Olicom 8605, 8600 manual Multiple Bridging Modes

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Multiple Bridging Modes

The CrossFire 8600 and the CrossFire 8605 each supports four different switching modes to provide maximum flexibility in all installation environments. The switching modes are Source Route Switching (SRS), Source Route Bridging (SRB), Source Route Transparent (SRT) and SRT/SRB. The switch operates on two levels (BRF and CRF) as outlined below.

Figure 6. Typical Configuration with Switches Using Multiple Bridging Modes

The switch bridging modes are founded on the concept of Logical Rings. This Logical Ring concept is equivalent to the DTR (IEEE 802.5r) standard’s Concentrator Relay Function (CRF).

Each port on the switch belongs to a Logical Ring (CRF), which is a logical grouping of ports within the switch. A Logical Ring can consist of any number of ports within a switch or a switch stack. The ports within a Logical Ring do not have to be adjacent.

The Logical Rings are assigned a ring number when the switch performs source routing functions. The bridging is performed through the logical entity of the Bridge Relay Function (BRF).

The Logical Ring (LR) communicates via a logical, virtual port with the Bridge Relay Function, which functions as a multiport (virtual) bridge between the Logical Rings. The switch can support up to 63 logical rings.

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