Hitachi Cable, Ltd. has developed and released the Apresia (R) *1 2124GT-SS, an Ethernet *2 switch that requires no cooling fan.

The Apresia (R) 2100 Series Layer 2 Ethernet switches have won commercial success for their versatility and capabilities: layer-3-switch-level QoS, packet filtering, loop prevention, and static IP terminal elimination *3 , in addition to the Ethernet Ring fast switching (MMRP: Multi Master Ring Protocol) characteristic of a layer 2 switch.

In response to growing demand for user authentication when connecting to networks, the Apresia (R) 2100 Series provides authentication by entry of a user ID and password via a web browser using Apresia (R) NA, a proprietary authentication function, and MAC address-based authentication for VoIP terminals. The Series also supports IEEE802.1X *4 , an international standard. The switches may be used to construct PC quarantine LAN solutions when combined with products from EnSEC partners *5 .

By providing all the functions of the Apresia (R) 2100 Series while drawing on the optimum design enabled by our long-established design experience, we have produced the Apresia (R) 2124GT-SS, the first fanless Ethernet switch with gigabit uplink ports among our authentication switches.

While ensuring sufficient uplink bandwidth to cover the recent increase in communications traffic, Apresia (R) 2124GT-SS offers a number of advantages made possible by the fanless design. The Apresia (R) 2124GT-SS is free of problems caused by aspirated dust, even when used as a desktop switch. Eliminating the fan means the switch is very quiet. Thanks to its high heat release capabilities, a stack of these switches can be installed one on top of each other in a server rack.

The addition of the Apresia (R) 2124GT-SS to the Apresia (R) Series will strengthen our lineup. Making the most of the sales channels of our EnSEC and Apresia (R) partners, we plan to increase our market share for Ethernet switches among service providers and enterprise. We expect Apresia (R) sales for fiscal year 2006 to reach 13 billion yen.

*1	Apresia is a registered trademark of Hitachi Cable, Ltd in Japan.
*2	Ethernet is a registered trademark of Xerox Corporation.
*3	Static IP terminal elimination is a function that eliminates a user terminal from a network if the terminal obtains a static IP address in a DHCP based LAN. (DHCP is an acronym for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, a protocol that automatically assigns IP addresses to computers to connect them to a LAN.)
*4	IEEE802.1X is an authentication standard established by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). This standard specifies port-based access control by authentication mainly using RADIUS. It supports Windows2000/XP.
*5	EnSEC (Enforcement for Secure Connectivity) is our project involving a security concept that seeks to meet diversifying user needs for security. A combination of the Apresia (R) authentication switch and the RADIUS authentication server serves as the basic system, in combination with authentication devices, servers, and software provided by partner companies.

[Main Apresia (R) 2124GT-SS specifications]
(Specifications are subject to change without notice.)

Item Specification Basic structure Main body Interface Gigabit Ethernet for uplink with 2 GBIC slots or 1000 Base-T Ethernet x 2 ports (Individual ports are selectable.) 10/100M Ethernet x 24 ports Switch capacity 8.8 Gbps Power supply 100 to 120 VAC VLAN IEEE802.1Q/p 255VLAN Function Apresia (R) NA (Apresia (R) Network Authentication) MMRP (Multi Master Ring Protocol) RSTP MSTP Packet filter QoS function (4 hardware queues) Power consumption 50 W or less Dimensions 436 (W) x 342 (D) x 43.8 (H) mm Weight 5 kg or less