The Cisco Catalyst 3560 Series is equipped with a robust set of features that allow for network scalability and higher availability through IP routing as well as a complete suite of Spanning Tree Protocol enhancements aimed to maximize availability in a Layer 2 network. The Cisco Catalyst 3560 switches deliver high-performance, hardware-based IP routing. The Cisco Express Forwarding-based routing architecture allows for increased scalability and performance. This architecture allows for very high-speed lookups while also helping ensure the stability and scalability necessary to meet the needs of future requirements. In addition to dynamic IP unicast routing, the Cisco Catalyst 3560 Series is perfectly equipped for networks requiring multicast support. Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) and Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) snooping in hardware make the Cisco Catalyst 3560 Series switches ideal for intensive multicast environments.
