Cabletron Systems 100 User Manual

ELS100-16TX

SmartSTACK 100

ELS100-16TX

USER GUIDE

EPIM100

PORT STATUS MODE

STATUS

TX ACT FDX MON

PWR

CPU

RESET

COM

RX COL 100 USR

13579111315

LINK

STATUS

LINK

STATUS

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

1X 3X 5X 7X

2X 4X 6X 8x

9X 11X 13X 15X

10X 12X 14X 16X

EPIM100

9032405-01

NOTICE

Only qualified personnel should perform installation
procedures.

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.



Copyright April 1998 by Cabletron Systems, Inc., P.O. Box 5005, Rochester, NH 03866-5005
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America

Order Number: 9032405-01

Cabletron Systems, SPECTRUM
ELS100-16TX, ELS10-26TX, EPIM-100FX, FEPIM, FEPIM-TX and FEPIM-FX

of Cabletron Systems, Inc.

All other product names mentioned in this manual may be trademarks or registered trademarks of
their respective companies.

, and

LANVIEW

are registered trademarks and

SmartSTACK,

are trademarks

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:

party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

Changes or modifications made to this device which are not expressly approved by the

i

Notice

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.

VCCI NOTICE

This is a Class A product based on the standard of the Voluntary Control Council for Interference by
Information Technology Equipment (VCCI). If this equipment is used in a domestic environment,
radio disturbance may arise. When such trouble occurs, the user may be required to take corrective
actions.

CABLETRON SYSTEMS, INC. PROGRAM LICENSE AGREEMENT

IMPORTANT:

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 , PR OMPTLY RETURN THE UNUSED
PRODUCT TO THE PLACE OF PURCHASE FOR A FULL REFUND.

Before utilizing this product, carefully read this License Agreement.

ii

Notice

CABLETRON SOFTWARE PROGRAM LICENSE

1. LICENSE

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 disassemble the

Program.

3. APPLICABLE LA W. 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.

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

EXCLUSION OF WARRANTY AND DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

1. EXCLUSION OF

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 EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING
BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE PROGRAM, THE
ACCOMP ANYING WRITTEN MA TERIALS, AND ANY A CCOMP ANYING HARDWARE.

2. NO LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. IN NO EVENT SHALL

CABLETRON OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER
(INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF BUSINESS,
PROFITS, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF BUSINESS INFORMATION, SPECIAL,
INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR RELIANCE DAMAGES, OR OTHER LOSS)
ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THIS CABLETRON PRODUCT,
EVEN IF CABLETRON HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGES. BECAUSE SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, OR
ON THE DURATION OR LIMITATION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, IN SOME
INSTANCES THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO
YOU.

WARRANTY. Except as may be specifically provided by Cabletron in

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 03867-0505.

iii

Notice

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

Application of Council Directive(s):

Manufacturer’s Name:

Manufacturer’s Address:

European Representative Name:

European Representative Address:

Conformance to Directive(s)/Product Standards:

Equipment T ype/Environment:

W e the undersigned, hereby declare, under our sole responsibility, that the equipment packaged
with this notice conforms to the above directives.

Manufacturer Legal Representative in Europe

89/336/EEC
73/23/EEC

Cabletron Systems, Inc.
35 Industrial Way

PO Box 5005
Rochester, NH 03867

Mr. J. Solari
Cabletron Systems Limited

Nexus House, Newbury Business Park
London Road, Newbury
Berkshire RG13 2PZ, England

EC Directive 89/336/EEC
EC Directive 73/23/EEC
EN 55022
EN 50082-1
EN 60950

Networking Equipment, for use in a
Commercial or Light
Environment.

Industrial

Mr. Ronald Fotino Mr. J. Solari

___________________________________ ___________________________________

Full Name Full Name
Principal Compliance Engineer Managing Director - E.M.E.A.

