3Com SUPERSTACK II 2000 TR User manual

®
http://www.3com.com/
S
UPER
S
TACK
II S
WITCH
2000 TR
T
OKEN
R
ING
-
IN
-F
AST
E
THERNET
M
ODULE
For SuperStack II Switch 2000 TR
Part No. 99045
Published October 1997

3Com Corporation
■
5400 Bayfront Plaza
■
Santa Clara, California
■
95052-8154
© 3Com Corporation, 1997. All rights reserved. No part of this
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Unless otherwise indicated, 3Com registered trademarks are registered in
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3Com, AccessBuilder, Boundary Routing, CardFacts, LanScanner,
LinkBuilder, NETBuilder, NETBuilder II, NetFacts, Parallel Tasking,
ViewBuilder, EtherDisk, EtherLink, EtherLink Plus, EtherLink II, SmartAgent,
SuperStack II, TokenLink, TokenLink Plus, TokenDisk and Transcend are
registered trademarks of 3Com Corporation. 3TECH, CacheCard, FDDILink,
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Other brand and product names may be registered trademarks or
trademarks of their respective holders
Guide written by Ken Wisman.

A BOUT T HIS G UIDE
Introduction 1
Terminology 1
Finding Information in this Guide 2
Conventions 2
1 O VERVIEW
About the SuperStack II Switch 2000 TR
TR-in-FE Module 1-1
TR-in-FE Benefits 1-2
Summary of TR-in-FE Module Features 1-3
Hardware 1-3
Software 1-3
2 TR- IN -FE C ONCEPTS
What is Token Ring-in-Fast Ethernet (TR-in-FE)? 2-1
TR-in-FE Compared to Traditional Methods 2-2
3Com Token Ring-in-Fast Ethernet System 2-2
Token Ring-in-Fast Ethernet Module 2-2
How TR-in-FE Works 2-3
Tunneling 2-5
Requirements 2-5
Token Ring Frames 2-5
Virtual LANs (VLANS) 2-7
What is a VLAN 2-7
Advantages of VLAN 2-7
Port-Based Distribution 2-7
3 I NSTALLING A ND S ETTING U P T HE M ODULE
Following Safety Information 3-1
Pre-installation Procedure 3-1
Installation 3-2
Post-Installation Checks 3-3
LED Summary 3-3
Checking the Power Supply 3-4
Checking that the TR-in-FE Module is Installed
Correctly 3-5
Checking the Physical Connections 3-5
Jumper Settings 3-6
4 A CCESSING M ANAGEMENT F EATURES
The VT100 Console 4-1
Choice Field 4-1
Entry Field 4-1
Button 4-2
List Boxes 4-2
Key Board Shortcuts 4-2
Correcting Text Entries 4-2
Default Users 4-3
Console Menu Map 4-3
The LCD Console 4-5
Logging On 4-6
Logging Off 4-7
Automatic Logout 4-7
5 C ONFIGURING T HE TR- IN -FE M ODULE
TR-in-FE Module Configuration Map 5-1
Setting Up a Module 5-2
Bridge Parameters 5-3
Spanning Tree 5-3
Source Routing 5-4
Setting Up a VLAN 5-5
TR VLAN Info Setup Screen 5-5

TR VLAN Setup Screen 5-5
6 M ONITORING T HE TR- IN -FE M ODULE
TR-in-FE Module Statistics Map 6-1
Statistics Overview 6-2
Port Statistics (Traffic) 6-3
Clearing Screen Counters 6-4
A S AFETY I NFORMATION
Important Safety Information A-1
L’information de Sécurité Importante A-1
Wichtige Sicherheitsinformationen A-2
B S CREEN A CCESS R IGHTS
C TR- IN -FE M ODULE T ECHNICAL S PECIFICATIONS
Environmental Specifications C-1
TR-in-FE Cable Specification C-1
Does the Cable Provide Sufficient Bandwidth? C-2
Example C-2
D T ECHNICAL S UPPORT
Online Technical Services D-1
3Com Bulletin Board Service D-1
Access by Modem D-1
Access by ISDN D-1
World Wide Web Site D-1
3ComForum on CompuServe D-2
3ComFacts Automated Fax Service D-2
Support from Your Network Supplier D-2
Support from 3Com D-3
Returning Products for Repair D-3
3C OM C ORPORATION L IMITED W ARRANTY

A
BOUT
T
HIS
G
UIDE
Introduction
This guide provides the information needed to install
and configure the SuperStack II Switch 2000 TR
Token Ring-in-Fast Ethernet (TR-in-FE) Module. For
more information about the switch itself, see the
SuperStack II Switch 2000 TR User Guide .
The SuperStack II Switch 2000 TR Token Ring-in-Fast
Ethernet Module Guide is intended for use by net-
work administrators responsible for installing and
setting up networking equipment. It assumes a basic
working knowledge of Local Area Networks, Token
Ring Networks, and Ethernet. Basic TR-in-FE con-
cepts are explained within this guide.
The Release Notes shipped with the TR-in-FE Module
may contain information that updates or overrides
information in this guide. You should always follow
the information in the Release Notes if it is differ-
ent from the information given in this guide.
Terminology
In this manual the term TR-in-FE Module is used
when referring to the SuperStack II Switch 2000 TR
Token Ring-in-Fast Ethernet Module.
The device into which the TR-in-FE Module is fitted,
is known simply as the Switch . An example of a
Switch is 3Com’s SuperStack II Switch 2000 TR. This
type of switch is often referred to as an
edge-device, edge-switch or boundary switch .
Name used in guide: Includes:
Switch 2000 TR SuperStack II Switch 2000 TR

