Enterasys Networks Fast Network 10 manual 1 FN10 Architecture

Chapter 1: Introduction

•Implements the Spanning Tree protocol (802.1d).

•Configured with factory-set defaults for immediate plug-and-play capability.

In addition, the FN10 offers features that can help you manage and maintain your network, such as:

•Configuration and management using the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) with either an in-band or out-of-band connection.

•Protection against multicast storms.

•Data flow control based on user-defined data packet filters.

•Ability to define virtual workgroups for more efficient bandwidth usage.

•Compilation of statistics for traffic generated by each user device connected to a FN10 segment.

•Real time “what-if” analysis of the traffic flow throughout the network.

1.5.1 FN10 Architecture

The FN10 enables you to link two or more Local Area Networks (LANs) together. To accomplish this, the FN10 regulates network traffic on the basis of the source and destination addresses that are in each data packet it receives.

The FN10 is protocol-transparent, meaning it can handle different types of network traffic regardless of the network protocol, such as IP and IPX. As the FN10 reads addresses from the packets it processes, it builds a dynamic database of addresses called the Bridge Address Table. In this way, the FN10 continuously learns the addresses of all connected devices. Consequently, you can add new devices to the network, change device addresses, and remove devices from the network without having to reconfigure the FN10.

The Open System Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model, developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO), identifies the levels of functionality inherent in each of its seven layers. The FN10 operates at the

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