Nortel Networks 1000BASE-LX, 1000BASE-SX, 1000ASE-XD, 1000BASE-ZX manual IEEE 802.1Q VLAN workgroups

54 Chapter 2 Network configuration

In any stack configuration, the following applies:

•When you apply power to the stack, the base unit initializes and the entire stack powers up as a single logical unit.

•You can attach an RS-232 communications cable to the console port of any switch in the stack.

•You can downline upgrade the entire stack from any switch in the stack from the console interface, a Telnet session, the Web-based management interface, or any generic SNMP-based network management software.

•You can access and manage the stack using a Telnet connection, the Web-based management interface, or any generic SNMP management tool through any switch port that is part of the stack configuration.

•When you stack three or more switches, use the longer (1-meter) stacking max-return cable to complete the link from the last unit in the stack to the base unit.

IEEE 802.1Q VLAN workgroups

BayStack 420 switches support up to 32 port-based VLANs with IEEE 802.1Q tagging available per port. Ports are grouped into broadcast domains by assigning them to the same VLAN. Frames received in one VLAN can only be forwarded within that VLAN, and multicast frames and unknown unicast frames are flooded only to ports in the same VLAN.

Setting up virtual LANs (VLANs) is a way to segment networks to increase network capacity and performance without changing the physical network topology (Figure 11). With network segmentation, each switch port connects to a segment that is a single broadcast domain. When a switch port is configured to be a member of a VLAN, it is added to a group of ports (workgroup) that belong to one broadcast domain.

The BayStack 420 Switch allows you to assign ports to VLANs using the console, Telnet, Web-based management, or an appropriate SNMP-based application. You can assign different ports (and therefore the devices attached to these ports) to different broadcast domains. This feature allows network flexibility because you can reassign VLANs to accommodate network moves, additions, and changes, eliminating the need to change physical cabling.

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