CCNA Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide - FTP Server

46 Chapter 1 � Internetworking
Cisco Hubs
different options available through your service provider, you can choose the
Cisco product that fits your business requirements.
You have a few options, typically: dial-up asynchronous connections,
leased lines up to 1.544Mbps, Frame Relay, and ISDN, which are the most
popular WAN technologies. However, xDSL is the new front-runner to take
over as the fastest, most reliable, cheapest WAN technology. You need to
consider your usage before buying and implementing a technology. For
example, if your users at a remote branch are connected to the corporate
office more than three to four hours a day, then you need either Frame Relay
or a leased line. If they connect infrequently, then you might get away with
ISDN or dial-up connectivity.
The next sections discuss the different types of Cisco hubs, routers, and
switches you can use to build a hierarchical network.
It is hard for me to imagine that you would call Cisco and ask to buy a hub,
but I suppose it does happen or they wouldn’t be selling them. Cisco actually
has an extensive listing of hubs that address an amazing variety of selection
issues.
Before you buy any hub, you need to know—not think you know, but
actually know—which users can use a shared 10Mbps or shared 100Mbps
network. The lower-end model of hubs Cisco offers supports only 10Mbps,
while the middle-of-the-road one offers both 10- and 100Mbps auto-sensing
ports. The higher-end hubs offer network-management port and console
connections. If you are going to spend enough to buy a high-end hub, you
should consider just buying a switch. Figure 1.20 shows the different hub
products Cisco offers. Any of these hubs can be stacked together to give you
more port density.
These are the selection issues you need to know:
� Business requirements for 10- or 100Mbps
� Port density
� Management
� Ease of operation