IBM BC-203 manual SDLLC Media Translation Features, Virtual Token Ring Concept, BC-220

Overview of IBM Networking

IBM Network Media Translation

Figure 91 SNA Data Link Layer Support

Upper layers

SNA

Data link layer SDLC

SDLLC

LLC

LNX

QLLC

X.25

S3028

SDLLC Media Translation Features

The SDLLC feature allows a PU 4, PU 2.1, or PU 2 to communicate with a PU 2 SDLC device as follows:

•SDLLC with direct connection—A 37x5 front-end processor (FEP) on a Token Ring and the 3x74 cluster controller connected to a serial line are each connected to an interface on the same router configured with SDLLC.

•SDLLC with RSRB—A 37x5 FEP on a Token Ring and a 3x74 cluster controller connected to a serial line are connected to different routers. Only the device to which the 3x74 is connected is configured with SDLLC. The routers communicate via RSRB using direct encapsulation, RSRB over an FST connection, or RSRB over a TCP connection.

•SDLLC with RSRB and local acknowledgment—A 37x5 FEP on a Token Ring and a 3x74 cluster controller connected to a serial line are connected to different routers. Only the device to which the 3x74 is connected is configured with SDLLC. The routers communicate via RSRB over a TCP connection that has local acknowledgment enabled.

In all these topologies, each IBM end node (the FEP and cluster controller) has no indication that its counterpart is connected to a different medium running a different protocol. The 37x5 FEP responds as if the 3x74 cluster controller were communicating over a Token Ring, whereas the 3x74 responds as though the 37x5 FEP were communicating over a serial line. That is, the SDLLC software makes translation between the two media transparent to the end nodes.

Virtual Token Ring Concept

Central to Cisco’s SDLLC feature is the concept of a virtual Token Ring device residing on a virtual Token Ring. Because the Token Ring device expects the node with which it is communicating also to be on a Token Ring, each SDLLC device on a serial line must be assigned an SDLLC virtual Token Ring address (SDLLC VTRA). Like real Token Ring addresses, SDLLC VTRAs must be unique across the network.

In addition to the SDLLC VTRA, an SDLLC virtual ring number must be assigned to each SDLLC device on a serial line. (The SDLLC virtual ring number differs from the virtual ring group numbers that are used to configure RSRB and multiport bridging.)

Cisco IOS Bridging and IBM Networking Configuration Guide

BC-220