___________________________________ ___________________________________

Title Title
Rochester, NH, USA Newbury, Berkshire, England

___________________________________ ___________________________________

Location Location

iv

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 ABOUT THIS MANUAL........................................................................1-1

1.2 GETTING HELP.......................................................................................1-2

1.3 DOCUMENT CONVENTIONS.............................................................1-3

1.4 RELATED DOCUMENTATION ...........................................................1-4

1.5 OVERVIEW...............................................................................................1-5

1.5.1 SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX Architecture............................1-6

1.5.2 SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX Bridge Address Table..........1-11

1.5.3 SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX Port Mirroring......................1-12

1.5.4 SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX Sample Applications...........1-12

1.6 LOCAL CONSOLE MANAGER..........................................................1-17

1.6.1 Command Syntax Conventions.................................................1-18

1.6.2 Basic LCM Commands................................................................1-19

CHAPTER 2 UNPACKING AND INSTALLING

YOUR ELS100-16TXTX

2.1 ELS100-16TX FRONT PANEL................................................................2-1

2.2 INSTALLING AN EPIM.........................................................................2-4

2.3 INSTALLING THE ELS100-16TX..........................................................2-6

2.4 CHECKING THE POWER-UP DIAGNOSTICS SEQUENCE...........2-8

2.5 CONNECTING THE LOCAL CONSOLE MANAGER .....................2-8

2.6 CONNECTING TO THE NETWORK...................................................2-9

2.6.1 Connecting UTP Cables..............................................................2-10

2.6.2 Connecting a Segment to the EPIM-100FX ..............................2-11

CHAPTER 3 CONFIGURING YOUR ELS100-16TX

3.1 ASSIGNING IP ADDRESSES.................................................................3-2

3.1.1 Displaying IP Addresses...............................................................3-4

3.1.2 Deleting an IP Address.................................................................3-4

3.1.3 Changing a Subnet Mask..............................................................3-4

3.2 ENABLING BRIDGING..........................................................................3-5

3.3 DISABLING BRIDGING.........................................................................3-6

3.4 DISPLAYING BRIDGING FUNCTIONS .............................................3-6

3.5 ENABLING TRUNKING........................................................................3-7

3.6 DISABLING TRUNKING.....................................................................3-10

3.7 DISPLAYING TRUNKING STATUS..................................................3-11

3.8 ENABLING PORT MIRRORING ........................................................3-13

3.9 DISABLING MIRRORING...................................................................3-13

v

Contents

3.10 DISPLAYING MIRRORING STATUS ..............................................3-14

3.11 DEFINING AND DELETING WORKGROUPS..............................3-16

3.12 ASSIGNING A COMMUNITY NAME.............................................3-18

3.13 CONFIGURING BROADCAST/MULTICAST STORM

PROTECTION ......................................................................................3-19

3.14 MODIFYING MIB VARIABLES.........................................................3-20

3.15 SYSTEM CONTACT............................................................................3-20

3.16 SYSTEM NAME ...................................................................................3-21

3.16.1 System Location .........................................................................3-21

3.16.2 Community Names....................................................................3-21

3.16.3 Aging Parameter........................................................................3-22

CHAPTER 4 MONITORING AND MANAGING

YOUR ELS100-16TX

4.1 ELS100-16TX MANAGEMENT TOOLS...............................................4-1

4.2 ELS100-16TX STATISTICS......................................................................4-1

4.2.1 Gathering Statistics........................................................................4-2

4.2.2 System Statistics.............................................................................4-2

4.2.3 Ethernet Port Statistics ..................................................................4-3

4.3 USING LCM TO CHECK ELS100-16TX STATUS...............................4-4

4.3.1 Displaying Status...........................................................................4-4

4.3.2 Displaying MAC Addresses.........................................................4-6

4.3.3 Displaying Manufacturing Information.....................................4-8

4.4 MANAGING THE ELS100-16TX...........................................................4-9

4.5 USING LCM TO MANAGE THE ELS100-16TX..................................4-9

4.5.1 Disabling a Port............................................................................4-10

4.5.2 Enabling a Port.............................................................................4-10

4.5.3 Changing a Subnet Mask............................................................4-11

4.5.4 Changing a Community Name..................................................4-12

