Cabletron Systems TRXMIM-44A User manual

CABLETRON SYSTEMS, P. O. Box 5005 Rochester, NH 03866-5005

The Complete Networking Solution

™

TRXMIM

TM

USER’S

GUIDE

MODELS 22A, 24A, 42A, 44A

NOTICE

i

NOTICE

Cabletron Systems reserves the right to make changes in specifications

and other information contained in this document without prior notice.

The reader should in all cases consult Cabletron Systems to determine

whether any such changes have been made.

The hardware, firmware, or software described in this manual is

subject to change without notice.

IN NO EVENT SHALL CABLETRON SYSTEMS BE LIABLE FOR

ANY INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL

DAMAGES WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO

LOST PROFITS) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS

MANUAL OR THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN IT, EVEN IF

CABLETRON SYSTEMS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF, KNOWN, OR

SHOULD HAVE KNOWN, THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Cabletron Systems, Inc.

P.O. Box 5005, Rochester, NH 03866-0505

Printed in the United States of America

Part Number 9031265 February, 1996

TRXMIM, TRBMIM, TDRMIM, TRMIM

,

TRMM-2

, and

TRMM-4

are trademarks of Cabletron Systems, Inc.

SPECTRUM

,

LANVIEW

, and

Remote LANVIEW

are registered

trademarks of Cabletron Systems, Inc.

IBM

is a registered trademark of International Business Machines

Corporation.

DEC

,

VT200

, and

VT300

are trademarks of Digital Equipment

Corporation.

CompuServe

is a trademark of CompuServe, Inc.

Printed On

Recycled Pape

r

FCC NOTICE

ii

FCC NOTICE

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is

subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause

harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference

received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the

limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules.

These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against

harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial

environment. This equipment uses, generates, and can radiate radio

frequency energy and if not installed in accordance with the operator’s

manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.

Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause

interference in which case the user will be required to correct the

interference at his own expense.

WARNING: Changes or modifications made to this device which are

not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could

void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

DOC NOTICE

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class A limits for radio noise

emissions from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference

Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.

Le présent appareil numérique n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques

dépassant les limites applicables aux appareils numériques de la class

A prescrites dans le Règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté

par le ministère des Communications du Canada.

CABLETRON SYSTEMS, INC. PROGRAM LICENSE AGREEMENT

iii

CABLETRON SYSTEMS, INC. PROGRAM LICENSE AGREEMENT

IMPORTANT: Before utilizing this product, carefully read this

License Agreement.

This document is an agreement between you, the end user, and

Cabletron Systems, Inc. (“Cabletron”) that sets forth your rights and

obligations with respect to the Cabletron software program (the

“Program”) contained in this package. The Program may be contained

in firmware, chips or other media. BY UTILIZING THE ENCLOSED

PRODUCT, YOU ARE AGREEING TO BECOME BOUND BY THE

TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, WHICH INCLUDES THE

LICENSE AND THE LIMITATION OF WARRANTY AND

DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE

TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, PROMPTLY RETURN THE

UNUSED PRODUCT TO THE PLACE OF PURCHASE FOR A FULL

REFUND.

CABLETRON SOFTWARE PROGRAM LICENSE

1. LICENSE. You have the right to use only the one (1) copy of the Program provided

in this package subject to the terms and conditions of this License Agreement.

You may not copy, reproduce or transmit any part of the Program except as

permitted by the Copyright Act of the United States or as authorized in writing by

Cabletron.

2. OTHER RESTRICTIONS. You may not reverse engineer, decompile, or

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3. APPLICABLE LAW. This License Agreement shall be interpreted and governed

under the laws and in the state and federal courts of New Hampshire. You accept

the personal jurisdiction and venue of the New Hampshire courts.

EXCLUSION OF WARRANTY AND DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

iv

EXCLUSION OF WARRANTY AND DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

1. EXCLUSION OF WARRANTY. Except as may be specifically provided by

Cabletron in writing, Cabletron makes no warranty, expressed or implied,

concerning the Program (including Its documentation and media).

CABLETRON DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OTHER THAN THOSE

SUPPLIED TO YOU BY CABLETRON IN WRITING, EITHER EXPRESS OR

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AND ANY ACCOMPANYING HARDWARE.

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WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS

OF BUSINESS, PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS

INFORMATION, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR RELIANCE

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USE THIS CABLETRON PRODUCT, EVEN IF CABLETRON HAS BEEN

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OR LIMITATION OF IMPLIED WARRANTEES IN SOME INSTANCES THE

ABOVE LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS

The enclosed product (a) was developed solely at private expense; (b)

contains “restricted computer software” submitted with restricted

rights in accordance with Section 52227-19 (a) through (d) of the

Commercial Computer Software - Restricted Rights Clause and its

successors, and (c) in all respects is proprietary data belonging to

Cabletron and/or its suppliers.

For Department of Defense units, the product is licensed with

“Restricted Rights” as defined in the DoD Supplement to the Federal

Acquisition Regulations, Section 52.227-7013 (c) (1) (ii) and its

successors, and use, duplication, disclosure by the Government is

subject to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph (c) (1) (ii) of the

Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at 252.227-

7013. Cabletron Systems, Inc., 35 Industrial Way. Rochester, New

Hampshire 03867

CONTENTS

v

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 USING THIS MANUAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-2

1.2 ABOUT THE TRXMIM FAMILY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-2

1.2.1 TCU Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-3

1.2.2 Port Assignments and Port Switching. . . . . . . . . . .1-4

1.2.3 Automatic Configuration at Power-Up. . . . . . . . . .1-7

1.2.4 Support for Passive MAU Workgroups . . . . . . . . .1-8

1.2.5 Interaction with Other MIMs in the MMAC . . . .1-10

1.2.6 LANVIEW LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-11

1.2.7 Network Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-11

1.3 FURTHER INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-12

1.3.1 Related Manuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-12

1.3.2 Recommended Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-12

1.3.3 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-13

CHAPTER 2 INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS &

SPECIFICATIONS OF OPERATION

2.1 GENERAL CABLING CONSIDERATIONS . . . . . . . . . .2-1

2.1.1 Network Performance Requirements . . . . . . . . . . .2-1

2.1.2 Installation Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-2

2.1.3 Maximum Number of Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-3

2.2 UTP CABLING SPECIFICATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-3

2.2.1 UTP Cable Categories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-4

2.2.2 UTP Cable Lengths to Stations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-5

2.3 STP CABLING SPECIFICATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-6

2.3.1 STP Cable Categories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-6

2.3.2 STP Cable Lengths to Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-7

2.4 TRXMIM OPERATING SPECIFICATIONS . . . . . . . . . .2-8

2.4.1 Media Filters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-8

2.4.2 Connector Types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-8

CONTENTS

vi

2.4.3 Ring Speeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-9

2.4.4 Ring Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-10

2.4.5 LANVIEW LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-10

2.5 OTHER SPECIFICATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-11

2.5.1 Hardware Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-11

2.5.2 Environmental Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-11

2.5.3 Safety Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-11

2.5.4 Service Projections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-12

CHAPTER 3 INSTALLING THE TRXMIM

3.1 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-1

3.2 INSTALLATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-2

3.2.1 Unpacking the TRXMIM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-2

3.2.2 Setting the Default Ring Speed Jumper . . . . . . . . .3-3

3.2.3 Installing the TRXMIM into an MMAC . . . . . . . .3-4

3.2.4 Boot-Up Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-5

3.2.5 Connecting Lobe Cabling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-6

3.2.6 Pre-Operational Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-9

CHAPTER 4 TESTING AND TROUBLESHOOTING

4.1 INSTALLATION CHECKOUT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-1

4.2 LANVIEW LED SIGNALS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-2

4.2.1 LANVIEW LED Definitions Table . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3

4.2.2 ERR - Error. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-4

4.2.3 BYP - Bypass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-4

4.2.4 MGMT - Management Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5

4.2.5 16MB - Ring Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-5

4.2.6 IN USE - Ring In Use. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-6

4.2.7 PORT - Port Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-7

CONTENTS

vii

APPENDIX A INTRODUCTION TO FOUR-RING

FNB FUNCTIONALITY

A.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1

A.2 The Flexible Network Bus (FNB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1

