Olicom CrossFire 8600 User manual

DOC-6951/1.2
CrossFireTM 8600/8605
Guide to Operations
Token-Ring Switches

CrossFireTM 8600/8605
Token-Ring Switches
Guide to Operations

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CrossFire 8600/8605 Token-Ring Switches v. 1.2, P/N: 710001641
Trademarks
GoCard and the Olicom clasped hands logo are registered trademarks of Olicom A/S. CellDriver,
ClearServer, ClearSession, ClearSight, CrossFire, LANscout, PowerMACH, RapidFire and RapidLAN
are trademarksof Olicom A/S. ClearCare, ClearPartner, ClearStep and ExpertWatch are service marks
of Olicom A/S. Olicom is a registered trademark. Other brand and product names are trademarks,
registered trademarks, service marks or registered service marks of their respective holders.
Copyrights
Olicom A/S reserves the right to modify the information given in this publication without prior notice.
The warranty terms and conditions applicable for your purchase of this equipment are given at the time
of purchase. Please consult your place of purchase for details.
Publication: DOC-6951 v. 1.2
Part Number: 710001641
© Copyright Olicom A/S, Denmark, November 1998
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
FCC Compliance
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant
to Part 15 of the FCCRules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates,
uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be
required to correct the interference at his own expense.
Warning: This is a Class A product. In a domestic environment this product may cause radio
interference in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures.
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.
Declaration of Conformity
We Olicom A/S
Nybrovej 114
DK-2800 Lyngby
Denmark
declare under our sole responsibility that the products
CrossFire 8600 Token-Ring Switch and/or CrossFire 8605 Token-Ring Fiber Switch
to which this declaration relates are in conformity with the following standards or other normative
documents
EN 50082-1
EN 55022
EN 60950 including Amendments
EN 60825-1
following the provisions of 89/336/EEC Directive and 73/23/EEC Directive.
CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT

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CrossFire 8600/8605 Token-Ring Switches v. 1.2, P/N: 710001641
Modifications
If the device is changed or modified without the express approval ofOlicom A/S the user may void his
or her authority to operate the equipment.
Safety Notices
➽Danger: To avoid shock hazard, do not connect or disconnect any cables or perform installation,
maintenance, or reconfiguring of the CrossFire 8600 Token-Ring Switch and/or the CrossFire 8605
Token-Ring Fiber Switch during an electrical storm.
➽Danger: To avoid the possibility of electrical shock, switch power off and unplug the power cord from
the outlet before detaching the power cord from the CrossFire 8600 Token-Ring Switch and/or the
CrossFire 8605 Token-Ring Fiber Switch.
➽Danger: Do not open the CrossFire 8600 Token-Ring Switch and/or the CrossFire 8605 Token-Ring
Fiber Switch. Dangerous voltages inside.
➽Danger: To avoid shock hazard the power cord must be connected to a properly wired and earthed
receptacle. Any equipment to which the CrossFire 8600 Token-Ring Switch and/orthe CrossFire 8605
Token-Ring Fiber Switch will be attached must also be connected to properly wired and earthed
receptacles.
Caution:
Observe the following power cable considerations before you begin installation of the CrossFire 8600
Token-Ring Switch and/or the CrossFire 8605 Token-Ring Fiber Switch.
1. The socket outlet shall be installed near the equipment and shall be easily accessible.
2. To prevent electrical shock, the power cord set used must comply with national regulations.
2a. The female receptacle of the cord must meet CEE-22 requirements.
2b. The cord must be UL listed, CSA labelled, and consist of three conductors with a maximum
of 15 feet in length.
Type SVT or SJT cord sets shall be used for units which stand on a desk or table. Type SJT
cord sets shall be used for units which stand on floor.
2c. The male plug for units operating at 115 VAC shall consist of a parallel blade, grounding
type attachment plug rated 15 A, 125 VAC.
The male plug for units operating at 230 VAC shall consist of a tandem blade, grounding
type attachment plug rated 15 A, 250 VAC.
The male plug for units operating at 230 VAC (outside of the United States and Canada) shall
consist of a grounding type attachment plug rated 15 A, 250 VAC and have the appropriate
safety approvals for the country in which the equipment will be installed.
➽Caution: Support the CrossFire 8600 Token-Ring Switch and/orthe CrossFire 8605 Token-Ring Fiber
Switch while you are installing the unit to avoid dropping it on the floor or any equipment beneath it in
therack. TheCrossFire 8600 Token-Ring Switch unit andthe CrossFire8605 Token-RingFiberSwitch
unit each weighs approximately 8.8 kg (19.4 lbs).
➽Warning: All RJ45 connectors must only be connected to safety extra low voltage (SELV) circuits like
local area networking (LAN).