2 C
HAPTER
: A
BOUT
T
HIS
G
UIDE
Finding Information in this Guide
The following table shows you where to find spe-
cific information within this guide.
Conventions
Table 1 and Table 2 list icon and text conventions
that are used throughout this guide.
Task Location
Learning features,
benefits, and con-
cepts
Chapter 1, “Overview”
Chapter 2, “TR-in-FE Concepts”
Planning your net-
work Chapter 1, “Overview” Chapter 2, “TR-in-FE Concepts”
Chapter 3, “Installing And Setting Up The Mod-
ule”
Appendix C, “TR-in-FE Module Technical Specifi-
cations”
Installing the
TR-in-FE Module Chapter 3, “Installing And Setting Up The Mod- ule”
Chapter 5, “Configuring The TR-in-FE Module”
Appendix A, “Safety Information”
Accessing screens Chapter 4, “Accessing Management Features”
Appendix B, “Screen Access Rights”
Monitoring
the Module Chapter 6, “Monitoring The TR-in-FE Module”
Getting Technical
Support Appendix D, “Technical Support”
Table 1 Notice Icons
Icon Type Description
Information
Note Important features or instructions.
Caution Alerts you to personal safety risks, system
damage, or loss of data.
Warning Risk of severe personal injury.
Table 2 Text Conventions
Convention Description
Screen
display
This typeface is used to represent information as it
appears on the screen.
The words
“Enter” and
“Type”
The word “enter” means type something and then
press the Return or Enter key. Do not press the
Return or Enter key when an instruction simply says
“type.”
[Key] names Key names appear in text in one of two ways:
■
Referred to by their labels, such as “the Return
key” or “the Escape key”.
■
Enclosed within brackets, such as [Return] or [Esc].
If you must press two or more keys simultaneously,
the key names are linked with a plus sign (+). For
example:
Press [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[Del].
Words in
bold
Bold text denotes key features.

1
O
VERVIEW
This chapter describes the major features and benefits
of the SuperStack II Switch 2000 TR TR-in-FE Module,
including:
■
About the SuperStack II Switch 2000 TR TR-in-FE
Module
■
TR-in-FE Benefits
■
Summary of TR-in-FE Module Features
About the SuperStack II Switch 2000 TR
TR-in-FE Module
The SuperStack II Switch 2000 TR TR-in-FE module
combines Token Ring and Fast Ethernet (FE) for the
purpose of utilizing FE as a backbone and method of
high-speed server attachment for TR networks.
TR-in-FE complements ATM and FDDI methods of
high-speed integration by providing an option to help
TR users evolve their network’s core infrastructure
while preserving their existing equipment and appli-
cations.
TR-in-FE uses Fast Ethernet to transport natively for-
matted Token Ring frames. Both source route and
transparent TR frame addressing information is main-
tained through the FE infrastructure. This allows stan-
dard TR workstations and servers to use the fast
transport without modification, or special FE servers
to communicate to the native TR community.

1-2 C
HAPTER
1: O
VERVIEW
TR-in-FE Benefits
Increasingly, Token Ring users are deploying switches
to segment their networks and to increase available
bandwidth to their workgroups. This has resulted in a
demand for more server bandwidth as well as
high-speed aggregation and switching. Previously,
those users wanting their Token Ring server band-
width increased beyond 32 Mbps faced limited
options. They could add either FDDI or ATM down-
links to their Token Ring switches–options that proved
costly and complex. The Token Ring-in-Fast Ethernet
(TR-in-FE) system offers a new, simpler option at a
much lower cost. TR-in-FE offers improvement in the
following areas:
■
Scalability
■ TR switching
■ High-speed technologies
■ Wire-speed performance
■
Flexibility
■ High-speed flexibility (choice of D/L technology)
■ Desktop flexibility (TR, Ethernet)
■ Common high-speed infrastructure
■Managability
■Simple to configure and administer
■Cost effective
TR-in-FE allows both Token Ring and Ethernet to
share the same Fast Ethernet physical wiring infra-
structure and server base without impacting network
performance. TR-in-FE accomplishes this by introduc-
ing routing or Source-Route to Transparent transla-
tional bridging.
Fast Ethernet is relatively well understood and easy to
configure. The TR-in-FE operates in both copper or
fiber optic environments. Additionally, many tools
exist to manage and administer Fast Ethernet due to
its wide acceptance in the industry and its similarity to
Ethernet.
TR-in-FE benefits those MIS managers most interested
in:
■Preserving existing investments in TR infrastructure
■Seeking low-cost, high-speed connectivity
■Combining Ethernet and Token Ring for common
server access
Fast Ethernet is less expensive than other options,
such as FDDI and ATM. Using FE, the price per port
for server attachment is 20% that of ATM and FDDI.
TR switching allows the install base of TR equipment
and its configuration to remain intact and operational
while allowing for an upgrade to higher performance
through microsegmentation and interfaces to higher
speed technologies. TR-in-FE represents one option
for integrating Fast Ethernet into the TR switched
environment.

Summary of TR-in-FE Module Features 1-3
Summary of TR-in-FE Module Features
The following lists summarize the features of the
SuperStack II Switch 2000 TR TR-in-FE module.
Hardware
■Multimode fiber attachment using duplex connec-
tors or copper cable attachment using standard
RJ-45
■Full duplex operation
■Flow control
■LEDs to indicate link integrity and link activity
■Compliance with FCC Class A, CISPR A, and CE
■4544 byte frame size for improved performance
■Easy jumper-setting for crossover switch (copper
version only)
Software
■Software configurable hardware
■16 VLAN hardware support
■IEEE 802.1q compatible
■Frame size limiter of 1500 bytes for standard infra-
structure

1-4 CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW