Brocade FCX 624 Switch
24-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch

Features:

Built for Next-Generation Enterprise Networks

The Brocade FCX Series can deliver both power and data across network connections, providing a single-cable solution for edge devices such as Voice over IP (VoIP) phones, video surveillance cameras, and wireless Access Points (APs). The switches are compatible with industry-standard VoIP equipment as well as legacy IP phones.

These switches support the emerging PoE Plus (PoE+) standard (802.3at) to provide up to 30 watts of power to each device. This high-powered solution simplifies wiring for next-generation solutions such as video conferencing phones, pan/tilt surveillance cameras, and 802.11n wireless APs. The PoE capability reduces the number of power receptacles and power adapters while increasing reliability and wiring flexibility.

The 24-port Brocade FCX PoE model can supply full Class 3 (15.4 watts) or full PoE+ (30 watts) power to every port, and the 48-port model can supply full Class 3 power to every port or full PoE+ power to 26 ports. The switches can power a combination of PoE and PoE+ devices while staying within the switches' 820-watt power budget.

Plug-and-Play Operations for Powered Devices
The Brocade FCX Series supports the IEEE 802.1AB Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) and ANSI TIA 1057 Link Layer Discovery Protocol-Media Endpoint Discovery (LLDP-MED) standards that enable organizations to deploy interoperable multivendor solutions for Unified Communications (UC).

Configuring IP endpoints such as VoIP phones can be a complex task requiring manual and time-consuming configuration. LLDP and LLDP-MED address this challenge, providing a standard, open method for configuring, discovering, and managing network infrastructure. The LLDP protocols help reduce operational costs by simplifying and automating network operations. For example, LLDP-MED provides an open protocol for configuring Quality of Service (QoS), security policies, Virtual LAN (VLAN) assignments, PoE power levels, and service priorities.

Increased Flexibility and Scalability

The Brocade FCX Series provides a wide range of flexibility and scalability advantages for dynamic and growing enterprise networks.

Simplified, High-Performance, High-Availability Stacking
Leveraging Brocade IronStack technology, up to eight Brocade FCX Series switches can be stacked into a single logical switch, providing simple and robust expandability for future growth at the network edge. This stacked switch has only a single IP address to simplify management. When new members are added to the stack, they automatically inherit the stack's existing configuration file, enabling true plug-and-play network expansion.

Brocade stacking technology delivers high availability, performing real-time state synchronization across the stack and enabling instantaneous hitless failover to a standby controller if the master stack controller fails. In addition, organizations can use hot-insertion/removal of stack members to avoid interrupting service.

Brocade FCX-S switch models offer two dedicated full-duplex 16 Gbps stacking ports that provide 64 Gbps of stacking bandwidth, essentially eliminating the need to work around inter-switch bottlenecks (see Figure 1). These dedicated stacking ports free up the 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) ports for high-speed connectivity to the aggregation or core layers—providing maximum flexibility in a compact access switch. Additionally, all Brocade FCX Series switches can be stacked through their optional 10 GbE ports.

The 10 GbE ports can also be trunked from different members of the stack to optimize performance and availability. For added flexibility, IronStack also supports the use of 10 GbE ports with fiber-optic cabling for stacking across racks, floors, and buildings.

Optional 10 GbE Module
Brocade FCX-S switch models accept an optional 10 GbE module containing two XFP ports, enabling high-bandwidth connectivity to the aggregation or core layers, or extended switch stacking across long distances. Up to eight 10 GbE links can be aggregated in a stack, providing 80 Gbps of bandwidth between the wiring closet and the aggregation layer.

Brocade FCX Series Models with Four Optional 10 GbE Uplinks
Brocade FCX 624 and Brocade FCX 648 switch models accept an optional 10 GbE module containing four Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP+) ports, enabling high-bandwidth connectivity to the aggregation or core layers, or creating a switch stack horizontally across a row of servers. Utilizing the SFP+ port form factor enables higher density, more flexible cabling options, and better energy efficiency. The ability to use short-range and long-range optics, along with copper Twinax cables, supports flexible and cost-effective network architectures.

Industry-leading 4-port 10 GbE density in a 1U switch provides up to 40 Gbps of uplink bandwidth to the aggregation or core layers of the network. Even with the high-density 48-port model, this bandwidth enables a near 1:1 subscription ratio throughout the network. As a result, organizations can deploy highly utilized networks to avoid congestion during peak hours.

Flexible Cooling Options
The Brocade FCX 624 and Brocade FCX 648 are the first Brocade Ethernet switches with reversible front-to-back airflow options. This design improves mounting flexibility in server racks, while adhering to the cooling guidelines of the data center. Organizations can specify airflow direction at the time of order and can reverse the direction after deployment by swapping the power supplies and the fan assembly.

Reduced Power Consumption

In today's rapidly growing business environments, organizations need to minimize power consumption throughout the entire IT infrastructure. The Brocade FCX Series is designed to intelligently manage power usage, extending "green" initiatives to the wiring closet.

