Cisco Systems ® is pleased to introduce the new Cisco ® Catalyst ® 2960 Series Intelligent Ethernet switches, a new line of fixed-configuration standalone devices that provide desktop Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity for entry-level enterprise, mid-market, and branch office networks, helping enable enhanced LAN services. The Catalyst 2960 Series offers integrated security, including network admission control (NAC), as well as advanced quality of service (QoS) and resiliency, delivering intelligent services for the network edge.
 The series also includes a number of hardware enhancements for network managers, including configurations featuring dual-purpose (alternatively wired) uplinks for Gigabit Ethernet, allowing the network manager to use either a copper or a fiber uplink. Also included is a 24-port Gigabit Ethernet family member, accelerating Gigabit to the Desktop (GTTD) across the network.
 Table 1 provides brief descriptions of the switches in the Catalyst 2960 Series.
 The Catalyst 2960 Series offers the following benefits:
 • Intelligent features at the network edge, such as sophisticated access control lists (ACL) and enhanced security.
 • Dual-purpose uplinks for Gigabit Ethernet uplink flexibility, allowing use of either a copper or a fiber uplink. Each dual-purpose uplink port has one 10/100/1000 Ethernet port and one SFP-based Gigabit Ethernet port, with one port active at a time.
 • Network control and bandwidth optimization through advanced QoS, granular rate-limiting, ACLs, and multicast services.
 • Network security through a wide range of authentication methods, data encryption technologies, and network admission control based on users, ports, and MAC addresses.
 • Easy network configuration, upgrades, and troubleshooting as part of the mid-market or branch solution using the embedded Device Manager and Cisco Network Assistant.
 • Auto-configuration for specialized applications using Cisco Smartports.