A.3 FNB Operations Without Port Switching. . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1

A.4 FNB Operations With Port Switching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3

A.5 Configuration Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5

Page 1-1

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the

Token Ring Port Switching Media Interface

Modules User’s Guide

. This manual serves as a reference for the

installation and troubleshooting of Cabletron Systems modules

TRXMIM-22A™, TRXMIM-24A™, TRXMIM-42A™, and

TRXMIM-44A™.

The TRXMIM models -22A / -24A / -42A / -44A, shown in Figure

1-1, comprise a family of active UTP/STP concentrators with port

switching capability for Token Ring networks. All four models are

designed for installation into any Cabletron Systems Multi Media

Access Center

®

(MMAC™) equipped with a Flexible Network Bus

®

(FNB™). All four TRXMIMs are IEEE 802.5 compliant and IBM

compatible.

Figure 1-1. The TRXMIM-22A, TRXMIM-24A, TRXMIM-42A, and

TRXMIM-44A Token Ring Port Switching Concentrator Modules.

TRXMIM-22A

SWITCHING UTP

TOKEN RING

126

115

104

93

82

71

IN USEAUX2-16Mb

AUX1-16Mb

RING4-16Mb

RING3-16Mb

RING2-16Mb

RING1-16Mb

BYP

IN USE

MGNT

ERR

-PORTS-

TRXMIM-24A

SWITCHING UTP

TOKEN RING

126

115

104

93

82

71

IN USEAUX2-16Mb

AUX1-16Mb

RING4-16Mb

RING3-16Mb

RING2-16Mb

RING1-16Mb

BYP

IN USE

MGNT

ERR

-PORTS-

24

23

22

21

20

19

18

17

16

15

14

13

IN USE

TRXMIM-42A

126

115

104

93

82

71

IN USEAUX2-16Mb

AUX1-16Mb

RING4-16Mb

RING3-16Mb

RING2-16Mb

RING1-16Mb

BYP

IN USE

MGNT

ERR

-PORTS-

SWITCHING STP

TOKEN RING

TRXMIM-44A

SWITCHING STP

TOKEN RING

126

115

104

93

82

71

IN USEAUX2-16Mb

AUX1-16Mb

RING4-16Mb

RING3-16Mb

RING2-16Mb

RING1-16Mb

BYP

IN USE

MGNT

ERR

-PORTS-

24

23

22

21

20

19

18

17

16

15

14

13

IN USE

1

X

2

X

3

X

5

X

4

X

6

X

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X

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X

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X

10

X

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USING THIS MANUAL

Page 1-2

1.1 USING THIS MANUAL

Prior to installing and operating the TRXMIM, please read through

this manual completely to become familiar with its contents and

with the features of the TRXMIM. If you are not familiar with port

switching and four-ring FNB applications, please begin by reading

Appendix A,

Introduction to Four-Ring FNB Functionality

.

A

general working knowledge of Token Ring (IEEE 802.5) networks is

helpful during installation.

Chapter 1,

Introduction

, describes how to use this document,

provides an overview of the features and capabilities of each

concentrator module, and concludes with a list of related manuals.

Chapter 2,

Installation Requirements & Specifications

, lists the

network requirements that must be met before installation, and

provides detailed specifications for each TRXMIM model.

Chapter 3,

Installing the TRXMIM

, contains instructions for

installing the TRXMIM into a Multi Media Access Center

®

(MMAC™) and attaching Token Ring station cabling.

