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Conference netcad::hub_mgnt

Title:	DEChub/HUBwatch/PROBEwatch CONFERENCE
Notice:	Firmware -2, Doc -3, Power -4, HW kits -5, firm load -6&7
Moderator:	NETCAD::COLELLADT

Created:	Wed Nov 13 1991
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	4455
Total number of notes:	16761

2523.0. "VLAN support for RouteAbout" by DPDMAI::DAVIES (Mark, SCA Area Network Consultant) Fri Jul 14 1995 22:08

    The recent announcement of support for VLANs via the RouteAbout
    software for the DECswitch 900EF has caused some excitement in my
    accounts.  Also, some confusion on VLAN support.
    
    In the enVISN brochure, it talks about Class 1,2 and 3 VLANs.  In the
    Fact Sheet for RouteAbout, it states that VLAN support is available for
    VLAns configured with PORTswitch 900s, ie, Class 1 VLANs.
    
    Are Class 1 VLANs all that are supported in the first release?
    
    If yes, ALL my customers want to know when Class 2 & 3 will be
    supported.
    
    Thanks,                                              
    
    Mark

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
2523.1		STRWRS::KOCH_P	It never hurts to ask...	`Fri Jul 14 1995 22:51`	11
	The 2 port RouteAbouts do NOT offer drag and drop Ethernet. They connect via the thinwire only to the hub. This is because it is intended for remote sites where it is felt you won't need a hub for drap and drop VLANs. I consider this short-sighted, IMHO. The new 8 port RouteAbout WILL support drag and drop VLANs. The question yet to be answered it whether you'll be able to configuire the T1 ports to either of the 2 Ethernets or whether there will be a fixed relationship between them. I hope they made the decision to allow the T1s to be configurable to a drop & drop VLAN.
2523.2	VLAN support = routed LANs	NAC::FORREST		`Mon Jul 17 1995 13:48`	9
	My understanding is that the routing software for the DECswitch 900s lets you route between VLANs (i.e. backplane configurable LANs). Today, the only way to set up VLANs is with PORTswitches and Repeaters - putting them onto different backplane LANs and then routing between them. Before this announcement, you could only switch between them in the hub, or you could use an external router. Many people did not consider the switched LANs to be VLANs, since the broadcast domains were not routed.
2523.3		NETCAD::ANIL		`Tue Jul 18 1995 21:02`	26
	There are several things being talked about in this string; let me clarify. Firstly, "Routeabout software" among other things is a synonym for the much-anticipated routing upgrade for the 2 DECswitch products. Response .1 refers to what I believe is an unannounced product in the making; all I'll say here is that it is a new wide-area brouter line. Finally, "Class 1 VLANs" is essentially LAN-hopping on the DEChub 900 backplane with some new GUI; what the announcement is trying to say is that you can software-configure ports on a DECswitch into LANs on the backplane. Of course such VLANs are restricted to a single DEChub 900 and comprise a single repeated 10 Mbps domain in the case of Ethernet and "concentrated" 100 Mbps in the case of FDDI. So it wouldn't make sense, for example, to connect two or more bridge ports into the same VLAN. That would however make sense with Class 2 VLANs, where VLANs are not restricted to the hub backplane. With Class 2 you could configure extended LANs across separate switches not necessarily in the same hub (or indeed not even in a hub). These VLANs would allow significantly higher bandwidth since they don't comprise ports in the same collision domain. It's a much more powerful concept since you can essentially configure and change separate switched (not repeated) LANs with a mouse-click.. ie with a graphical management tool instead of rewiring. The upcoming version of routing upgrade will not support Class 2. Anil