User manual D-LINK DES-3624

DES-3624 Series Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Fifth Edition (December 2001) 651S3624.055 Printed In Taiwan RECYCLABLE TABLE OF CONTENTS 0 ABOUT THIS GUIDE.........................................................................................................................................................10 CONVENTIONS ...........................................................................................................................................................................10 OVERVIEW OF THIS USER'S GUIDE.............................................................................................................................................10 1 INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................................................................11 FAST ETHERNET TECHNOLOGY..................................................................................................................................................11 GIGABIT ETHERNET TECHNOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................11 SWITCHING TECHNOLOGY .........................................................................................................................................................12 FEATURES ..................................................................................................................................................................................12 Ports.......................................................................................................................................................................................12 Performance features.............................................................................................................................................................13 Management ..........................................................................................................................................................................13 2 UNPACKING AND SETUP ...............................................................................................................................................15 UNPACKING ...............................................................................................................................................................................15 SETUP ........................................................................................................................................................................................15 DESKTOP OR SHELF INSTALLATION ...........................................................................................................................................15 RACK INSTALLATION .................................................................................................................................................................16 POWER ON .................................................................................................................................................................................17 Power Failure ........................................................................................................................................................................17 3 IDENTIFYING EXTERNAL COMPONENTS................................................................................................................18 FRONT PANEL ............................................................................................................................................................................18 REAR PANEL ..............................................................................................................................................................................19 SIDE PANELS..............................................................................................................................................................................19 STACK OPERATION ....................................................................................................................................................................20 OPTIONAL PLUG-IN MODULES ...................................................................................................................................................21 100BASE-FX (MT-RJ) Module ..............................................................................................................................................22 100BASE-FX (SC) Module ....................................................................................................................................................22 100BASE-TX Module.............................................................................................................................................................23 1000BASE-SX Gigabit Module..............................................................................................................................................23 1000BASE-LX Gigabit Module..............................................................................................................................................24 1000BASE-T Copper Gigabit Module ...................................................................................................................................24 LED INDICATORS ......................................................................................................................................................................25 4 CONNECTING THE SWITCH .........................................................................................................................................27 SWITCH TO END NODE ...............................................................................................................................................................27 SWITCH TO HUB OR SWITCH ......................................................................................................................................................27 10BASE-T Device ..................................................................................................................................................................28 100BASE-TX Device ..............................................................................................................................................................28 5 SWITCH MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS .........................................................................................................................29 LOCAL CONSOLE MANAGEMENT ...............................................................................................................................................29 Diagnostic (Console) Port (RS-232 DCE).............................................................................................................................29 IP ADDRESSES AND SNMP COMMUNITY NAMES ......................................................................................................................30 TRAPS ........................................................................................................................................................................................30 MIBS .........................................................................................................................................................................................31 PACKET FORWARDING ...............................................................................................................................................................31 Aging Time.............................................................................................................................................................................32 Filtering Database.................................................................................................................................................................32 SPANNING TREE ALGORITHM ....................................................................................................................................................32 STA Operation Levels ............................................................................................................................................................33 On the Bridge Level................................................................................................................................................................................ 33 On the Port Level .................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 User-Changeable STA Parameters........................................................................................................................................34 Illustration of STA..................................................................................................................................................................34 PORT TRUNKING ........................................................................................................................................................................36 VLANS & MAC-BASED BROADCAST DOMAINS.......................................................................................................................36 MAC-Based Broadcast Domains ...........................................................................................................................................37 IEEE 802.1Q VLANs..............................................................................................................................................................37 802.1Q VLAN Segmentation .................................................................................................................................................................. 38 Sharing Resources Across 802.1Q VLANs............................................................................................................................................. 38 802.1Q VLANs Spanning Multiple Switches ......................................................................................................................................... 39 VLANs Over 802.1Q-compliant Switches...................................................................................................................................... 39 Port-Based VLANs.................................................................................................................................................................40 BROADCAST STORMS.................................................................................................................................................................41 Segmenting Broadcast Domains............................................................................................................................................41 Eliminating Broadcast Storms ...............................................................................................................................................41 6 USING THE CONSOLE INTERFACE ............................................................................................................................42 SETTING UP A CONSOLE............................................................................................................................................................42 CONNECTING TO THE SWITCH USING TELNET............................................................................................................................43 CONSOLE USAGE CONVENTIONS................................................................................................................................................43 FIRST TIME CONNECTING TO THE SWITCH ................................................................................................................................43 User Accounts Management ..................................................................................................................................................45 Save Changes.........................................................................................................................................................................46 LOGIN ON THE SWITCH CONSOLE BY REGISTERED USERS........................................................................................................46 Create/Modify User Accounts................................................................................................................................................................. 47 User Accounts Control Table.................................................................................................................................................................. 48 SETTING UP THE SWITCH...........................................................................................................................................................49 System Configuration.............................................................................................................................................................49 Configure IP Address.............................................................................................................................................................................. 50 Configure Console .................................................................................................................................................................................. 