S6735-S24X6C

The Huawei S6735-S24X6C is a high-performance, fixed 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GE) switch from the CloudEngine S6735-S series. This series is positioned as a standard 10GE switch for enterprise networks, offering strong capabilities for aggregation or access in campus networks and data centers.

The model name indicates:

• S6735-S: Part of the CloudEngine S6735-S series, indicating a powerful enterprise-grade switch.
• 24X: 24 x 10GE SFP+ ports (X denotes 10GE optical ports).
• 6C: 6 x 40GE/100GE QSFP28 ports (C denotes 100GE optical ports, which are backward compatible with 40GE).
• The absence of an “-A” or “-DC” suffix in “S6735-S24X6C” typically means that the power modules are sold separately, allowing for flexible configuration with either AC or DC power, or a mix for redundancy.

Here’s an introduction to its key features and typical applications:

Key Features:

• High-Density 10GE SFP+ Ports: It comes with 24 x 10GE SFP+ ports. This high density of 10 Gigabit fiber ports is excellent for:
  • Connecting a significant number of servers in a data center (e.g., as a Top-of-Rack switch).
  • Providing high-performance 10GE access for demanding user groups or aggregating traffic from numerous access layer switches in a large campus network.
  • These ports generally support auto-sensing down to 1GE speeds for compatibility.
• Versatile High-Bandwidth Uplink Ports: It includes 6 x 40GE/100GE QSFP28 ports. These six ports are highly flexible, capable of operating as:
  • 40 Gigabit Ethernet (using QSFP+ transceivers).
  • 100 Gigabit Ethernet (using QSFP28 transceivers).
  • Each 40GE QSFP+ port can typically be split into four 10GE SFP+ ports using breakout cables, offering further flexibility for 10GE connectivity. However, note that 100GE QSFP28 ports usually cannot be split into 10GE ports.
• Dual Pluggable Power Supply Slots: The switch has two power supply slots, enabling 1+1 power redundancy. This is vital for maximizing availability and ensuring continuous network operation, as the switch can continue to function even if one power supply fails. You would purchase AC (e.g., PAC600S12-CB) or DC (e.g., PDC1000S12-DB) power modules separately.
• High Performance:
  • Switching Capacity: 2.56 Tbit/s (Terabits per second) / 25.6 Tbps (full duplex equivalent). This ensures wire-speed, non-blocking forwarding across all its ports, even under demanding traffic loads.
  • Packet Forwarding Rate: 1260 Mpps (Million packets per second). This indicates its highly efficient processing of a large volume of network packets.
  • Large MAC Address Table: Supports a substantial MAC address table (e.g., 64K MAC address entries), suitable for extensive network deployments.
• Advanced Networking Capabilities:
  • Comprehensive Layer 2 and Layer 3 Features: Supports a full suite of Layer 2 capabilities (VLANs, GVRP, QinQ) and Layer 3 routing protocols (Static, RIP, OSPF, IS-IS, BGP, ECMP, VRRP, IPv6 routing) for building complex and scalable networks.
  • VXLAN Support: Capable of supporting Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN) to implement network virtualization. This is crucial for building agile, scalable, and multi-tenant cloud-ready data centers and campus networks. It supports both centralized and distributed VXLAN gateway deployment and BGP EVPN for dynamic tunnel establishment.
  • Super Virtual Fabric (SVF) / iStack: Supports virtualizing multiple physical switches into a single logical device, simplifying management, enhancing scalability, and improving resilience. It can act as a parent node to manage downstream switches and APs (if applicable in the S-series).
• Comprehensive Security: Integrates robust security features:
  • Defense against various attacks (DoS, ARP, ICMP flood).
  • DHCP snooping, IP source guard, strict ARP learning to prevent IP/MAC spoofing.
  • 802.1X, MAC address authentication, and portal authentication for granular user and device access control.
  • Enhanced security with built-in probes: Supports technologies like Encrypted Communications Analytics (ECA) for identifying malicious encrypted traffic and Threat Trap for network-wide threat deception.
• Quality of Service (QoS): Provides advanced QoS mechanisms to prioritize critical services:
  • Flexible traffic classification, policing, and shaping.
  • Multiple queue scheduling algorithms (WRR, DRR, PQ, WRR+PQ, DRR+PQ) and WRED (Weighted Random Early Detection) for congestion avoidance, ensuring performance for delay-sensitive applications like voice and video.
  • Intelligent O&M for audio and video services based on eMDI (Enhanced Media Delivery Index).
• High Reliability: Designed for maximum network uptime:
  • 1+1 power redundancy, hot-swappable power modules and fans.
  • Extensive set of redundancy protocols: STP/RSTP/MSTP, Huawei’s Smart Ethernet Protection (SEP), and G.8032 ERPS (Ethernet Ring Protection Switching) for rapid protection switchover.
  • Smart Link and VRRP for uplink backup.
  • BFD (Bidirectional Forwarding Detection) for rapid fault detection.
• Intelligent Operations and Maintenance (O&M):
  • Telemetry: Real-time collection of device data to Huawei’s CampusInsight for network analysis.
  • iPCA (Packet Conservation Algorithm for Internet): Monitors network quality for any service flow anywhere, anytime, providing granular, real-time data on packet loss and latency for precise fault location.

Typical Applications:

• Data Center Access Layer: Provides high-speed 10GE access for high-density servers in data centers, with 40GE/100GE uplinks connecting to spine or aggregation switches. Its VXLAN capabilities are particularly valuable in virtualized data center environments.
• Campus Network Aggregation Layer: Functions as a powerful aggregation switch in large enterprise or educational campus networks, aggregating traffic from access layer switches and providing high-speed 40GE/100GE connectivity to the core.
• Small to Medium-sized Campus Core: For smaller to medium-sized campus networks, it can even serve as a core switch due to its high switching capacity and 100GE uplinks.
• High-Speed Wi-Fi 6/7 Access Point Aggregation: Ideal for aggregating traffic from modern, high-bandwidth Wi-Fi 6 or upcoming Wi-Fi 7 Access Points.

The S6735-S24X6C is a robust and flexible switch, offering a strong blend of high-density 10GE ports and powerful 40GE/100GE uplinks, coupled with a comprehensive feature set for building scalable, secure, and intelligently managed enterprise and data center networks.