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Smart Link Configuration
When configuring Smart Link, go to these sections for information that you are interested in:
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Smart Link Overview
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Configuring a Smart Link Device
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Configuring an Associated Device
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Displaying and Maintaining Smart Link
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Smart Link Configuration Examples
Smart Link Overview
To avoid single-point failures and guarantee network reliability, downstream devices are usually dual
uplinked to upstream devices. That is, a downstream device connects to two different upstream devices,
as shown in
Figure 1-1
.
Figure 1-1
Diagram for a dual uplink network
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A dual uplink network demonstrates high reliability, but it may contain network loops. In most cases,
Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) or Rapid Ring Protection Protocol (RRPP) is used to remove network
loops. The problem with STP, however, is that STP convergence time is long, which makes it not
suitable for users who have high demand on convergence speed. RRPP can meet users’ demand on
convergence speed, but it involves complicated networking and configurations and therefore is mainly
used in ring-shaped networks.