Chapter 4,

Testing and Troubleshooting

, describes diagnostic

checks to assist in the correction of post-installation problems, and

provides detailed descriptions of LANVIEW

®

, Cabletron Systems’

built-in visual diagnostic and status monitoring system.

Appendix A,

Introduction to Four-Ring FNB Functionality,

discusses the concepts of port switching and port assignment.

1.2 ABOUT THE TRXMIM FAMILY

The TRXMIM family of concentrator modules provides MMAC

users with a new level of network connectivity. Their port

switching ability (fully described in Section 1.2.2,

Port

Assignments and Port Switching

) expands the number Token

Rings available within an MMAC and enables MMAC users to

switch ring connections between up to six Token Rings, without

changing a single cable connection. TRXMIMs also offer:

• complete compatibility with all Token Ring MIMs,

TCU Ports

Page 1-3

• support for Cabletron Systems’ Automatic Beacon Recovery

Process (ABRP),

• automatic speed fault protection,

• active filtering, re-timing, and repeating circuitry on all ports,

• Multiple Ring Out connectivity for Passive MAU workgroups,

• and LANVIEW LEDs for “at-a-glance” diagnostic monitoring.

Note:

The TRXMIM only

executes

port switching. Port-switching

assignments must be issued by a management module

with

port-assigning capability, such as TRMM-2 or TRMM-4.

1.2.1 TCU Ports

Each TRXMIM is equipped with 12 or 24 TCU (Trunk Connector

Unit) ports, depending on the TRXMIM model (see Table 1-1). Each

TCU port is fitted with a female RJ-45 modular connector jack to

support the attachment of either STP (shielded twisted pair) or UTP

(unshielded twisted pair) cabling with RJ-45 connector plugs.

Models that support STP cabling use RJ-45 connectors that provide

a grounded connection for the cabling shield.

Lobe Port and Ring Out Port Configurations

Each TCU port on the TRXMIM is internally defaulted to operate as

a lobe interface to support the insertion of a Token Ring station into

a ring. However, each TCU port may also be reconfigured, via the

Local Management (LM) application, to function as a Ring Out port

to support the connection of passive MAU (Multi-Station Access

Table 1-1 Port and Media List for TRXMIM Models

TRXMIM-22A 12 - Unshielded RJ-45 ports

TRXMIM-24A 24 - Unshielded RJ-45 ports

TRXMIM-42A 12 - Shielded RJ-45 ports

TRXMIM-44A 24 - Shielded RJ-45 ports

ABOUT THE TRXMIM FAMILY

Page 1-4

Unit) workgroups. See Section 1.2.4,

Support for Passive MAU

Workgroups

.

Active Circuitry

On each TCU port, TRXMIMs provide active circuitry which filters,

equalizes, and amplifies all received signals before transmitting

them to the next point on the ring. The result is enhanced signal

integrity and extended maximum station lobe cable distances.

Ring Speed Fault Protection

TRXMIMs also provide Ring Speed Fault Protection on each TCU

port to protect against beaconing conditions caused by stations

inserted at the wrong ring speed. The TRXMIM checks the ring

speeds of both the inserting station and the destination ring; if there

is a mismatch, the TRXMIM disables the port to keep the

misconfigured station isolated from the ring. The TRXMIM then

provides a simple visible LED signal to indicate to network

managers that Speed Fault Protection has disabled the port. The

port stays disabled until re-enabled by management. Refer to

Section 4.2,

LANVIEW LED SIGNALS

for information on the

LANVIEW LED visual status monitoring system.

1.2.2 Port Assignments and Port Switching

The TRXMIM requires the support of a port-assigning management

module (such as TRMM-2 or TRMM-4) to activate its port switching

functionality.

