D-Link Introduces Layer 3 IPv6 Core Switch

Oh my goodness, we’re running out of IP addresses ! Never you mind, help is on the way. D-Link has begun shipping the latest addition to its xStack switch family. The DGS-3612G is a Layer 3 switch offering support for Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) routing, the next level of IP addressing now being adopted by government and education organizations. The move from IPv4 to IPv6 routing addresses the growing need for additional public IP addresses. Each new website on the Internet is assigned an IP address, and the number of available addresses is nearly depleted. According to Norm Bogen, an analyst with In-Stat, "To put the importance of IPv6 into perspective, it will increase the number of addresses available for networked devices from about 4.3 billion addresses to 50 octillion addresses for each of the 6.5 billion people on the Earth," he said, adding that IPv6 address space will increase from 32 bits to 128 bits in length. As a fiber-based core switching solution, the D-Link xStack DGS-3612G is designed for long-distance connections of more than 330 feet (100 meters) when paired with another switch in departmental buildings, such as on a school campus, small-to-medium businesses (SMB) and larger enterprise environments that require a managed switch as a centralized point of termination for multiple fiber cable connections. The multi-layer, Single IP Management (SIM) 12-port gigabit switch also provides virtual stacking functionality, allowing up to 32 units to be managed via a single IP address. Key features include full dynamic routing with support for IPv4 & IPv6, support for 12 1000BASE-X and/ or 100BASE-FX Fiber transceivers, mix and match transceivers to meet user network needs, advanced L2/3/4 QoS and ACLs, enhanced Layer 3 routing functionality beyond standard Dynamic RIP & OSPF and D-Link’s Safeguard Engine for added protection from Denial of Service attacks. The DGS-3612G is available now through D-Link’s network of value-added resellers, solution providers and distributors, or at the company’s online store, for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1,499.99.