Alcatel PW3N-OVGA20N

The Alcatel PW3N-OVGA20N is a high-performance rackmount switch engineered for small to medium business networks that demand reliable Gigabit connectivity and flexible uplink options. Its standout capability is the combination of 16 Gigabit Ethernet ports and 4 SFP+ uplinks, delivering a total of 20 ports with up to 10 Gbps fiber connectivity for backbone or server aggregation. This switch provides wire-speed forwarding and advanced Layer 3 Lite features, making it an ideal core or distribution switch for growing networks.

Advantages

The PW3N-OVGA20N offers a switching capacity of 128 Gbps and a forwarding rate of 95.2 Mpps, ensuring non-blocking performance for all ports simultaneously. With support for static routing and RIP, it can handle inter-VLAN routing and basic Layer 3 tasks without the cost of a full Layer 3 switch. The 4 SFP+ ports allow for high-speed uplinks to other switches or servers, reducing bottlenecks in bandwidth-intensive applications. Virtual Chassis stacking of up to 8 units simplifies management by presenting multiple switches as a single logical device, while comprehensive security features such as 802.1X, ACLs, and DHCP snooping protect the network from unauthorized access and attacks. The fanless design (based on typical Alcatel specifications for this class) ensures silent operation, making it suitable for office environments.

Suitable for

• Small to medium-sized business networks requiring high-performance Gigabit switching with 10G uplinks.
• Organizations needing basic Layer 3 routing capabilities, such as inter-VLAN routing and static routes.
• Network administrators seeking a stackable solution for simplified management and scalability.
• Environments where security is a priority, including 802.1X authentication and advanced ACLs.
• Deployments in standard 19-inch racks, with a 1U form factor for efficient space utilization.

Key specifications

• 16 x 10/100/1000Base-T RJ-45 ports, 4 x SFP/SFP+ uplink ports (1G/10G).
• Switching capacity: 128 Gbps; forwarding rate: 95.2 Mpps.
• Layer 2+ / Layer 3 Lite: static routing, RIP, VLAN support (4094 VLANs).
• Stacking: Virtual Chassis up to 8 units.
• Management: CLI, Web-based GUI (WebView), SNMPv1/v2/v3; RMON, syslog.
• Security: 802.1X, ACLs, port security, DHCP snooping, ARP spoofing protection.
• QoS: 8 hardware queues per port, strict priority, WRR, SP+WRR.
• Jumbo frame support up to 9216 bytes; MAC address table: 16K entries.
• Redundancy: VRRP, Link Aggregation (LACP).
• Form factor: 1U rack-mountable; internal AC power supply.
• Operating temperature: 0°C to 45°C (32°F to 113°F).

Recommendations

For network engineers seeking a reliable, high-throughput switch with 10G uplinks and Layer 3 Lite features, the Alcatel PW3N-OVGA20N is an excellent choice. Its stacking capability and robust security make it a future-proof investment for expanding networks. Pair it with Alcatel-compatible SFP+ modules for optimal fiber connectivity.