Specifications

Introduction
1-2 Using the 9E312 and 9E423 User’s Guide
switching on physical layer information, the INB allows your network
infrastructure to be protocol independent. The INB backplane consists of two
channels (INB-1 and INB-2), each featuring a 64-byte wide data path capable of a
sustained data transfer rate of 2 Gigabytes/second (4 Gigabytes/second for the
combined channels). Currently, the connectivity modules will connect to one or
the other channel.
The 9E312-12 Ethernet Switch Module is Cabletron’s first generation Ethernet INB
module, and it is currently being field-upgraded to the 9E423. The device should
be considered a prototype device for the INB, and management support for it
should also be considered preliminary. The 9E312 supports thirteen network
interfaces; one interface (Interface 1) to direct traffic over onto INB-1 of the
MMAC-Plus Internal Network Bus (INB); and twelve RJ-45 10Base-T connectorsß.
The 9E423-24 Ethernet SmartSwitch™ Module is the second generation Ethernet
INB module. It incorporates fast ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit)
technology that boosts the forwarding rate of the module up to 750,000 frames per
second. The 9E423-24 supports twenty-five network interfaces: one interface
(Interface 1) to the INB-2 backplane, and two front panel RJ71 Telco connectors,
each supplying 12 network interfaces via UTP or STP connectors. The 9E423 also
incorporates an ASIC specially designed for embedded network trend and
analysis tools.
The 9E423-36 Ethernet SmartSwitch module is similar to the 9E423-24, except that
it supports thirty-seven network interfaces: one interface to INB-2, and three front
panel RJ71 Telco connectors, each supplying 12 network interfaces via UTP or STP
connectors.
Management is not available for either the INB 1 or INB 2 backplane, as data
transmission across the INB is subject to hardware defaults.
The SecureFast Virtual Networking (SFVN) feature of the 9E423-24 and 9E423-36
(which allows switching configuration on a per-user level) is also not supported
in firmware at the time this document was published. SFVN firmware is
anticipated to be customer-released in late-1996, and remote management will
follow shortly thereafter.
Using the 9E312 and 9E423 User’s Guide
Each chapter in this guide describes one major functionality or a collection of
several smaller functionalities of the 9E312 or 9E423 Modules. This guide contains
information about software functions which are accessed directly from the
module’s Module View (either started from within MMAC-Plus Remote
Management, or from a stand-alone icon representing the module).