52 Configure Switch Stack........................................................................................................................................................................... 53 Information of Individual Switch Unit .............................................................................................................................................. 53 Advance Settings .............................................................................................................................................................................. 54 Configure Port......................................................................................................................................................................................... 55 Configure Trunk Groups ......................................................................................................................................................................... 57 Configure Port Mirroring ........................................................................................................................................................................ 58 Configure Spanning Tree Protocol.......................................................................................................................................................... 59 STP Parameter Settings .................................................................................................................................................................. 59 STP Custom Settings ....................................................................................................................................................................... 62 Configure Filtering and Forwarding Table.............................................................................................................................................. 63 Configure Static Forwarding Table ................................................................................................................................................. 64 Configure MAC Address Filtering ................................................................................................................................................... 65 Configure Static Multicast Filtering ................................................................................................................................................. 65 Configure IGMP................................................................................................................................................................................. 66 Configure VLANs & MAC-based Broadcast Domains .......................................................................................................................... 70 Configure MAC-based Broadcast Domains .................................................................................................................................. 70 Configure Port-based VLANs .......................................................................................................................................................... 74 Configure 802.1Q VLANs ................................................................................................................................................................ 76 Configure GMRP............................................................................................................................................................................... 81 Update Firmware and Configuration Files ...........................................................................................................................85 Special Note Concerning Firmware Updates .......................................................................................................................................... 86 System Utilities ......................................................................................................................................................................87 Ping Test ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 87 Save Settings to TFTP Server ................................................................................................................................................................. 88 Save Switch History to TFTP Server ...................................................................................................................................................... 89 Clear Address Table................................................................................................................................................................................ 90 Community Strings and Trap Stations ...................................................................................................................................90 SWITCH MONITORING ................................................................................................................................................................91 Network Monitoring...............................................................................................................................................................92 Traffic Statistics ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 92 Port Utilization.................................................................................................................................................................................... 93 Port Traffic Statistics......................................................................................................................................................................... 94 Port Packet Error Statistics.............................................................................................................................................................. 95 Port Packet Analysis Statistics........................................................................................................................................................ 96 Browse Address Table ............................................................................................................................................................................ 97 Switch History ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 98 Browse IGMP Status............................................................................................................................................................................... 99 Browse GVRP Status ............................................................................................................................................................................ 100 Browse GMRP Status ........................................................................................................................................................................... 100 RESETTING THE SWITCH ..........................................................................................................................................................101 Restart System......................................................................................................................................................................101 Factory Reset .......................................................................................................................................................................102 Logout ..................................................................................................................................................................................103 7 WEB-BASED NETWORK MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................................104 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................................104 GETTING STARTED...................................................................................................................................................................104 MANAGEMENT .........................................................................................................................................................................104 Configuration.......................................................................................................................................................................105 IP Address............................................................................................................................................................................................. 105 Switch Module ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 107 Switch Module Information ............................................................................................................................................................ 108 Advanced Settings ................................................................................................................................................................................. 109 Port........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 110 Trunk Groups ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 111 Port Mirroring ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 112 Spanning Tree Protocol......................................................................................................................................................................... 113 STP Switch Settings ....................................................................................................................................................................... 113 STP Port Settings ........................................................................................................................................................................... 114 Forwarding and Filtering....................................................................................................................................................................... 115 Static Forwarding Table ................................................................................................................................................................. 116 MAC Address Filtering Table ........................................................................................................................................................ 118 Static Multicast Filtering ................................................................................................................................................................. 120 IGMP .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 121 IGMP Settings ................................................................................................................................................................................. 122 802.1Q IGMP................................................................................................................................................................................... 123 VLANs.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 126 MAC-Based Broadcast Domains .................................................................................................................................................. 127 Port-based VLANs .......................................................................................................................................................................... 132 802.1Q VLANs................................................................................................................................................................................. 134 GMRP ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 138 Management ........................................................................................................................................................................142 Community Strings and Trap Receivers ............................................................................................................................................... 143 User Accounts Management ................................................................................................................................................................. 144 Console ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 146 Monitoring ...........................................................................................................................................................................147 Switch Overview................................................................................................................................................................................... 147 Port Utilization...................................................................................................................................................................................... 148 Port Traffic Statistics ............................................................................................................................................................................ 149 Port Error Packet Statistics.................................................................................................................................................................... 150 Port Packet Analysis Statistics .............................................................................................................................................................. 152 Browse Address Table .......................................................................................................................................................................... 153 IP Multicast & IGMP Information ........................................................................................................................................................ 154 Browse GVRP Status ............................................................................................................................................................................ 155 Browse GMRP Status ........................................................................................................................................................................... 156 Switch History ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 157 Maintenance ........................................................................................................................................................................157 Firmware and Configuration Update..................................................................................................................................................... 158 Save Settings To TFTP Server .............................................................................................................................................................. 159 Save Switch History To TFTP Server................................................................................................................................................... 160 Clear Address Table.............................................................................................................................................................................. 161 Save Changes ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 162 Factory Reset ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 163 Restart System ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 164 8 9 10 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ..................................................................................................................................165 RJ-45 PIN SPECIFICATION...........................................................................................................................................168 SAMPLE CONFIGURATION FILE............................................................................................................................170 Commands: ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 170 Notes about the Configuration File: ...................................................................................................................................................... 171 11 12 RUNTIME SOFTWARE DEFAULT SETTINGS ......................................................................................................172 INDEX .............................................................................................................................................................................173 TECHNICAL SUPPORT................................................................... ...........................................................................17 WARRANTY........................................................................................ ...........................................................................17 REGISTRATION................................................................................. ...........................................................................175 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide 0 ABOUT THIS GUIDE This User's Guide tells you how to install your Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch, how to connect it to your Ethernet network, and how to set its configuration using either the built-in console interface or Web-based management (please note that Netscape Communicator/Navigator, 4.x or later, or Microsoft Internet Explorer, 4.x or later, are recommended). Conventions References in this manual to the DES-3624 Series are frequently written simply as "Switch" or "Switches" where the text applies to all models. Model numbers are normally used only to differentiate among specific Switches where necessary. Unless differentiated by model number, all information applies to all models. Overview of this User's Guide Chapter 1, "Introduction." Describes the Switch and its features. Chapter 2, "Unpacking and Setup." Helps you get started with the basic installation of the Switch. Chapter 3, "Identifying External Components." Describes the front panel, rear panel, side panels, optional plug-in modules, and LED indicators of the Switch. Chapter 4, "Connecting the Switch." Tells how you can connect the Switch to your Ethernet network. Chapter 5, "Switch Management Concepts." Talks about Local Console Management via the RS-232 DCE console port and other aspects about how to manage the Switch. Chapter 6, "Using the Console Interface." Tells how to use the built-in console interface to change, set, and monitor Switch performance and security. Chapter 7, "Web-Based Network Management." Tells how to manage the Switch through an Internet browser. Appendix A, "Technical Specifications." Lists the technical specifications of the Switch. Appendix B, "RJ-45 Pin Specifications." Shows the details and pin assignments for the RJ-45 receptacle/connector. Appendix C, "Sample Configuration File." Appendix D, "Runtime Software Default Settings." 10 About This Guide Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide 1 1 INTRODUCTION This section describes the features of the Switch, as well as giving some background information about Ethernet/Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, and switching technology. Fast Ethernet Technology The growing importance of LANs and the increasing complexity of desktop computing applications are fueling the need for high performance networks. A number of high-speed LAN technologies are proposed to provide greater bandwidth and improve client/server response times. Among them, Fast Ethernet, or 100BASE-T, provides a non-disruptive, smooth evolution from the current 10BASE-T technology. The dominating market position virtually guarantees cost effective and high performance Fast Ethernet solutions in the years to come. 100Mbps Fast Ethernet is a standard specified by the IEEE 802.3 LAN committee. It is an extension of the 10Mbps Ethernet standard with the ability to transmit and receive data at 100Mbps, while maintaining the Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) Ethernet protocol. Gigabit Ethernet Technology Gigabit Ethernet is an extension of IEEE 802.3 Ethernet utilizing the same packet structure, format, and support for CSMA/CD protocol, full duplex, flow control, and management objects, but with a tenfold increase in theoretical throughput over 100Mbps Fast Ethernet and a one hundred-fold increase over 10Mbps Ethernet. Since it is compatible with all 10Mbps and 100Mbps Ethernet environments, Gigabit Ethernet provides a straightforward upgrade without wasting a company's existing investment in hardware, software, and trained personnel. The increased speed and extra bandwidth offered by Gigabit Ethernet is essential to coping with the network bottlenecks that frequently develop as computers and their busses get faster and more users use applications that generate more traffic. Upgrading key components, such as your backbone and servers to Gigabit Ethernet can greatly improve network response times as well as significantly speed up the traffic between your subnets. Gigabit Ethernet enables fast optical fiber connections to support video conferencing, complex imaging, and similar data-intensive applications. Likewise, since data transfers occur 10 times faster than Fast Ethernet, servers outfitted with Gigabit Ethernet NIC's are able to perform 10 times the number of operations in the same amount of time. In addition, the phenomenal bandwidth delivered by Gigabit Ethernet is the most cost-effective method to take advantage of today and tomorrow's rapidly improving switching and routing internetworking technologies. And with expected advances in the coming years in silicon technology and digital signal processing that will enable Gigabit Ethernet to eventually operate over unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) Introduction 11 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide cabling, outfitting your network with a powerful 1000Mbps-capable backbone/server connection creates a flexible foundation for the next generation of network technology products. Switching Technology Another key development pushing the limits of Ethernet technology is in the field of switching technology. A switch bridges Ethernet packets at the MAC address level of the Ethernet protocol transmitting among connected Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, or Gigabit Ethernet LAN segments. Switching is a cost-effective way of increasing the total network capacity available to users on a local area network. A switch increases capacity and decreases network loading by making it possible for a local area network to be divided into different segments which don't compete with each other for network transmission capacity, giving a decreased load on each. The switch acts as a high-speed selective bridge between the individual segments. Traffic that needs to go from one segment to another (from one port to another) is automatically forwarded by the switch, without interfering with any other segments (ports). This allows the total network capacity to be multiplied, while still maintaining the same network cabling and adapter cards. For Fast Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet networks, a switch is an effective way of eliminating problems of chaining hubs beyond the "two-repeater limit." A switch can be used to split parts of the network into different collision domains, for example, making it possible to expand your Fast Ethernet network beyond the 205 meter network diameter limit for 100BASE-TX networks. Switches supporting both traditional 10Mbps Ethernet and 100Mbps Fast Ethernet are also ideal for bridging between existing 10Mbps networks and new 100Mbps networks. Switching LAN technology is a marked improvement over the previous generation of network bridges, which were characterized by higher latencies. Routers have also been used to segment local area networks, but the cost of a router and the setup and maintenance required make routers relatively impractical. Today's switches are an ideal solution to most kinds of local area network congestion problems. Features The DES-3624 series of Switches can include one master (DES-3624I, DES-3624iF, or DES-3624iFM) and up to three clients (DES-3624, DES-3624F, or DES-3624FM). They are designed for easy installation and high performance in an environment where traffic on the network and the number of users increases continuously. Switch features include: Ports 20 high performance NWay ports all operating at 10/100 Mbps for connection to servers and hubs (19 ports 10/100 fixed Ethernet TP interface and one MDI-II/MDI-X jack connection are supported) (DES3624I, DES-3624iF, and DES-3624iFM) or 22 high performance NWay ports all operating at 10/100 Mbps for connection to servers and hubs (20 ports 10/100 fixed Ethernet TP interface and two MDIII/MDI-X jack connections are supported) (DES-3624, DES-3624F, and DES-3624FM). All ports can be auto-negotiated between 10Mbps/100Mbps, half-or full-duplex connections. 12 Introduction Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Gigabit uplink/MDI-II (media dependent interface) slide-in module in the rear panel for uplink to another Switch. One-port or two-port models are available (DES-3624i, DES-3624iF, and DES-3624iFM only). RS-232 DCE console port for diagnosing the Switch via a connection to a PC and Console/Out-of-band management (DES-3624i, DES-3624iF, or DES-3624iFM only). One slide-in module interface in the front panel for 1 or 2 ports 10/100M Ethernet connection. Three optional modules are available: 2-port TX, 2-port FX (MT-RJ), and 1-port FX (SC). Stacking Input/Output port slide-in module in the rear panel for stacking to another device to implement a high-port count, manageable switch. Three-port module for master device and one-port module for a client device. Performance features Store and forward switching scheme capability to support rate adaptation and protocol conversion. Full- and half-duplex for 10Mbps and 100Mbps connections. The optional 1000BASE-SX and 1000BASE-LX modules operate at full-duplex only. The optional 1000BASE-T module, however, can be negotiated to 1000M/half. Auto polarity detection and correction of incorrect polarity on the receive twisted pair at each port. Data forwarding rate 14,880 pps per port at 100% of wire-speed for 10Mbps speed. Data forwarding rate 144,810 pps per port at 100% of wire-speed for 100Mbps speed. Data forwarding rate 1,488,100 pps per port at 100% of wire-speed for 1000Mbps speed. Data filtering rate eliminates all error packets, runts, etc. at 14,880 pps per port at 100% of wire-speed for 10Mbps speed. Data filtering rate eliminates all error packets, runts, etc. at 144,810 pps per port at 100% of wirespeed for 100Mbps speed. Data filtering rate eliminates all error packets, runts, etc. at 1,488,100 pps per port at 100% of wirespeed for 1000Mbps speed. 12K active MAC address entry table per device with automatic learning and aging (10 to 9999 seconds). 