Introduction
switching on physical layer information, the INB allows your network infrastructure to be protocol independent. The INB backplane consists of two channels (INB-1 and INB-2), each featuring a 64-byte wide data path capable of a sustained data transfer rate of 2 Gigabytes/second (4 Gigabytes/second for the combined channels). Currently, the connectivity modules will connect to one or the other channel.
The 9E312-12 Ethernet Switch Module is Cabletron’s first generation Ethernet INB module, and it is currently being field-upgraded to the 9E423. The device should be considered a prototype device for the INB, and management support for it should also be considered preliminary. The 9E312 supports thirteen network interfaces; one interface (Interface 1) to direct traffic over onto INB-1 of the MMAC-Plus Internal Network Bus (INB); and twelve RJ-45 10Base-T connectorsß.
The 9E423-24 Ethernet SmartSwitch™ Module is the second generation Ethernet INB module. It incorporates fast ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) technology that boosts the forwarding rate of the module up to 750,000 frames per second. The 9E423-24 supports twenty-five network interfaces: one interface (Interface 1) to the INB-2 backplane, and two front panel RJ71 Telco connectors, each supplying 12 network interfaces via UTP or STP connectors. The 9E423 also incorporates an ASIC specially designed for embedded network trend and analysis tools.
The 9E423-36 Ethernet SmartSwitch module is similar to the 9E423-24, except that it supports thirty-seven network interfaces: one interface to INB-2, and three front panel RJ71 Telco connectors, each supplying 12 network interfaces via UTP or STP connectors.
Management is not available for either the INB 1 or INB 2 backplane, as data transmission across the INB is subject to hardware defaults.
The SecureFast Virtual Networking (SFVN) feature of the 9E423-24 and 9E423-36 (which allows switching configuration on a per-user level) is also not supported in firmware at the time this document was published. SFVN firmware is anticipated to be customer-released in late-1996, and remote management will follow shortly thereafter.
Using the 9E312 and 9E423 User’s Guide
Each chapter in this guide describes one major functionality or a collection of several smaller functionalities of the 9E312 or 9E423 Modules. This guide contains information about software functions which are accessed directly from the module’s Module View (either started from within MMAC-Plus Remote Management, or from a stand-alone icon representing the module).
