IBM BM 8270 manual Added capacity and flexibility, Nways LAN Switch Family Model

Added capacity and flexibility

With the 8270 you get added capacity and flexibility at a low cost per port.

The LAN shown in Figure 1 has provided excellent service in this data environ- ment. But growth and new graphics applications are causing performance problems on this traditional, shared- media,16-Mbps LAN.

Combining switching, full-duplex- attached servers and micro-segmented, shared-media LANs (Figure 2) gives the following advantages:

•No change to installed adapters

•No change to house wiring

•No change to application software

•Fewer users per segment

•More bandwidth per user

•Reduction in the number of bridges

•Reduced complexity

•Reduced cost

8270 Nways LAN Switch Family Model 800

Backbones remain overburdened by demands of e-mail, busy servers and Internet traffic (see Figure 3). Until now all you could do was install a faster, shared-media LAN like FDDI.

The 8270 Model 800 can act as a powerful workgroup switch or replace the entire backbone with a single switch (see Figure 4). Use TokenPipes to double or quadruple the bandwidth if you need it. TokenPipe allows you to connect up to four parallel, 32-Mbps paths between any two Token-Ring switches, providing as much capacity between switches as you need. This solution means:

•No change to application software

•Elimination or reduction of bridges

•Elimination of all routers except those on the periphery

•Scalable bandwidth between switches using TokenPipes

•Simplified network management

1.2210 Router

2.8230 Controlled Access Unit

Figure 3. Backbone congestion

3.8228 MAU

4.8270 Nways LAN Switch Model 600

5.8272 Nways Token-Ring LAN Model 108

6.8226 Token-Ring RJ45 Connection

7.8239 Token-Ring Stackable Hub

1.2210 Router

2.8230 Controlled Access Unit

3.8228 MAU

4.8270 Nways Token-Ring LAN Model 600

5.8272 Nways Token-Ring LAN Model 108

6.8226 Token-Ring RJ45 Connection

7.8239 Token-Ring Stackable Hub

8.8270 Nways LAN Switch Model 800

Figure 4. The 8270 Model 800 relieves backbone congestion