Power to connected devices is automatically negotiated using the LLDP-MED protocol, providing the powered devices with exactly the amount of power they need. If devices go into sleep mode, they can request less power from the network, minimizing power usage in the campus environment. At as low as 1.22 watts/Gbps for non-PoE models and 1.41 watts/Gbps for PoE models, Brocade FCX Series switches consume minimal power for the performance and functionality they provide.

High Reliability in a Compact Form Factor

In addition to stack-level high-availability capabilities such as hitless failover and hot insertion and removal of stacked units, Brocade FCX Series switches include system-level high-availability features such as optional dual hot-swappable, load-sharing, redundant power supplies (see Figures 2 and 3). The modular design also has a removable fan assembly. These features provide another level of availability for the campus wiring closet and the data center in a compact form factor.

Additional design features include intake and exhaust temperature sensors and fan spin detection to aid in fast identification of abnormal or failed operating conditions to help minimize mean time to repair.

Comprehensive Enterprise-Class Security

The Brocade FCX Series utilizes the Brocade IronWare operating system, providing a rich security suite for Layer 2 and Layer 3 services, Network Access Control (NAC), and Denial of Service (DoS) protection. IronWare security features include protection against TCP SYN and ICMP DoS attacks; Spanning Tree Root Guard and BPDU Guard to protect network spanning tree operations; and broadcast and multicast packet rate limiting. Additional security features include dynamic ARP inspection, DHCP snooping, and IP source guard to protect against address spoofing and man-in-the middle attacks.

Network Access Control (NAC)
Organizations can rely on key features such as multi-device port authentication and 802.1X authentication with dynamic policy assignment to control network access and perform targeted authorization on a per-user level. In addition, the Brocade FCX Series supports enhanced Media Access Control (MAC) policies with the ability to deny traffic to and from MAC addresses on a per-VLAN basis. This powerful tool helps organizations control access policies per endpoint device.

Standards-based NAC also facilitates best-in-class solutions for authenticating network users and validating the security posture of connecting devices. Support for policy-controlled MAC-based VLANs provides additional control of network access, enabling policy-controlled assignment of devices to Layer 2 VLANs.

Traffic Monitoring and Lawful Intercept
Organizations might need to set up lawful traffic intercept due to today's heightened security environment. For example, in the United States, the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) requires organizations to be able to intercept and replicate data traffic directed to a particular user, subnet, port, and so on. This capability is particularly essential in networks implementing VoIP phones. Brocade FCX Series switches provide the capability to meet this requirement through Access Control List (ACL)-based mirroring, MAC filter-based mirroring, and VLAN-based mirroring.

Fiber to the Desktop for Security-Sensitive Applications
The Brocade FCX 624S-F provides 24 SFP 100/1000 Mbps fiber-optic ports for government and military network initiatives or for applications requiring additional security and resiliency. For these types of network environments, fiber-optic cable is the ultimate transmission medium, because it does not emit electromagnetic signals that can be intercepted. And, unlike copper wires, optical fiber cannot be tapped without detection. Fiber-optic network links are also immune to Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) and Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI).

Threat Detection and Mitigation
The Brocade FCX Series utilizes embedded hardware-based sFlow traffic sampling to extend Brocade IronShield 360 security to the network edge. This unique and powerful closed-loop threat mitigation solution uses best-in-class intrusion detection systems to inspect traffic samples for possible network attacks. In response to a detected attack, Brocade Network Advisor can automatically apply a security policy to the compromised port, stopping network attacks in real time without administrator intervention.

Advanced Multicast Features
The Brocade FCX Series supports a rich set of Layer 2 multicast snooping features that enable advanced multicast services delivery. Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) snooping for IGMP version 1, 2, and 3 is supported. Support for IGMPv3 source-based multicast snooping improves bandwidth utilization and security for multicast services. To enable multicast services delivery in IPv6 networks, the Brocade FCX Series supports Multicast Listener Discovery (MLD) version 1 and 2 snooping—the multicast protocols used in IPv6 environments.

Network Resiliency Through Fault Detection

Software features such as Virtual Switch Redundancy Protocol (VSRP), Brocade Metro-Ring Protocol (MRP) v1 and v2, Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP), protected link groups, 802.3ad Link Aggregation, and trunk groups provide alternate paths for traffic in the event of a link failure. Sub-second fault detection utilizing Link Fault Signaling (LFS) and Remote Fault Notification (RFN) helps ensure fast fault detection and recovery.

Enhanced spanning tree features such as Root Guard and BPDU Guard prevent rogue hijacking of a spanning tree root and maintain a contention- and loop-free environment, especially during dynamic network deployments. In addition, the Brocade FCX Series supports port-loop detection on edge ports that do not have spanning tree enabled. This capability protects the network from broadcast storms and other anomalies that can result from Layer 1 or Layer 2 loopbacks on Ethernet cables or endpoints.