4.5.5 Setting the Baud Rate ..................................................................4-13

4.5.6 Setting a Reboot Time..................................................................4-14

CHAPTER 5 ELS100-16TX DIAGNOSTICS AND

TROUBLESHOOTING

5.1 POWER-UP DIAGNOSTICS ..................................................................5-1

5.1.1 Power-up LED Sequence ..............................................................5-1

5.1.2 Specific Power-up Tests ................................................................5-2

5.1.3 Software Checksum Comparison................................................5-2

5.1.4 Power-up Diagnostics Results .....................................................5-3

vi

Contents

5.2 RESPONSES TO FAILURES AT POWER-UP......................................5-3

5.3 STATUS AND ACTIVITY INDICATORS............................................5-3

5.4 TROUBLESHOOTING............................................................................5-6

5.5 ELS100-16TX DOES NOT POWER UP.................................................5-6

5.5.1 Connectivity Problems..................................................................5-6

5.5.2 ELS100-16TX Has Rebooted.........................................................5-7

5.5.3 ELS100-16TX Does Not Respond to NMS..................................5-7

APPENDIX A TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

A.1 ELS100-16TX Specifications..................................................................A-1

A.2 Serial Cable Pin Assignments ..............................................................A-3

A.3 100BASE-T Pin Assignments................................................................A-4

A.4 Straight-through Wiring .......................................................................A-5

A.5 Crossover Wiring...................................................................................A-5

A.6 The 5 - 4 - 3 Rule.....................................................................................A-6

A.7 EPIM-100FX Specifications...................................................................A-6

APPENDIX B GLOSSARY

vii

Contents

viii

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 ABOUT THIS MANUAL

This manual is for system administrators responsible for
configuring, monitoring, and maintaining the SmartSTACK 100
ELS100-16TX. You should have a familiarity with networking
concepts and principles. In addition, a basic understanding of
SNMP is helpful.

Some SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX configurations can only be
done using an SNMP-based Network Management System (NMS).
Where applicable, this manual provides instructions for using the
Local Console Manager (LCM) to perform basic configuration.
Where it is not possible to use LCM, general instructions and
guidelines applicable to most NMSs are provided.

The contents of each chapter are described below.

• Chapter 1,
and provides an overview of the SmartSTACK 100
ELS100-16TX’s switching functions, applications, and the Local
Console Manager (LCM).

• Chapter 2,
describes the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX front and rear
panels, how to install the SmartST ACK 100 ELS100-16TX, how to
connect the Local Console Manager (LCM), and how to connect
the ELS100-16TX

• Chapter 3,
instructions for configuring the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX
using the Local Console Manager (LCM). It also provides some
common Management Information Base (MIB) variables you
may want to change.

• Chapter 4,
describes how to monitor SmartST ACK 100 ELS100-16TX status
and statistics. It also describes how to manage the SmartST ACK
100 ELS100-16TX Ethernet ports using the Local Console
Manager (LCM).

Introduction

Unpacking and Installing Your ELS100-16TX

to the network.

Configuring Your ELS100-16TX

Monitoring and Managing Your ELS100-16TX

, outlines the contents of this manual

, provides

,

,

1-1

Introduction

• Chapter 5,

ELS100-16TX Diagnostics and Troubleshooting

,
describes the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX diagnostics and
provides information on troubleshooting common problems.

• Appendix A,

Technical Specifications

, provides the
SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX specifications and basic cabling
pin assignments.

• Appendix B,

Glossary

, provides a glossary of terms both specific
to the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX and common to the
networking field.

1.2 GETTING HELP

For additional support related to this device or document, contact
the Cabletron Systems Global Call Center:

Phone [phone]
Internet mail [e-mail]
FTP ctron.com (134.141.197.25)

Login
Password

BBS [phone]

Modem setting 8N1: 8 data bits, No parity, 1 stop bit

For additional information about Cabletron Systems or its products, visit the
World Wide Web site:
For technical support, select

To send comments or suggestions concerning this document, contact the
Cabletron Systems Technical Writing Department via the following
email address:

Make sure to include the document Part Number in the email message.

http://www.cabletron.com/

[e-mail]

anonymous
your email address

Service and Support

.

Before calling the Cabletron Systems Global Call Center, have the
following information ready:

• Your Cabletron Systems service contract number

• A description of the failure

1-2

Introduction

• A description of any action(s) already taken to resolve the
problem (e.g., changing mode switches, rebooting the unit, etc.)

• The serial and revision numbers of all involved Cabletron
Systems products in the network

• A description of your network environment (layout, cable type,
etc.)

• Network load and frame size at the time of trouble (if known)

• The device history (i.e., have you returned the device before, is
this a recurring problem, etc.)

