[HECnet] FDDI advice

[Dave McGuire]

On 10/10/2013 11:59 AM, Mark Wickens wrote:
... I have a DEC VNswitch 900XX plugged into a DEChub One MX - there
are clearly modular parts to that, but I'm presuming there isn't a
FDDI copper module that I would be able to use?
That looks different (same size, though).   The one I was talking about
is the DECbridge 900.   I see some variations on the net -- DECbridge
900MX seems to be the same except that it has two AUI connectors
instead of being all 10Base-T.   And I think the original was a SAS (S
port) while the MX is a DAS (A and B ports). 
http://decdoc.itsx.net/dec94mds/defbaina.pdf has details and a picture.

      paul
Unfortunately, as nice a box as it is (that counts for most things with
a 68k in ;) FDDI to 10MB doesn't solve any problems for me as the sole
benefit is the jump to 100MB over the standard ethernet card in the
3000/800, so any solution that is going to work would need to give me
access to 100MB+ at the other end of the FDDI.

  The best way I've found to do this is to do it at the switch level.

  (I have run lots and lots of FDDI, at work and home)

  What I'd recommend is to pick up a Cisco Catalyst 5000 or 5500.   That
can take lots of Ethernet modules, covering 10/100/1000Mbps, and there
are FDDI modules for them as well.

  These are very fast, very reliable switches.

  You can also get an RSM, the Route-Switch Module, which is basically a
7500 router on a board.   It routes between VLANs on the switch, and in
that capacity can do most anything a full standalone 7500-class router
can do.   It's got a separate console interface, separate PCMCIA slots,
etc...it's like a standalone router.

  The Catalys 5x00 switches do full translational bridging for FDDI.   I
haven't found any networking scenario that doesn't work when mixing and
matching and translating between different networking media in one of
those switches.

                          -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA