SMC Networks 6924MT, Installation Manual

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A
BOUT THE
T
IGER
S
TACK
100
1-6
Some of this switch’s advanced features are described below. For a detailed
description, refer to the Management Guide.
Spanning Tree Protocol
The TigerStack 100 supports IEEE 802.1D Spanning Tree Protocol. This
protocol adds a level of fault tolerance by allowing two or more redundant
connections to be created between a pair of LAN segments. When there
are multiple physical paths between segments, this protocol will choose a
single path and disable all others to ensure that only one route exists
between any two stations on the network. This prevents the creation of
network loops. However, if the chosen path should fail for any reason, an
alternate path will be activated to maintain the connection.
VLANs
The TigerStack 100 supports up to 256 VLANs. A Virtual LAN is a
collection of network nodes that share the same collision domain
regardless of their physical location or connection point in the network. By
segmenting your network into VLANs, you can:
• Eliminate broadcast storms which severely degrade performance in a
flat network.
• Simplify network management for node changes/moves by remotely
configuring VLAN membership for any port, rather than having to
manually change the node’s connection.
• Provides data security by restricting all traffic to the originating VLAN,
except where a connection has been configured between separate
VLANs using a router or Layer 3 switch.
Multicast Switching
Specific multicast traffic can be assigned to its own VLAN to ensure that it
does not interfere with normal network traffic and to guarantee real-time
delivery by setting the required priority level for the designated VLAN.