Patch Panels - 3Com CoreBuilder 5000 User Manual

Patch Panels

By dividing her network into workgroups, Smith has increased the
available number of backplane resources, while actually decreasing
overall backplane traffic. For instance, in
six separate workgroups (WG1 to WG6) and connected the workgroups
to each other using an internal bridge module. The advantages of this
configuration include the following:
networks configured as module workgroups provide greater network
capacity
(8 backplane networks and 96 module workgroup networks)
network configuration is more flexible
communication between each department is isolated from the hub
backplane
If Smith had configured each of her workgroups on separate backplane
segment networks instead of separate module workgroup networks,
she would need to isolate 6 of the hub's 8 backplane segments from
the rest of the network. The advantage to configuring module
workgroup networks is clear. By configuring the departments as
module workgroup networks instead of separate backplane segment
networks, Smith can configure a maximum of 96 workgroups per hub
using little or no backplane traffic.
It is also possible to connect isolated workgroups to the rest of the
network using an internal bridge module that is connected to the hub
backplane.
Patch panels weaken signals that pass through them, thereby reducing
achievable link distances. 3Com assumes the use of one patch panel in
the 100 meter link distance calculations specified in this manual.
However, each additional patch panel in the link reduces the 100 meter
link distance by approximately 10 meters.
In the example shown in
were used between the top right PC and the top right hub, the link
distance of 100 meters would have to be shortened to 90 meters. This
is because the maximum allowable link distance on 24-gauge wire
using 10BASE-T signaling with two intervening patch panels is
100 meters minus approximately 10 meters.
Figure
Figure 2-2 on page 2-8, if two patch panels
Patch Panels 2-13
2-4, Smith configured