Protected link groups minimize disruption to the network by protecting critical links from loss of data and power. In a protected link group, one port in the group acts as the primary or active link, and the other ports act as secondary or standby links. The active link carries the traffic and, if it goes down, one of the standby links takes over.

UniDirectional Link Detection (UDLD) monitors a link between two Brocade FCX Series switches and brings down the ports on both ends of the link if the link fails at any point between the two devices.

The Brocade FCX Series also supports stability features such as port flap dampening, single-link Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP), and port loop detection.

Advanced Capabilities

To meet a wide range of requirements, the Brocade FCX Series provides full Layer 3 capabilities, along with metro features for connecting buildings and campuses.

Full Layer 3 Capabilities
All Brocade FCX switches come standard with powerful Layer 3 IPv4 and IPv6 switching capabilities. Organizations can use Layer 3 features such as OSPF and RIP routing, policy-based routing, VRRP, and Protocol-Independent Multicast (PIM) to reduce complexity and enhance the reliability of large enterprise networks by bringing Layer 3 capabilities to the network edge.

Advanced (-ADV) models include BGP routing capabilities, enabling remote offices to connect Brocade FCX Series switches to service provider networks. BGP routing can also be added to any Brocade FCX Series switch model through software key-based activation.

Metro Features Connecting Buildings and Campuses
Because Brocade FCX Series switches include Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) features, organizations can use them to connect a distributed enterprise. In this type of environment, Brocade FCX Series switches provide rich services using MRP (v1 and v2) for building resilient ring-based topologies, VLAN stacking (Q-in-Q), and advanced multicast capabilities—including IGMP v1/v2/v3 and Multicast Listener Discovery (MLD) v1/v2 snooping for controlling multicast traffic for high-bandwidth content delivery.

Simplified, Secure Management Based on Open Standards

The Brocade FCX Series provides simplified, standards-based management capabilities that help organizations reduce administrative time and effort while securing their networks.

Simplified Deployment with Auto-Configuration
The Brocade FCX Series supports auto-configuration, simplifying deployment with a truly plug-and-play experience. Organizations can use this feature to automate IP address and feature configuration of the switches without requiring a highly trained network engineer onsite. When the switches power up, they automatically receive an IP address and configuration from DHCP and Trivial File Transport Protocol (TFTP) servers. At this time, the switches can also automatically receive a software update to be at the same code revision as already installed switches.

Open-Standards Management
The Brocade FCX Series includes an industry-standard Command Line Interface (CLI) and supports Secure Shell (SSHv2), Secure Copy (SCP), and SNMPv3 to restrict and encrypt management communications to the system. In addition, support for Terminal Access Controller Access Control System (TACACS/TACACS+) and RADIUS authentication helps ensure secure operator access.

Out-of-Band Management
The Brocade FCX Series includes a 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ-45 Ethernet port dedicated to out-of-band management, providing a remote path to manage the switches, regardless of the status or configuration of the data ports.

Unified Wired/Wireless Network Management with Brocade Network Advisor

Managing enterprise campus networks continues to become more complex due to the growth in services that rely on wired and wireless networks. Services such as Internet, e-mail, video conferencing, real-time collaboration, and distance learning all have specific configuration and management requirements. At the same time, organizations face increasing demand to provide uninterrupted services for high-quality voice and UC, wireless mobility, and multimedia applications.

To reduce complexity and the time spent managing these environments, the easy-to-use Brocade Network Advisor discovers, manages, and deploys configurations to groups of IP devices. By using the Brocade Network Advisor Device Configuration Manager tool, organizations can configure VLANs within the network, manage wireless AP realms, or execute CLI commands on specific IP devices or groups of IP devices. sFlow-based proactive monitoring is ideal for performing network-wide troubleshooting, generating traffic reports, and gaining visibility into network activity from the edge to the core. Brocade Network Advisor centralizes management of the entire family of Brocade wired and wireless products, including the Brocade FCX Series.

Brocade Global Services

Brocade Global Services has the expertise to help organizations build scalable, efficient cloud infrastructures. Leveraging 15 years of expertise in storage, networking, and virtualization, Brocade Global Services delivers world-class professional services, technical support, network monitoring services, and education, enabling organizations to maximize their Brocade investments, accelerate new technology deployments, and optimize the performance of networking infrastructures.

Maximum Operational-Efficiency and Investment Protection

To further improve operational efficiency, Brocade FCX Series Switches come with 90 days of free technical support from the Brocade Technical Assistance Center and free software updates. With these capabilities, organizations gain peace of mind while freeing up IT budget and resources to grow their businesses.

Warranty

The Brocade FastIron SX Series is covered by the Brocade Assurance Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Deployment:

Brocade FCX Series switches can be stacked into a single logical switch and then redundantly connected to the aggregation layer using aggregated 10 GbE ports.

