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Conference 7.286::fddi

Title:FDDI - The Next Generation
Moderator:NETCAD::STEFANI
Created:Thu Apr 27 1989
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2259
Total number of notes:8590

1815.0. "Switching ?" by 51847::PALMANN (Jan Palmann C/S Comms. Copenhagen) Thu Sep 28 1995 07:40

About The different DECHUB 900 switch modules. How do they switch ?

1. When they take in a packet from the ethernet, do they hold the packet 
   to check the crc before they put it out on the FDDI. ?

2. Do they only look at the first porsion af the packet, and then start 
   to forward ?
 
3  Can switches be put in to a kind of "repeater mode"  ?

				Jan.
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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1815.1store-and-forward algorithm used by switches900'serieULYSSE::YLOUPC::LOUISThu Sep 28 1995 12:0133
           <<< NETCAD::KALI$USER3:[NOTES$LIBRARY]HUB_MGNT.NOTE;1 >>>
                  -< DEChub/HUBwatch/PROBEwatch CONFERENCE >-
===============================================================================,
Note: 2806.1                         Switching ?                      1 of 1
ULYSSE::YLOUPC::LOUIS                               24 lines  28-SEP-1995 08:44
      -< 900's series switch support the "store-and-forward" algorithm  >-
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>> About The different DECHUB 900 switches. How do they switch.
>>
>> 1. When they take in a packet from the ethernet, do they hold the packet
>>   to check the crc before they put it out on the FDDI. ?

Yes - they use the store-and-forward algorithm. This means that the switch waits
      to receive an entire packet, check the packet quality (runt, CRC, misaligned)
      and if no error only forward it to the adequate LAN.
      This algorythm garantees the integrity of the packet.

2. Do they only look at the first porsion af the packet, and then start
   to forward ?

NO -  But the Gigawitch/F supports this Cut-through algorithm and can be disable for
      specific ports to allow store-and-forward feature.
      The packet is transmitted as soon as it reads the destination address.
 
3  Can switches be put in to a kind of "repeater mode "  ?

I don't think so.
I believe the Ethernet switching module (ESM) of Decswitch400 supports
this feature. I think it 's an automatic selection depending on the number
of station: 1 or more

yves

1815.2Thanks !51847::PALMANNJan Palmann C/S Comms. CopenhagenThu Sep 28 1995 14:181
    
1815.3Good and BadCHOWDA::FAHEYAre we having 'FUN' yet?Fri Sep 29 1995 16:3516
    To be clear... Cut Through Switching is only possible when switching
    between identical technologies. (ie Ethernet to Ethernet or FDDI to
    FDDI). You can't possibly cut through switch an Ethernet to FDDI
    because 10Mbps can't fill a 100Mbps pipe.
    
    Most people now agree that using cut through switching in Ethernet is a
    bad idea. When an Ethernet LAN gets busy the number of collisions will
    increase. It's possible that a collision can occur 'after' the
    Destination Address field of the frame. Cut through switching on
    Ethernet will pass 'bad packets'. On the other hand FDDI is not subject
    to 'collisions' therefore it is reasonable to assume that if you start
    receiving a packet that it will be a good packet hence with GIGAswitch
    FDDI we support 'cut-through'
    
    Jim