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Conference 7.286::fddi

Title:FDDI - The Next Generation
Moderator:NETCAD::STEFANI
Created:Thu Apr 27 1989
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2259
Total number of notes:8590

1981.0. "SMF conversion to connect to DECSwitch900EF" by 43406::GREID (All that is, was and will be...) Thu Mar 14 1996 09:13

    I have a customer project that will involve bringing into our building
    at REO a SMF connection to a DECSwitch 900EF residing either standlone 
    in a OneHub or in a DEChub 900. The DECSwitch will provide connectivity
    to a local set of people connected to a DECRepeater 900TM via Cat 5
    UTP. The Repeater will either be in the same DECHub 900 backplane
    as the switch or in another OneHub connect to one of the switched
    ethernet ports. 
    
    Now the question is what is the best way to convert the SMF to either
    MMF to connect it to the switch or 10Base5 or 10BaseT ? I have been
    shown a picture of an AUI 10BaseFL adaptor, but am unsure as to how
    this will work ?  Is this supported ?
    
    Help ?
    
    Thanks,
    
    Giles.
    REO Networks Support.
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1981.1DS900EF can use SMF via HUB-one MXSTKHLM::WEBJORNGullik Webj�rn Network AdvisoryThu Mar 14 1996 10:336
    
    If you use the HUB-one MX, you can add a SMF pmd to one or two of
    the FDDI ports. Is the customer running FDDI at the other site ?
    
    Gullik
    
1981.2Only link between remote and local site is FDDI43406::GREIDAll that is, was and will be...Thu Mar 14 1996 11:279
    Gullik,
    
    	I understand that they plan to have the SMF route to another 
    DECSwitch 900 EF at the remote site, providing UTP at the remote 
    side and the local DECSwitch here will have the SMF converted to
    AUI and then connected into the Switch. A DECrepeater 900 providing
    UTP to the space also connected to the local Switch.
    
    Giles. 
1981.3STRWRS::KOCH_PIt never hurts to ask...Thu Mar 14 1996 12:2610
    
    You're mixing your metaphors here.
    
    If you want to create an FDDI ring between two DECswitch 900EFs,
    they'll have be standalone. If they are, purchase 2 DEChub One MX power
    supplies and two SMF PMDs (DEFXS-BA) and the connect the two power
    supplies togther with the SMF. This gives the customer a single FDDL
    ring with 6 Ethernet ports at each site.
    
    
1981.4More on mixing metaphors.....NETCAD::BATTERSBYThu Mar 14 1996 12:357
    To follow Teds thread Giles, I think the AUI to fiber device you
    are thinking of is the DEFLM fiber-optic to AUI 10baseFL Transceiver.
    The fiber side of this device with ST connectors on it *will not*
    work with FDDI. The fiber media intended for this device is 10baseFL.
    The way to connect 2 EF's is as Ted described.
    
    Bob
1981.5Clarification of Topology43406::GREIDAll that is, was and will be...Fri Mar 15 1996 05:0834
    Ok,
    
    	This is getting confusing now, heres the topology of the link
    setup, all comments welcome.
    
    Ethernets
            +-+                        Converter                  +-+ Ether'
    --------| |    +-+           +-+                   UTP +-+    | |
    --------| |----| |-----------| |----[]-----------[]----| |----| |-------
    --------| |    +-+           +-+         SMF           +-+    | |
    	    +-+   Zenith        Zenith                   Zenith   +-+
	DS900EF   Modem         Modem                     Modem   DS900EF
         (remote)                                                 (local)
    
    
	This is part of the configuration I have been shown, I have no idea
    what the Zenith Modems are but I will find out. Basically the customer
    (which is also the Internet provider Telecential), believes they can
    use the converters to change SMF into UTP or 10Base5 to then connect
    into the DECSwitch. The AUI 10BaseFL is not the DEC one but a third
    party one by the looks of it, which "converts AUI Ethernet output from
    an Ethernet PC Adaptor card or terminal server into 10BaseFL optical
    ethernet signal, the single mode version extends the distance to 6km."
    
    
    I think they are getting the wrong impression here, and that in fact
    the fibre is just being used to link the DECSwitches, not meant as a 
    proper ring and probably the OneHub MX with SMF mod pmds is the way
    forward.
    
    
    Thoughts ?
    
