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    3296 Product - Datasheet
    Discover the full suite of visibility Solutions
    Overview
    The Niagara 3296 is a compact, modular passive bypass switch that ensures failsafe connectivity for inline security appliances, enabling continuous traffic flow during power loss, failures, or maintenance across copper and fiber links up to 400Gb
    Key Features

    High-density design with up to 8 passive bypass segments, modular support for copper and fiber links from 10 Mb to 400 Gb, USB-based heartbeat and power control, configurable fail-open/fail-close behavior, & a fanless, low-power 1U form factor

    Use Cases
    Ensure continuous traffic flow with programmable passive bypass protection for inline cybersecurity appliances during failures or maintenance
    FAQ
    Read the FAQ to discover common questions and learn more about the solution
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    3296 - Passive Bypass Solution

    Passive Bypass Made Simple for Maximum Uptime

    The Niagara Networks 3296 Bypass Switch is a multi-rate, modular passive bypass switch that supports up to 8 network links to ensure failsafe connectivity for inline security appliances. The system is designed with four modular bypass segments (up to 8 total segments) and features a customized USB Type interface for specialized management and API development purposes.
    Programmable Heartbeat-Based Bypass

     

    • Single USB Type-B connection provides both power and heartbeat control

    • Programmable heartbeat enables per-segment link-loss detection

    • Automatically switches segments to bypass when an appliance stops responding

    • Ensures continuous traffic flow during software crashes, hardware failures, or maintenance

    Fail-Safe Passive Operation

     

     

    • Passive design guarantees bypass during any power or appliance failure
    • Per-segment configuration for fail-open or fail-close modes
    • Maintains traffic continuity across inline deployments without manual intervention
    • Efficiently protects east-west and north-south flows when cybersecurity tools go offline
    Module-Based Multi-Rate Flexibility



     

    • Supports four modules, each with 1–2 bypass segments

    • Mix copper and fiber modules as needed

    • Covers 10 Mb to 400 Gb links (MM, SM, BiDi, SWDM4, ER, LR4, MPO)

    • Provides uniform passive bypass behavior across all module types

    Passive  BYPASS PROTECTION IN A COMPACT 1RU FORM FACTOR

    Passive protection for any rate

     

    High-Density Passive Bypass

    • Supports up to 8 full passive bypass segments

    • Four field-replaceable modules, each providing 1–2 segments

    • Each segment includes dedicated network and appliance port pairs

    Passive Bypass Behavior

    • Passive design ensures traffic continuity during power loss

    • Fail-open / fail-close configurable per segment

    • Automatic bypass triggered by programmable USB heartbeat timeout

    • Latching high-performance optical switch ensures fast failover

    Multi-Rate Connectivity

    • Supports link speeds from 10 Mb to 400 Gb

    • Copper: 1G, 10G Base-T

    • Fiber multimode: SX, SR, BiDi, SWDM4, SR4 (MPO)

    • Fiber single-mode: LX, LR, ER, LR4

    • Mix-and-match copper and fiber modules in the same chassis

    Unified USB Power & Control

    • USB Type-B provides chassis power

      (no external PSU needed)

    • USB also provides programmable heartbeat control

    • USB API enables external control & segment configuration

    • Single USB cable controls power + heartbeat + failover logic

    Low Power, Fanless Industrial Design

    • 2.5 W max power consumption

    • Fanless for silent, reliable operation

    • Compact 1U rackmount chassis

    • Designed for long-term high-availability deployments

     

    MADE in the USA

    Niagara Networks is among the few companies designing and manufacturing network visibility solutions in the USA, ensuring quality, reliability & security compliance Learn more

    3296 Passive Bypass Switch Use cases

    Use Cases

    Niagara Networks' carrier-grade bypass solution  ensures inline security tool efficiency. It makes sure that data packets are not lost, and all the essential data traffic continues to travel smoothly over the network, even when inline security devices need to be replaced, rebooted, or removed due to failure or for maintenance.
    Learn more (opens in a new tab)
    Discover how true redundancy in the visibility layer transforms security from reactive to uninterrupted. In this short video, Niagara Networks showcases a bypass architecture that keeps traffic flowing even when inline tools go offline -  ensuring zero downtime, no dropped packets, and constant protection for mission-critical networks.
    Watch the Video (opens in a new tab)

    3296 – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

    The 3296 is a multi-rate, modular passive bypass switch that provides failsafe connectivity for inline cybersecurity appliances by ensuring traffic continues to flow during failures, reboots, or maintenance.

    No. The 3296 is a passive bypass switch only. It does not include TAP, packet broker, filtering, or packet processing functions.

    The chassis supports up to 8 passive bypass segments, delivered through four field-replaceable modules (1–2 segments per module).

    Because the 3296 is passive by design, traffic continues to flow even with no power. Each segment automatically enters bypass mode to maintain end-to-end connectivity.

    A heartbeat signal is sent from the connected inline appliance via the USB Type-B port.
    If the heartbeat stops and the timer expires, the affected segment immediately switches to bypass mode. Both heartbeat countdown and segment behavior are user-configurable.

    Yes. Each segment can be configured individually as fail-open or fail-close, allowing operators to define the exact behavior required for their network’s high-availability policies.

    The 3296 supports copper and fiber modules from 10 Mb to 400 Gb, including:

    • Copper: 1G / 10G Base-T

    • Multimode Fiber: SX, SR, BiDi, SWDM4, SR4 (MPO)

    • Single-Mode Fiber: LX, LR, ER, LR4

    Modules can be mixed and matched within the same chassis.

    No. The entire chassis, including all modules, operates via a single USB Type-B connection that provides both power & heartbeat/control signals.

    The 3296 delivers sub-50 ms failover across all supported copper and fiber modules, ensuring traffic continuity during appliance or power failure.

    Yes. Any combination of copper and fiber modules is supported, enabling diverse deployment scenarios in a single 1U chassis.

    • Fiber modules: Appliance ports (A1/A2) are electrically disconnected.

    • Copper modules: Appliance ports follow the network ports into bypass.

    The device consumes only 2.5 watts & is fanless, offering silent, reliable, low-maintenance operation.

    Yes. The 3296 includes a USB API. A library is provided to help you easily build control & configuration programs using the API.

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    Designed, Engineered & Manufactured in the USA

    From design to production, our solutions are built to the highest standards of quality, security, and performance, trusted by organizations worldwide and deployed in some of the world’s largest mission-critical networks.

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