February 1998
This guide explains how to install, configure, and operate the
GIGAswitch/Ethernet system.
Revision/Update Information: This is a new document.
Firmware Version: V1.0
Digital Equipment Corporation makes no representations that the use of its products in the manner described in this
publication will not infringe on existing or future patent rights, nor do the descriptions contained in this publication
imply the granting of licenses to make, use, or sell equipment or software in accordance with the description.
Possession, use, or copying of the software described in this publication is authorized only pursuant to a valid written license from
DIGITAL or an authorized sublicensor.
Digital Equipment Corporation 1998. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation: clearVISN, DIGITAL, the DIGITAL logo, and GIGAswitch.
Internet Explorer, Windows 95, and Windows NT are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
Netscape Navigator is a registered trademark of Netscape Communications Corporation.
UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open Company Ltd.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
FCC Notice -- Class A Computing Device:
This equipment generates, uses, and may emit radio frequency energy. The equipment has been type tested and found
to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device pursuant to Part 15 of FCC rules, which are designed to provide
reasonable protection against such radio frequency interference. Operation of this equipment in a residential area
may cause interference in which case the user at his own expense will be required to take whatever measures may be
required to correct the interference. Any modifications to this device - unless expressly approved by the manufacturer
- can void the user's authority to operate this equipment under part 15 of the FCC rules.
VCCI Notice -- Class A Computing Device:
This equipment is in the Class A category (information equipment to be used in commercial and/or industrial areas)
and conforms to the standards set by the Voluntary Control Council for Interference by Data Processing Equipment
and Electronic Office Machines aimed at preventing radio interference in commercial and/or industrial areas.
Consequently, when used in a residential area or in an adjacent area thereto, radio interference may be caused to radios
and TV receivers. Read the instructions for correct handling.
CE Notice -- Class A Computing Device:
Warning!
This is a Class A product. In a domestic environment, this product may cause radio interference, in which case the user
may be required to take adequate measures.
Achtung!
Dieses ist ein Gert der Funkstrgrenzwertklasse A. In Wohnbereichen knnen bei Betrieb dieses Gertes
Rundfunkstrungen auftreten, in welchen Fllen der Benutzer fr entsprechende Gegenmanahmen verantwortlich ist.
Avertissem ent!
Cet appareil est un appareil de Classe A. Dans un environnement rsidentiel cet appareil peut provoquer des
brouillages radiolectriques. Dans ce cas, il peut tre demand l'utilisateur de prendre les mesures appropries.
Contents
Preface
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Purpose of This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Intended Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xii
Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
Correspondence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv
Documentation Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv
World Wide Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiv
How to Order Additional Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xv
Safety
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xvii
Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xviii
1 Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
In This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Unpacking the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Checking Your Shipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Selecting a Location. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Installing the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Preventing Electrostatic Discharge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Installing the Chassis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Rack Mounting the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Installing the System on a Tabletop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Installing the Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
iii
Installing the Cables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Guidelines for Cable Distances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Making Sure That You Have Enough Power Available . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Connecting the Power Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Powering On the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Power-On Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Post Power-On Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
What to Do Next . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
2 Understanding the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
In This Chapter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
What Is the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Hardware Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Chassis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Switch Control Processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
I/O Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Crossbar Switch Fabric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
Why It Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Virtual Bridging Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
Flood Pruning Using VLANs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Why It Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8
Hunt Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Why They Matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Multilayer Spanning Trees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Why They Matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Extensive Fault Tolerance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Why It Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Buffer and Queue Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Why It Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Web-Based Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Why It Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
General Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Smart Web Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
iv
RM ON for Traffic Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Gigabit Ethernet MIB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
3 Configuring the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
In This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
What You Will Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Connecting to the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System Web Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Configuring the Switch Using the Web Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Logging In to the Web Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Entering Basic System Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Setting Up User Accounts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Configuring Port Parameters Using the Web Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Configuring Physical Port Parameters on Gigabit Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Configuring Physical Port Parameters on Fast Ethernet Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Using the All Module Ports Configuration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Configuring Switch Port Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Using the All Module Ports Configuration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22
Setting Up SNMP Communities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Changing the Console Serial Port Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Setting Up the Information Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Setting the Server Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27
4 Tuning Your Network Using VLANs, Spanning Tree, and Hunt
Groups
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
In This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Using Virtual LANs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Why Use VLANs? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Creating and Implementing VLANs using the Web Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Creating a VLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Assigning Ports to VLANs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Using Spanning Tree Setup and Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Why Use Spanning Trees? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