    Giles.
1981.643406::GREIDAll that is, was and will be...Fri Mar 15 1996 05:107
    A slight mistake in the previous note should not have three Zenith
    modems in but two with the one on the extreme right not being a Zenith
    modem but just the converter.
    
    Sorry for any confusion,
    
    Giles.
1981.7the problem is really long-haul ethernet over fibreMARVIN::RIGBYNo such thing as an alpha betaFri Mar 15 1996 10:0547
I've been involved peripherally with the project that Giles refers to.

The company is a cable service provider and, as such, has large amounts of
single-mode fibre all over the town. They need to link a number of sites which
have Ethernets together and at least one site that has an FDDI backbone.

One problem they have is that the distances involved are reasonably large, upto
10km and they have little space anywhere to have any equipment between these
points.

The bandwidth they need between the sites is only 10Mb so they would be happy
with an ethernet but none of the ethernet-over-fibre adapters could cope with
the distance because of the flight time. They don't want to go to FDDI over the
long-haul because either it means they have to have the long-hauls in their
rings (using something like the mx900 with some SMFs and some MMFs) or have an
FDDI-FDDI bridge or router. They are worried about reliability of the backbone
with the former and cost with the latter.

This project is very cost and lead-time sensitive, they would like cheap kit to
solve their problem yesterday!

How we'd proposed setting up their main site was a group of 900EFs on the ring
with UTP directly connected servers and UTP repeaters to get the dozens of PCs
connected up. This all works fine on the one campus but then the remote sites
are a bit of a problem.

Don't worry about the Zenith modems, they are broadband ethernet 'repeaters'.

So, the whole setup is:


remote ethernet -- broadband -\
remote ethernet -- broadband -- head station - ethernet--..........
remote ethernet -- broadband -/                                  :
                                                                 :
                                                                 :10km SMF
                                                                 :
                                                                 :
                       900EF                                     :
                        /   \                                    :
PC -utp- repeater-900EF=fddi=900EF-ethernet--......................
PC -utp-/           /
PC -utp-\          /
PC -utp- repeater-/
PC -utp-/

and the most important question is, what connects those two ethernet ports?
1981.8But it's so simple...STKHLM::WEBJORNGullik Webj�rn Network AdvisoryMon Mar 18 1996 06:118
    
    Even if the customer only needs 10 Mbit, maybee the simples and most
    cost effective way is to actually use the FDDI ports as a simple fiber
    link. No extra equipment is nessecary, and the fiber plugs straight
    into the DS900. Range will be 40 km or ~ 25 miles with no intervening
    equipment.
    
    Gullik
1981.9Or maybee PEswitchSTKHLM::WEBJORNGullik Webj�rn Network AdvisoryMon Mar 18 1996 06:159
    
    Also, forgot, if you are chasing costs, if the customer only needs a
    few addresses 'at one end' the PEswitch 900 in a DecHUB one MX is even
    lower, but reduces 'remote mac addresses' to 64.
    
    You could still have SMF pmd at the back....
    
    Gullik
    
1981.102x900ef just to get longhaul ethernet?MARVIN::RIGBYNo such thing as an alpha betaMon Mar 18 1996 09:1031
Gullik,

are you therefore proposing...

remote ethernet -- broadband -\
remote ethernet -- broadband -- head station - ethernet--900EF(SMF)
remote ethernet -- broadband -/                                  :
                                                                 :
                                                                 :10km SMF
                                                                 :
                                                                 :
                       900EF                                     :
                        /   \                                    :
PC -utp- repeater-900EF=fddi=900EF-ethernet--............900EF(SMF)
PC -utp-/           /
PC -utp-\          /
PC -utp- repeater-/
PC -utp-/

Can't live with a 64 address restriction. Can't use one of the 900EFs on the
main campus because there are all connected to the campus FDDI already. Two
900EFs seems a remarkably expensive way of connecting an ethernet over 7.5km.

The 900EF at the headstation would be easy to justify, there was one there in
the upgrade plan anyway (or at least a PS900> for the intended multiple
broadband LANs, a concentrator at the main campus might then be a better
solution to get 100Mbps to it from the head station.

The ideal solution would probably have been a two port ethernet bridge with SMF
on one side capable of operating Full-Duplex point to point. If such a beast
existed I wonder how its cost would compare to a 900EF.