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CrossFire 8600/8605 Token-Ring Switches v. 1.2, P/N: 710001641

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CrossFire 8600/8605 Token-Ring Switches v. 1.2, P/N: 710001641
Table of Contents
1. Overview and Specifications 1
Switching Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Switch of Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Switch of Servers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Switch of Hubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Switch of Desktops. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Switch of Floors and Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Switch of Routers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Physical Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Out-of-Band Management (OBM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Token-Ring Ports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Switched Port Analyzer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Universal Expansion Slots and Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Reset Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
System Request Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Status and Activity LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Features and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2. Switch Theory of Operation 17
How the CrossFire 8600 and the CrossFire 8605 Works . . . . 17
Multiple Simultaneous Conversations . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Low Latency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Address Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Multiple Bridging Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Filtering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Congestion Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Three Switching Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Token-Ring Port Operation Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
RI/RO-Like Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Transmission Priority Queues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
CrossLink Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Spanning Tree Protocol Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
VLAN Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
RMON Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Built-in Port Counters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Stackable Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

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CrossFire 8600/8605 Token-Ring Switches v. 1.2, P/N: 710001641
Optional Redundant Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Benefits of the CrossFire 8600 and the CrossFire 8605. . . . . .32
3. Preparing for Installation 43
Safety Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Safety with Electricity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Preventing Electrostatic Discharge Damage . . . . . . . . . 45
Site Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Chassis Accessibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Cooling and Airflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Unpacking and Inspecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Rules to Remember . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Frame Length Limit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Cables and Distances between Devices . . . . . . . . . . .49
Sample Applications for the CrossFire 8600 and
the CrossFire 8605 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Important Management Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . .54
4. Installation 55
Required Network Preparation - Frame Length Limit . . . . . . . 55
Installation Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Unpacking Instructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Materials Needed for Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Installing a Universal Expansion Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Mounting the Chassis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Rack or Cabinet Mounting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Table-Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Cabling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Connecting Devices to the Token-Ring Ports . . . . . . . . .61
Connecting Devices to the Token-Ring Ports
Using Building Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Checking the Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Applying Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Control Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Back Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
5. Connecting a Network Management Console 69
Connecting the Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Communication Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
Diagnostic Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

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6. Switch Configuration 75
General Guidelines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Navigating within the Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Configuration... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Statistics... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Download/Upload... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Reset... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Exit Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Configuration Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Switch Configuration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Stack Configuration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Module Information Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
VLAN Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
VLAN Configuration Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
VLAN Configuration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
VLAN Parameter Configuration for TrCRF Screen. . . . . . 90
VLAN Parameter Configuration for TrBRF Screen. . . . . . 92
Local VLAN Port Configuration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . 93
IP Configuration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
BootP Requests and Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
SNMP Configuration Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Spanning Tree Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
IEEE 802.1D Spanning Tree Protocol (STP). . . . . . . . . 98
Spanning Tree for TrBRF Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Spanning Tree for TrCRF Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Port Spanning Tree Parameters Screen . . . . . . . . . . .103
Current Spanning Tree Information Screen . . . . . . . . . 104
Port Configuration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Switched Port Analyzer Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
CrossLink. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
CrossLink Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111
CrossLink Configuration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Setting up a CrossLink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
Current CrossLink Information Screen . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Address Filtering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Filters and Port Security Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Configure Filters Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Configure Port Security Mode Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
View Port Filters Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Protocol Filters Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121
Protocol Class Assignment Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Port Filtering Attributes Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123

