Hitachi Cable, Ltd. has developed two new products for its ApresiaLight Ethernet switch series (*1,2 )-ApresiaLight216T-PoE equipped with 16 downlink ports capable of supplying power and ApresiaLight210-PD equipped with 2 uplink ports for receiving power and begins sales on July 1.

Today, corporate networks are used for communication of not only business data but also voice data as a result of widespread use of IP phones. Therefore, as a countermeasure against communication failure, it has become much more important to detect and repair network problems as soon as possible to restore proper connectivity. In line with this, for desktop switches that are often used as terminal devices in networks, network administrators are expressing the need for remote monitoring of switch operating conditions so that they can identify problem-causing devices immediately. Meanwhile, the popular use of IP phones has enabled much more flexible office layouts. This has thus resulted in a need for a function that allows network administrators to change the settings of desktop switches, such as for QoS (*3 ) and VLAN (*4 ), easily by remote operation.

Hitachi Cable has been marketing the ApresiaLight series since 2005. The ApresiaLight products are equipped with a reduced number of functions as compared to the Apresia series products in order to sell at lower prices. In response to the emerging needs described above, the company has developed two new models for the ApresiaLight series-ApresiaLight216T-PoE and ApresiaLight210-PD-which offer a remote-operation function enabling QoS and VLAN settings to be changed, as well as Alive Monitoring (*5 ). These two products will be available in the market from July 1. Both models support the IEEE802.1X international standard for user authentication.
The ApresiaLight216T-PoE measures 210 mm wide and 297 mm deep (both approx.)-about the size of A4-size paper. This compact unit contains 16 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX downlink ports with PoE(*6 ) power supply capability and one uplink port compatible with 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX/1000BASE-T, thus allowing easy installation in a limited space even when used as a desktop switch. Moreover, when two units are installed side-by-side in a standard 19-inch rack, 32 power supply ports can be arranged in a 1U size.
The ApresiaLight210-PD is even smaller, measuring 210 mm wide and 170 mm deep (both approx.), and is equipped with eight 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX downlink ports and two 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX uplink ports capable of receiving power via PoE. When combined with a PoE power supply switch such as the ApresiaLight216T-PoE, the ApresiaLight210-PD can be installed almost anywhere since an AC power outlet is not needed.

By improving and expanding the lineup of products in both the Apresia series and ApresiaLight series, Hitachi Cable strives to increase the market share of Ethernet switches for enterprises.

*1	Ethernet is a registered trademark of Xerox Corporation.
*2	Apresia is a registered trademark of Hitachi Cable, Ltd. in Japan.
*3	The term QoS (Quality of Service) refers to a collection of technologies and techniques for guaranteeing a certain communication speed by reserving a bandwidth required for specific communication on a network.
*4	A VLAN (Virtual LAN) is a network of terminals that behave as if they were connected to the same group on a network even if physically they are not.
*5	The Alive Monitor is a function that allows network administrators to obtain information of switch operating conditions by remote monitoring.
*6	PoE (Power over Ethernet) is a technology to transmit power over standard Ethernet network cables, and it is governed by the IEEE802.3af standard established by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Main specifications of ApresiaLight216T-PoE

(specifications are subject to change without prior notice)

Item Specification Basic configuration Main unit Interface 10-T/100-TX/1000-T(SW) x 1 10-T/100-TX(SW) x 16 (with PoE power supply function)  Power source 100/240 VAC, 50/60 Hz Power consumption 150 W max. (including load dispatching of 120 W max.) Approximate weight 2.5 kg or less External dimensions 210 (W) x 297 (D) x 43 (H) mm Operating temperature 0 to 40 degrees

ApresiaLight216T-PoE

(external appearance)

Main specification of ApresiaLight210-PD

(specifications are subject to change without prior notice)

Item Specification Basic configuration Main unit Interface 10-T/100-TX/1000-T(SW) x 1 10-T/100-TX(SW) x 16 (with PoE power supply function)  Power source * 100/240 VAC, 50/60 Hz Power consumption 150 W max. (including load dispatching of 120 W max.) Approximate weight 2.5 kg or less External dimensions 210 (W) x 297 (D) x 43 (H) mm Operating temperature 0 to 40 degrees

*1	When AC input and PoE power supply are supplied simultaneously, the AC input takes precedence.

ApresiaLight210-PD

(external appearance)