Without Port Switching

Without port-switching MIMs, MMAC users can create multiple

Token Ring LANs within an MMAC only by segmenting or

“wrapping” the FNB (as shown in Figure 1-2), and they can provide

access to only one ring segment from any one module. Thus, in

order to move a station from one ring to another, network

managers have to enter the wiring closet and physically move cable

connections from one module to another. With the advent of the

Port Assignments and Port Switching

Page 1-5

port-switching TRXMIM, Cabletron Systems offers alternative

solutions.

Figure 1-2. FNB ring 1 segmented to form two LANs

With Port Switching

When controlled by a management module which supports port

switching, TRXMIMs and other port switching MIMs make use of

additional pins in their FNB connectors to create three additional

vertically stacked FNB rings as shown in Figure 1-3. The FNB itself

does not change, but these modules change the way it is used.

Figure 1-3. FNB Expanded to Four Rings by Port Switching MIMs

TRXMIMs are thus able to offer flexible network connectivity,

eliminating the need to change cable connections when switching

TRMIM

TRMM

TRMIM

TRMMIM

FNB ring wrapped at TRMMIM's right FNB interface.

FNB ring

segment A

FNB ring

segment B

Port-Switching MIMs

FNB ring 1

FNB ring 2

FNB ring 3

FNB ring 4

TRMM-4

TRXMIM

TDRMIM

ABOUT THE TRXMIM FAMILY

Page 1-6

stations from ring to ring. To move a station from one ring to

another, a user simply accesses the Local Management application

and issues a new port assignment. The TRXMIM then switches the

TCU’s port-to-ring connection internally, as illustrated in Figure

1-4, instantly connecting the station to the new ring.

Figure 1-4. Logical Model of Port Assignment and Port Switching

Auxiliary Rings

The TRXMIM also hosts two internal auxiliary rings which exist

only within the circuits of the TRXMIM module. Although these

“module-level” auxiliary rings do not have access to the FNB, they

function as complete, independent Token Rings within the module.

This brings the connectivity total to six Token Rings accessible from

any TRXMIM port: two isolated auxiliary rings within the module

itself, and four rings on the FNB which can be used to

intercommunicate with other stations/devices connected to the

same FNB rings via other MIMs in the hub.

FNB ring 1

FNB ring 2

FNB ring 4

FNB ring 3

Port Assignments

made by Token Ring Management Module

are executed internally by TRXMIM.

Electronic reassignment of Port 12 from Ring 2 to Ring

4

TRXMIM-22A

SWITCHING UTP

TOKEN RING

7

X

8

X

9

X

10

X

11

X

12

X

1

X

2

X

3

X

4

X

5

X

6

X

126

115

104

93

82

71

IN USEAUX2-16Mb

AUX1-16Mb

RING4-16Mb

RING3-16Mb

RING2-16Mb

RING1-16Mb

BYP

IN USE

MGNT

ERR

-PORTS-

Automatic Configuration at Power-Up

Page 1-7

1.2.3 Automatic Configuration at Power-Up

The management module in the TRXMIM’s host MMAC stores all

user-configured port assignments in its NVRAM. Upon hub

start-up or TRXMIM reset, the management module reissues its

stored configurations to the TRXMIM so that all port assignments

set before power-down are reinstated at next power-up.

Some management modules, including the TRMM-2, also have

hardware jumpers or a switchblock to hold default ring speed

settings which are issued to all modules in the absence of

user-defined configurations stored in NVRAM.

If the TRXMIM receives no management-issued configuration

information at start-up (i.e. configuration settings from a

management module’s NVRAM are not available), the device uses

the configurations dictated by its hardware default settings.

Assignments from a management module always override the

TRXMIM’s hardware defaults.

Default Port Assignments

All TRXMIM TCU ports are assigned by default to FNB ring 1. This

default is not user-configurable.

Default Ring Speeds

The FNB ring 1 default ring speed is set by the position of the

Default Ring Speed Jumper. See Section 3.2.2,

Setting the Default

Ring Speed Jumper

for configuration instructions.