12 MB packet buffer per device. Supports Broadcast Storm filtering. Supports IGMP Multicast snooping. Management RS-232 console port for out-of-band network management via a console terminal or PC. Spanning Tree Algorithm Protocol for creation of alternative backup paths and prevention of indefinite network loops. Fully configurable either in-band or out-of-band control via SNMP based software. Introduction 13 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Flash memory for software upgrade. This can be done in-band via BOOTP/TFTP. Out-of-band console can also initiate a download request. Built-in SNMP management: Bridge MIB (RFC 1493), RMON MIB (RFC 1757), MIB-II (RFC 1213), and Entity MIB (RFC 2737). 14 Introduction Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide 2 2 UNPACKING AND SETUP This chapter provides unpacking and setup information for the Switch. Unpacking Open the shipping carton of the Switch and carefully unpack its contents. The carton should contain the following items: One Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch Mounting kit: two mounting brackets and screws Four rubber feet with adhesive backing One AC power cord One RS-232 cable (master only) This user's guide on CD-ROM with a Registration Card If any item is found missing or damaged, please contact your local D-Link reseller for replacement. Setup The setup of the Switch can be performed using the following steps: The surface must support at least 5 kg. The power outlet should be within 1.82 meters (6 feet) of the device. Visually inspect the power cord and see that it is secured fully to the AC power connector. Make sure that there is proper heat dissipation from and adequate ventilation around the Switch. Do not place heavy objects on the Switch. Desktop or Shelf Installation When installing the Switch on a desktop or shelf, the rubber feet included with the device must be first attached. Attach these cushioning feet on the bottom at each corner of the device. Allow enough ventilation space between the device and the objects around it. Unpacking and Setup 15 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Figure 2-1. Switch installed on a Desktop or Shelf Rack Installation The Switch can be mounted in an EIA standard size, 19-inch rack, which can be placed in a wiring closet with other equipment. To install, attach the mounting brackets on the Switch's side panels (one on each side) and secure them with the screws provided. Figure 2-2A. Attaching the mounting brackets to the Switch Then, use the screws provided with the equipment rack to mount the Switch in the rack. Figure 2-2B. Installing the Switch in an equipment rack 16 Unpacking and Setup Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Power On The Switch can be used with AC power sources 100 - 240 VAC, 50 - 60 Hz. The power switch is located at the rear of the unit adjacent to the AC power connector and the system fan. The Switch's power supply will adjust to the local power source automatically and may be turned on without having any or all LAN segment cables connected. After the power switch is turned on, the LED indicators should respond as follows: All LED indicators will momentarily blink. This blinking of the LED indicators represents a reset of the system. The power LED indicator will blink while the Switch loads onboard software and performs a self-test. After approximately 40 seconds, the LED will light continuously to indicate the Switch is in a ready state. The console LED indicator will remain ON if there is a connection at the RS-232 port, otherwise this LED indicator is OFF. The 100M LED indicator may remain ON or OFF depending on the transmission speed. Power Failure As a precaution, the Switch should be unplugged in case of power failure. When power is resumed, plug the Switch back in. Unpacking and Setup 17 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide 3 3 IDENTIFYING EXTERNAL COMPONENTS This chapter describes the front panel, rear panel, side panels, optional plug-in modules, and LED indicators of the Switch Front Panel The front panel of the Switch consists of either 22 or 20 (10/100 Mbps) Ethernet/Fast Ethernet ports, two or one uplink jacks, a slide-in module slot for 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports, an RS-232 communication port (DES3624i, DES-3624iF, and DES-3624iFM only), and LED indicators. Figure 3-1. Front panel view of the Switches Comprehensive LED indicators display the conditions of the Switch and status of the network. A description of these LED indicators follows (see LED Indicators). An RS-232 DCE console port is used to diagnose the Switch via a connection to a PC and Local Console Management (DES-3624i, DES-3624iF, and DES-3624iFM only). Twenty or twenty-two high performance NWay ports all operate at 10/100 Mbps for connection to servers and hubs. All ports can be auto-negotiated between 10Mbps or 100Mbps. A slide-in module slot (labeled Slot1) for 10/100 Mbps Ethernet ports can accommodate the following modules: 2-port TX, 2-port FX (MT-RJ), or 1-port FX (SC). One or two MDI-II uplink jacks are supported. Port numbers 1 and 2 on the DES-3624, DES-3624F, and DES-3624FM are equipped with MDI-X jacks for normal end-node connections and MDI-II jacks for uplink connections. Port number 1 on the DES-3624i, DES-3624iF, and DES-3624iFM are equipped with an MDI-X jack for normal end-node connection and an MDI-II jack for uplink connection. 18 Identifying External Components Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Rear Panel The rear panel of the DES-3624, DES-3624F, and DES-3624FM consist of a slot (labeled Slot2) for a Stacking input/output port and an AC power connector. The rear panel of the DES-3624i, DES-3624iF, and DES3624iFM consist of two slots (labeled Slot2 and Slot3). Slot2 is for Stacking input/output ports Sio1, Sio2, and Sio3. Slot3 is for an optional Gigabit Ethernet uplink (MDI-II) port. The following shows the rear panel of the Switches. Figure 3-2. Rear panel view of the Switches The optional Gigabit Ethernet slide-in module is an uplink/MDI-II (media dependent interface) port for uplink to another Switch (DES-3624i, DES-3624iF, and DES-3624iFM only). Two models are available, one-port and two-port. The Stacking input/output port slide-in module in the rear panel is for stacking to another device to implement a high-port count, manageable Switch. The three-port module is for a master device and a one-port module is for a client device. The AC power connector is a three-pronged connector that supports the power cord. Plug in the female connector of the provided power cord into this connector, and the male into a power outlet. Supported input voltages range from 100 ~ 240 VAC at 50 ~ 60 Hz. Side Panels The right side panel of the Switch contains two system fans (see the bottom part of the diagram below). The left side panel contains heat vents. Identifying External Components 19 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Figure 3-3. Side panel views of the Switch The system fans are used to dissipate heat. The sides of the system also provide heat vents to serve the same purpose. Do not block these openings, and leave adequate space at the rear and sides of the Switch for proper ventilation. Be reminded that without proper heat dissipation and air circulation, system components might overheat, which could lead to system failure. Stack Operation The DES-3624i, DES-3624iF, and DES-3624iFM are all intelligent Switches capable of acting as a master for up to three slave Switches (DES-3624, DES-3624F, or DES-3624FM). Each port is referred to by unit ID and port number in your DES-3624 Series stack. To set up a stack, a one-port Stacking input/output module is needed for each client Switch and a threeport Stacking input/output module is needed for the master Switch. Once the modules have been installed, use a cascade cable to connect each client Switch to the master Switch. Figure 3-4. Switch stack with one master and three slaves Please note that two client switches can also be connected via the Stacking input/output ports. The following diagram displays some possible switch stack connections: 20 Identifying External Components Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Figure 3-5. Switch stack with example of possible connections Optional Plug-in Modules The DES-3624i/DES-3624iF/DES-3624iFM Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch is able to accommodate a range of plug-in modules in order to increase functionality and performance. Identifying External Components 21 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide 100BASE-FX (MT-RJ) Module Figure 3-6. Two-port, 100BASE-FX (MT-RJ) module Two-port, front-panel module. Connects to 100BASE-FX devices at full- or half-duplex. Supports multi-mode fiber-optic cable connections of up to 412 meters in half-duplex or 2 km in full-duplex mode. 100BASE-FX (SC) Module Figure 3-7. One-port, 100BASE-FX (SC) module One-port, front panel module. Connects to a 100BASE-FX device at full- or half-duplex. Supports multi-mode fiber-optic cable connections of up to 412 meters in half-duplex or 2 km in full-duplex mode. 22 Identifying External Components Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide 100BASE-TX Module Figure 3-8. Two-port, 100BASE-TX module Two-port, front-panel module. Connects to 100BASE-TX devices at full- or half-duplex. Supports Category 5 UTP or STP cable connections of up to 100 meters. 1000BASE-SX Gigabit Module Figure 3-9. One-port, 1000BASE-SX gigabit module One- or two-port, rear-panel module. Connects to 1000BASE-SX devices at full duplex. Allows connections using multi-mode fiber optic cable in the following configurations: Identifying External Components 23 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide 62.5µm Modal bandwidth (min. overfilled launch) Unit: MHz*km Operating distance Unit: meters Channel insertion loss Unit: dB 2.33 220 160 62.5µm 200 50µm 400 50µm 500 275 500 550 2.53 3.25 3.43 1000BASE-LX Gigabit Module Figure 3-10. One-port, 1000BASE-LX gigabit module One- or two-port, rear-panel module. Connects to a 1000BASE-LX device at full duplex. Allows connections up to 5 km in length using single-mode fiber optic cable. 1000BASE-T Copper Gigabit Module Figure 3-11. One-port, 1000BASE-T gigabit module One- or two-port, rear-panel module. Connects to 1000BASE-T devices at 1000M/full duplex, 100M/full duplex, 100M/half duplex, and Auto. Supports Category 5+ or higher cable connections of up to 100 meters. 24 Identifying External Components Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide LED Indicators The LED indicators of the Switch include Power, Console, Slot, Giga, Speed, and Link/Act. The following shows the LED indicators for the Switch along with an explanation of each indicator. Figure 3-12. The Switch LED indicators Power This indicator on the front panel should light green after approximately 2 seconds to indicate the ready state of the Switch when the device is powered on. The LED will blink when the Power-On Self-Test (POST) is running or if the system's configuration has changed. This LED will light orange when an error occurs. Console This indicator is lit green when the switch is being managed via out-of-band/local console management through the RS-232 console port using a straight-through serial cable. When a secured connection is established, this LED is lit. The indicator blinks when the console RS-232 is accessed. Slot2 This indicator is lit green when a slide-in module is present in the rear panel of the Switch. Slot3 This indicator is lit green when a slide-in module is present in the rear panel of the Switch. Giga1 This indicator is lit green when a link is established. It blinks green when the Gigabit port is active. Giga2 This indicator is lit green when a link is established. It blinks green when the Gigabit port is active. Sio1 This indicator is lit green when a Stacking IO port is present in the rear panel of the Switch. Sio2 This indicator is lit green when a Stacking IO port is present in the rear panel of the Switch. Sio3 This indicator is lit green when a Stacking IO port is present in the rear panel of the Switch. Identifying External Components 25 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide 100M These indicators are illuminated green when a 100 Mbps device is connected to any of the 22+2 or 20+2 ports or uplink port. If a 10 Mbps device is connected to any of the 24 ports or uplink port, these LEDs remain dark. When a port is active, these indicators will blink green. Link/Act These indicators are lit when there is a secure connection (or link) to a device at any of the ports. The LEDs blink whenever there is reception or transmission (i.e. Activity--Act) of data occurring at a port. 26 Identifying External Components Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide 4 4 CONNECTING THE SWITCH This chapter describes how to connect the Switch to your Ethernet network. Switch to End Node End nodes include PCs outfitted with a 10, 100 or 10/100 Mbps RJ-45 Ethernet/Fast Ethernet Network Interface Card (NIC) and most routers. The RJ-45 UTP ports on NICs and most routers are MDI-II. When using a normal straight-through cable, an MDI-II port must connect to an MDI-X port. An end node can be connected to the Switch via a two-pair Category 3, 4, 5 UTP/STP straight cable (be sure to use Category 5 UTP or STP cabling for 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet connections). The end node should be connected to any of the twenty-two ports (1x - 22x) of the Switch or to either of the two 100BASE-TX ports on the front-panel module that came preinstalled on the Switch. An end node should not be connected to an Uplink port (unless using a crossover cable), and