Specifications:

Rear View

	FCX		FCX-S (Dedicated Stacking Ports)
	FCX 624	FCX 648	FCX 624S	FCX 648S	FCX 624S-F	FCX 624S-HPOE	FCX 648S-HPOE
Switching bandwidth (data rate, full duplex)	128 Gbps	176 Gbps	152 Gbps	200 Gbps	152 Gbps	152 Gbps	200 Gbps
Forwarding bandwidth (data rate, full duplex)	96 Mpps	132 Mpps	114 Mpps	150 Mpps	114 Mpps	114 Mpps	150 Mpps
Stacking bandwidth (data rate, full duplex)	40 Gbps (With optional 10 GbE ports)	40 Gbps (With optional 10 GbE ports)	64 Gbps	64 Gbps	64 Gbps	64 Gbps	64 Gbps
10/100/1000 Mbps RJ-45 ports	24	48	24	48	N/A	24	48
100/1000 Mbps SFP ports	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	20	N/A	N/A
1000 Mbps combo ports	4 (optional)	4 (optional)	4	4	4	4	4
10 Gigabit Ethernet ports	4 SFP+ (optional)	4 SFP+ (optional)	2 XFP (optional)	2 XFP (optional)	2 XFP (optional)	2 XFP (optional)	2 XFP (optional)
16 Gbps CX4 stacking ports	N/A	N/A	2	2	2	2	2
Maximum PoE Class 3 ports	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	24	48
Maximum PoE+ ports	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	24 (2 power supplies)	26 (2 power supplies)
Internal power supplies	2 x 210 W removable (second optional)	2 x 210 W removable (second optional)	2 x 210 W removable (second optional)	2 x 210 W removable (second optional)	2 x 210 W removable (second optional)	2 x 620 W removable (second optional)	2 x 620 W removable (second optional)
Optional FRUs
1000 Mbps combo module	FCX-4G	FCX-4G	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
10 Gigabit Ethernet module	FCX-4XG	FCX-4XG	FCX-2XG	FCX-2XG	FCX-2XG	FCX-2XG	FCX-2XG
Second power supply	RPS13/RPS13-I	RPS13/RPS13-I	RPS13	RPS13	RPS13	RPS14	RPS14
Replacement fan unit	FCX-FAN-E/ FCX-FAN-I	FCX-FAN-E/ FCX-FAN-I	FCX-S-FAN	FCX-S-FAN	FCX-S-FAN	FCX-S-POE-FAN	FCX-S-POE-FAN
Advanced Layer 3 software upgrade adds BGP	FCX-ADV-LIC-SW	FCX-ADV-LIC-SW	FCX-ADV-LIC-SW	FCX-ADV-LIC-SW	FCX-ADV-LIC-SW	FCX-ADV-LIC-SW	FCX-ADV-LIC-SW
Power and Thermal Specifications
Max Current at 100 VAC (Amps)	0.9	1.2	1.09	1.39	1.00	1.09	1.72
Max Current at 200 VAC (Amps)	0.6	0.7	0.51	0.63	0.58	0.58	0.94
Max Total Power Draw3 (Watts)	92	112	94	122	102	509	970
Max System Power Draw4 (Watts)	92	112	94	122	102.1	107	167
Max Thermal Output (BTU/Hr)	312.8	421.6	319	416	348	365	570
Energy Efficiency2 (Watts/Gbps)2	1.4	1.3	1.23	1.22	1.34	1.41	1.67