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CrossFire 8600/8605 Token-Ring Switches v. 1.2, P/N: 710001641
Address Aging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Address Aging Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Port Address Table Aging Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Master Address Table Aging Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Password Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Console/Telnet Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Console Configuration Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Serial Link Configuration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Creating a Console Session Using a Modem . . . . . . . . 132
Stopping the Console Session. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Telnet Configuration Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Telnet Sessions Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Starting the Telnet Session . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Stopping the Telnet Session. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Involuntary Termination of the Telnet Session . . . . . . . 135
Download/Upload Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Serial Link Download Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
TFTP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
TFTP Download/Upload Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Reset Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
7. Monitoring the Network with the Console 145
Navigating Within the Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Statistics Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Switch Statistics Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Port Status Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Port Statistics Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
General Statistics Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
802.5 Statistics Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
802.5 State Information Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
802.5 DTR MAC Information Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
TXI Information Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Station-CPort Information Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Address Tables Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Master Address Table Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Master Route Descriptor Table Screen . . . . . . . . . . . 168
VLAN Address Table screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
VLAN Route Descriptor Table Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Current Spanning Tree Information Screen . . . . . . . . . 172
Current Spanning Tree Information for a TrCRF Screen . . 175
VLAN Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
VLAN Statistics Screen for TrCRF. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
VLAN Statistics Screen for TrBRF. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

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CrossFire 8600/8605 Token-Ring Switches v. 1.2, P/N: 710001641
Diagnostic Test Results Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Message Log Information Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181
Display Summary Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182
8. Monitoring the Network with SNMP 183
SNMP Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183
IP Configuration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183
SNMP Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
SNMP Configuration Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
Community Strings Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185
Trap Receivers Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
List of Supported Traps from a Switch . . . . . . . . . . . .188
9. Monitoring Port Traffic 193
10. Troubleshooting 195
Obtaining Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195
Troubleshooting in a Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Start of Troubleshooting Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195
Choosing a Troubleshooting Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . 196
11. Getting in Touch with Technical Support 201
Before You Contact Olicom Technical Support . . . . . . . . . 201
Hotline Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Fax Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
Bulletin Board Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
Standard Modem Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
ISDN Modem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
Internet E-Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203
Anonymous Internet FTP Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Internet World Wide Web Server (WWW) . . . . . . . . . . . .203
Olicom Support WEB. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203
Problem Report Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204
Appendix A. Abbreviations 207
Appendix B. Cable and Pin Information 211
Connecting to the Out-of-Band Management Port . . . . . .211
Out-of-Band Management Port and Cable Pin-Outs. . . . . 212
Twisted-Pair Cable Pin Outs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214
Cabling Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215
Cable Length and Lobe Wiring Rules for Dedicated-Media
LAN Segments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .217

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Cable Length and Lobe Wiring Rules for Shared-Media
LAN Segments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

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List of Figures
Figure 1. CrossFire 8600 Token-Ring Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Figure 2. CrossFire 8605 Token-Ring Fiber Switch . . . . . . . . . . 1
Figure 3. Location of LEDs, Switches, and Connectors on
CrossFire 8600 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Figure 4. Location of LEDs, Switches, and Connectors on
CrossFire 8605 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Figure 5. Multiple Conversations Through a CrossFire 8600
or CrossFire 8605 Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Figure 6. Typical Configuration with Switches Using
Multiple Bridging Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Figure 7. A Switch Configured with Two VLANs. . . . . . . . . . . 26
Figure 8. Typical LAN Segmentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Figure 9. A Simple Application of the Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Figure 10. Typical Network without the CrossFire Switches . . . . . 52
Figure 11. Relieving the Overstressed Backbone. . . . . . . . . . . 52
Figure 12. Replacing SRBs with CrossFire 8600 or CrossFire 8605 . 53
Figure 13. Star-Wired Topology of Interconnected Switches . . . . . 54
Figure 14. Removing the Universal Expansion Slot Cover . . . . . . 58
Figure 15. Exposing the Rack Mounting Bracket . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Figure 16. Mounting the Switch in a Rack or Cabinet. . . . . . . . . 60
Figure 17. Connecting Devices to Token-Ring Ports . . . . . . . . . 62
Figure 18. Connecting using Building Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Figure 19. The Back Panel of the Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Figure 20. View of Console Connection—the MANAGEMENT port . 70
Figure 21. Switch with four VLANs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Figure 22. Setting up CrossLinks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Figure 23. TIA/EIA 232 Null-Modem Cable for the 25-pin Connector. 213
Figure 24. TIA/EIA 232 Null-Modem Cable for the 9-pin Connector . 213
Figure 25. Straight-Through Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Figure 26. Data Connector-to-RJ-45 Straight-Through Cable . . . . 214

