Znyx Networks bh5700 manual OpenArchitect Switch Environment, OpenArchitect Software Structure

You will find the Ethernet Switch Blade has a straightforward installation and configuration. UNIX or Linux system management skills and some understanding of network protocols will be

required. Configure the Ethernet Switch Blades to your networking application before you begin using the OpenArchitect switch.

OpenArchitect Switch Environment

The key elements of the OpenArchitect environment include two embedded Linux operating systems, OpenArchitect-specific applications and libraries, plus, an innovative switch hardware design.

OpenArchitect hardware is in many ways similar to typical switch architectures. The primary difference in OpenArchitect is that the PCI bus that interfaces with the embedded processor and the switch fabric is at a higher performance level than a typical switch (see Figure 1.1: Fabric Switch Elements). The use of PCI creates a pipe of significant bandwidth between the processor and the switch fabric.

The embedded processors, running Linux and the OpenArchitect processes, control the flow of all traffic by maintaining the switch forwarding tables. These tables define the flow of the switch traffic. Because they are on the switching chips, packets proceed at line rate.

OpenArchitect Software Structure

Figure 1.1: Fabric Switch Elements

OpenArchitect is based on an embedded Linux operating system and includes a number of ZNYX Networks-supplied modules. The key element is the Linux routing table, which is crucial in a

Ethernet Switch Blade User's Guide release 3.2.2j page 20