Smartports Print  

To display the Smartports window, either

  • Click Smartports on the toolbar.
  • Choose Configuration > Smartports.

The Smartports window provides options to automatically enable Cisco-recommended configurations for the switch and for desktop connections from the switch ports. By using these Smartports options, some advanced features will be configured accurately, consistently, and quickly on your switch and switch ports:

To save any changes that you make on this window, click Submit. To discard any unsaved changes, click Cancel.

For complete information about the Smartports feature, refer to the switch software configuration guide.

Recommended System Setup

The recommended system setup enables a set of advanced system settings that can improve the performance of the switch.

Check Enable to enable the recommended system setup, and click Submit. To disable this feature, uncheck Enable, and click Submit.

Advanced System Settings

The advanced system settings enabled through Smartports are

  • Rapid Per-VLAN spanning-tree plus (PVST+) for load-balancing across VLANs and providing rapid convergence of spanning-tree instances
  • Loop guard for preventing alternate or root ports from becoming designated ports
  • Dynamic port error recovery for link state failures
  • VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP) transparent mode for reducing network traffic by restricting flooded traffic to links destined for stations receiving the traffic
  • Class of service (CoS)-to-Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) mappings for high-performance quality of service
  • UniDirectional Link Detection (UDLD) aggressive mode for detecting and disabling unidirectional links on fiber-optic interfaces

For information about these features, refer to the switch configuration guide.

Recommended Port Setup

The recommended desktop port setup enables a set of advanced desktop connection settings that can increase network security and reliability when a desktop device, such as a PC, is connected to a switch port.

Move the pointer over a port to display its port number and VLAN ID (VLAN membership).

Enabling and Disabling the Desktop Port Setup on A Single Port

Click a port until the desktop icon appears, and click Submit to enable the desktop port setup on the port. To disable this feature, click the port until the desktop icon disappears, and click Submit.

Enabling and Disabling the Desktop Port Setup on All Ports

Check Enable the desktop port setup for all ports, and click Submit to enable the desktop port setup for all switch ports. To disable this feature for all ports, uncheck Enable the desktop port setup for all ports, and click Submit.

For any port that should not be enabled with the desktop port setup, click the port until the desktop icon disappears, and click Submit.

Note: Do not enable the desktop port setup on ports that are connected to routers or to other switches.

Customizing the Port Setup on Ports

The ports listed in the Customize window are enabled with the desktop port setup. You can assign these ports to different VLANs (also referred to as VLAN memberships).

A VLAN is a way to restrict specific data broadcasts to specific logical workgroups. For example, information about employee salaries can be sent only to devices belonging to a VLAN created for payroll-related communications. Ports assigned to the same VLAN can share the same data broadcasts and system resources. Communication between VLANs require a Layer 3 device (such as a router or a Layer 3 switch).

Each VLAN has an ID. By default, all ports are assigned to VLAN 1. VLAN 1 is typically where unrestricted broadcast traffic appears. For complete information about VLANs, refer to the switch software configuration guide.

To change the VLAN membership of switch ports enabled for desktop connections, follow these steps:

Step 1

Click Customize Port Setup to display the Customize window.

Note: You can display the Customize window only if you have enabled the recommended desktop port setup on at least one port.

Step 2

From the Customize window, change the VLAN ID to which the port belongs. The VLAN ID can be from 1 to 1001 or from 1006 to 4094. The default is 1.

Note: You can use the VLAN ID numbers in the 1006 to 4094 range only if your switch is running the enhanced software image (EI) and if you have enabled the recommended system setup on the switch.

Step 3 Click Done.
Step 4

From the Smartports window, click Submit to save your change.

Advanced Desktop Connection Settings

The advanced switch-to-desktop connection settings enabled through Smartports are

  • Port security to limit the forwarding of packets by only two devices
  • Port-security aging to set the aging time for secure addresses on a port
  • Spanning-tree PortFast mode for eliminating the forwarding delay on a port
  • Spanning-tree bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) guard for shutting down Port Fast-enabled ports that receive BPDUs

For information about these features, refer to the switch configuration guide.