Cabletron Systems 7C04-R, 7C03 manual Introduction to Spma For the 7C0x SmartSwitch

Chapter 1

Introduction to SPMA

for the 7C0x SmartSwitch

How to use the 7C0x SmartSwitch User’s Guide; manual conventions; contacting Cabletron Technical Support; 7C0x SmartSwitch firmware versions supported by SPMA

Your SPMA for the 7C0x SmartSwitch management module provides management support for all three models in the 7C0x SmartSwitch family. The 7C03 MMAC SmartSwitch functions as a chassis within a chassis; residing in an MMAC-series hub, it occupies two module slots and provides three slots of its own — one for the 7X00 SmartSwitch Control Module, and two for its own family of Network Interface Modules, or NIMs. The 7C04 Workgroup SmartSwitch is a stand-alone chassis that offers four slots: one for the controller, and three for NIMs. The 7C04-R Workgroup SmartSwitch supplies all the features of the 7C04 along with the additional fault tolerance provided by a pair of redundant load-sharing power supplies and a removable fan tray. The 7C04-R can also accept the new double-wide NIM modules (in slots 3 and 4) for additional front panel connectivity.

The 7C03 MMAC SmartSwitch chassis provides no network connection to the MMAC

TIP backplane (from which it draws only power). If you wish to connect one or more networks from the MMAC chassis to the SmartSwitch chassis, you must do so via the front panel ports available on both the MMAC MIMs and the SmartSwitch NIMs.

At the heart of each 7C0x SmartSwitch hub is its 7X00 SmartSwitch Control Module, which supervises access to the switching backplane and performs all forwarding, filtering, and connection management functions; a variety of NIM modules provide connectivity for FDDI, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and ATM networks. NIM modules currently available include:

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