if the top Uplink port is in use, Port 1x must remain vacant; if the bottom Uplink port is in use, Port 2x cannot be used. Figure 4-1. Switch connected to an End Node The LED indicators for the port the end node is connected to are lit according to the capabilities of the NIC. If LED indicators are not illuminated after making a proper connection, check the PC's LAN card, the cable, switch conditions, and connections. The following LED indicator states are possible for an end node to switch connection: 1. The 100M LED indicator comes ON for a 100 Mbps and stays OFF for 10 Mbps. 2. The Link/Act LED indicator lights up upon hooking up a PC that is powered on. Switch to Hub or Switch These connections can be accomplished in a number of ways. The most important consideration is that when using a normal, straight-through cable, the connection should be made between a normal crossed port (Port 1x, 2x, etc.) and an Uplink (MDI-II) port. If you are using a crossover cable, the connection must be made from Uplink to Uplink, or from a crossed port to another crossed port. Connecting The Switch 27 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide A 10BASE-T hub or switch can be connected to the Switch via a two-pair Category 3, 4 or 5 UTP/STP straight cable. A 100BASE-TX hub or switch can be connected to the Switch via a four-pair Category 5 UTP/STP straight cable. If the other switch or hub contains an unused Uplink port, we suggest connecting the other device's Uplink (MDI-II) port to any of the switch's (MDI-X) ports (1x - 22x, or one of the 100BASE-TX module ports) using a normal straight-through cable, as shown below. If the other device does not have an unused Uplink port, make the connection with a normal straight-through cable from one of the Uplink ports on the switch to any normal crossed port on the hub. Alternatively, if you have a crossover cable you can save the Uplink ports for other connections and make this one from a crossed port to another crossed port. Figure 4-2. Switch connected to a normal (non-Uplink) port on a hub or switch using a straight or crossover cable 10BASE-T Device For a 10BASE-T device, the Switch's LED indicators should display the following: 100M LED speed indicator is OFF. Link/Act indicator is ON. 100BASE-TX Device For a 100BASE-TX device, the Switch's LED indicators should display the following: 100M LED speed indicator is ON. Link/Act is ON. 28 Connecting The Switch Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide 5 5 SWITCH MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS This chapter discusses many of the features used to manage the switch, and explains many concepts and important points regarding these features. Configuring the Switch to implement these concepts is discussed in detail in the next chapters. Local Console Management Local console management involves the administration of the Switch via a direct connection to the RS-232 DCE console port. This is an Out-Of-Band connection, meaning that it is on a different circuit than normal network communications, and thus works even when the network is down. The local console management connection involves a terminal or PC running terminal emulation software to operate the Switch's built-in console program (see Chapter 6, "Using the Console Interface"). Using the console program, a network administrator can manage, control and monitor the many functions of the Switch. Hardware components in the Switch allow it to be an active part of a manageable network. These components include a CPU, memory for data storage, other related hardware, and SNMP agent firmware. Activities on the Switch can be monitored with these components, while the Switch can be manipulated to carry out specific tasks. Diagnostic (Console) Port (RS-232 DCE) Out-of-band management requires connecting a terminal, such as a VT-100 or a PC running terminal emulation program (such as HyperTerminal, which is automatically installed with Microsoft Windows) a to the RS-232 DCE console port of the Switch. Switch management using the RS-232 DCE console port is called Local Console Management to differentiate it from management done via management platforms, such as DView, HP OpenView, etc. The console port is set for the following configuration: Baud rate: Data width: Parity: Stop bits: Flow Control 9,600 8 bits none 1 none Make sure the terminal or PC you are using to make this connection is configured to match these settings. If you are having problems making this connection on a PC, make sure the emulation is set to VT-100 or ANSI. If you still don't see anything, try hitting + r to refresh the screen. Switch Management Concepts 29 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide IP Addresses and SNMP Community Names Each Switch has its own IP Address, which is used for communication with an SNMP network manager or other TCP/IP application (for example BOOTP, TFTP). You can change the default Switch IP Address to meet the specification of your networking address scheme. In addition, you can also set an IP Address for a gateway router. This becomes necessary when the network management station is located on a different IP network as the Switch, making it necessary for management packets to go through a router to reach the network manager, and vice-versa. For security, you can set in the Switch a list of IP Addresses of the network managers that you allow to manage the Switch. You can also change the default Community Name in the Switch and set access rights of these Community Names. Traps Traps are messages that alert you of events that occur on the Switch. The events can be as serious as a reboot (someone accidentally turned OFF the Switch), or less serious like a port status change. The Switch generates traps and sends them to the network manager (trap managers). The following lists the types of events that can take place on the Switch. System resets Errors Status changes Topology changes Operation You can also specify which network managers may receive traps from the Switch by setting a list of IP Addresses of the authorized network managers. Trap managers are special users of the network who are given certain rights and access in overseeing the maintenance of the network. Trap managers will receive traps sent from the Switch; they must immediately take certain actions to avoid future failure or breakdown of the network. The following are trap types a trap manager will receive: Cold Start This trap signifies that the Switch has been powered up and initialized such that software settings are reconfigured and hardware systems are rebooted. A cold start is different from a factory reset. Warm Start This trap signifies that the Switch has been rebooted, however the Power-On Self-Test (POST) is skipped. Authentication Failure This trap signifies that someone has tried to logon to the switch using an invalid SNMP community name. The switch automatically stores the source IP address of the unauthorized user. New Root This trap indicates that the Switch has become the new root of the Spanning Tree, the trap is sent by a bridge soon after its election as the new root. This implies that upon expiration of the 30 Switch Management Concepts Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Topology Change Timer the new root trap is sent out immediately after the Switch's selection as a new root. Topology Change A Topology Change trap is sent by the Switch when any of its configured ports transitions from the Learning state to the Forwarding state, or from the Forwarding state to the Blocking state. The trap is not sent if a new root trap is sent for the same transition. Link Change Event This trap is sent whenever the link of a port changes from link up to link down or from link down to link up. Port Partition This trap is sent whenever a port is partitioned as a result of more than sixty-one collisions on the port (i.e., it is automatically partitioned). The number of collisions that triggers this trap is the same at either 10Mbps or 100Mbps. Broadcast Storm This trap is sent whenever the port reaches the broadcast storm rising or falling threshold. MIBs Management information and counters are stored in the Switch in the Management Information Base (MIB). The Switch uses the standard MIB-II Management Information Base module. Consequently, values for MIB objects can be retrieved from any SNMP-based network manager software. In addition to the standard MIBII, the Switch also supports its own proprietary enterprise MIB as an extended Management Information Base. These MIBs may also be retrieved by specifying the MIB's Object-Identity (OID) at the network manager. MIB values can be either read-only or read-write. Read-only MIBs variables can be either constants that are programmed into the Switch, or variables that change while the Switch is in operation. Examples of read-only constants are the number of ports and types of ports. Examples of read-only variables are the statistics counters such as the number of errors that have occurred, or how many kilobytes of data have been received and forwarded through a port. Read-write MIBs are variables usually related to user-customized configurations. Examples of these are the Switch's IP Address, Spanning Tree Algorithm parameters, and port status. If you use a third-party vendors' SNMP software to manage the Switch, a diskette listing the Switch's propriety enterprise MIBs can be obtained by request. If your software provides functions to browse or modify MIBs, you can also get the MIB values and change them (if the MIBs' attributes permit the write operation). This process however can be quite involved, since you must know the MIB OIDs and retrieve them one by one. Packet Forwarding The Switch learns the network configuration and uses this information to forward packets. This reduces the traffic congestion on the network, because packets, instead of being transmitted to all segments, are transmitted to the destination only. Example: if Port 1 receives a packet destined for a station on Port 2, the Switch transmits that packet through Port 2 only, and transmits nothing through the other ports. Switch Management Concepts 31 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Aging Time The Aging Time is a parameter that affects the auto-learn process of the Switch in terms of the network configuration. Dynamic Entries, which make up the auto-learned-node address, are aged out of the address table according to the Aging Time that you set. The Aging Time can be from 10 seconds to 9999 seconds. A very long Aging Time can result with the out-ofdate Dynamic Entries that may cause incorrect packet filtering/forwarding decisions. On the other hand, if the Aging Time is too short, many entries may be aged out soon, resulting in a high percentage of received packets whose source addresses cannot be found in the address table, in which case the Switch will broadcast the packet to all ports, negating many of the benefits of having a switch. Filtering Database A switch uses a filtering database to segment the network and control communications between segments. It also filters packets off the network for intrusion control (MAC Address filtering). For port filtering, each port on the switch is a unique collision domain and the switch filters (discards) packets whose destination lies on the same port as where it originated. This keeps local packets from disrupting communications on other parts of the network. For intrusion control, whenever a switch encounters a packet originating from or destined to a MAC address defined by the user, the switch will discard the packet. Filtering includes: 1. Dynamic filtering Automatic learning and aging of MAC addresses and their location on the network. Filtering occurs to keep local traffic confined to its segment. 2. MAC address filtering The manual entry of specific MAC addresses to be filtered from the network. 3. Filtering done by the Spanning Tree Protocol Can filter packets based on topology, making sure that signal loops don't occur. 