Review: xStack Switches It Up

Regardless of the data center's size or the kind of applications being delivered, networking environments always have room for yet another powerful switch with security features. Whether it's for an SMB, a larger enterprise or an MSP, a cost-effective core-switching product is an invaluable piece of equipment.

For this look at managed switches, the CRN Test Center deployed a D-Link DGS-3627 xStack Managed 24-Port Gigabit Stackable L3 Switch in the test environment. Regardless of how powerful and feature-rich the DGS-3627 is, at heart, it's a just a switch. Connect the network cable, power it up and boom!—it's up and running. The fancy stuff is just the icing on the network cupcake.

Priced at $3209.99, the xStack DGS-3627 is a fully managed Layer 3 Gigabit Ethernet switch with support for IPv4 and IPv6 static and dynamic routing. The xStack series has advanced security features, provides network load balancing and offers multilayer quality of service and access. With SFP support and the option to add 10-Gigabit Ethernet uplinks, these switches can be used either as departmental devices or as core switches.

The list of networking and security features packed inside the DGS-3627 is extensive. For solution providers working on VoIP, streaming media and multicast content delivery such as IP videoconferencing solutions, the switch is more than capable. It supports Layer 2/3/4 quality of service, Internet Group Management Protocol) Snooping, Muliticast Listener Discovery) Snooping, 802.1 Rapid Spanning Tree, 802.1s Multiple Spanning Tree group, 802.3 Link Aggregation and 802.1Q VLAN. Advanced Layer 3 routing features are supported, such as RIP, OSPF, VRRP and floating static routes. For load balancing, specific IP addresses and protocols can be fine-tuned using per-flow bandwidth controls.

For the security-conscious, the switch's offerings include Layer 2/3/4 multilayer access control lists, 802.1x port and MAC-based authentication, user authentication via TACACS+ and RADIUS servers and the ability to integrate with D-Link NetDefend firewalls. The CPU Safeguard Engine protects the switch from broadcast, multicast and unicast flooding, commonly used in denial of service attacks. IP addresses can bind to hardware MAC addresses to prevent unauthorized devices from getting on the network.

The DGS-3627 switch offers extensive VLAN support including GARP/GVRP and 802.1Q VLAN. It also allows up to five IP addresses per VLAN. Policy-based routing, or forwarding traffic based on Layer 3/Layer 4/SA/DA, is available. Multipath routing is also supported.

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