Cabletron Systems 9E312, 9E423 9E312/9E423 Module Bridging

3-1

Chapter 3

9E312/9E423 Module Bridging

Bridge management overview; the Bridge Status window — viewing the window, ﬁeld deﬁnitions,

enabling and disabling bridging; the Bridge Performance Graphs — ﬁeld deﬁnitions, conﬁguring the

graphs, bridge detail breakdown, bridge port detail background; the Bridge Spanning Tree window —

ﬁelds deﬁned, changing bridge Spanning Tree parameters; the Filtering Database window — ﬁeld

deﬁnitions, conﬁguring the ﬁltering database; the Duplex Modes window — ﬁeld deﬁnitions, setting the

duplex mode; the port Source Addressing window

Bridging Basics

Your 9E312-12 and 9E423-XX Ethernet Switch modules have the ability to act as

802.1d Transparent Bridges to direct trafﬁc between the network segments

connected to their front panel and the interface to the INB backplane.

Bridges are used in local area networks to connect two or more network segments

and to control the ﬂow of packets between the segments. Ideally, bridges forward

packets to another network segment only when necessary.

Bridges are also used to increase the fault tolerance in a local area network by

creating redundant bridge paths between network segments. In the event of a

bridge or bridge segment failure, an alternate bridge path will be available to

network trafﬁc, without signiﬁcant interruption to its ﬂow.

The method a bridge uses to forward packets, choose a bridge path, and ensure

that a sending station’s messages take only one bridge path depends on the

bridge’s type: Transparent (generally used in Ethernet or FDDI environments) or

Source Routing (generally used in Token Ring environments).

Transparent bridging relies on a “Filtering Database” to make forwarding

decisions. The source addresses of data coming into each bridge interface are read

and stored in a Filtering Database that associates each address with the interface it

was detected on. When a packet is received by the bridge, it can then compare the

destination address of the packet to the addresses in the Filtering Database, and

determine which bridge interface to send the packet to.

Contents

Main i Notice Virus Disclaimer ii iii Restricted Rights Notice Page v Contents Chapter 2 The 9E312/9E423 Module View Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 3 9E312/9E423 Module Bridging Index 1-1 Introduction versions 1-2 Using the 9E312 and 9E423 Users Guide Using the 9E312 and 9E423 Users Guide Related Manuals 1-3 Related Manuals Software Conventions Common 9E312 and 9E423 Window Fields Software Conventions 1-5 Using Buttons and Menus 1-6 Getting Help Getting Help Using On-line Help Getting Help from Cabletron Systems Technical Support 9E312 and 9E423 Firmware 1-7 9E312 and 9E423 Firmware Page Chapter 2 The 9E312/9E423 Module View 2-2 Viewing Module Information Viewing Module Information Viewing Module Information 2-3 Front Panel Information 2-4 Viewing Module Information Menu Structure Viewing Module Information 2-5 2-6 Viewing Module Information Viewing Module Information 2-7 The 9E312/9E423 Module Port Status Display The Chassis Manager Window Managing the Module 2-9 Viewing the Device Type Managing the Module Setting the Device Date and Time 2-10 Managing the Module Using the Find Source Address Feature 2-11 Enabling and Disabling Bridge Ports Using the Find Source Address Feature ! 2-12 I/F Summary Information I/F Summary Information I/F Summary Information 2-13 Interface Description Fields 2-14 I/F Summary Information Interface Performance Statistics/Bar Graphs I/F Summary Information 2-15 Interface Detail Window The 9E312/9E423 Module View 2-16 I/F Summary Information I/F Summary Information 2-17 2-18 I/F Summary Information Testing and Disabling the Current Interface I/F Summary Information 2-19 Using the Applications Pull-down menu Page Chapter 3 9E312/9E423 Module Bridging Bridging Basics 3-2 An Overview of Remote Bridge Management More on Transparent Bridging An Overview of Remote Bridge Management The Bridge Status Window 3-3 The Bridge Status Window 3-4 The Bridge Status Window Bridge Status Window Information Fields The Bridge Status Window 3-5 Accessing Other Management Options from the Bridge Status Window 3-6 Enabling and Disabling Bridging Enabling and Disabling Bridging Bridge Statistics Bridge Statistics 3-7 9E312/9E423 Module Bridging Performance Graphs 3-8 Bridge Statistics Bridge Statistics 3-9 The Interface Statistics Window 3-10 Bridge Statistics Bridge Spanning Tree 3-11 Bridge Spanning Tree 3-12 Bridge Spanning Tree Bridge Spanning Tree 3-13 Conguring the Bridge Spanning Tree Window Bridge Level Fields 3-14 Bridge Spanning Tree Bridge Spanning Tree 3-15 Bridge Port Level Fields 3-16 Bridge Spanning Tree Bridge Spanning Tree 3-17 Changing Bridge Spanning Tree Parameters ! 3-18 Bridge Spanning Tree Filtering Database 3-19 Filtering Database 3-20 Filtering Database Filtering Database 3-21 3-22 Filtering Database Filtering Database Window Fields Filtering Database 3-23 Conguring the Filtering Database 3-24 Filtering Database Filtering Database 3-25 3-26 Filtering Database Using Port Source Addressing Filtering Database 3-27 3-28 Duplex Modes Duplex Modes The Duplex Modes Window Duplex Modes 3-29 3-30 Duplex Modes Index-1 Index A B C D L M N P R