Comtech EF Data SLM-5650A Installation And Operation Manual page 501

H.3 Network Processor (NP) Interface Bridge Point-to-Multipoint (BPM)
Mode
Networks where modems traditionally act as routers – e.g., Vipersat-based satellite
communications systems – and include encryption devices are sometimes incompatible or
require difficult and unwieldy configurations. Additionally, the NP Interface is limited to 256
allowable route tables. This, in turn, can limit the overall size of the network, particularly when
OSPF dynamic routing protocol is used in the NP Interface.
In order to increase the flexibility and scalability of the satellite network with SLM-5650A Satellite
Modems, BPM Mode, an optional FAST feature, has been introduced in the NP Interface's
FW-0000051L Ver. 1.9.1 firmware release.
When BPM Mode is selected, Layer 2 and Layer 3 networks can operate simultaneously – i.e.,
the users can operate two independent Layer2 networks and one Layer3 network without
interfering with each other.
H.3.1 BPM Mode Functional Description
The NP Interface features four Ethernet ports: P1 through P4. When BPM Mode is enabled, the
SLM-5650A Base Modem 'J5 Ethernet' management port effectively becomes the NP Interface's
fifth Ethernet port. All five Ethernet ports are then segregated into three Ethernet switches.
As shown in Figure H-6:
•
NP Ethernet ports P1 and P2, with internal Data WAN Port 'A' forms the red switch group
referred to as Bridge-Group1. This group is reserved for bridged Layer 2 traffic only.
•
NP Ethernet ports P3 and P4, with internal Management WAN Port 'B' forms the blue
switch group referred to as Bridge-Group2. This group is reserved for bridged Layer 2
traffic only.
•
The SLM-5650A Base Modem J5 Ethernet port, with internal VS WAN Port 'C' forms the
green switch group referred to as Router-Group. This set is reserved for routed Layer 3
traffic and management use only.
All three switch groups are isolated such that:
•
Traffic from NP Interface Port P1 can only transmit to the Data WAN Port 'A' or NP
Interface port P2. It will NOT transmit to the NP Interface ports P3 or P4, the Base
Modem J5 Ethernet port, Management WAN Port 'B', or VS WAN Port 'C.'
Appendix I
Figure H-6. Ethernet Port Configuration in BPM Mode
H–9
SLM-5650A Satellite Modem
Revision 10
MN-SLM-5650A