4. Filtering done for VLAN integrity. Packets from a member of a VLAN (VLAN 2, for example) destined for a device on another VLAN (VLAN 3) will be filtered. Spanning Tree Algorithm The Spanning Tree Algorithm (STA) in the Switch allows you to create alternative paths (with multiple switches or other types of bridges) in your network. These backup paths are idle until the Switch determines that a problem has developed in the primary paths. When a primary path is lost, the switch providing the alternative path will automatically go into service with no operator intervention. This automatic network reconfiguration provides maximum uptime to network users. The concept of the Spanning Tree Algorithm is a complicated and complex subject and must be fully researched and understood. Please read the following before making any changes. Network loop detection and prevention With STA, there will be only one path between any two LANs. If there is more than one path, forwarded packets will loop indefinitely. STA detects any looped path and selects the path with the lowest path cost as the active path, while blocking the other path and using it as the backup path. 32 Switch Management Concepts Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Automatic topology re-configuration When the path for which there is a backup path fails, the backup path will be automatically activated, and STA will automatically re-configure the network topology. STA Operation Levels STA operates on two levels: the bridge level and the port level. On the bridge level, STA calculates the Bridge Identifier for each Switch, then sets the Root Bridge and the Designated Bridges. On the port level, STA sets the Root Port and Designated Ports. Details are as follows: On the Bridge Level Root Bridge The switch with the lowest Bridge Identifier is the Root Bridge. Naturally, you will want the Root Bridge to be the best switch among the switches in the loop to ensure the highest network performance and reliability. Bridge Identifier This is the combination of the Bridge Priority (a parameter that you can set) and the MAC address of the switch. Example: 4 00 80 C8 00 01 00, where 4 is the Bridge Priority. A lower Bridge Identifier results in a higher priority for the switch, and thus increases it probably of being selected as the Root Bridge. Designated Bridge From each LAN segment, the attached Bridge that has the lowest Root Path Cost to the Root Bridge is the Designated Bridge. It forwards data packets for that LAN segment. In cases where all Switches have the same Root Path Cost, the switch with the lowest Bridge Identifier becomes the Designated Bridge. Root Path Cost The Root Path Cost of a switch is the sum of the Path Cost of the Root Port and the Root Path Costs of all the switches that the packet goes through. The Root Path Cost of the Root Bridge is zero. Bridge Priority This is a parameter that users can set. The smaller the number you set, the higher the Bridge Priority is. The higher the Bridge Priority, the better the chance the Switch will be selected as the Root Bridge. On the Port Level Root Port Each switch has a Root Port. This is the port that has the lowest Path Cost to the Root Bridge. In case there are several such ports, then the one with the lowest Port Identifier is the Root Port. Designated Port This is the port on each Designated Bridge that is attached to the LAN segment for which the switch is the Designated Bridge. Port Priority The smaller this number, the higher the Port Priority is. With higher Port Priority, the higher the probability that the port will be selected as the Root Port. Path Cost This is a changeable parameter and may be modified according to STA specifications. The 1000Mbps segment has an assigned Path Cost of 4, the 100Mbps segment has an assigned Path Cost of 19, and each 10Mbps segment has an assigned cost of 100. These values will change dynamically when port trunking is enabled. Switch Management Concepts 33 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide User-Changeable STA Parameters The factory default setting should cover the majority of installations. However, it is advisable to keep the default settings as set at the factory, unless it is absolutely necessary. The user changeable parameters in the Switch are as follows: Bridge Priority A Bridge Priority can be from 0 to 65535. 0 is equal to the highest Bridge Priority. Bridge Hello Time The Hello Time can be from 1 to 10 seconds. This is the interval between two transmissions of BPDU packets sent by the Root Bridge to tell all other Switches that it is indeed the Root Bridge. If you set a Hello Time for your Switch, and it is not the Root Bridge, the set Hello Time will be used if and when your Switch becomes the Root Bridge. Note: The Hello Time cannot be longer than the Max. Age. Otherwise, a configuration error will occur. Bridge Max. Age The Max. Age can be from 6 to 40 seconds. At the end of the Max. Age, if a BPDU has still not been received from the Root Bridge, your Switch will start sending its own BPDU to all other Switches for permission to become the Root Bridge. If it turns out that your Switch has the lowest Bridge Identifier, it will become the Root Bridge. Bridge Forward Delay The Forward Delay can be from 4 to 30 seconds. This is the time any port on the Switch spends in the listening state while moving from the blocking state to the forwarding state. Observe the following formulas when you set the above parameters: 1. 2. Max. Age 2 x (Forward Delay - 1 second) Max. Age 2 x (Hello Time + 1 second) Port Priority A Port Priority can be from 0 to 255. The lower the number, the greater the probability the port will be chosen as the Root Port. Illustration of STA A simple illustration of three Bridges (or the Switch) connected in a loop is depicted in Figure 5-1. In this example, you can anticipate some major network problems if the STA assistance is not applied. For instance, if Bridge 1 broadcasts a packet to Bridge 2, Bridge 2 will broadcast it to Bridge 3, and Bridge 3 will broadcast it to Bridge 1 and so on. The broadcast packet will be passed indefinitely in a loop, causing a serious network failure. To alleviate network loop problems, STA can be applied as shown in Figure 5-2. In this example, STA breaks the loop by blocking the connection between Bridge 1 and 2. The decision to block a particular connection is based on the STA calculation of the most current Bridge and Port settings. Now, if Bridge 1 broadcasts a packet to Bridge 3, then Bridge 3 will broadcast it to Bridge 2 and the broadcast will end there. STA setup can be somewhat complex. Therefore, you are advised to keep the default factory settings and STA will automatically assign root bridges/ports and block loop connections. However, if you need to customize the STA parameters, refer to Table 5-1. 34 Switch Management Concepts Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Figure 5-1. Before Applying the STA Rules Figure 5-2. After Applying the STA Rules STA parameters Bridge Priority Settings lower the #, higher the priority 1 - 10 sec. 6 - 40 sec. Effects Increases chance of becoming the Root Bridge No effect, if not Root Bridge Compete for Root Bridge, if BPDU is not received High # delays the change in state Comment Avoid, if the switch is used in workgroup level of a large network Never set greater than Max. Age Time Avoid low number for unnecessary reset of Root Bridge Max. Age 2 x (Forward Delay - 1) Max. Age 2 x (Hello Time + 1) Disable a port for security or problem isolation Hello Time Max. Age Time Forward Delay 4 - 30 sec. Port Level STA parameters Enable / Disable Enable / Disable lower the #, higher the priority Enable or disable this LAN segment Increases chance of become Root Port Port Priority Table 5-1. User-selective STA parameters Switch Management Concepts 35 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Port Trunking Port trunking is used to combine a number of ports together to make a single high-bandwidth data pipeline. The participating parts are called members of a trunk group, with one port designated as the anchor of the group. Since all members of the trunk group must be configured to operate in the same manner, all settings changes made to the anchor port are applied to all members of the trunk group. Thus, when configuring the ports in a trunk group, you only need to configure the anchor port. The Switch supports 3 trunk groups, which may include from 2 to 8 switch ports each, except for the third trunk group which consists of the 2 ports of the Slot 1, 100BASE-TX or 100BASE-FX front-panel module. The anchor port for the first group is preset as port 5, the anchor port for the second group is port 13 and the anchor port for the third group is the first port (1x) on the 2-port module. Figure 5-3. Port trunking example The switch treats all ports in a trunk group as a single port. As such, trunk ports will not be blocked by Spanning Tree (unless a redundant link with higher STP priority is present). Data transmitted to a specific host (destination address) will always be transmitted over the same port in a trunk group. This allows packets in a data stream to arrive in the same order they were sent. A trunk connection can be made with any other switch that maintains host-to-host data streams over a single trunk port. A trunk connection cannot be made with switches that perform load-balancing on a per-packet basis. VLANs & MAC-Based Broadcast Domains VLANs are a collection of users or switch ports grouped together in a secure, autonomous broadcast and multicast domain. The main purpose of setting up VLANs or a broadcast domain on a network is to limit the range and effects of broadcast packets. Two types of VLANs are implemented on the Switch: 802.1Q VLANs and port-based VLANs. MAC-based broadcast domains are a third option. Only one type of VLAN or broadcast domain can be active on the Switch at any given time, however. Thus, you will need to choose the type of VLAN or broadcast domain you wish to 36 Switch Management Concepts Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide setup on your network and configure the Switch accordingly. 802.1Q VLANs support IEEE 802.1Q tagging, which enables them to span the entire network (assuming all switches on the network are IEEE 802.1Qcompliant). In contrast, MAC-based broadcast domains are limited to the Switch and devices directly connected to them. All VLANs allow a network to be segmented in order to reduce the size of broadcast domains. All broadcast, multicast, and unknown packets entering the Switch on a particular VLAN will only be forwarded to the stations or ports (802.1Q and port-based) that are members of that VLAN. 802.1Q and port-based VLANs also limit unicast packets to members of the VLAN, thus providing a degree of security to your network. Another benefit of 802.1Q and port-based VLANs is that you can change the network topology without physically moving stations or changing cable connections. Stations can be `moved' to another VLAN and thus communicate with its members and share its resources, simply by changing the port VLAN settings from one VLAN (the sales VLAN, for example) to another VLAN (the marketing VLAN). This allows VLANs to accommodate network moves, changes and additions with the utmost flexibility. MAC-based broadcast domains, on the other hand, allow a station to be physically moved yet still belong to the same broadcast domain without having to change and configuration settings. The untagging feature of IEEE 802.1Q VLANs allows VLANs to work with legacy switches that don't recognize VLAN tags in packet headers. The tagging feature allows VLANs to span multiple 802.1Qcompliant switches through a single physical connection and allows Spanning Tree to be enabled on all ports and work normally (BPDU packets are not tagged). MAC-Based Broadcast Domains The Switch supports up to 12 MAC-based broadcast domains, which are by their nature, limited to the Switch itself and the devices connected directly to it. Since MAC addresses are hard-wired into a station's network interface card (NIC), MAC-based broadcast domains enable network managers to move a station to a different physical location on the network and have that station automatically retain its broadcast domain membership. This provides the network with a high degree of flexibility since even notebook PC's can plug into any available port on a network and communicate with the same people and use the same resources that have been allocated to the broadcast domain in which it is a member. Since MAC-based broadcast domains do not restrict the transmission of known unicast frames to other broadcast domains, they can only be used to define limited broadcast domains. As such, they are best implemented on networks where stations are frequently moving, for example where people using notebook PCs are constantly plugging into different parts of the network. Setting up MAC-based broadcast domains is a relatively straightforward process. Simply create the broadcast domain by assigning it a name (description) and add MAC addresses for the stations that will be members. IEEE 802.1Q VLANs The Switch supports up to 2000 802.1Q VLANs. 802.1Q VLANs limit traffic that flows into and out of switch ports. Thus, all devices connected to a port are members of the VLAN(s) the port belongs to, whether there is a single computer directly connected to a switch, or an entire department. On 802.1Q VLANs, NICs do not need to be able to identify 802.1Q tags in packet headers. NICs send and receive normal Ethernet packets. If the packet's destination lies on the same segment, communications take place using normal Ethernet protocols. Even though this is always the case, when the destination for a packet lies on another Switch port, VLAN considerations come into play to decide if the packet gets dropped by the Switch or delivered. Switch Management Concepts 37 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide There are two key components to understanding 802.1Q VLANs: Port VLAN ID numbers (PVIDs) and VLAN ID numbers (VIDs). Both variables are assigned to a switch port, but there are important differences between them. A user can only assign one PVID to each switch port. The PVID defines which VLAN a packet belongs to when packets need to be forwarded to another switch port or somewhere else on the network. On the other hand, a user can define a port as a member of multiple VLANs (VIDs), allowing the segment connected to it to receive packets from many VLANs on the network. These two variables control a port's ability to transmit and receive VLAN traffic, and the difference between them provides network segmentation, while still allowing resources to be shared across more than one VLAN. 802.1Q VLAN Segmentation The following example is helpful in explaining how 802.1Q VLAN segmentation works. Take a packet that is transmitted by a machine on Port 1 that is a member of VLAN 2 and has the Port VLAN ID number 2 (PVID=2). If the destination lies on another port (found through a normal forwarding table lookup), the Switch then looks to see if the other port (Port 10) is a member of VLAN 2 (and can therefore receive VLAN 2 packets). If port 10 is not a member of VLAN 2, then the packet will be dropped by the Switch and will not reach its destination. If Port 10 is a member of VLAN 2, the packet will go through. This selective forwarding feature based on VLAN criteria is how VLANs segment networks. The key point being that Port 1 will only transmit on VLAN 2, because it's Port VLAN ID number is 2 (PVID=2). Sharing Resources Across 802.1Q VLANs Network resources such as printers and servers however, can be shared across 802.1Q VLANs. This is achieved by setting up overlapping VLANs as shown in the diagram below. VLAN 3 VLAN 1 VLAN 2 1234 Port VIDs = 1 5678 9 10 11 12 Port VIDs = 2 Port PVID = 3 Workstations Network Server Graphics Workstations Figure 5-4. Example of typical VLAN configuration In the above example, there are three different 802.1Q VLANs and each port can transmit packets on one of them according to their Port VLAN ID (PVID). However, a port can receive packets on all VLANs (VID) that it belongs to. The assignments are as follows: PVID (Port VLAN ID) 1 1 1 2 2 3 Ports Port 1 Port 2 Port 3 Port 11 Port 12 Port 7 VID (VLAN ID) 1 Member Ports 1,2,3,7 38 Switch Management Concepts Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide 2 3 7,11,12 1,2,3,7,11,12 Table 5-2. VLAN assignments for Figure 5-4 The server attached to Port 7 is shared by VLAN 1 and VLAN 2 because Port 7 is a member of both VLANs (it is listed as a member of VID 1 and 2). Since it can receive packets from both VLANs, all ports can successfully send packets to it to be printed. Ports 1, 2 and 3 send these packets on VLAN 1 (their PVID=1), and Ports 11 and 12 send these packets on VLAN 2 (PVID=2). The third VLAN (PVID=3) is used by the server to transmit files that had been requested on VLAN 1 or 2 back to the computers. All computers that use the server will receive transmissions from it since they are all located on ports which are members of VLAN 3 (VID=3). 