What Is a "Bridge" in a GIGAswitch/Ethernet System Spanning Tree? . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
What Are the Implications of a Multilayer Spanning Tree? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Managing Spanning Trees Using the Web Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Configuring All Ports on a Module for Spanning Tree Fast Start Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
v
Configuring Spanning Tree Bridge Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Using Hunt Groups to Aggregate Bandwidth Between Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Why Use Hunt Groups? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
What You Need to Know Before Configuring Hunt Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Configuring Hunt Groups Using the Embedded Web Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Adding Ports to a Hunt Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
5 Tuning Your Switch Performance by Managing Buffers and
Queues
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
In This Chapter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Why Use Buffer Management?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
How GIGAswitch/Ethernet System Queues Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Managing Buffers and Queues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Additional Buffers on Fast Ethernet Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
6 Managing Address Forwarding Tables
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
In This Chapter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Configuring the Address Forwarding Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Setting the Age Timer and Super Age Timer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Controlling Reconfiguration of Address Table Sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Viewing the Switch Address Forwarding Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Displaying the Address Forwarding Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Adding Entries to the Address Forwarding Table Manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
7 Monitoring GIGAswitch/Ethernet System Health
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
In This Chapter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Interpreting Front Panel LED Displays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Checking Temperature Status and Setting Thresholds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Checking Active Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Viewing the Active Alarm Table from the Web Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Setting Log Size and Activating System Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Using the Switch Event and Shutdown Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
vi
8 Analyzing Network Performance Using RMON and Ethernet
Statistics
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
In This Chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Viewing Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2
Intrepreting Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Setting Up a Mirror Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11
A Downloading GIGAswitch/Ethernet System Firmware
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-1
In This Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-1
Upgrade Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-2
Preparing for the Download . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-3
Downloading the New Firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-4
B Using the Command Line Interface
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-1
In This Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-1
Interface Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-3
Using the Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-4
Basic Keyboard Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-5
Command Line History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-5
Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-5
Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-5
Community. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-6
Console. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-8
Download . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-9
Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-10
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-11
Feprom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-12
Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-13
Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-14
NVRAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-16
Pause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-17
Ping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-18
Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-19
vii
Reset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-20
Rtc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-21
Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-22
Stack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-23
Telnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-24
User . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-25
Verbose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-27
VLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-28
C Product Specifications
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
In This Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
Product Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2
Acoustical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4
Index
viii
Tables
1-1 Pinouts to 10BASE-T Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
1-2 Pinouts to RS232 DB-9 Female Console Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
1-3 Maximum Fiber Link Distances for Gigabit Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
1-4 Maximum Fiber Link Distances for 100 Mb/s Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
1-5 Maximum Copper Cable Lengths (10/100 Mb/s Links) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
1-6 Power Values for System Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
1-7 Normal Power-Up LED Function. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
3-1 Terminal Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
3-2 Pinouts for 10BASE-T Crossover Patch Cables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
3-3 Default User Logins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
3-4 User Account Access Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
3-5 Gigabit Port Settable Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
3-6 10/100 Port Settable Attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
3-7 VLAN Trunking Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
3-8 Use of Incoming Frame VLAN Tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
3-9 VLAN Binding Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
3-10 SNMP Security Levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
3-11 Terminal Setting Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
4-1 Create VLAN Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
4-2 Spanning Tree Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
5-1 Buffer Management Table Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
6-1 Address Table Column Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
7-1 Front Panel LED Display Interpretation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
7-2 Temperature Thresholds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
7-3 Event and Shutdown Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
7-4 Event Classes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
7-5 Event Table Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
7-6 Event and Shutdown Log Entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
8-1 Interpreting Ethernet Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
8-2 RM ON Mirror Port Configuration Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12
B-1 Command Line History Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5
C-1 Product Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2
C-2 English Acoustical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4
C-3 German Acoustical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4
ix
Preface
Overview
Purpose of This Guide
This guide describes how to install, initially configure, and operate the DIGITAL
GIGAswitch/Ethernet system. It also provides information about advanced
configuration options.
