Olicom 8605, 8600 manual Multiple Simultaneous Conversations

18

Multiple Simultaneous Conversations

A limitation of Token-Ring is that it supports only one packet at a time. The CrossFire 8600 and the CrossFire 8605 improve data throughput by supporting multiple, simultaneous, full-duplex conversations. By using High-Speed bus switching technology, the switch creates multiple data paths. These switched connections between Token-Ring segments last only for the duration of a byte transmission. New connections are made “on-the-fly” between different ports on the switch for the next byte.

Figure 5. Multiple Conversations Through a CrossFire 8600 or

CrossFire 8605 Switch

For example, as shown in Figure 5, while host A is transmitting a byte to host B, the switch connects only the lines from A to B since there is no need to send packets to all other ports. At the same time, a second switching circuit can connect host C to host D. The result: Two packets are sent simultaneously.

➽Note: The switch transmits broadcast and multicast packets on several switch ports simultaneously.

The increase in throughput is directly proportional to the number of physical token- rings that are interconnected through the switch. A switch with 20 ports interconnected provides up to ten concurrent paths. With ten simultaneous

CrossFire 8600/8605 Token-Ring Switches v. 1.2, P/N: 710001641 Switch Theory of Operation