802.1Q VLANs Spanning Multiple Switches 802.1Q VLANs can span multiple switches as well as your entire network. Two considerations to keep in mind while building VLANs of this sort are whether the switches are IEEE 802.1Q-compliant and whether VLAN packets should be tagged or untagged. Definitions of relevant terms are as follows: Tagging The act of putting 802.1Q VLAN information into the header of a packet. Ports with tagging enabled will put the VID number, priority, and other VLAN information into all packets that flow out it. If a packet has previously been tagged, the port will not alter the packet, thus keeping the VLAN information intact. Tagging is used to send packets from one 802.1Q-compliant device to another. Untagging The act of stripping 802.1Q VLAN information out of the packet header. Ports with untagging enabled will take all VLAN information out of all packets that flow out of a port. If the packet doesn't have a VLAN tag, the port will not alter the packet, thus keeping the packet free of VLAN information. Untagging is used to send packets from an 802.1Q-compliant switch to a non-compliant device. Ingress port A port on a switch where packets are flowing into the switch. If an ingress port has the Ingress Filter enabled, the switch will examine each packet to determine whether or not it is a VLAN member and then take one of two actions: if the port is not a member of a VLAN, the packet will be dropped; if the port is a member of a VLAN, then the packet will be forwarded. Otherwise, if the Ingress Filter is disabled, then the switch will process any packet received at this port in its normal fashion. Egress port A port on a switch where packets are flowing out of the switch, either to another switch or to an end station, and tagging decisions must be made. If an egress port is connected to an 802.1Q-compliant switch, tagging should be enabled so the other device can take VLAN data into account when making forwarding decisions (this allows VLANs to span multiple switches). If an egress connection is to a noncompliant switch or end-station, tags should be stripped so the (now normal Ethernet) packet can be read by the receiving device. VLANs Over 802.1Q-compliant Switches When switches maintaining the same VLANs are 802.1Q-compliant, it is possible to use tagging. Tagging puts 802.1Q VLAN information into each packet header, enabling other 802.1Q-compliant switches that receive the packet to know how to treat it. Upon receiving a tagged packet, an 802.1Q-compliant switch can use the information in the packet header to maintain the integrity of VLANs, carry out priority forwarding, etc. Data transmissions between 802.1Q-compliant switches take place as shown below. Switch Management Concepts 39 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Figure 5-5. Data transmissions between 802.1Q-compliant Switches In the above example, step 4 is the key element. Because the packet has 802.1Q VLAN data encoded in its header, the ingress port can make VLAN-based decisions about its delivery: whether server #2 is attached to a port that is a member of VLAN 2 and, thus, should the packet be delivered; the queuing priority to give to the packet, etc. It can also perform these functions for VLAN 1 packets as well, and, in fact, for any tagged packet it receives regardless of the VLAN number. If the ingress port in step 4 were connected to a non-802.1Q-compliant device and was thus receiving untagged packets, it would tag its own PVID onto the packet and use this information to make forwarding decisions. As a result, the packets coming from the non-compliant device would automatically be placed on the ingress ports VLAN and could only communicate with other ports that are members of this VLAN. Port-Based VLANs Port-based VLANs are a simplified version of the 802.1Q VLANs described in the previous section. In portbased VLANs, all the 802.1Q settings are pre-configured allowing you to quickly and easily setup and maintain port-based VLANs on your network. In port-based VLANs, broadcast, multicast and unknown packets will be limited to within the VLAN. Thus, port-based VLANs effectively segment your network into broadcast domains. Furthermore, ports can only belong to a single VLAN. Because port-based VLANs are uncomplicated and fairly rigid in their implementation, they are best used for network administrators who wish to quickly and easily setup VLANs in order to isolate limit the effect of broadcast packets on their network. For the most secure implementation, make sure that end stations are directly connected to the switch. Attaching a hub, switch or other repeater to the port causes all stations attached to the repeater to become members of the Port-based VLAN. 40 Switch Management Concepts Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide To setup port-based VLANs, simply select one of 24 VLAN ID numbers, name the VLAN and specify which ports will be members. All other ports will automatically be forbidden membership, even dynamically as a port can belong to only one VLAN. Broadcast Storms Broadcast storms are a common problem on today's networks. Basically, they consist of broadcast packets that flood and/or are looped on a network causing noticeable performance degradation and, in extreme cases, network failure. Broadcast storms can be caused by network loops, malfunctioning NICs, bad cable connections, and applications or protocols that generate broadcast traffic, among others. In effect, broadcast storms can originate from any number of sources, and once they are started, they can be self-perpetuating, and can even multiply the number of broadcast packets on the network over time. In the best case, network utilization will be high and bandwidth limited until the hop counts for all broadcast packets have expired, whereupon the packets will be discarded and the network will return to normal. In the worst case, they will multiply, eventually using up all the network bandwidth (although network applications will usually crash long before this happens), and cause a network meltdown. Broadcast storms have long been a concern for network administrators with routers traditionally being used to prevent their occurrence, and if that failed, to at least limit their scope. However, with the advent of VLANs, switches are now able to limit broadcast domains better and cheaper than routers. Also, many switches, including the DES-3624 Series, have broadcast sensors and filters built into each port to further control broadcast storms. Segmenting Broadcast Domains The Switch allows you to segment broadcast domains. It does this by forwarding packets only to ports in the same broadcast domain or VLAN. Thus, broadcast packets will only be forwarded to ports that are members of the same broadcast domain or VLAN. Other parts of the network are effectively shielded. As a result, the smaller the broadcast domain, the less effect a broadcast storm will have. Since VLANs and broadcast domains are implemented at each switch port, they can be quite effective in limiting the scope of broadcast storms. Eliminating Broadcast Storms SNMP agents can be programmed to monitor the number of broadcast packets on switch ports and act on the data. When the number of broadcast packets on a given port rise past an assigned threshold, an action can be triggered. When enabled, the usual action is to block the port to broadcast frames, which discards all broadcast frames arriving at the port from the attached segment. Not only does this isolate the broadcast domain, but it actually starts removing broadcast packets from the affected segment. When the number of broadcast packets falls to an acceptable level (below a falling threshold), the SNMP agent can remove the blocking condition, returning the port to its normal operational state. In the Switch, the default rising threshold is met when more than 500 broadcast packets per second are being detected on a specified port. Once the rising threshold is surpassed for a duration of more than 5 seconds, it will trigger the broadcast storm rising action configured by the user. The default falling threshold is met if there are less than 250 broadcast packets per second. It is triggered once the duration is at least 30 seconds. The actions can easily be defined by using a normal SNMP management program or through the console interface. Switch Management Concepts 41 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide 6 6 USING THE CONSOLE INTERFACE Your Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch supports a console management interface that allows you to set up and control your Switch, either with an ordinary terminal (or terminal emulator), or over the network using the TCP/IP Telnet protocol. You can use this facility to perform many basic network management functions. In addition, the console program will allow you to set up the Switch for management using an SNMP-based network management system. This chapter describes how to use the console interface to access the Switch, change its settings, and monitor its operation. Setting Up A Console First-time configuration must be carried out through a "console," that is, either (a) a VT100-type serial data terminal, or (b) a computer running communications software set to emulate a VT100. The console must be connected to the Diagnostics port. This is an RS-232 port with a 9-socket D-shell connector and DCE-type wiring. Make the connection as follows: 1. Obtain suitable cabling for the connection. You can use either (a) a "null-modem" RS-232 cable or (b) an ordinary RS-232 cable and a null-modem adapter. One end of the cable (or cable/adapter combination) must have a 9-pin D-shell connector suitable for the Diagnostics port; the other end must have a connector suitable for the console's serial communications port. 2. Power down the devices, attach the cable (or cable/adapter combination) to the correct ports, and restore power. 3. Set the console to use the following communication parameters for your terminal: 9600 baud No parity checking (sometimes referred to as "no parity") 8 data bits (sometimes called a "word length" of 8 bits) 1 stop bit (sometimes referred to as a 1-bit stop interval) VT-100/ANSI compatible Arrow keys enabled A typical console connection is illustrated below: 42 Using the Console Interface Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Figure 6-1. Example of a console connection Connecting to the Switch Using Telnet Once you have set an IP address for your Switch, you can use a Telnet program (in a VT-100 compatible terminal mode) to access and control the Switch. Most of the screens are identical, whether accessed from the console port or from a Telnet interface. You can also use a Web-based browser to manage the Switch. See the next chapter, "Web-Based Network Management," for further information. Console Usage Conventions The console interface makes use of the following conventions: 1. Items in can be toggled on or off using the space bar. 2. Items in [square brackets] can be changed by typing in a new value. You can use the backspace and delete keys to erase characters behind and in front of the cursor. 3. The up and down arrow keys, the left and right arrow keys, the Tab key and the Backspace key, can be used to move between selected items. It is recommended that you use the tab key and backspace key for moving around the console. 