System Architecture
Connector options	10/100/1000 ports: RJ-45 (fixed) 1 Gbps SFP combo ports: SX, LX, LHA, LHB, 1000Base-BX 10 Gbps XFP ports: 1310-MM, SR, LR, ER, ZR, ZRD 10 Gbps SFP+ ports: Direct-Attached Copper (Twinax), SR, LR Stacking ports: fixed CX4 (fixed) Out-of-band Ethernet management: 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ-45 (fixed) Console management: DB9
Maximum MAC addresses	32,000
Maximum VLANs	4096
Maximum STP (spanning trees)	255
Maximum routes (in hardware)	16,000
Trunking	Maximum ports per trunk: 8 Maximum trunk groups: 128
Maximum jumbo frame size	9000 bytes
Mechanical
Enclosure	Brocade FCX 624 and 648: Front to back airflow (reversible) Brocade FCX 624S, 624S-F, 648S, 624S-HPOE, and 648S-HPOE: Side-to-back airflow. 1U, 19-inch EIA-compliant, power
Size	Brocade FCX 624 and 648 models: Width: 44.0 cm (17.3 in.) Height: 4.4 cm (1.7 in.) Depth: 43.5 cm (17.2 in.) Brocade FCX 624S, 624S-F, and 648S models: Width: 44.0 cm (17.3 in.) Height: 4.4 cm (1.7 in.) Depth: 38.6 cm (15.2 in.) Brocade FCX 624S-HPOE and 648S-HPOE models: Width: 44.0 cm (17.3 in.) Height: 4.4 cm (1.7 in.) Depth: 44.0 cm (17.3 in.)
System weight	Brocade FCX 624: 5.35 kg (11.79 lb) Brocade FCX 648: 5.71 kg (12.59 lb) Brocade FCX 624S, 624S-F, and 648S models: 4.0 kg (8.8 lb) Brocade FCX 624S-HPOE and 648S-HPOE models: 4.5 kg (9.9 lb)
Environmental
Temperature	Operating temperature: 32°F to 104°F (0°C to 40°C) Storage temperature: -23°F to 158°F (-25°C to 70°C)
Humidity	Relative humidity: 5% to 95%, non-condensing
Altitude	Storage altitude: 10,000 ft (3000 m) maximum
Acoustic	51 to 63 dB
Power
Power supply	Up to two internal, redundant, field-replaceable, load-sharing AC power supplies
Power inlet	C13
Input voltage	Typ. 100-240 VAC
Input line frequency	50 to 60 Hz
Compliance / Certification
Electromagnetic emissions	FCC Class A (Part 15); EN 55022/CISPR-22 Class A; VCCI Class A ICES-003 Electromagnetic Emission; AS/NZS 55022; EN 61000-3-2 Power Line Harmonics; EN 61000-3-3 Voltage Fluctuation and Flicker; EN 61000-6-3 Emission Standard (Supersedes: EN 50081-1)
Safety	CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 60950-1-3; UL 60950-1; IEC 60950-1; EN 60950-1 Safety of Information Technology Equipment; EN 60825-1 Safety of Laser Products–Part 1: Equipment Classification, Requirements and User's Guide; EN 60825-2 Safety of Laser Products–Part 2: Safety of Optical Fibre Communication Systems
Immunity	EN 61000-6-1 Generic Immunity and Susceptibility; this supersedes EN 50082-1; EN 55024 Immunity Characteristics. This supersedes: EN 61000-4-2 ESD; EN 61000-4-3 Radiated, radio frequency, electromagnetic field; EN 61000-4-4 Electrical fast transient; EN 61000-4-5 Surge; EN 61000-4-6 Conducted disturbances induced by radio-frequency fields ; EN 61000-4-8 Power frequency magnetic field; EN 61000-4-11 Voltage dips and sags
Environmental regulatory compliance	RoHS Compliant (6 of 6); WEEE compliant

1 - With 4-port 10 GbE module installed and one power supply.
2 - Calculated using switch data rate.
3 - Total power drawn from the source and consumed by the switch and attached PoE devices. Class 3 devices assumed on all ports.
4 - Power drawn from the source and consumed only by the switch.
5 - Thermal output of the switch.
6 - With two power supplies installed.

Switch Features:

HyperEdge Technology:

Brocade HyperEdge technology helps IT organizations automate network lifecycle management and share services across premium and entry-level switches, enabling them to reduce complexity and costs while protecting their investments. HyperEdge technology is planned to be available for purchase as a software license for the Brocade FCX Series and the Brocade ICX product family.

Highlights of HyperEdge technology include:

• Single-point network lifecycle management for the entire campus edge:
  IT organizations can manage multiple stacks of switches as a whole, from a single IP address. They can automatically push policies, firmware upgrades, and configuration changes across the entire campus once, from a single point of management. Automating these processes helps reduce management time and costs while helping to eliminate human error in compliance enforcement. It also enables real-time scaling, since switches can be added to the campus without manual configuration.
  
  
• Shared services across heterogeneous stacks:
  Intelligent stacking allows mixing and matching of different classes of switches within a single stack, propagating the advanced features and services of premium switches to all of the switches in the stack. This helps save significant IT budget dollars by allowing IT organizations to purchase only what they need today and add intelligent services as the business evolves. It also assures unmatched investment protection since Brocade switch stacks last longer, and premium switches can be added to upgrade stack features across all stack ports.

Frequently Asked Questions:

The Brocade FCX Series of switches provides new levels of performance, scalability, and flexibility required for today's enterprise networks, where wire-speed performance and cost reduction are both high priorities. With advanced capabilities, these switches deliver performance and intelligence to the network edge in a flexible 1U form factor that helps reduce infrastructure and administrative costs.

Designed for wire-speed and non-blocking performance, the Brocade FCX Series includes 24- and 48-port models, in both Power over Ethernet (PoE) and non-PoE versions. Utilizing Brocade IronStack technology, organizations can stack up to eight switches vertically or horizontally into a single logical switch with up to 384 ports, simplifying management in the network access layer. PoE models support the emerging Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE+) standard to deliver up to 30 watts of power to edge devices, enabling next-generation enterprise applications.

The Brocade FCX 624 and Brocade FCX 648 are purpose-built for the data center and feature four optional ports of 10 GbE capabilities and reversible front-to-back airflow.

Which Brocade FCX Series models are primarily focused on data center or campus environments?

Brocade FCX Series switches that focus primarily on the campus environment (Brocade FCX-S models) include:

• Brocade FCX 624S
• Brocade FCX 648S
• Brocade FCX 624S-HPOE
• Brocade FCX 648S-HPOE
• Brocade FCX 624S-F

Brocade FCX Series switches that focus on the data center environment include:

• Brocade FCX 624
• Brocade FCX 648

What environment is the Brocade FCX Series primarily designed for?