• Any previous Return Material Authorization (RMA) numbers

1.3 DOCUMENT CONVENTIONS

The following conventions are used throughout this document:
LCM commands, prompts, and information displayed by the

computer appear in Courier typeface, for example:

Current Number of Learned Addresses: 133

Information that you enter appears in Courier bold typeface, for
example:

ELS100-16 >

status

Information that you need to enter with a command is enclosed in
angle brackets < >. For example, you must enter a port number
and an IP address to execute the

ipaddr <port #> <IP address>

command:

ELS100-16 >

ipaddr 6 192.138.217.40

Field value options appear in bold typeface.

1-3

Introduction

The following conventions are also used in this document:

Note:

Calls the reader’s attention to any item of information that may be
of special importance.

Tip:

Caution:

Conveys helpful hints concerning procedures or actions.

Contains information essential to avoid damage to the
equipment.

Warning:

Warns against an action that could result in equipment
damage, personal injury or death.

Warns against an action that could result in equipment
damage, personal injury or death.

1.4 RELATED DOCUMENTATION

The following documentation may assist the user in using this
product:

•

Getting Started with the SmartST ACK 100 ELS100-16TX

the basic information for using the SmartSTACK 100
ELS100-16TX.

- contains

•

Interconnections, Bridges and Routers,

Radia Perlman, Addison

Wesley © 1992.

•

Internetworking with TCP/IP: Principles, Protocols, and Architecture

(2nd edition), Volumes I and II, Douglas Comer, Prentice Hall ©

1991.

•

The Simple Book, An Introduction to Management of TCP/IP-based
internets

1-4

, Marshall T . Rose, Prentice Hall © Second Edition, 1994.

Introduction

1.5 OVERVIEW

The SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX is an intelligent Ethernet-to­Ethernet switch that is configured with 16 IEEE 802.3
10/100BASE-T autosensing Ethernet ports. The SmartSTACK 100
ELS100-16TX provides the option of substituting RJ45 ports 15 and
16 (either or both) with two EPIM ports. These ports accept the
EPIM-100FX.

The ELS100-16TX also includes an RS232C port for out-of-band
management. Figure 1-1 shows the front panel for the
SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX.

.

ELS100-16TX Front Panel

EPIM100

9X 11X 13X 15X

10X 12X 14X 16X

EPIM100

ELS100-16TX

PORT STATUS MODE

STATUS

TX ACT FDX MON

PWR

CPU

RESET

COM

RX COL 100 USR

13579111315

LINK

STATUS

LINK

STATUS

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

1X 3X 5X 7X

2X 4X 6X 8x

Figure 1-1. SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX Front Panel

The SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX

• Provides dedicated bandwidth for each network connected to
its ports.

• Provides full store and forward bridging functionality and
modified cut through operation.

• Provides complete error checking functionality.

• Provides port trunking to increase bandwidth.

• Provides port mirroring capability for enhanced
troubleshooting.

• Supports Auto-negotiation.

1-5

Introduction

• Operates in either Half Duplex or Full Duplex modes on all
ports.

• Implements the Spanning Tree protocol (802.1d).

• Configured with factory-set defaults for immediate plug-and­play capability (IP address is not configured at factory).

In addition, the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX offers the
following features that can help you manage and maintain your
network:

• RMON support.

• Configuration and management using the Simple Network
Management Protocol (SNMP) with either an in-band or out-of­band connection.

• Protection against broadcast/multicast storms.

• Ability to define virtual workgroups for more efficient
bandwidth usage. The SmartST ACK 100 ELS100-16TX ports can
be segmented into 8 separate broadcast domains.

• Compilation of statistics (by port) for traffic from each user
device connected to a SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX segment.

1.5.1 SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX Architecture

The SmartSTACK ELS100-16TX is a feature rich desktop switch
supporting full wire speed throughput. The SmartSTACK
ELS100-16TX brings enhanced performance and capabilities to
workgroup and departmental networks by allowing the network
administrator to configure the SmartSTACK ELS100-16TX to
operate in a modified cut through mode that increases
performance for larger packets.

The SmartST ACK ELS100-16TX supports 8192 MAC addresses and
is compliant with the IEEE 802.1d Spanning Tree protocol. In
addition, the SmartSTACK ELS100-16TX offers full address
learning and filtering, while protecting against error propagation.