4. Items in UPPERCASE are commands. Moving the selection to a command and pressing will execute that command, e.g., SAVE or EXIT. Please note that the command APPLY only applies for the current session. Use Save Changes from the main menu for permanent changes. An asterisk "*" indicates a change has been made but won't take effect until the Switch has been rebooted. First Time Connecting To The Switch The Switch supports user-based security that can allow you to prevent unauthorized users from accessing the Switch or changing its settings. This section tells how to log onto the Switch. Note: The passwords used to access the Switch are case sensitive; therefore, "S" is not the same as "s." When you first connect to the Switch, you will be presented with the first login screen (shown below). Press Ctrl+R (hold down the Ctrl key, press the R key, and release both keys) to call up the screen, if the initial login screen does not appear. Also Ctrl+R can be used at any time to refresh the screen. Using the Console Interface 43 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Figure 6-2. Initial Screen, first time connecting to the Switch Note: There is no initial username or password. Leave the username and password fields blank. Press or in the username and password fields. You will be given access to the main menu shown below: Figure 6-3. Main Menu 44 Using the Console Interface Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide The first user automatically gets Administrator privileges (See Table 6-1). It is recommended to create at least one Administrator-level user for the Switch. User Accounts Management From the screen above, move the cursor to the User Accounts Management menu and press , then the Users Accounts Management menu appears. 1. Choose Create/Modify User Accounts from the User Accounts Management menu and the Add/Modify User Accounts menu appears. 2. Enter the new user name, assign an initial password, and then confirm the new password. Determine whether the new user should have Administrator or Normal User privileges. (Use the space bar to toggle between the two options). 3. Press APPLY to let the user addition take effect. 4. Press to return to the previous screen or Ctrl+T to go to the root screen. 5. To see a listing of all user accounts and access levels, press . Then choose User Accounts Control Table. The User Accounts Control Table screen appears. Administrator and Normal User Privileges There are two levels of user privileges: Administrator and Normal User. Some menu selections available to users with Administrator privileges may not be available to Normal Users. The main menus shown are the menus for the two types of users: The following table summarizes Administrator and Normal User privileges: Menu Administrator Normal User Privilege Configuration Network Monitoring Community Stations Strings and Trap Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes, view only. Yes, view only. Yes, view only. Yes, view only. Update Firmware and Configuration Files User Accounts Management Create/Modify User Accounts View/ Delete User Accounts System Utilities Yes Yes Yes Yes, view only. Yes, view only. Yes, (Ping Test); view only for the rest. No No Factory Reset Restart System Yes Yes Table 6-1. Administrator and Normal User Privileges After establishing a User Account with Administrator-level privileges, press twice. Then choose the Save Changes menu (see below). Pressing any key will return to the main menu. You are now ready to operate the Switch. Using the Console Interface 45 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Save Changes The Switch has two levels of memory normal RAM and non-volatile or NV-RAM. Settings need to be changed in all screens by pressing Ctrl + S. When this is done, the settings will be immediately applied to the switching software in RAM, and will immediately take effect. Some settings, though, require you to restart the Switch before they will take effect. Restarting the Switch will erase all settings in RAM and reload them from the NV-RAM. Thus, it is necessary to save all settings to the NV-RAM before restarting the Switch. In order to retain any modifications made in the current session, it is necessary to choose Save Changes from the main menu. The following screen will appear to indicate your new settings have been processed: Figure 6-4. Save Changes screen After the settings have been saved to NV-RAM, they will become the default settings for the Switch, and they will be used every time it is powered on, reset or rebooted. The only exception to this is a factory reset, which will clear all settings and restore them to their initial values listed in Appendix D, which were present when the Switch was purchased. Login On The Switch Console By Registered Users To log in once you have created a registered user, 1. Type in your username and press . 2. Type in your password and press . 3. The main menu screen will be displayed based on your Administrator or Normal User access level or privilege. 46 Using the Console Interface Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Create/Modify User Accounts To add or change your user password: 1. Choose Users Accounts Management from the main menu. The following User Accounts Management menu appears: Figure 6-5. User Accounts Management menu 2. Choose Create/Modify User Accounts. The following screen appears: Using the Console Interface 47 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Figure 6-6. Add/Modify User Accounts screen 3. Type in your Username and press . 4. If you are an old user, type in the Old Password and press . 5. Type in the New Password you have chosen, and press . Type in the same new password in the following field to verify that you have not mistyped it. 6. Determine whether the new user should have Normal User or Administrator privileges. 7. Choose the APPLY command to let the password change take effect. This method can also be used by an Administrator-level user to change another user's password. User Accounts Control Table Access to the console, whether using the console port or via Telnet, is controlled using a user name and password. Up to three of these user names can be defined. The console interface will not let you delete the current logged-in user, however, in order to prevent accidentally deleting all of the users with Administrator privilege. Only users with the Administrator privilege can delete users. To view a user account: Choose User Accounts Control Table from the User Accounts Management menu. The following screen appears: 48 Using the Console Interface Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Figure 6-7. User Accounts Control Table screen To delete your user password: 1. Toggle the Delete field of the user you wish to remove to Yes. 2. Press APPLY to let the user deletion take effect. Setting Up The Switch This section will help prepare the Switch user by describing the System Configuration, Update Firmware and Configuration Files, Save Changes, and System Utilities menus and their respective sub-menus. System Configuration Choose System Configuration to access the first item of the Switch's main menu. The following menu appears: Using the Console Interface 49 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Figure 6-8. System Configuration menu You will need to change some settings to allow you to be able to manage the Switch from an SNMP-based Network Management System such as SNMP v1 or to be able to access the Switch using the Telnet protocol. See the next chapter for Web-based network management information. Configure IP Address The Switch needs to have a TCP/IP address assigned to it so that an in-band network management system or Telnet client can find it on the network. The IP Address Configuration screen allows you to change the settings for the two different interfaces used on the Switch: the Ethernet interface used for in-band communication, and the SLIP interface used over the console port for out-of-band communication. Choose Configure IP Address to access the first item on the System Configuration menu. The following screen appears: 50 Using the Console Interface Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Figure 6-9. IP Address Configuration screen The fields listed under the Current Settings heading are those that are presently being used by the Switch. Those fields listed under the Restart Settings heading will be used after the Switch has been reset. Fields that can be set include: Get IP from Determines whether the Switch should get its IP Address settings from the user (Manual), a BOOTP server, or a DHCP server. If Manual is chosen, the Switch will use the IP Address, Subnet Mask and Default Gateway settings defined in this screen upon being rebooted. If BOOTP is chosen, the Switch will send out a BOOTP broadcast request when it is powered up. The BOOTP protocol allows IP addresses, network masks, and default gateways to be assigned by a central BOOTP server. If this option is set, the Switch will first look for a BOOTP server to provide it with this information before using the supplied settings. If DHCP is chosen, a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol request will be sent when the Switch is powered up. IP Address Determines the IP address used by the Switch for receiving SNMP and Telnet communications. These fields should be of the form xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx, where each xxx is a number (represented in decimal) between 0 and 255. This address should be a unique address on a network assigned to you by the central Internet authorities. The same IP address is shared by both the SLIP and Ethernet network interfaces. Subnet Mask Bitmask that determines the extent of the subnet that the Switch is on. Should be of the form xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx, where each xxx is a number (represented in decimal) between 0 and 255. If no subnetting is being done, the value should be 255.0.0.0 for a Class A network, 255.255.0.0 for a Class B network, and 255.255.255.0 for a Class C network. Default Gateway IP address that determines where frames with a destination outside the current subnet should be sent. This is usually the address of a router or a host acting as an IP gateway. If your network is not part of an internetwork, or you do not want the Switch to be accessible outside your local network, you can leave this field blank. Using the Console Interface 51 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Configure Console You can use the Console Options screen to choose whether to use the Switch's RS-232C serial port for console management or for out-of-band TCP/IP communications using SLIP, and to set the bit rate used for SLIP communications. Note that the DES-3624i/DES-3624iF/DES-3624iFM has an RS-232C serial port but the DES-3624/DES-3624F/DES-3624FM does not. Choose Configure Console to access the last item on the System Configuration menu. The following screen appears: Figure 6-10. Console Options screen The following fields can be set: Settings on Restart: Console Timeout This setting for the restart of the console is 2 mins, 5 mins, 10 mins, 15 mins, or Never. Serial Port Determines whether the serial port should be used for out-of-band (SLIP) management or for console management, starting from the next time the Switch is restarted. In this field, you can toggle between SLIP or Console port type settings. Baud Rate Determines the serial port bit rate that will be used the next time the Switch is restarted. Applies only when the serial port is being used for out-of-band (SLIP) management; it does not apply when the port is used for the console port. Available speeds are: 2400, 9600, 19200 and 38400 bits per second. The default setting in this Switch version is 9600. The top of the screen displays the current settings for Console Timeout and Serial Port as well as the Baud Rate, Data Bits, and Stop Bit for Out of Band and Console settings, respectively. 52 Using the Console Interface Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Configure Switch Stack The Switch Stack Configuration screen shows various pieces of information about your Switch, and allows you to set the System Name, System Location, and System Contact. These settings can be retrieved from the Switch using SNMP requests, allowing these settings to be used for network management purposes. Choose Configure Switch Stack to access the second item on the System Configuration menu. The following screen appears: Figure 6-11. Switch Stack Configuration screen The fields you can set are: System Name Corresponds to the SNMP MIB II variable system.sysName, and is used to give a name to the Switch for administrative purposes. The Switch's fully qualified domain name is often used, provided a name has been assigned. System Location Corresponds to the SNMP MIB II variable system.sysLocation, and is used to indicate the physical location of the Switch for administrative purposes. System Contact Corresponds to the SNMP MIB II variable sysContact, and is used to give the name and contact information for the person responsible for administering the Switch. Information of Individual Switch Unit This screen allows you to view information for each Switch in your stack, including the Module, Type, and Hardware Version. Press Information of Individual Switch Unit on the Switch Stack Configuration screen to access the Information of Individual Switch Unit screen: Using the Console Interface 53 Stackable NWay Ethernet Switch User's Guide Figure 6-12. Information of Individual Switch Unit screen Use the space bar to select the desired Switch in your stack. Advance Settings The Configure Advanced Switch Stack Features screen allows you to set an expiration time for MAC address entries and enable or disable auto-partitioning on all ports. Press ADVANCE SETTINGS on the Switch Stack Configuration screen to access the Configure Advanced Switch Stack Features screen: 54 Using the Console Interface