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List of Tables
Table 1. Status LEDs and Their Meanings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Table 2. Stack-link LEDs and Their Meanings . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Table 3. Port LEDs and Their Meanings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Table 4. Capacity Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Table 5. Performance Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Table 6. Specifications of Physical Characteristics . . . . . . . . . 13
Table 7. Supported MIBs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Table 8. Token-Ring Port Operation Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Table 9. Switching Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Table 10. Expansion Module Slots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Table 11. Multiple Bridging Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Table 12. Spanning Tree Protocol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Table 13. Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Table 14. Network Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Table 15. Filtering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Table 16. Connectivity Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Table 17. Front Panel Connectors and Push-Buttons . . . . . . . . . 66
Table 18. Front Panel LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Table 19. Back Panel Switches and Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Table 20. Console Configuration Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Table 21. Modem Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Table 22. Changing and Saving Switched Port Analyzer Settings . 194
Table 23. Symptom, LED State and Recommended Procedure . . 196
Table 24. Connecting to the Management Port . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Table 25. Pin-out of the Management Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Table 26. Copper Cable Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Table 27. Multimode Optical Fiber Cable Types. . . . . . . . . . . 215
Table 28. Lobe Length for 150 Ohm Shielded Media . . . . . . . . 217
Table 29. Lobe Lengths for 100 Ohm Shielded or Unshielded Cable 217
Table 30. Lobe Lengths for 100 or 120 Ohm Shielded or
Unshielded Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Table 31. Lobe Lengths for Recommended Fiber Cable . . . . . . 218
Table 32. Alternate Optical Fibers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218

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CrossFire 8600/8605 Token-Ring Switches v. 1.2, P/N: 710001641
About this Manual
This manual is intended for network technicians familiar with the installation and
operation of networking equipment. It contains all the information required to
install and operate the CrossFireTM 8600 Token-Ring Switch and/or the CrossFire
8605 Token-Ring Fiber Switch.
Unless one of the switches is mentioned alone, the informationin this guide applies
to both CrossFire 8600 and CrossFire 8605.
The manual contains the following chapters and appendices.
Chapter 1, “Overview and Specifications”, is an overview of Token-Ring. It
explains how the switch is used in a Token-Ring. Included in the chapter is a list of
features and specifications.
Chapter 2, “Switch Theory of Operation”, explains how the switch improves
network performance.
Chapter 3, “Preparing for Installation”, deals with preparing for installation.
Chapter 4, “Installation”, contains instructions for installing, connecting and
verifying the operation of the switch.
Chapter 5, “Connecting a Network Management Console”, explains how to set
up a console connection for in-band or out-of-band switch management.
Chapter 6, “Switch Configuration”, deals with setting up and configuring the
switch using a direct console connection.
Chapter 7, “Monitoring the Network with the Console”, explains how to
monitor the switch using out-of-band management through a direct console
connection.
Chapter 8, “Monitoring the Network with SNMP”, explains how to monitor the
switch from a Network Management System using an application that supports
Simple Network Management Protocol.
Chapter 9, “Monitoring Port Traffic”, explains how to monitor ports on the
switch using SwitchProbe.
Chapter 10, “Troubleshooting”, gives troubleshooting hints that can be used to
locate and resolve minor problems.
Chapter 11, “Getting in Touch with Technical Support”, listsOlicom’s support
services such as hotline support, fax support and the support web, as well as other
services such as bulletin board service, FTP server and e-mail.
Appendix A, “Abbreviations”, lists the abbreviations used in this manual.