1-6

Introduction

The SmartSTACK ELS100-16TX goes beyond switching basics
incorporating unique management features, including, RMON
statistics and Broadcast/multicast storm protection, proactive
alarms, and both in-band and out-of-band SNMP management.

The SmartSTACK ELS100-16TX uses an ASIC-based switching
engine with the flexibility and performance required for today's
networking demands.

Ethernet switching allows customer to scale bandwidth by
segmenting the network into smaller pieces providing the required
amount of bandwidth to individual users or LAN segments.
Ethernet switching protects the customer’s investment in Ethernet
network hardware by preserving installed shar ed LAN equipment
such as repeaters and hubs, network interface cards, cabling,
applications, and network operating systems, while re-deploying
high-speed switches where necessary to support today’s
bandwidth demands.

The SmartST ACK ELS100-16TX will operate in either 10 Mbps half
or full duplex or 100 Mbps half or full duplex modes. Utilization of
Fast Ethernet 100 Mbps connections provides a 10 fold increase in
data rate per segment while preserving the basic network
operation and frame format.

The SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX is protocol-transparent,
meaning it can handle different types of network traffic regardless
of the network protocol, such as IP and IPX. As the SmartSTACK
100 ELS100-16TX reads addresses from the packets it processes, it
builds a dynamic database of addresses called the

Table

. In this way, the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX continuously

Bridge Address

learns the addresses of all connected devices. Consequently, you
can add new devices to the network, change device addresses, and
remove devices from the network without having to reconfigure
the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX.

The Open System Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model,
developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO),
identifies the levels of functionality inherent in each of its seven
layers. The SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX operates at the Media

1-7

Introduction

Access Control (MAC) sub-layer of the Data Link layer. Figure 1-2
shows the OSI Reference Model.

7

Application
Presentation

6
5

Session
Transport

4
3

Network

2

1

Data Link

Physical

Figure 1-2. OSI Reference Model

ELS100-16TX operates at Layer 2

Port T runking

Another performance enhancing feature of the SmartSTACK
ELS100-16TX is Port Trunking. The SmartSTACK ELS100-16TX
allows two Trunk groups of up to eight 10 Mbps or 100 Mbps ports
to be connected between the SmartSTACK ELS100-16TX and
network devices including Cabletron’s SmartStack 10, FastNET
products and ATX LAN switch. This capability provides a scalable
dedicated bandwidth in a single trunk group of up to 1.6 Gbps
(full duplex) when using 100BaseX ports or 160Mbps (full duplex)
when using the ports in 10BaseT mode. This is accomplished
without introducing any emerging technologies such as Gigabit
Ethernet or ATM. By connecting multiple SmartSTACK ELS100­16TX products using port trunking, the network administrator can
create a virtual chassis (spanning multiple physical chassis),
providing many-switched Ethernet and Fast Ethernet ports at a
very low cost per port.

Autonegotiation

Auto-negotiation is supported on all of the 16 switched Ethernet

1-8

Introduction

ports allowing the switch port and an attached device to negotiate
for full or half-duplex modes of operation. The SmartSTACK 100
ELS100-16TX also supports auto-negotiation as defined by IEEE

802.3u and will automatically set the port to the proper mode (10
Mbps, half/full duplex or, 100 Mbps half/full duplex). The
EPIM100-FX interface will not support auto-negotiation, as auto
negotiation for fiber is not defined in the 802.3u specification.

Store and Forward Switching

As an intelligent Ethernet switch, the SmartSTACK 100
ELS100-16TX uses store and forward switching. Store and forwar d
switching allows the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX to
temporarily store packets until network resources, typically an
unused link, are available for forwarding. This allows for complete
error checking, and limits the amount of time between when a
device requests access to the network and when it is granted
permission to transmit. In addition, full store and forward
switching ensures data integrity, thus preventing network error
conditions from being generated throughout the network.

Discarding Local Traffic

The SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX checks all incoming packets
for their destination address against the Bridge Address Table. If a
packet’s destination address is not on the same network segment
as the originating packet, the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX
forwards the packet to the network segment associated with that
destination address, if known. However, if the packet’s source and
destination address are on the same network segment, known as

local traffic

the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX).
For example, a file transmitted from Workstation A to Workstation

C in Figure 1-3 does not need to leave LAN 1. The SmartSTACK
100 ELS100-16TX connected to LANs 1 and 2 sees all traffic from
LAN 1, including LAN 1 local traffic.

