Bay Networks 58000, Installation And Reference Manual

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Planning a Switched Network
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Switching-based Microsegmentation
The most widely used approach to increasing network performance is to
physically divide the network into smaller segments. Each segment then
supports fewer users, resulting in more available bandwidth for each user.
The two most common technologies used to microsegment networks are
routing-based microsegmentation and, more recently, switching-based
microsegmentation. Although routers serve an important function in
segmenting networks based on administrative boundaries, switching-based
microsegmentation provides further segmentation inside those boundaries,
offers higher performance at a lower cost, and is easier to administer.
Frame switching is easy to implement and manage because it operates like a
single, high-performance network segment. Adding frame switching to an
existing repeater-based network requires no additional network address
administration or configuration, unlike routing-based networks, which typically
require reassignment of addresses when additions, moves, or changes are made.
In microsegmentation, each end station is usually assigned to a network
segment based on its functional requirements. End stations performing similar
functions are placed on the same segment with common shared resources, such
as file servers and printers. This arrangement minimizes the need for frames
from a source workstation to travel through internetworking devices to reach
the destination workstation.
Microsegmentation with the Model 58000 Switch
Installing a Model 58000 switch into a Model 500x chassis allows you to
microsegment your LAN to improve network performance and increase
network capacity.
In a typical network configuration, up to five Model 5308P host modules are
installed in a Model 500x chassis. Each Model 5308P host module has 24
10BASE-T Ethernet ports, for a total of 120 ports among all five host modules.
The 24 host module ports could all be connected to a single backplane segment.
This type of configuration can cause traffic congestion when all 24 ports
contend for the same backplane segment.
With microsegmentation, the number of host module ports assigned per
backplane segment could be limited to a maximum of 10. For example, the first
10 ports of the first Model 5308P host module could be connected to backplane
segment one, the second 10 ports of the first Model 5308P host module could
893-878-B Book Page 2 Monday, May 12, 1997 2:06 PM