Expand Configuration and Management Manual (G06.24+)

Subsystem Description
Expand Configuration and Management Manual—523347-008
18-64
Multipacket Frame Feature
Multipacket Frame Feature
The multipacket frame feature is a performance enhancement designed to increase
throughput and processor efficiency on all connection types. This subsection briefly
describes how the multipacket frame feature works so that you can effectively
configure and use this feature in your network.
This subsection includes the following topics:
•
Constructing Multipacket Frames on page 18-64
•
Path Initialization on page 18-66
•
Multipacket Frame Configuration on page 18-67
•
Multipacket Frame Considerations on page 18-67
Before reading this subsection, you should be familiar with the material presented in
the subsection Expand-to-NAM Interface on page 18-49.
Constructing Multipacket Frames
When the multipacket frame feature is selected, the Expand line-handler process
combines multiple Expand packets into a single frame, called a
multipacket frame
,
before sending the packets to the Layer 2 protocol. How the multipacket frame is
treated by the Layer 2 protocol depends on the type of Layer 2 protocol used as
follows:
•
If the Layer 2 protocol is HDLC or HDLC Extended Mode, each multipacket frame
is treated as a single HDLC-type frame.
•
If the Layer 2 protocol is replaced by a NAM interface, such as X25AM, each
multipacket frame is treated as a single NAM message.
•
If the Layer 2 protocol is NETIP (the protocol used by Expand-over-IP line-handler
processes), each multipacket frame is treated as a separate UDP frame.
•
If the Layer 2 protocol is NETATM (the protocol used by Expand-over-ATM line-
handler processes), each multipacket frame is treated as a separate ATM frame.
When the multipacket frame feature is not selected, Expand packets are sent to Layer
2 separately. How Expand packets are treated by the Layer 2 protocol depends on the
type of Layer 2 protocol used as follows:
•
If the Layer 2 protocol is HDLC or HDLC Extended Mode, each packet is treated
as a separate HDLC-type frame.
Note. For information about the advantages and disadvantages of the multipacket frames
feature, refer to Section 3, Planning a Network Design
. For information about how to configure
this feature, refer to the configuration section for the type of Expand line-handler process you
want to configure.