These Gigabit Ethernet switches deliver outstanding security, reliability, and multiservice support capabilities for robust switching at the edge or aggregation layer of large enterprise and campus networks, or in the core layer of SMB networks. The HP 5500 EI Switch Series is comprised of Layer 2/3 Gigabit Ethernet switches that can accommodate the most demanding applications and provide resilient and secure connectivity as well as the latest traffic prioritization technologies to enhance applications on convergent networks. With complete IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack support, the series provides a migration path from IPv4 to IPv6 and has hardware support for IPv6. Designed for increased flexibility, these switches are available with 24 or 48 Gigabit Ethernet ports. Power over Ethernet (PoE) and non-PoE models are available with optional GbE and 10GbE expansion capability. The all-fiber model with dual power supplies is ideal for applications that require the highest availability.

Quality of Service (QoS)
• Storm restraint: allows limitation of broadcast, multicast, and unknown unicast traffic rate to cut down on unwanted broadcast traffic on the network

Management
• Friendly port names: allows assignment of descriptive names to ports

Connectivity
• Auto-MDIX: automatically adjusts for straight-through or crossover cables on all 10/100/1000 ports

Performance
• Nonblocking architecture: up to 192 Gbps nonblocking switching fabric provides wire-speed switching with up to 143 million pps throughput

Resiliency and high availability
• Separate data and control paths: separates control from services and keeps service processing isolated; increases security and performance

Layer 2 switching
• 32K MAC addresses: provide access to many Layer 2 devices

Layer 3 services
• Address Resolution Protocol (ARP): determines the MAC address of another IP host in the same subnet