Black Box iPATH ACR1000A-CTL-24 User Manual page 66

A.3 CREATING AN EFFICIENT NETWORK LAYOUT
Network layout is vital. The use of IGMP snooping also introduces certain constraints, so take heed:
• Keep it flat. Use a basic line-cascade structure rather than a pyramid or tree arrangement (see note below).
• Keep the distances between the switches as short as possible.
• Ensure sufficient bandwidth between switches to eliminate bottlenecks.
• Where the iPATH Agility Controller manager is used to administer multiple Agility transceivers, ensure the iPATH
Agility Controller manager and all Agility units reside in the same subnet.
• Do not use VGA to DVI converters, instead replace VGA video cards in older systems with suitable DVI replacements.
Converters cause Agility local units to massively increase data output.
• Wherever possible, create a private network.
A.3.1 THE RECOMMENDED LAYOUT
The layout shown in Figure A-1 below has been found to provide the most efficient network layout for rapid throughput
when using IGMP snooping:
Figure A-1. Recommended layout for networking Agility local and remote units where IGMP snooping is used
Note: From firmware version 3.0, tree and hierarchical structures of network switches are also supported. The Local now
joins its own multicast group so there is always a route from the querier to the local which was previously missing in
firmware versions 2.9 and below.
• Use no more than two cascade levels.
• Ensure high bandwidth between the two L2 switches and very high bandwidth between the top L2 and the L3.
Typically 10GB and 20GB, respectively for 48 port L2 switches.
66
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