Olicom 8605 manual Next Step, Replacing SRBs with CrossFire 8600 or CrossFire

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The Next Step

Typically, the first point of congestion in this newly configured network would be the servers. Because the usual mode of operation for a Token-Ring adapter is half- duplex, the servers can either send or receive information with one other segment attached to the switch. If the server adapters are replaced with full-duplex adapters, such as the Olicom OC-3118 or the Olicom OC-3137, and are attached as single- station segments as shown in Figure 11, they can send and receive data simultaneously. The capacity of each server is now 32 Mbps per port.

However, network congestion is not always at the backbone level. In Figure 12, the two MAUs and six bridges have been replaced by a single switch. Internally, the switch is configured with one BRF and seven CRFs, allowing the switch to replace the MAUs and bridges without the need for further reconfiguration. This configuration greatly improves performance by allowing switching directly from ring to ring. The four servers, each with a full-duplex connection to the switch, have been grouped in CRF 5.

If even better performance is needed, the switch shown in Figure 12 can be replaced with a stack of switches. A stack can provide up to 224 ports, making it feasable to connect workstations directly to a switch port. A direct connection provides a dedicated 32 Mbps for users with high bandwidth requirements.

Switch
			BRF
CRF 1	CRF 2	CRF 3	CRF 7	CRF 8	CRF 9	CRF 5
1	2	3	7	8	9	32 Mbps

Server Server Server Server

Figure 12. Replacing SRBs with CrossFire 8600 or CrossFire 8605

CrossFire 8600/8605 Token-Ring Switches v. 1.2, P/N: 710001641 Preparing for Installation