, the packet is automatically discarded (i.e., ignored by

1-9

Introduction

ELS100-16TX

FastNet 10

LAN 1

ABC

Figure 1-3. Typical Switching Application

LAN 2

By forwarding only packets addressed to devices on other network
segments, the SmartST ACK 100 ELS100-16TX reduces unnecessary
traffic and thereby enhances the overall performance of the
network.

Note:

If the packet address is not found in the Bridge Address Table, it
will be forwarded (flooded) to all network segments.

Spanning T ree Algorithm

The SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX supports the IEEE 802.1d
Spanning Tree algorithm. The Spanning Tree algorithm converts
multiple LANs into a “spanning tree” of networks. It is used to
prevent bridging loops. This standard defines a logical (not
physical) network configuration consisting of one extended LAN
without active duplicate paths between spanning tree bridges.

The SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX, along with other IEEE 802.1d
Spanning Tree compliant bridges in the network, dynamically
configure the network topology into a single Spanning Tree by
exchanging Bridge Protocol Data Units (BPDUs). Typically, each
LAN segment is sent one BPDU every two seconds (this is the
default setting).

When there are multiple SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TXs
connecting LANs in a loop, the Spanning Tree algorithm
determines which SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX should forward

1-10

Introduction

packets to the LAN. If there is a cable break or a port failure, the
network topology is automatically reconfigured by the Spanning
Tree protocol to create an alternate path to the LAN.

1.5.2 SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX Bridge Address
Table

The SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX creates and maintains a
dynamic database of addresses called the Bridge Address Table.
The SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX examines every packet to
determine its source address and LAN segment origin. It then
compares the source address and segment information it finds to
the entries in the Bridge Address Table.

If a packet’s address is not already stored in the Bridge Address
Table, the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX adds the learned
address, associated segment number, and a timer value indicating
the age of the observation. Consequently, the SmartSTACK 100
ELS100-16TX knows the address and associated segment number
the next time it sees that address. By using the information stored
in the Bridge Address Table, the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX is
able to quickly forward each packet to the correct LAN segment.

The SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX learns addresses from all
packets, including data transmissions and “keep alive” packets
(packets sent by an idle station to let other stations know it is
present and functional). When devices are added to the network,
removed from it, or relocated, you do not have to reconfigure the
SmartST ACK 100 ELS100-16TX. The unit automatically learns new
device addresses, recognizes when a previously used address is
missing, or when a device has been moved to a new LAN segment.

An address stored in the Bridge Addr ess Table is discarded if there
is no subsequent activity from that address after a configured
length of time (five minutes by default). This aging process ensures
that the Bridge Address Table is continually updated.

Addresses are continually added to and deleted from the Bridge
Address Table, reflecting the dynamic nature of internetwork
traffic.

1-11

Introduction

Each dynamic entry includes:

• An Ethernet MAC address

• A single port number of the LAN on which the address resides

• The age of the entry
The SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX stores 8192 dynamic (learned)

entries in its Bridge Address Table.

1.5.3 SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX Port Mirroring

Port monitoring allows the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX to
redirect network traffic (good packets only) from multiple ports to
the port selected for mirroring, in effect “mirroring” all network
traffic to this port. This feature allows users who have existing
investments in external analyzers, external RMON probes, or
devices like Network General's Distributed Sniffer System
continue to receive expert analysis and packet decode functions in
a switched environment -- simply use the port mirroring function
to mirror switched traffic to the designated “diagnostic” port to
which the analyzer is attached.

TM

to

1.5.4 SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX Sample
Applications

Just as a six lane highway allows you to travel much faster than a
single lane highway, a network backbone creates high-speed
connections for your network. In general, a network backbone
allows you to distribute access to important network resources
such as file or print servers. Additional SmartSTACK 100
ELS100-16TX features, such as trunking, Fast Ethernet, and virtual
workgroups allow you to optimize bandwidth and design a more
efficient flow for your network traffic.

1-12

Introduction

SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX Trunking

The SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX allows two trunk groups with
up to eight ports each to be connected between the SmartSTACK
100 ELS100-16TX and other devices in the FastNetwork and
SmartSTACK families. This capability provides a scalable
dedicated bandwidth of up to 1.6 Gbps for 100 Mbps ports.