The Brocade FCX-S models are primarily designed for the access layer of an enterprise campus Ethernet network. Campus access switches are often deployed in wiring closets, providing Ethernet connectivity to offices, workstations, and devices within close proximity. Switches in wiring closets are connected to a centralized aggregation or core switch, creating the campus network. The Brocade FCX 24S-F provides 24 Small FormFactor Pluggable (SFP) ports, making it very well suited for deploying fiber to the desktop and for distance extension.

The Brocade FCX 624 and Brocade FCX 648 are primarily designed for enterprise data center environments that require a high-performance Gigabit Ethernet switch at the access layer to minimize management overhead.

What are the main differences between the Brocade FCX 624, Brocade FCX 648, and Brocade FCX-S models?

The Brocade FCX 624 and Brocade FCX 648 models are designed from the ground up for data center environments, whereas the Brocade FCX-S models are primarily designed for the access layer of an enterprise campus. As a result, the main differences between the Brocade FCX 624, Brocade FCX 648, and the Brocade FCX-S models are:

• The Brocade FCX-S offers dedicated 16 GbE stacking ports; the Brocade FCX 624 and Brocade FCX 648 rely solely on 10 GbE ports for stacking.
• The Brocade FCX-S offers two optional 10 GbE XFP ports; the Brocade FCX 624 and Brocade FCX 648 offer four optional 10 GbE SFP+ ports.
• The Brocade FCX-S has four built-in SFP combo ports; the Brocade FCX 624 and Brocade FCX 648 have four optional SFP combo ports.
• The Brocade FCX-S has side-to-back airflow; the Brocade FCX 624 and Brocade FCX 648 have reversible front-to-back airflow.
• The Brocade FCX-S has a removable fan assembly with a single blower; the Brocade FCX 624 and Brocade FCX 648 have a removable fan assembly with four blowers.
• The Brocade FCX-S offers 24- and 48-port models with PoE+ options; the Brocade FCX 624 and Brocade FCX 648 do not have PoE options.

Does the Brocade FCX Series have Layer 3 capabilities?

All Brocade FCX models have full IPv4 and IPv6 Layer 3 capabilities, including static routes—routing between directly connected subnets—RIPv1/v2 announce, VRRP, DHCP Relay, OSPFv2, and RIPv1/v2. They also include multicast routing protocols such as PIM and rich Layer 3 features such as Policy-Based Routing (PBR), VRRP, and VRRP-E. Advanced models (-ADV) include BGP capabilities, GRE, and IPv6 over IPv4 tunnels.

Can Brocade FCX switches be upgraded to support features added by the –ADV models in the field?

Yes. Brocade FCX switches running Brocade IronWare version 7.1 and above support key-based software upgrade activation. Customers can purchase an "ADV" software upgrade license to upgrade any Brocade FCX Series switch to full Layer 3 capabilities. The "ADV" software license adds BGP routing, GRE, and IPv6 over IPv4 tunnels capability.

What are the primary feature advantages of the Brocade FCX Series compared to the Brocade FastIron LS and FastIron GS switches?

The Brocade FCX Series offers many features not found in the FastIron® LS or FastIron GS switches, including:

• Dedicated stacking ports: FastIron LS and FastIron GS switches use the 10 GbE ports for stacking. The 10 GbE ports on the Brocade FCX Series are freed up for connectivity to the aggregation or core layers.
• Higher-performance stacking: The Brocade FCX Series has dedicated 16 GbE stacking ports, while FastIron LS and FastIron GS switches use 10 GbE ports for stacking.
• Dual, hot-swappable, redundant power supplies in a 1U form factor: The FastIron GS switch has dual power supplies, but in a 1.5U form factor.
• PoE+ capabilities: The FastIron GS switch only delivers up to Class 3 PoE power.
• Out-of-band management port: FastIron LS and FastIron GS switches are managed in-band.
• Greater buffering capabilities: The Brocade FCX Series has more than double the buffering capabilities of FastIron LS and FastIron GS switches.
• Full Layer 3 capabilities: The Brocade FCX Series has more Layer 3 features than FastIron LS or FastIron GS switches, including multicast routing.
• 24 fiber port model: The Brocade FCX Series includes the Brocade FCX 24S-F, which provides 24 SFP ports for deploying fiber to the desktop and for distance extension.
• Supports more scalable environments:
  • 16,000 routes versus 1000 with the FastIron GS switch
  • 32,000 MAC address table size versus 16,000 with FastIron LS and FastIron GS switches
  • 4000 ACLs versus 1000 with FastIron LS and FastIron GS switches

How can Brocade FCX Series switches be expanded when 24 or 48 ports are not enough?

All Brocade FCX Series switches support stacking to facilitate port expansion while minimizing management overhead. Up to eight switches can be included in a stack, scaling the logical switch up to 384 ports.