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CrossFire 8600/8605 Token-Ring Switches v. 1.2, P/N: 710001641
Appendix B, “Cable and Pin Information”, lists cables and cable types that can
be used with CrossFire Token-Ring equipment.
❏

1
CrossFire 8600/8605 Token-Ring Switches v. 1.2, P/N: 710001641 Overview and Specifications
1. Overview and Specifications
This chapter discusses switching technology and how the CrossFire 8600 Token-
Ring Switch and/or the CrossFire 8605 Token-Ring Fiber Switch can be used to
improve network performance. This chapter also includes a list of features and
specifications for the switch.
The topics of this chapter are presented under the following titles:
•“Switching Technology”, starting on page 2.
•“Physical Characteristics”, starting on page 5.
•“Features and Specifications”, starting on page 10.
The figures below display a front view of the CrossFire 8600 Token-Ring Switch
and the CrossFire 8605 Token-Ring Fiber Switch.
Figure 1. CrossFire 8600 Token-Ring Switch
Figure 2. CrossFire 8605 Token-Ring Fiber Switch

2
CrossFire 8600/8605 Token-Ring Switches v. 1.2, P/N: 710001641 Overview and Specifications
Switching Technology
Demand for network bandwidth continues to grow, driven by the increasing
number of systems used in network-intensive applications. LAN segmentation has
been the prevalent method for addressing these demands and has been further
popularized by trends toward server centralization. However, the implementation
costs of LAN segmentation, as well as the real performance characteristics of
conventional network components, have served to limit growth of some Token-
Ring networks. Alternative technologies for addressing bandwidth demands
present yet other inhibitors, usually relating to costs. Token-Ring switching
provides users with an easy, cost-effective technique for addressing these demands.
Token-Ring switches, such as the CrossFire 8600 and the CrossFire 8605, increase
throughput between Token-Ring segments by supporting simultaneous, parallel
conversations. Switched connections between Token-Ring segments last only for
the duration of the packet—new connections can be made between different
segments for the next packet.
Token-Ring switches solve congestion problems caused by high-bandwidth
devices and powerful applications as well as the number of users. Therefore, each
of these devices—servers, for example—canbe assigned its own 16Mbps segment.
In Token-Ring networks, the major bottleneck is typically the throughput to high-
bandwidth devices such as servers, and between routers, bridges, and switches. An
effective solution is full-duplex communication, an option for each segment
connected to a CrossFire 8600 or a CrossFire 8605 port. Normally, Token-Ring
operates in half-duplex communication mode, which means stations can either
receive or transmit. With full-duplex technology, two communicating stations can
transmit and receive at the same time. When packets can flow in both directions
simultaneously, effective Token-Ring bandwidth doubles from 16 Mbps to 32 Mbps.
The CrossFire 8600and the CrossFire 8605can forward Token-Ring frames among
multiple, shared or dedicated Token-Ring LAN segments. Using a frame
forwarding technique similar to that of a multiport Token-Ring transparent bridge,
the switch uses Token-Ring MAC addresses to forward Token-Ring frames from
any of its ports to any other.
Switch of Switches
TheCrossFire8600andtheCrossFire 8605 can bedeployed in avarietyof network
configurations,all of which provide a significantincrease in network performance.
The series of Olicom Token-Ring products allows users to build network systems
that can transport data efficiently and scale upwards as throughput requirements
increase. The switches deliverhigh-reliability and media flexibility. These features
combine to allow the switches to be used as a switch of switches which provides
media flexibility in an Token-Ring configuration.