For example, local traffic, such as the Manufacturing Department’s
internal traffic, can be easily handled by a single, 10 Mbps
connection. However , when the Manufacturing Department needs
access to the corporate database, the traffic could travel over a
trunk line, thereby increasing the speed of transmission.

1-13

Introduction

Figure 1-4 illustrates the trunking of multiple SmartSTACK 100
ELS100-16TX ports to increase the bandwidth.

LAN Segments

ELS100-16TX

Up to1.6 Gbps

Bandwidth

100 Mbps

PORT STATUS MODE

STATUS
PWR

CPU

RESET

COM

13579111315

LINK
STATUS

TXACT FDXMON

LINK
STATUS

RXCOL 100 USR

2 4 6 8 1012 1416

1X 3X 5X 7X

2X 4X 6X 8x

100 Mbps

EPIM100

9X 11X 13X 15X

EPIM100

10X 12X 14X 16X

Trunk Lines

ELS100-16TX

ELS100-16TX

ELS100-16TX

PORT STATUS MODE

STATUS
PWR

CPU

RESET

COM

100 Mbps

EPIM100

9X 11X 13X 15X

1X 3X 5X 7X

13579111315

LINK
STATUS

TXACT FDXMON

LINK
STATUS

RXCOL 100 USR

2 4 6 8 1012 1416

2X 4X 6X 8x

10X 12X 14X 16X

EPIM100

100 Mbps

LAN Segments

Figure 1-4. SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX Trunking with 100 Mbps Ports

Virtual Workgr oups

The SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX allows you to define ports for
logical groups of associated devices (virtual workgroups) to
provide a more efficient flow of traffic across your Ethernet
network. You can define a maximum of eight virtual workgroups.

Virtual workgroups offer you the ability to limit broadcasts to
logical domains within the network. Workgroup destinations are
recognized by the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX and broadcast
packets are routed directly to hosts within the workgroup,
eliminating the need to perform a general broadcast across each
segment of the network to find specific host addresses.

1-14

Introduction

Figure 1-5 shows two Ethernet segments, A and B, that do not
include a SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX.

Repeater

Traffic

Figure 1-5. Multiple Ethernet Segments Sharing 100 Mbps Bandwidth

A

B

Traffic

Each host on segments A and B is limited to sharing a network
bandwidth of 10 Mbps.

1-15

Introduction

Figure 1-6 shows two Ethernet segments that take advantage of the
virtual workgroup feature of the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX
and the increased bandwidth applied to each A and B host.

Router

A

A

Workgroup A

AB

COM

ELS100-16TX

2X 4X 6X 8x

10X 12X 14X 16X

9X 11X 13X 15X

1X 3X 5X 7X

PORT STATUS MODE

13579111315

LINK

STATUS

STATUS

TXACT FDXMON

PWR

LINK

CPU

RESET

STATUS

RXCOL 100 USR

2 4 6 8 1012 1416

A

A

A

ELS100-16TX

EPIM100

EPIM100

B

Workgroup B

B

B

B

B

Figure 1-6. Using the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX to Create Virtual

Workgroups to Help Optimize Bandwidth

A host from workgroup A can limit a broadcast to all hosts within
workgroup A and prevent the broadcast from going across the
network and adding to the amount of contention for the limited
100 Mbps bandwidth.

Ports that are not part of a workgroup will receive and transmit
packets from any ports. However, if you configure the
SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX with workgroup A and B, as
shown in Figure 1-6, broadcast traffic from workgr oup A ports will
not be seen on workgroup B ports, and vice versa.

1-16

Introduction

As illustrated in the previous diagram, virtual workgroups allow
you to associate multiple ports and define a workgroup. In reality,
you are assigning workgroup IDs to SmartSTACK 100
ELS100-16TX ports.

1.6 LOCAL CONSOLE MANAGER

The Local Console Manager (LCM) is a command-line interface
built into the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX. The LCM enables
you to monitor, manage, and configure the SmartSTACK 100
ELS100-16TX through the out-of-band RS232C connection attached
to any non-intelligent terminal or workstation running terminal
emulation.