Intended Audience
This guide is intended for use by individuals responsible for installing, configuring, or
operating the GIGAswitch/Ethernet system.
xi
Organization
Organization
This guide is organized as follows:
Section Description
Chapter 1 Describes how to unpack, select a location for, and install the
GIGAswitch/Ethernet system.
Chapter 2 Provides an overview of the system's hardware and functions.
Chapter 3 Describes how to initially set up and configure the system.
Chapter 4 Describes how to use the GIGAswitch/Ethernet system and
VLANs, spanning tree, and hunt groups to tune your network.
Chapter 5 Describes how to use buffer and queue management to tune the
system's performance.
Chapter 6 Describes how to manage address forwarding tables in the
system.
Chapter 7 Describes how to assess the system's current operational status.
Chapter 8 Describes how to analyzing network performance using RMON
and Ethernet statistics.
Appendix A Describes how to download firmware to the system.
Appendix B Describes how to use the system's command line interface.
Appendix C Lists the system's specifications.
xii
Conventions
Conventions
Overview
This guide uses the following conventions:
Convention Description
This special type in examples indicates system output.
Special Type
Boldface Boldface type in procedures and examples indicates user
input.
Ctrl-x Ctrl-x indicates that you hold down the Ctrl key while you
press another key (indicated here by x).
xiii
Correspondence
Correspondence
Documentation Comments
If you have comments or suggestions about this guide, send them to DIGITAL
Network Products:
Attn.: Documentation Project Manager
E-MAIL: doc_feedback@lkg.mts.dec.com
World Wide Web
To locate product-specific information, refer to the DIGITAL Network Products
Home Page on the World Wide Web at the following locations:
North America: http://www.networks.digital.com
Europe: http://www.networks.europe.digital.com
Asia Pacific: http://www.networks.digital.com.au
Follow the Technical Information link to firmware, manuals, and more for the
GIGAswitch/Ethernet system.
xiv
How to Order Additional Documentation
How to Order Additional Documentation
To order additional documentation, use the following information:
To Order: Contact:
By Telephone USA (except Alaska, New Hampshire, and Hawaii):
1-800-DIGITAL (1-800-344-4825)
Alaska, New Hampshire, and Hawaii: 1-603-884-6660
Canada: 1-800-267-6215
Electronically Dial 1-800-DEC-DEMO
(USA. only) (For assistance, call 1-800-DIGITAL)
By Mail DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
(USA and P.O. Box CS2008
Puerto Rico) Nashua, New Hampshire 03061
(Place prepaid orders from Puerto Rico with the local Digital
subsidiary: 809-754-7575)
By Mail DIGITAL EQUIPMENT of CANADA LTD.
(Canada) 940 Belfast Road
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1G 4C2
Attn.: A&SG Business Manager
Internationally DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
Attn.: A&SG Business Manager
c/o local Digital subsidiary or approved distributor
Internally U.S. Software Supply Business (SSB)
DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
8 Cotton Road
Nashua, New Hampshire 03063
xv
Safety
Overview
Any warning or caution that appears in this guide is defined as follows. The cautions
that must be observed for the hardware described in this guide are listed below in
English, German, French, and Spanish.
WA R N IN G Contains information to prevent personal injury.
C A U T IO N Contains information to prevent damage to
equipment.
V OR S I C HT Enthlt Informationen, die beachtet werden mssen
um den Benutzer vor Schaden zu bewahren.
A C HT U N G Enthlt Informationen, die beachtet werden mssen
um die Gerate vor Schaden zu bewahren.
D A N GE R Signale les informations destines prvenir les
accidents corporels.
ATTENTION Signale les informations destines prvenir la
dtrioration du matriel.
A V IS O Contiene informacin para evitar daos personales.
PRECAUCIN Contiene informacin para evitar daos al equipo.
xvii
Precautions
Precautions
WARNING A fully loaded system weighs 30 kg (65 lb). Safe rackmount
installation requires three people: two to lift the system into
place, and a third to screw the system to the rack.
V OR S I C HT Ein voll beladenes System wiegt 30Kg. Zur Sicherheit sollten
bei der Gestellmontage drei Personen anwesend sein: zwei
Personen, um das System anzuheben und zu positionieren, und
eine dritte Person, um das eingehngte System festzuschrauben.
D A N GE R Le poids total d'un systme mont avec toutes les cartes qu'il
peut recevoir est de 30 kg. Pour installer un systme sur un rack
en toute scurit, il convient de faire appel trois personnes :
deux personnes pour mettre le systme en place et une troisime
personne pour le fixer sur le rack.
A V IS O Un sistema de carga completa pesa 30 kg. La instalacin de la
carcasa montada en bastidor requiere tres personas: dos para
levantar el sistema y una para atornillar el sistema al soporte.
C A U T IO N This action deletes all configured settings and replaces
them with factory default values. All configuration settings
will be lost.
A C HT U N G Bei diesem Vorgang werden alle
Konfigurationseinstellungen gelscht und die
Werkseinstellungen wieder eingesetzt. Alle
Konfigurationsdaten gehen verloren.
ATTENTION Cette action supprime tous les paramtres de configuration
et les remplace par des valeurs prdfinies. Tous les
paramtres de configuration seront perdus.
PRECAUCIN Esta intervencin borrar todos los parmetros de
configuracin y los sustituir por valores por defecto
definidos de fbrica. Se perdern todos los parmetros de
configuracin.
xviii
Precautions
C A U T IO N Static electricity can damage modules and electronic
components. DIGITAL recommends using a grounded
antistatic wrist strap and a grounded work surface when
handling any modules.
ACHTUNG Module und elektronische Komponenten knnen durch
elektrostatische Entladungen beschdigt werden. Benutzen
Sie immer eine antistatische Gelenkmanschette und eine
geerdete Arbeitsunterlage, wenn Sie am offenen Gert
arbeiten.
ATTENTION Les charges excessives d'lectricit statique peuvent
endommager les modules et les composants lectroniques.
DIGITAL conseille l'utilisation d'un bracelet de masse et
d'un plan de travail mis la terre lors de la manipulation
des modules.
PRECAUCION La electricidad esttica puede daar los componentes
electrnicos y los mdulos. DIGITAL recomienda que se
utilicen cintas de pasadores y superficies de trabajo
conectadas a tierra al trabajar con cualquier mdulo.
xix
Chapter 1
Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System
Overview
Introduction
This chapter describes how to install the DIGITAL GIGAswitch/Ethernet system. It
contains important information to protect both you and the system during installation.
In This Chapter
This chapter contains the following topics:
Topic Page
Unpacking the System 1-2
Selecting a Location 1-4
Installing the System 1-5
Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System 1-1
Unpacking the System
Unpacking the System
Checking Your Shipment
To check your shipment:
Step Action
1 Unpack the shipping cartons. When removing the system chassis from
its carton:
a) Carefully set the carton on its side.
b) Slide the chassis out of the carton.
Note: Do not use the handles on the system to lift the chassis.
