Owner manual

AT-S63 Management Software Features Guide
Section VII: Routing 307
Overview
This section contains an overview of the IPv4 routing feature on the
AT-9400 Switch. It begins with an explanation of the following available
routing methods:
 Routing interfaces
 Static routes
 RIP version 1 and 2
A routing interface is a logical connection to a local network or subnet for
the purpose of routing IPv4 packets. Interfaces route packets between the
local networks and subnets directly connected to the switch and are
independent of static routes and RIP. In some limited network topologies
where there are no remote networks or subnets, you may be able to meet
the routing requirements of the IPv4 packets on your network with just
routing interfaces. This feature is explained in “Routing Interfaces” on
page 309.
In order for the switch to route packets to a remote destination (i.e., a
network or subnet not directly connected to the switch), there must be a
route to the destination in the routing table of the switch. A route consists
of the IP address of the remote destination and the IP address of the next
hop to reaching the destination.
One method for specifying a route to a remote destination is to enter it
manually. This type of route is referred to as a static route. A static route
contains the IP addresses of the remote destination and the next hop. You
can also create a static route for packets with an unknown destination
network or subnet. This type of route is referred to as a default route. For
background information on static routes and the default route, refer to
“Static Routes” on page 313.
A switch can automatically learn routes to remote destinations with the
Routing Information Protocol (RIP). This protocol allows the routers of a
network to automatically share their routes by broadcasting their routing
tables to each other. The AT-9400 Switch supports versions 1 and 2 of this
routing protocol. This feature is explained in “Routing Information Protocol
(RIP)” on page 315.
This overview also contains an explanation of the role played by interfaces
with some of the management features of the switch, and how those
features are dependent on there being at least one interface on the switch.
A few examples of the management functions include uploading and
downloading files to the switch using a TFTP server and the enhanced
stacking feature. For information, refer to “Routing Interfaces and
Management Features” on page 324.