Cisco IOS Bridging and IBM Network Solutions

Author: Cisco Systems, Inc. (USA)
Translator: Xu Huimin / Zeng Yongping / Wu Mingyu, etc.
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-09-01
Features: Cisco Systems, Inc. is a world-leading supplier of Intranet and global Internet network interconnection solutions. Its Cisco IOS solutions meet the end-to-end network connectivity needs of a broad customer base. This book includes two main parts: Network Bridging Configuration and IBM Network Configuration. Against the backdrop of Cisco technology, it provides a comprehensive and detailed introduction to the configuration of network bridging and IBM networks, with particular emphasis on the configuration tasks, offering detailed explanations of commands and other aspects of the configuration process.
Publisher's Note: With the rapid development and widespread application of network technology, various advanced and practical network technologies have increasingly become the focus of attention. To help readers better learn and master these network technologies and improve their ability to solve practical technical problems, we have organized the translation of this "Network Engineering Series," jointly organized by Macmillan (a subsidiary of the U.S. renowned computer book publishing company) and Cisco Systems, Inc. (a leader in the network industry), and will be published in installments. This series covers all major topics in the field of network technology. Although some content is based on network technologies supported by Cisco Systems, Inc., the content remains widely applicable. The target readers of this series are primarily engineering and technical personnel engaged in network technology work, as well as students and recent graduates in computer science, communication, and related disciplines at universities and colleges.
Several outstanding features of this series are:
· Authoritative and Classic: This series is meticulously compiled by experienced technical experts of Cisco Systems, Inc., and is highly regarded by professionals in the network industry worldwide. Many network engineers use it as a desk reference.
· Advanced and Practical: The series introduces new network technologies from a practical perspective, containing a wealth of engineering design and implementation principles, with strong practicality and advanced content.
· Easy to Understand: Although the series explains specialized technologies at different levels, it is presented in a step-by-step manner, progressing from general to specific, and from basic concepts to engineering practice. It does not require readers to have a systematic network foundation; background knowledge needed to understand specialized technologies will be provided when necessary. The basic content of the series is simple and easy to understand, and the practical examples are universally applicable.
· Rich in Examples: The example-based approach is a key part of this series. The classic examples not only help readers learn new knowledge but also enable them to generalize and apply them to specific engineering practices.
· Unique Style: The series employs certain writing features and conventions to emphasize practicality and facilitate readers in quickly and easily mastering knowledge. The series is rich in illustrations and examples, allowing readers to visually grasp fundamental network concepts and practical knowledge.
We sincerely hope that readers will provide valuable feedback and suggestions to further improve this series.
Electronics Industry Press
February 1998
Editor's Note: The features of the "Network Engineering Series" are authoritative and classic. Compiled by experienced technical experts of Cisco Systems, Inc., it is highly favored by network professionals. Advanced and practical. The series introduces new network technologies from a practical perspective, containing a wealth of engineering design and implementation principles. Easy to understand. The series progresses in a step-by-step manner, from general to specific, and from basic concepts to engineering practice. Rich in examples. The classic examples in the series enable readers to generalize and apply them to specific engineering practices. Unique style. The series adopts writing features and conventions that highlight practicality and facilitate readers in quickly mastering knowledge.
Overview of IBM Network Technology and Bridge Selection
Learn how to configure Source Route Bridging (SRB) and Remote Source Route Bridging (RSRB), understand LLC2 and SDLC parameters, explore Data Link Switching (DLSW) technology, and configure advanced point-to-point networks.
Excerpt: Features of Source Route Bridging
Cisco's Source Route Bridging implementation offers the following features:
· Provides configurable fast-switching software for Source Route Bridging.
· Enables Source Route Bridges to connect two or more token ring networks.
· Provides ring groups, allowing a Source Route Bridge to be configured with two or more network interfaces. A ring group refers to a collection of token ring network interfaces within one or more routers, which can be treated as a virtual ring network.
· Provides two types of probe frames to gather Routing Information Frames (RIFs): one is a full-route probe frame, which travels along all possible routes to the destination ring; the other is a spanning tree probe frame, which searches for a route only along a predefined static route (spanning tree).
· Provides a protocol-based dynamic RIF cache. The software allows manual entries to be added to the RIF cache.
· Provides filtering capabilities, which can be based on MAC addresses, Link Service Access Point (ISAP) headers, and protocol types.
· Provides filtering for NetBIOS frames, which can be based on station names or byte offsets within packets.
· Provides conversion to transparent bridge frames, allowing Source Route Bridges and non-Source Route Bridges (typically Ethernet-based) to communicate.
· Provides support for SRB Management Information Base (MIB) variables, as described in the "Bridge MIB" draft—Definition of Bridge Management Objects—by E. Decker, P. Langille, A. Rijsinghani, and K. McCloghrie, published in June 1991. Only the SRB component of the Bridge MIB is supported.
· Provides support for Token Ring MIB variables, as described in RFC 1231—IEEE 802.5 Token Ring Management Information Base—by K. McCloghrie, R. Fox, and E. Decker, published in May 1991. Cisco implements the mandatory tables of the Token Ring MIB (Interface Table and Statistics Table), but does not implement the optional table (Time Table). The Token Ring MIB has been implemented on 4/16Mb token ring interfaces, which can be configured by the user for either 4Mb or 16Mb transmission rates (CSC-1R, CSC-2R, CSC-R16M, or CSC-C2CTR).
· Supports Source Route Bridging over FDDI on Cisco 7200 series routers.
· Supports particle-based switching by default on Cisco 7200 series routers (on FDDI and token ring networks).