Concepts - PRG MBOX User Manual

MBOX NETWORKING GUIDELINES

Concepts

The majority of communications to and from Mbox use Ethernet protocols. This means that Ethernet networks route
the data into the Mbox server and from the server to other connected devices. Because all of these protocols need to
live in harmony, steps need to be taken to avoid interference between protocols, and to maximize the available network
bandwidth/speed. Due to these requirements, it is recommended that the computer used as an Mbox server have more
than one network interface. For more complex setups, three or four network interfaces may be preferable.
While all the network interfaces on a computer could be connected to the same network to gain some amount of
additional bandwidth, doing so would bypass the desire to keep certain protocols separate. Therefore, it is much
more useful if each network interface on the computer is configured for and connected to a separate physical Ethernet
network. If multiple interfaces must be connected to the same physical network, then the network should have a system
of VLANs enabled to help segregate different protocols.
Connecting more than one network interface to different networks is only the first step. Each interface needs to have
its IP Address and subnet mask set correctly for the network that it is being connected to. Getting the IP Address and
subnet mask correct ensures that communications to and from the computer will leave the computer through the correct
interface and arrive at the intended destination without any ambiguity or loss of data.
Concept definitions:
+ Network Interface - the physical Ethernet connection (typically RJ-45) on the computer that a cable is connected to
in order to connect the computer to a physical network.
+ Network - a group of devices connected to each other that can potentially communicate using Ethernet IP protocols
The word "network" describes not just the physical connection of multiple devices, but also the "web" of electronic
communication between them.
+ Subnet (subnetwork) - a logical subdivision of a network such that multiple interfaces can be connected to the same
physical network, but are placed on different subdivisions of that network for the purposes of routing or for keeping
some communications separate. (Note: a subnet is not the same as a VLAN.)
+ IP Address - an interface property using the dot-decimal (e.g., 2.0.0.123) notation, where each of the four numbers
separated by decimal points is referred to as an octet (because each is an 8-bit number). In combination with the
interface's subnet mask, the octets in the IP address designate either the device's sub-network or the device's
unique identifier on that subnet.
+ Subnet Mask - a second interface property, also using dot-decimal notation (e.g., 255.0.0.0). The value of each octet
in the subnet mask determines which of the octets in the device's IP address specify the sub-network and which
specify the interface's unique identifier on that sub-network. The subnet is specified by setting one or more of the
octets in the subnet mask to a value other than 0.
MBOX® USER MANUAL
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