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Conference netcad::hub_mgnt

Title:DEChub/HUBwatch/PROBEwatch CONFERENCE
Notice:Firmware -2, Doc -3, Power -4, HW kits -5, firm load -6&7
Moderator:NETCAD::COLELLADT
Created:Wed Nov 13 1991
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:4455
Total number of notes:16761

2145.0. "PACKET Vs. FRAME rate?" by WRAFLC::WOODALL (MACRO is the best.) Mon Mar 27 1995 09:04

    I have had a technically competent customer ask me the difference
    between "PACKET" rate and "FRAME" rate.  He has noticed the two terms
    in various documents when looking at ethernet and FDDI networks.  In
    some cases the two terms appeared to be used interchangablely and in
    other cases as two seperate entities.
    
    Can some one shed some light on this?
    
    
    Frank
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2145.1Packet = Network layer; Frame = Data-link layer.NETCAD::GALLAGHERTue Mar 28 1995 10:4010
This answer may be too simple-minded, but here goes....

A "Frame" is part of the Data-link layer of the OSI Reference Model, while
a "Packet" is part of the Network (DECnet Routing) layer of the OSI Reference
Model.  Therefore, bridging performance should be quoted in frames per 
second and router performance in packets per second.

It's still easy to be confused since the terms are not used consistently.

							-Shawn
2145.2Some analogies....NETCAD::BATTERSBYTue Mar 28 1995 14:507
    Gee Shawn, you're showing your software lineage....."OSI"
    Er....it's really ISO ref model. :-) Call me Mr. nit-picker. :-)
    RE: .0 A frame is analogous to letters delivered by the postman.
    A packet is sort of analogous to the postman delivering the letters
    and will contain more control information in its format.
    
    Bob