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CrossFire 8600/8605 Token-Ring Switches v. 1.2, P/N: 710001641 Overview and Specifications
The CrossFire 8600and the CrossFire 8605 caneasily connect withother CrossFire
products to deliver a broad range of network carrying capacity. Bandwidthis easily
scaled to meet all performance requirements.
Switch of Servers
With client/server applications, many client workstations may attempt to access a
single server at the same time. This traffic pattern may create bottlenecks at the
server. Tofurther enhance performance, the CrossFire 8600andtheCrossFire 8605
can deliver dedicated bandwidth to high-speed file servers. All servers perform
better with dedicated 16 Mbps bandwidth.
Even better performance can be achieved by installing multiple adapters in the
server. By connecting these adapters to the switch, multiple 16 Mbps paths to the
server are created, a solution that is only possible when using a switch.
The switch ties together all Token-Ring devices lined to a local wiring center. In
networks, where a significant portion of the traffic moves locally between client
and server, the switch can be very effective.
Switch of Hubs
When network traffic increases beyond the capability of hubs, contention results.
Applications suffer and may even fail. The net effect of such a network
configuration is that all devices share a single 16 Mbps data path, thus reducing
overall network efficiency. The CrossFire 8600 and CrossFire 8605 can be very
effective when used as a switch of hubs.
The switches can alleviate contention through microsegmentation, or reducing the
number of devices in each shared segment. To provide microsegmentation, the
switches divides a single 16 Mbps segment into multiple 16 Mbps segments. As an
example, a workgroup has 16 Mbps of capacity. The 20 ports on the switches
support 10 simultaneous conversations with 20 hubs, thus providing the workgroup
with 160 Mbps bandwidth throughput, which results in a significant gain in
bandwidth.
Switch of Desktops
The CrossFire 8600and the CrossFire 8605 area cost-effective means of providing
dedicated bandwidth to individual desktop workstations. In this application, the
switch replaces a hub, providing excellent, hub-like network management
statistics. Total network capacity and throughputincrease dramatically for attached
desktop workstations.

4
CrossFire 8600/8605 Token-Ring Switches v. 1.2, P/N: 710001641 Overview and Specifications
Switch of Floors and Buildings
For network managers, multistorey buildings and campuses can represent a unique
networking challenge. How can a network manager provide an efficient LAN
interconnect for users that are located on several floors of a building or in different
buildings?
Token-Ring switching and the CrossFire product family can provide the best
solution. The CrossFire8600 and the CrossFire 8605provideenhanced throughput
to local wiring closets that can be connected to a switch located in the data center.
Many networks consist of users located in different buildings of a campus
environment. The switches can be used as a collapsed backbone interconnecting
multiple buildings of a campus. They can provide the connectivity solution and
enhanced throughput that such campus environments require.
Switch of Routers
Router technology has had a significant impact on the design of today’s
internetworks. Routers have become the cornerstone of most production networks.
Although well equipped to provide firewall, WAN connectivity, security, and
connectionbetweendissimilarLANs,routersareunableto provide highthroughput
between desktop devices and servers. Because of these limitations, routers and
switches perform complimentary functions in the network.
The CrossFire 8600 and the CrossFire 8605can be used as a front-end to routers to
increase performance in each subnet. Communication between local clients and
servers is enhanced at the workgroup level below the router.
The switches can also be used to back-end routers. In networks were many routers
are interconnected over Token-Ring and backbone performance is not acceptable,
the switches provide non-blocking communication between the routers for
enhanced network performance. This provides protocol transparency with
enhanced throughput in each subnet between local servers and desktops, thus
allowing network managers to build logical networks as large as network layer
protocol and broadcast traffic allow.
The SwitchProbe (Switched Port Analyzer) also gives a collapsed backbone
network superior network management and the ability to perform protocol analysis
from a single location. TheSwitchProbe (Switch Port Analyzer) providesthe latest
technology for monitoring switch-based networks and helps to reduce the cost of
managing these networks.