2 Check that you have all the items you need to install the system:
Chassis
Power supply
Sw itch control processor module
Fan tray
Five blank faceplates
Documentation
Letter
Release notes
Quick start guide
Information library CD
Installation Kits
Rackmount kit
Rubber feet for tabletop installation
1-2 Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System
Unpacking the System
Step Action
Cables and Connectors
Power cord
10BASE-T crossover cable (connects to the Ethernet console port)
Out-of-band connection kit:
-- Male DCE-to-RJ45 connector (marked MDCE)
for connecting to the switch
-- Female DTE-to-RJ45 connector (marked FDTE)
for connecting to your computer
-- Male DTE-to-RJ45 null modem connector (marked DTE
XOVER)
for connecting to a modem
-- Straight-through RJ45 cable (connects between the connectors)
Options as ordered
(shipped in separate cartons)
I/O modules
Additional power supplies
3 Unpack the shipment and report any lost or damaged items to your
shipping carrier, DIGITAL representative, or distributor.
Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System 1-3
Selecting a Location
Selecting a Location
The location you select for installing the system hardware must meet the following
requirements:
19-inch, EIA-standard, grounded rack or table capable of supporting at least 60 kg
(130 lb). A fully loaded switch weighs 30 kg (65 lb).
At least 5.2 cm (2 in) on either side of the system, and from the rear of the system,
to allow adequate airflow through the system.
Airflow
Airflow
AC power source(s) within 2 m (6 ft) (separate sources, on separate circuits, if you
require maximum fault tolerance).
Ambient temperature between 0C and 40C (32F to 104F).
Relative humidity less than 95%, noncondensing.
1-4 Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System
Installing the System
Installing the System
The process for installing the system requires the following tasks:
1) Preventing Electrostatic Discharge
2) Installing the Chassis
3) Installing the Modules
4) Installing the Cables
5) Making Sure That You Have Enough Power Available
6) Connecting the Power Supplies
7) Powering On the System
Preventing Electrostatic Discharge
Protect the modules against damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD) by using a
grounded ESD wrist strap while installing and removing modules. A Portable Static-
Dissipative Field Service Kit, part number 29-26246, is available through your
DIGITAL representative or distributor.
While installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet system:
Step Action
1 Ground the unit. The unit is grounded through the power cord when it is
connected between the unit and the primary power source.
2 Lay out the static-dissipative work surface (ESD mat) on a flat surface.
3 Connect the ground cord assembly to the ESD mat and to the ground
plug on the switch fan tray.
Note: The ground plug accepts a ground cord with a banana plug, or a
screw to which you can connect a ground cord clip.
4 W ear the ESD wrist strap and attach it to the ground cord assembly.
Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System 1-5
Installing the System
Installing the Chassis
The system can be installed by:
Rack Mounting the System
Installing the System on a Tabletop
Rack Mounting the System
W ARNING
A fully loaded system weighs 30 kg (65 lb). Safe rackmount installation requires
three people: two to lift the system into place, and a third to screw the system to
the rack.
NOTE
Do not use the handles on the power supplies or fan assembly to lift the system.
To rack mount the system, you will need a Phillips-head screwdriver:
Step Action
1 Install the rackmount flanges onto the system with the supplied screws.
1-6 Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System
Installing the System
Step Action
2 Check that all pre-installed modules are securely installed:
Check that the switch control processor is firmly installed.
Check that the power supply and fan are securely in place.
Tighten the large black screws on the module, power supply, and fan
tray faceplates.
3 W ith one person at each end of the system, lift the system into position.
Install the system into the rack using screws appropriate for your rack.
Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System 1-7
Installing the System
Installing the System on a Tabletop
NOTE
Do not use the handles on the power supplies or fan assembly to lift the system.
To install the system on a tabletop:
Step Action
1 Place the system on a surface that supports at least 90 kg (200 lb).
2 Apply the supplied rubber feet to the bottom of the unit, placing the feet
about 1.3 cm (1/2 in) from each corner of the unit.
Rubber Feet
3 Check that all pre-installed modules are securely installed:
Check that the switch control processor is firmly installed.
Check that the power supply and fan are securely in place.
Tighten the large black screws on the module, power supply, and fan
tray faceplates.
1-8 Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System
Installing the System
Installing the Modules
CAUTION
Static electricity can damage modules and electronic components. DIGITAL
recommends using a grounded antistatic wrist strap and a grounded work surface
when handling any modules.
To install modules in the system chassis:
Step Action
1 Carefully remove each module from its box, leaving each module in its
antistatic wrapping.
2 After taking appropriate antistatic precautions, as described in
Preventing Electrostatic Discharge on page 1-5, carefully remove the
module from the antistatic wrap.
3 Insert the module into the system as shown below:
Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System 1-9
Installing the System
Step Action
4 Push the module all the way into the system chassis, then use the
ejectors to lock the module into the system backplane as shown below:
Ejector Open Ejector Closed
5 Tighten the black captive screws.
6 Repeat steps 2 through 5 for each additional module that you are
installing.
Note: Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove faceplates covering
additional module slots in the system.
Installing the Cables
Install appropriate cables for your network configuration. GIGAswitch/Ethernet
systems use the following cable types:
Fiber cables with SC-type connectors.
Straight-through Category 5 cables with male RJ45 connectors (end station/NIC
card connections). All I/O ports are crossed over internally, so you can use
straight-through cables to attach to end stations, and crossover cables to attach to
repeaters.
Crossover cables with male RJ45 connectors (switch-to-switch connections).
1-10 Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System
Installing the System
Table 1-1: Pinouts to 10BASE-T Cables
Pin Signal Description
1 Receive data (+)
2 Receive data (-)
3 Transmit data (+)
4 Not used
5 Not used
6 Transmit data (-)
7 Not used
8 Not used
Table 1-2: Pinouts to RS232 DB-9 Female Console Port
Pin Signal Description
1 DCD (output)
2 TX (output)
3 RX (input)
4 DTR (input)
5 SGD (ground)
6 DSR (not used)
7 RTS (not used)
8 CTS (output)
9 RI (not used)
Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System 1-11
Installing the System
Guidelines for Cable Distances
NOTE
These figures describe maximum link distances only. When building half-duplex
networks using Ethernet repeaters, you must also consider maximum network
diameter, which is not discussed in this guide.
Table 1-3: Maximum Fiber Link Distances for Gigabit Links*
Fiber Cable Description Maximum Cable Length
1300 nm 50 micron multimode 550 m
62.5 micron multimode 440 m
Singlemode fiber 3 km
850 nm 50 micron multimode 550 m
62.5 micron multimode 260 m
*These guidelines are based on IEEE 802.3z Draft Document, version 3.2.
Table 1-4: Maximum Fiber Link Distances for 100 Mb/s Links
Fiber Cable Description Maximum Cable Length
Half-duplex connection 412 m
Full-duplex connection 2 km
Table 1-5: Maximum Copper Cable Lengths (10/100 Mb/s Links)
Cable Description Maximum Cable Length
Category 5 twisted pair cable 100 m
1-12 Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System
Installing the System
Making Sure That You Have Enough Power Available
Each power supply powers approximately three I/O modules. It takes two power
supplies to power a full chassis. Using three power supplies ensures that the system has
fault-tolerant, load-sharing power capabilities.
The precise values are:
Table 1-6: Power Values for System Devices
Devi ce Power Added/Used
Power supply +400 W
Backplane elements -5 0 W
20-port 10/100 module -7 0 W
Switch control processor -1 0 W
2-port gigabit module -3 5 W
4-port gigabit module -5 5 W
10-port 100BASE-FX module -5 0 W
NOTE
See the instruction sheet included with the power supply for power supply
installation instructions.
Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System 1-13
Installing the System
Connecting the Power Supplies
Before connecting the power cords:
Make sure that all of the power supplies are seated firmly, with the captive screws
tightened.
Make sure that all of the ON/OFF switches on the power supplies are OFF.
If you are using multiple power supplies to ensure fault tolerance, make sure that
there is a dedicated power circuit available for each supply. The separate power
sources help ensure operation when the power source itself fails.
To connect the power supplies:
Step Action
1 Plug the power cord into each power supply.
2 Plug the power cord into an ac outlet.
NOTE
Do not wrap power cords through the handles on the system. Dressing the cords
this way can interfere with hotswapping options in the system.
Powering On the System
To power on the system:
Step Action
1 Check all connections.
2 Turn the power supplies on by switching on the power switches on each
supply.
Power-On Sequence
As the system powers on, you will observe:
On the 8-character LED display, the following message displays:
Digital GIGAswitch/Ethernet Agent v1.x.x
On properly functioning modules, Port LEDs cycle from yellow to normal
operating status as the system continues through its power-on diagnostics.
1-14 Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System
Installing the System
When the system has completed running its internal diagnostics:
The 8-character LED display should read:
Digital GIGAswitch/Ethernet Agent v1.x.x.
The LEDs should function as described in Chapter 7. In general, you will observe
the following on properly functioning modules:
Table 1-7: Normal Power-Up LED Function
Module LED Behavior
All modules Module Status Solid green, indicating normal operation.
Gigabit modules TX and RX Solid green, flashing yellow
intermittently to indicate traffic.
Po r t Solid green, indicating link integrity.
Inactive port LEDs will go off.
H D / FD Solid green, indicating full-duplex
operation.
10/100 modules Po r t Solid green, flashing yellow
intermittently to indicate traffic. Inactive
port LEDs will go off.
NOTE
Contact your DIGITAL service representative if your system fails to function
properly.
Post Power-On Configuration
The system is now fully operational as an 802.1d spanning tree-compliant bridge. All
ports are assigned to a single VLAN (Default). What this means:
All ports can send traffic to all other ports in the system without using a router.
The system is a single flood domain, so all broadcast and unknown unicast traffic
will be forwarded to all ports in the system.
What to Do Next
If you are familiar with the features of the GIGAswitch/Ethernet system and have
installed and configured other GIGAswitch/Ethernet systems, proceed to Chapter 3 to
configure the system. Otherwise, proceed to Chapter 2 to learn more about the system.
Installing the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System 1-15
Chapter 2
Understanding the GIGAswitch/Ethernet
System
Overview
Introduction
This chapter provides an overview of DIGITAL GIGAswitch/Ethernet system. It
describes the switch chassis and modules, and the switch's advanced functions.
In This Chapter
This chapter contains the following topics:
Topic Page
What Is the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System? 2-2
Hardware Description 2-3
Features 2-6
Understanding the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System 2-1
What Is the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System?
What Is the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System?
The GIGAswitch/Ethernet system is the first member in a family of Gigabit Ethernet
switching products from DIGITAL. It supports the requirements of the next wave of
networking: more bandwidth, elimination of bottlenecks, better manageability, and
dependable multimedia support.
The GIGAswitch/Ethernet system offers an unrivaled combination of capacity and
scalability in an extensive, top-to-bottom, fault-tolerant architecture with no single
point of failure and advanced Class of Service/Quality of Service (CoS/QoS) features.
It can be used in the campus backbone and in high-performance workgroup
environments.
