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NH210.QXD
21/6/99
13:22
NBase Communications
APPLICATIONS
A switch boosts network performance by segmenting a single large collision
domain into smaller, separate collision domains and providing dedicated con-
nections for intensive networks using work stations and servers. In addition,
the Full Duplex capability of Ethernet switches permits long distance connec-
tivity for backbone applications, or high throughput for high-performance ded-
icated servers. The NH 210 combines 10Mbps switched ports with 100Mbps
ports for Fast Ethernet backbone connection and dedicated 100Mbps servers.
Configuring Your Network
10/100 Base Connections
Links that run at more than 10Mbps are essential between switches. If the link
between two switches is at 10Mbps, then only one full speed Ethernet stream
can be handled at a time. With the 100Mbps connection of Fast Ethernet, ten
full speed Ethernet streams can be handled simultaneously.
Fast Ethernet works ten times faster than regular Ethernet. Software, except
for low level drivers, which are always card specific, works with Fast Ethernet
without modification. Frames from a device using Fast Ethernet require no
translation except for the physical layer conversion. An Ethernet to Fast
Ethernet switch offers the network administrator a possible upgrade path. At
first, the switch can be used simply to segment the existing Ethernet, immedi-
ately boosting performance. Next, with the addition of a single NIC, a file
server can be migrated to Fast Ethernet, increasing its availability. As needed,
additional file servers or individual users can be moved to Fast Ethernet, while
leaving all other parts of the network running as usual. If some of the shared
Ethernet segments are still congested, but don't warrant a full 100Mbps, addi-
tional switches may be added to further divide the shared segments, creating a
collapsed 100Mbps backbone and small switched 10Mbps segments.
The NH 210 switch combines switched 10Mbps Ethernet and Fast Ethernet
technology in a seamless integration of regular Ethernet and the IEEE 802.3u
100Base-TX standard.
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NH 210
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