Brocade FCX-S models include two dedicated 16 GbE stacking ports. These stacking ports provide a 64 Gbps bus between Brocade FCX switches. In addition, all Brocade FCX switches can be stacked using their optional 10 GbE XFP or SFP+ ports.

Do the switches need to be physically stacked in order to grow the logical switch?

No. When using the 16 GbE stacking ports, the switches can be either situated on top of each other in a rack in a "daisy-chained ring" configuration, or stacked horizontally in a "braided ring" configuration in which alternating switches are connected to each other. IronStack technology also supports using the optional 10 GbE XFP or SFP+ fiber optic ports for stacking, allowing the switches participating in the stack to be situated farther apart from each other.

Can PoE and non-PoE Brocade FCX switches be mixed in a stack?

Yes. Brocade IronStack technology provides the flexibility to mix-and-match PoE and nonPoE Brocade FCX switches in a single stack.

Can fiber and copper versions of Brocade FCX switches be mixed in a stack?

Yes. IronStack technology provides the flexibility to mix and match the Brocade FCX 24S-F with other members of the Brocade FCX Series. This provides a convenient way to add fiber ports to a Brocade FCX stack for distance extension and for deploying fiber to the desktop.

Can Brocade FCX-S and Brocade FCX models be mixed in a stack?

Yes. Brocade FCX models with and without dedicated stacking ports can be stacked together. To stack Brocade FCX-S and Brocade FCX models together, the 10 GbE ports must be used on all switches.

Can Brocade FCX Series switches be stacked with Brocade ICX 6430, 6450, and 6610 Switches?

Brocade FCX Series and Brocade ICX 6430, 6450, and 6610 Switches are all built to deliver Brocade HyperEdge™ technology, which is planned to be available for purchase as a software option in the first half of 2013. HyperEdge technology features—including single-IP network lifecycle management and mixed stacking—will be rolled out in a timephased approach on the various HyperEdge-ready platforms. Closer to the date of availability, Brocade will provide more details on the exact mixed stack combinations that will be supported in the first release.

Will Brocade FCX Series switches support HyperEdge single-IP network lifecycle management?

Brocade FCX Series and Brocade ICX 6430, 6450, and 6610 Switches are all built to deliver Brocade HyperEdge technology, which is planned to be available for purchase as a software option in the first half of 2013. HyperEdge technology features—including single-IP network lifecycle management and mixed stacking—will be rolled out in a timephased approach on the various HyperEdge-ready platforms. Closer to the date of availability, Brocade will provide more details on the exact feature and platform combinations that will be supported in the first release.

What is Brocade HyperEdge technology?

Brocade HyperEdge technology for campus LANs helps IT organizations automate network lifecycle management and share services across premium and entry-level switches, enabling them to reduce complexity and costs while protecting their investments. HyperEdge technology allows IT organizations to automatically push policies, firmware upgrades, and configuration changes across the entire campus once, from a single point of management. In addition, it allows mixing and matching of different classes of switches within a single stack, propagating features and enabling all switches in the stack to benefit from the capabilities of premium switches.

HyperEdge technology is planned to be available for purchase (as a software license for the Brocade FCX Series and the Brocade ICX product family) in the first half of 2013.

The Brocade FCX 624 and Brocade FCX 648 models do not have stack member lights on the front of them. How can the stack member number be identified?

Command Line Interface (CLI) commands can be used to manage and identify stack members. The CLI shows the stack neighbors, stack numbers-to-location, and stack number-to-MAC association.

The Brocade FCX campus models do have stack member lights.

How much power can Brocade FCX switches deliver per port?

The Brocade FCX Series supports Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE+) and can deliver up to 30 watts of power per port.

Is PoE+ standards-based?

Yes. PoE+ is being driven by the IEEE 802.11at standard, which is currently at draft 3.3. The Brocade FCX Series is draft 3.3-compliant and will be upgradable to support the final 802.11at specification.

Is PoE+ backwards compatible with PoE?

Yes. 801.11at PoE+ is fully backwards-compatible with 802.11af PoE. Leveraging LLDPMED, the Brocade FCX Series auto-negotiates 802.11af Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 power.

How many PoE and PoE+ ports can the Brocade FCX Series deliver?

The Brocade FCX Series can deliver all 48 ports with full Class 3 power. The following chart shows how many ports can be driven with power, based on the number of power supplies that are installed:

Brocade FCX Model	PoE Class 3 Ports (15.4 watts)	PoE+ Ports (30 watts)
24-port model, single power supply	up to 24	up to 13
24-port model, dual power supply	up to 24	up to 24
48-port model, single power supply	up to 26	up to 13
48-port model, dual power supply	up to 48	up to 26

PoE and PoE+ ports can be mixed, while staying within the switches' PoE power budget of 820 W with two power supplies, and 410 W with one power supply.

What is the Brocade FCX PoE power budget?

