VLANs.

Cisco is incorporating these VLAN communication standards within the Cisco Internetwork Operating System (Cisco IOS) and will provide full routing functionality across VLANs in the third quarter. Third, Cisco will continue to deliver on a series of switched network management applications. In July, the company will introduce VLAN View, a graphically-based VLAN configuration and management tool.

Virtual LANs, administratively-defined groupings based on logical function rather than physical location, are in growing demand for the efficiencies they can bring to large switched internetworks. Containing traffic with a VLAN reduces broadcast activity across the network, increases workgroup security and minimizes costs associated with moves, adds and changes.

Early VLAN implementations created broadcast domains within a local group of switched-media devices. But users of large switched internetworks now are seeking enterprise-wide VLAN communications.

"Cisco is the only networking vendor that can provide standards-based, end-to-end VLAN communications across the entire enterprise," said Jayshree Ullal, director of marketing for Cisco's Workgroup Business Unit. "And our advanced switched network management tools enable users to greatly reduce the complexities associated with VLAN configuration, administration and management."

Extending VLANs From the Workgroup to the Enterprise

The Cisco Catalyst 5000 switching system delivers enterprise- wide VLAN communications by handling up to 1,024 switched virtual LANs without any switching performance degradation. These VLANs can be interconnected between switches and routers using three high-speed backbone technologies: 100Base-T Fast Ethernet, Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM).

Standards-Based VLANs Facilitate Interoperability

To transport VLAN traffic across a routed infrastructure or shared media, Cisco has implemented the standard IEEE 802.10 protocol, which connects VLANs across shared media LAN technologies such as FDDI. VLAN communication over ATM uses ATM Forum-defined LAN Emulation, a protocol standardized by the Forum to extend VLANs from switched LANs across an ATM fabric.

Optionally, VLAN communication over Fast Ethernet is achieved using Cisco's Inter-Switch Link (ISL) protocol operating at full- duplex speed over copper and fiber connections. This option provides a high-speed, low-investment mechanism for transporting virtual LANs across Fast Ethernet.

Retaining the advantages of scalability, stability and security associated with routed internetworks requires a distributed method for routing between VLANs that avoids central points of congestion and failure. Toward this end, Cisco is working with the ATM Forum to drive the development of the Common Native Mode ATM Protocol, which will facilitate routing between VLANs across a switched internetwork that supports distributed routing.

Switched Network Management Applications

Existing network management platforms do not provide the ability to easily create, check the status of, and manage VLANs across the enterprise. Cisco's new VLAN View application manages widely distributed VLANs by assigning physical switching ports to predefined logical groups. Users attached to switched ports can be added or moved using a simple drag-and-drop interface. Network managers may assign a user to a VLAN simply by dragging a port out of a graphical view of the switch and dropping it into VLAN View's graphical configurator.

VLAN View provides a graphical view of VLAN "memberships" (all devices and ports in the VLAN) and link types (e.g., ATM, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet). Port status is identified by the user-assigned VLAN type. VLAN configuration can be accomplished within the wiring closet using console commands. Or, it can be done from the centralized management platform running VLAN View, using a graphical user interface. In either case, these changes are updated by VLAN View and can be reported by screen captures and printed reports.