2-2 Understanding the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System
H ardware Description
Hardware Description
This section gives a brief overview of the system's hardware features:
Chassis
Modules
Chassis
The chassis has the following features:
Up to 3 power supplies
Seven slots (six payload slots)
Up to 120 10/100BASE-TX ports (autonegotiating)
Up to 60 100BASE-FX ports
Up to 24 gigabit-speed Ethernet ports
Understanding the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System 2-3
Hardware Description
Modules
The chassis supports the following modules:
Switch Control Processor
Fast Ethernet Modules
Gigabit-Speed Modules
Switch Control Processor
Not involved in packet switching, the switch control processor (SCP) has the following
features:
PowerPC 860 RISC processor
Memory: 4 MB Flash, 8 MB DRAM, 128 KB NVRAM
Real-time clock
Out-of-band console: 10BASE-T and RS-232
RM ON support
SNMP management agent
Dot matrix display
The switch control processor is responsible for address learning, address cache
management, and spanning tree management.
I/O Modules
All I/O modules have full non-blocking performance (except for the economical 4-port
gigabit module, which could experience temporary blocking at highest loads [in excess
of 89% capacity, sustained, on two ports that share a single switch matrix port]). The
modules all have the following features:
IEEE 802.3x full-duplex flow control. This allows the switch ports to send a
pause command before input buffers overflow. Half-duplex ports support active
backpressure (jamming).
Priority Queuing and Class of Service. These features allow you to prioritize
traffic between particular stations or sets of stations to support jitter-sensitive
applications.
2-4 Understanding the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System
H ardware Description
Fast Ethernet Modules
20-Port 10/100BASE-TX Ethernet Module, with 20 RJ45 Ports - 10/100, HDX/
FDX
10-Port 100BASE-FX Ethernet Module, with 10 Fast Ethernet Ports - Fiber,
1300 nM, HDX/FDX
Gigabit-Speed Modules
2-Port, Full-Duplex 1000BASE-X module: 850 nM (SX) and 1300 nM (LX)
4-Port, Full-Duplex 1000BASE-X module, 850 nM (SX)
Understanding the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System 2-5
Features
Features
This section describes the following switch features:
Crossbar Switch Fabric
Virtual Bridging Functions
Flood Pruning Using VLANs
Hunt Groups
Multilayer Spanning Trees
Extensive Fault Tolerance
Buffer and Queue Management
Web-Based Management
Crossbar Switch Fabric
The crossbar switch matrix provides low-latency, high-throughput packet switching
using a crossbar architecture.
GIGAswitch/Ethernet System Crossbar
Port 1
Port 1 22.88 Gb/s 1.76 Gb/s
1.76 Gb/s
Port 2 Port 2
Port 13
Port 13
2-6 Understanding the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System
F eat ures
Why It Matters
Crossbars are inherently more scalable than shared memory architectures.
Architecturally, you can add more capacity simply by adding more switch elements.
By comparison, shared memory switches have an inherent maximum upper boundary
in throughput that makes high-density, single-backplane gigabit switches impractical.
This means that as you increase the number of gigabit ports in your network, the
architecture can scale to meet your needs.
Features
The crossbar supports:
13 fabric ports (two per module slot, plus one for the switch control processor)
1.76 Gb/s (in and out/full-duplex) on each fabric port
22.88 Gb/s total capacity, 45.76 Gb/s total backplane capacity
Under-subscribed switching fabric in most configurations (4-port gigabit modules
are slightly oversubscribed)
Single copy replication: When possible, input frames destined for output multiple
switch ports pass through the crossbar only once and are copied by the crossbar to
each destination.
Hardware-assisted multicast pruning: The switch forwards only to appropriate
destination switch ports.
Virtual Bridging Functions
The switch design supports:
Over 16,000 MAC addresses in the switch address forwarding table. This feature
allows the switch to store forwarding information for hosts in very large networks.
Segmented address tables qualified by address and VLAN membership. This
feature allows the same host to appear on different VLANs on different ports.
Optional per-VLAN spanning tree. This isolates loop control to smaller domains,
so spanning trees converge faster during reconfiguration.
Understanding the GIGAswitch/Ethernet System 2-7
Features
Flood Pruning Using VLANs
Why It Matters
Virtual LANs provide network managers with two significant capabilities:
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