You can also use a Cabletron Systems Network Management
System, or a standard SNMP-based Network Management System,
to manage the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX. For a list of
available SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX network management
tools, see Section 4.1,

ELS100-16TX Management Tools

.

The following sections describe LCM command syntax and the
basic LCM commands for logging in, logging out, and getting
help.

• LCM commands used for configuring the SmartSTACK 100
ELS100-16TX are described in Chapter 3,

ELS100-16TX

.

Configuring Your

• LCM commands used for monitoring and managing the
SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX are described in Chapter 4,

Monitoring and Managing Your ELS100-16TX

Note:

The

Getting Started with the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX

.

guide lists the available LCM commands, including each
command’s options.

1-17

Introduction

1.6.1 Command Syntax Conventions

The following conventions apply as you use LCM commands:

Enter

• Press the

•A

port range

numbers separated by commas or hyphens. For example,
port

3; 3,7

are ports

• To quit any command, press the Control-C keys (^C or Ctrl-C).

• You can abbreviate any command where ther e is no ambiguity;
if there is ambiguity, LCM responds with an error message.

• Commands are not case sensitive.

• Invalid commands or misspellings returns an error message.

• The previous command can be repeated by typing !!

key to execute a command after you type it in.

is either a single port number, or a list of port

are ports 3 and

3,4,5, and 7.

are ports 3,4, and 5; and 3-5,7

7; 3-5

3

is

• MAC addresses are displayed in little-endian Ethernet (least
significant bit) bit order, with each octet separated by a colon.
For example:

ELS100-16 >address 00:40:27:04:1a:0f

• Information that you need to enter with an LCM command is
enclosed in square brackets [ ]. For example, you must enter a
port number and an IP address to execute the

NUMBER] [IP ADDRESS]

ELS100-16 >ipaddr 6 192.138.217.40

command:

ipaddr [PORT-

• Parameters that appear in all capital letters, for example bridge

[PORT-RANGE]

, indicate that you must enter a value for that
parameter . If a string of parameters is displayed between braces,
for example

[{off|on|noBPDU}], you must select one of the

displayed options. For example, if you wanted to enable
bridging on a port, or a range of ports, you would enter:

ELS100-16 >bridge 2-4 on

1-18

Introduction

1.6.2 Basic LCM Commands

If you are going to manage the SmartSTACK 100 ELS100-16TX
using LCM, you first must connect the SmartSTACK 100
ELS100-16TX to an ASCII terminal or terminal emulator. See
Section 2.5, Connecting the Local Console Manager, for
instructions.

When you want to use LCM, begin by pressing the Enter key
several times to get the LCM prompt (

ELS100-16TX >).

Help

Displays the menu of available commands. Help can also be
displayed by typing a question mark (?). The output from the
command is displayed follows.

help

1-19

Introduction

ELS100-16 > help

help or ? this menu

status [PORT-RANGE] to display unit or port status

baud [BAUD-RATE] to change the console baud rate

exit or logout to logout

erase to erase configuration information

ident to display unit identification

ipaddr [PORT# IPADDR [MASK]] to set or display IP addresses

addresses display [any] [ADDR [MASK]] to display learned addresses

bridge [PORT-RANGE [OPTIONS]] to set bridging methods

clearstats to clear all port statistics

trunk [PORT-RANGE [{on|off}]] to set or display trunking status

enable [PORT-RANGE [noRIP]] to enable a set of ports

disable [PORT-RANGE] to disable a set of ports

community to change the password/community name

sttimer [TIMER-VALUE] to set or display st age timer

workgroup [NAME [delete|PORT-RANGE [INFO]]] to set or display workgroups

speed [PORT-RANGE [{auto|10|100}]] to set or display speed

duplex [PORT-RANGE [{auto|half|full}]] to set or display duplex mode

mirror [PORT# {Rx|Tx|both|off}] to set or display port mirroring

time [SystemTime (HHMMSS)] to set or display the system time

date [SystemDate (MMDDYYYY)] to set or display the system date

reboot (SECONDS|off) to reboot the unit after seconds

arp display to display the arp table

route display [IPADDR] to display routing table information

ping [-rvsx] HOST [DATASIZE [COUNT]] to send ICMP ECHO_REQUEST pkts to tgt

ELS100-16TX Local Console Manager

traplog to display the most recent SNMP traps

ELS100-16 >

1-20