The Brocade FCX Series supports two internal power supplies. Each power supply delivers 410 W of PoE power for a total of 820 W of PoE power. This translates into 26 ports of PoE+ (30 W) or 48 ports of PoE (15.4 W) (max. port numbers).

PoE and PoE+ ports coexist on the switch, but the total power allocation should be within the budget mentioned above.

Can the Brocade FCX Series be field-upgraded to support PoE?

No. Non-PoE Brocade FCX models cannot be upgraded to support PoE. The PoE design of the Brocade FCX requires different power supplies and a different chassis.

Can the Brocade FCX Series configure PoE power via a Cisco CDP packet?

Yes. The Brocade FCX Series has the capability to configure the individual port power based on the content of a CDP packet sent from a Cisco phone. This is a useful feature to control power on a more granular basis than the class definitions allow.

Does the Brocade FCX Series offer AC and DC power?

At this time, the Brocade FCX switches have only AC-capable power supplies. The two internal AC power supplies are load sharing, redundant, and hot-swappable.

Brocade FCX Series switches have a single removable fan unit. Can the fan unit be replaced while the unit is running?

Yes. The fan unit can be hot-swapped while the unit is running. It is recommended that the fan be replaced soon after it is removed.

How is the Brocade FCX Series managed?

The Brocade FCX Series supports a wide range of management standards and has an industry-standard CLI and a Web-based interface. It can be managed, along with the rest of the Brocade Ethernet network, by Brocade IronView® Network Manager (INM) version 3.3 or later as well as the newer Brocade Network Advisor management software. The Brocade FCX Series offers a dedicated out-of-band 10/100/1000 Mbps management port so edge ports are not consumed by management traffic.

Both 10 GbE ports and 1000 Mbps combo ports are optional on the Brocade FCX 624 and Brocade FCX 648 models. How are these options added?

The Brocade FCX 624 and Brocade FCX 648 models have one slot on the port side of the switch that accepts an optional module. There are two modules available at this time. One offers four 10 GbE SFP+ ports, and the other offers four 1000 Mbps SFP combo ports. If Gigabit Ethernet uplinks are required today, the combo port module can be used, and then it can be swapped out with the 10 GbE module in the future when 10 GbE uplinks are required.

Do the optional 10 GbE ports also support 1 GbE connections?

No. The 10 GbE ports support only 10 Gbps speeds and not 1 Gbps. For 1 GbE uplink connections, organizations need to install the 1000 Mbps combo module.

How can stacking be utilized in a data center environment?

Stacking of Ethernet switches is most commonly found in wiring closets of enterprise campus networks. Stacking functionality enables small form-factor switches to be linked using short copper cables. The stack of switches then appears and behaves as a single logical switch, simplifying management. When a new switch joins the stack, it automatically inherits the configuration of the stack without manual setup.

Stacking switches at the edge of data center networks provides the same value as it does in campus networks. The main difference is that the switches are not physically stacked on top of each other. Instead, longer cables logically unify the switches at the top of each server rack. For example, a row of top-of-rack switches can appear as a single logical switch, significantly reducing management overhead of the data center access layer.

What does "hitless failover" mean?

Hitless stacking failover is a critical high-availability feature provided by Brocade stacking technology. Hitless failover enables the standby stack controller to instantaneously take over in the event of a failure of the master stack controller, without any interruption of traffic forwarding.

In addition, if a stack controller (one of the switches in the stack) fails, it can be replaced while the stack is operating—without interrupting traffic forwarding—through hot insertion and removal of stacked units. This is another high-availability feature of Brocade stacking technology.

What cabling options are available for stacking switches across racks of servers?

When stacking ports are used (Brocade FCX-S models only), standard CX4 cables are used (one 0.5 meter CX4 cable is included with Brocade FCX-S models).

When 10 GbE ports are used for stacking, the SFP+ port type (Brocade FCX 624/Brocade FCX 648 models only) allows for both copper and fiber optic cables to be used. Copper Twinax cables can be used to connect switches together at up to 5 meters, while optical transceivers and fiber optic cables can be used to connect switches up to 300 meters apart.

Does the Brocade FCX Series have the option for a redundant power supply?

Yes. All Brocade FCX models allow for an optional second redundant power supply to be installed internally. These power supplies are hot-swappable and load balancing.

How is the cooling airflow in the Brocade FCX Series directed?

Airflow in all the Brocade FCX-S models goes from side to rear and is not reversible. Airflow in the Brocade FCX 624 and Brocade FCX 628 switches flows front to back, and the airflow is reversible. Airflow can be specified at the time of order and can be reversed in the field by swapping the power supplies and fan assembly. Brocade FCX 624-E and Brocade FCX 648-E have front-to-back airflow (port side to power supply side). Brocade FCX 624-I and Brocade FCX 648-I have back-to-front airflow (power supply side to port side).

Is a lifetime warranty offered for Brocade FCX Series switches?

Yes. Brocade FCX Series switches are covered by the Brocade Assurance Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Documentation:

Download the Brocade FCX Series Switch Datasheet (PDF).