Accton Technology 12mi SNMP Data Switching with the SmartExtender Modules, Switching Technology

Fast EtherHub 3500 System User’s Guide

Data Switching with the SmartExtender Modules

Switching Technology

The SmartExtender Modules that plug into the expansion slot on the front panel of the Fast Ethernet 3500 series use advanced switching techniques to provide a high-speed network backbone. Each extender module acts as a two-port Ethernet switch which effectively partitions the stack from the backbone.

The module scans the destination address from the packet header, searches the routing table provided for the incoming port and forwards the packet only if required, often before fully received. A learning function stores the address and corre- sponding segment identifier of each incoming and outgoing packet in a routing table. This information is subsequently used to filter packets whose destination address is on the same segment as the source address. This confines network traffic to its respective domain, reducing the overall load on the network.

Configuration Options for the SmartExtender Modules

Only the 100BASE-TX and 100BASE-FX media support full-duplex operation.

The SmartExtender Modules can be connected to either a subnetwork, or directly to a server or key workstation. In addition to partitioning an overloaded network, they provide a connection between legacy 10BASE-T networks and the newer generation 100BASE-TX, and can be configured to operate in either full-duplex or half-duplex data transfer mode to support the interconnection requirements of other high-speed devices.

These modules perform adaptive cut-through switching, which is capable of instantly forwarding or filtering a packet according to the destination address scanned from the packet header. This technique transmits packets with near-zero latency.

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