Cabletron Systems 9E312, 9E423 Introduction

1-1

Chapter 1

Introduction

How to use this guide; related guides; software conventions; getting help; 9E312 and 9E423 ﬁrmware

versions

Welcome to the Cabletron Systems

MMAC-Plus Remote Management for the

9E312™ Ethernet Switch Module and 9E423 ™ Series Ethernet SmartSwitch

Modules User’s Guide

. We have designed this guide to serve as a simple reference

for using SPECTRUM Element Manager for the 9E312-12 Ethernet Switch

Module, and the 9E423-24 and 9E423-36 Ethernet SmartSwitch Modules for the

MMAC-Plus. These modules provide Ethernet connectivity to the Internal

Network Bus (INB) backplane via high-speed packet switching.

In basic terms, a packet-switching device provides forwarding logic for packets

incoming or outgoing on two or more network interfaces on the device. The

forwarding logic on Cabletron’s MMAC-Plus architecture devices is based on

three separate modes:

• Traditional 802.1d bridging based on physical layer address information.

• Traditional IP Routing based on logical layer address information.

• SecureFast™ Switching, which is high-performance switching based on source

and destination MAC (physical) layer addresses. Packets received from a

source address on a module’s protocol-dependent front panel network are

converted into ﬁxed-length, protocol-independent packets for transmission

across a backplane, and then are re-converted at the destination device into the

appropriate physical frame format for reception by the destination address.

Future ﬁrmware and management software enhancements will allow an

administratively deﬁned connection-policy between end stations connected to

SecureFast Switching devices.

The INB is the Cabletron-proprietary network bus for protocol-independent,

high-speed packet or cell switching between connectivity modules that support

front-panel Ethernet, FDDI, Token Ring, or ATM networks. The connectivity

modules incorporate Cabletron’s SecureFast Switch (SFS) technology to provide

high-performance packet switching based on source and destination MAC

addresses, rather than on internet protocol (IP) addresses. By basing packet

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