Page 12 - ATEN KVM over IP Matrix System Implementation Guide

4.3. Choosing a Network Switch

The Basics

In general, the network switches deployed in a KVM over IP Matrix System installation must support the following:

• A dedicated non-blocking switch is preferred in order to prevent congestion, especially when more than 10 KVM
over IP Extenders are being deployed
• 1 Gigabit, 10 Gigabit or faster Ethernet port*
• Multicast forwarding or filtering
• Flow Control Functions
• IGMP Snooping Fast Leave
• IGMP v2 or v3 Snooping (multicast)
• IGMP Querier (on the L3 Switch)
• High bandwidth connection between switches (preferably 10GB fiber)
• Throughput of at least 1 GB or 10 GB per port*
*For KE series, at least 1 GB bandwidth per port is required
*For KX series, at least 10 GB bandwidth per port is required

If the Ethernet switches are to be cascaded, they also need to support the following further functions:

• Dynamic multicast router port
• Forwarding unknown multicast to multicast router only

Types of High Performance Switch

A high performance network switch is the means of a successful KVM over IP Extender setup. When choosing
a network switch, first select the type:

Layer 2 or Layer 3 Switches

You will need to determine whether you need a layer 2 or a layer 3 switch for your KVM over IP Extender network. Layer 3

switches cost more than layer 2 switches because they are more complex and handle more network traffic. The best way to
calculate which type of switch you need is to first determine if you will have a dedicated network for the KVM over IP
Extenders. If the KVM over IP extenders will be on different subnets, it’s best to consider a layer 3 switch if they are on
different subnet.

The major differences are:
Layer 3 Switch: A key component of subnets used for multicast distribution is the multicast router. This device plays a vital
coordinating role in ensuring that network traffic is delivered to the correct Layer 2 switches and the hosts connected to
them. Increasingly, the role of router is being fulfilled by Layer 3 switches, particularly for private networks that do not
require links to wider external networks. When selecting a Layer 3 switch for your network, ensure that it can operate as an
IGMP Querier and also has sufficient capacity for the size of your subnet. Layer 2 Switch: Packets are examined and
forwarded using only the MAC address. If you have a small central network, a layer 2 switch should do the job. If the
network is exclusive and will only transmit the bandwidth of KVM over IP Extenders, layer 2 switches with the correct
settings can get the job done effectively.