The default ring speed setting for all other rings (FNB rings 2 - 4

and Auxiliary rings 1 & 2) is 16 Mb/s. This default is not

user-configurable.

Management module defaults or NVRAM settings for ring speeds

override all TRXMIM hardware default ring speed settings. (The

TRMM-2, for example, has a switchblock on which ring speeds are

defined for the entire hub.) Consult the management module’s

manual for instructions on setting ring speeds throughout the hub.

ABOUT THE TRXMIM FAMILY

Page 1-8

1.2.4 Support for Passive MAU Workgroups

Whereas a station signals a TCU to open its interface by sending a

phantom current down its lobe cable, a passive MAU can not

provide phantom current. A TCU Ring Out port is therefore

configured to ignore the absence of phantom current in the

connecting cable and to look instead for the presence of data bits to

determine link status.

By default, each of the TRXMIM’s TCU ports is configured to its

STN (station) setting to support concentrator lobe connections to

stations. Through Local Management, any TCU port may be

reconfigured to its RO (Ring Out) setting to support connections to

passive MAU (Multi-Station Access Unit) workgroups.

Note:

The output of the TRXMIM’s LANVIEW LEDs for a Ring Out

port is quite different from the output for a station lobe port. See Section

4.2,

LANVIEW LED SIGNALS

, for a discussion of this and all other

LED signal details.

Improved Protection from Beaconing

The TRXMIM provides enhanced reliability for existing networks

which use passive MAUs because Multiple Ring Out TCUs allow

for the separate attachment of each MAU. Rather than

daisy-chaining MAUs together as a single entity and risking their

collective isolation in case of beaconing, the user can now attach

each MAU individually, reducing the number of MAU ports that

are at risk of collective isolation in case of beaconing on the ring; the

TRXMIM’s Beacon Recovery system may bypass individually

connected MAUs on an individual rather than collective basis. See

Figure 1-5.

Support for Passive MAU Workgroups

Page 1-9

Figure 1-5. Improved Beacon Recovery Resolution for MAUs

(8 Stations)

TRXMIM

Ring

Out

Ring

Out

Ring

Out

Ring

Out

Multi-Station

Access Units

Ring

In

Ring

In

Ring

In

Ring

In

When each MAU is individually connected to the TRXMIM,

only one MAU must be bypassed

to isolate the hub from a beaconing MAU station.

The 8 stations on that MAU still go down,

but the remaining MAUs and their stations stay operational.

(8 Stations)

Multi-Station

Access Units

MIM with

Ring In / Ring Out

Ring

Out

Ring

Out

Ring

Out

Ring

Out

Ring

In

Ring

In

Ring

In

Ring

In

Ring

Out

Ring

In

When MAUs are daisy-chained,

they are connected as single collective entity.

The entire chain must be bypassed

to isolate the hub from a single beaconing station.

All stations lose connection if beaconing occurs on any station.

COMMON MAU CONFIGURATION

TRXMIM MAU CONFIGURATION

ABOUT THE TRXMIM FAMILY

Page 1-10

No Connection Redundancy

The TRXMIM MAU configuration does not provide for the MAU’s

redundant connection to the ring. In the common configuration, a

MAU chain is dual-attached to the Token Ring LAN via both a Ring

Out cable and a Ring In cable. Using a TCU port, however, each

passive MAU workgroup is physically connected to the hub in the

same manner as a station—by a single cable—and therefore is not

provided a backup path between the MAU and the Token Ring

network.

Only the dual attachment of Ring In

and

Ring Out cables can

provide a backup path. This level of connectivity must be provided

by Token Ring Repeater MIMs (such as TRRMIM or TDRMIM)

which are designed to extend trunk connections with full

redundancy.

1.2.5 Interaction with Other MIMs in the MMAC

Multiple concentrator modules can be installed into an MMAC to

increase the number of ports available on a Token Ring network.

Any TRXMIM installed within an MMAC may be connected to

other Token Ring MIMs, repeaters, bridges, and management

modules within the hub. When installed contiguously in the

MMAC and configured with identical ring speed settings, port

switching MIMs automatically attach to each other via the

continuous FNB rings on the backplane. If, however, a

management module issues wrapping commands, the specified

neighboring MIMs will wrap at their FNB interfaces, breaking the

FNB ring connections between them, and effectively segmenting

the FNB.

Note:

If the MMAC has a shunting FNB, vacant hub slots do not cause

breaks in FNB rings: the shunting FNB connectors on the backplane

provide a bypass circuit, maintaining ring continuity across vacant slots.

If the MMAC does not have a shunting FNB, vacant slots will force the

FNB rings to wrap, segmenting the FNB rings.

When port switching MIMs are interconnected, so are the

additional FNB rings they have each created at their FNB interfaces.

LANVIEW LEDs

Page 1-11

Thus FNB rings 2, 3, and 4 are extended across the MMAC as far as

there are port switching modules to carry them. Port switching

MIMs are also compatible with earlier single-ring MIMs (e.g.

TRMIM) and will interconnect across FNB ring 1, but not across

FNB rings 2, 3, or 4. (Single-ring MIMs do not have port switching

capability and

cannot

support connections across FNB rings 2, 3, or

4.) For more explanation on four-ring FNB functionality, see

Appendix A,

Introduction to Four-Ring FNB Functionality

.

Note: It is recommended that all single-ring MIMs be grouped in

the left-most slots of the MMAC and all port switching MIMs be

grouped in the right-most slots

because any

single-ring MIM installed

between port switching MIMs will break the continuity of FNB rings 2, 3,

4; and management modules that have direct FNB interfaces to FNB rings

2, 3, and 4 require contiguous contact with other port switching MIMs to

maintain ring continuity.

1.2.6 LANVIEW LEDs

The LANVIEW LED system is Cabletron Systems’ built-in,

“at-a-glance,” visual diagnostic and status monitoring system

which facilitates the quick diagnosis of physical layer network

problems. The LANVIEW LED system comprises several LEDs,

located on the front panel of the TRXMIM, which light, blink, and

flash in various colors to indicate various network and

module-specific conditions. The LANVIEW LED signal system is

discussed in detail in Section 4.2, LANVIEW LED SIGNALS.

1.2.7 Network Management

With a management module installed in slot 1 of the MMAC, the

TRXMIM and other modules in the hub can be monitored and

controlled by a variety of network management tools including

Cabletron Systems Local Management, Remote LANVIEW

®

/

Windows, and SPECTRUM

®

. Any Token Ring management

module may be used to manage the TRXMIM, but only a module

that supports port switching can activate the port-switching

functionality of the TRXMIM.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Page 1-12

1.3 FURTHER INFORMATION

1.3.1 Related Manuals

The manuals listed below should be used to supplement the

procedures and other technical data provided in this manual. The

procedures in them will be referenced, where appropriate, but will

not be repeated.

Cabletron Systems TRMM-2 User’s Guide (PN 9031287)

Cabletron Systems TRMM-2 Local Management User’s Guide

(PN 9031389)

Cabletron Systems TDRMIM-22A/42A Token Ring Dual

Repeaters User’s Guide (PN 9031428)

1.3.2 Recommended Reading

The following publications are recommended if more information

is required regarding the implementation of Token Ring networks.

Local Area Networks, Token Ring Access Method, IEEE Standard

802.5 (1989)

Commercial Building Wiring Standard, EIA Standard Proposal

No. 1907-B (if approved, to be published as EIA/TIA-568)

LAN Troubleshooting Handbook, Mark Miller (1989, M&T

Publishing)

1.3.3 Getting Help

If you need additional support related to Cabletron Systems Token

Ring products, or if you have any questions, comments or

suggestions related to this manual, please contact Cabletron

Systems Technical Support:

By phone: (603) 332-9400

Monday-Friday; 8am - 8pm EST

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