The All–New Switch Book: The Complete Guide to LAN Switching Technology

The much–anticipated update to the bestselling book on LAN switching
Since the publication of the first edition of The Switch Book seven years ago, LAN switching has witnessed significant changes, particularly in the areas of network layers, Ethernet, fast Ethernet, segmenting LANs, layer 3 switching, layer 4 switching, and multi–layer switching, to name just a few. With this updated guide, you′ll discover the latest capabilities of LAN switches and get in–depth coverage of the abstract engineering principles behind switch operations in addition to the practical application of those principles in commercial products.
Coauthored by an innovator who has been at the forefront of networking technology for more than two decades, this unique resource begins by laying the foundation of the core technologies underlying LAN switch design, including network architecture, addressing, LAN technology, and LAN standards. Building on those fundamentals, the book goes on to investigate the many advanced features, as well as the possibilities, that exist in modern switches. From there, you′ll dive into the technical details of transparent bridges as they are used between similar and dissimilar technologies. You′ll learn that, along with the performance advantages that are offered by switches, comes an increase in features, options, and complexity.
With more than forty percent new and updated material, this second edition of The All–New Switch Book explains:
The problems of link congestion that arise from the deployment of LAN switches
How switches and end stations can use a group of independent LAN segments as if they were a single link
Security concerns that environments need to be aware of, and how to prevent attacks
The concepts and operation of source routing in both end stations and bridges
The various uses for Virtual LANs (VLANs) as well as the key concepts e mployed by devices that implement VLAN capability

Spis treści:
Preface.
Introduction.
Part One Foundations of LAN Switches.
Chapter 1 Laying the Foundation.
Network Architecture.
Physical Layer.
Data Link Layer.
Network Layer.
Transport Layer.
Session Layer.
Presentation Layer.
Application Layer.
Layering Makes a Good Servant but a Bad Master.
Inside the Data Link Layer.
Modes of Operation.
Data Link Sublayering.
Logical Link Control.
Addressing.
Local and Global Uniqueness.
LAN Data Link Addresses.
Unicast and Multicast Addresses.
Globally Unique and Locally Unique MAC Addresses.
How LAN Addresses Are Assigned.
Written Address Conventions.
LAN Technology Review.
Ethernet.
Ethernet Medium Access Control.
Ethernet Physical Layer Options and Nomenclature.
Ethernet Frame Formats.
Bit–Ordering.
Token Ring.
Token Ring Medium Access Control.
Token Ring Physical Layer Options.
Token Ring Frame Formats.
Bit–Ordering on Token Ring LANs.
Fiber Distributed Data Interface.
FDDI Operation.
FDDI Physical Signaling.
FDDI Frame Format.
Other LAN Technologies.
IEEE LAN Standards.
IEEE 802 Organization.
IEEE 802 Naming Conventions, or ’’Mind Your Ps and Qs’’.
IEEE 802.1.
IEEE 802.3.
IEEE 802.5.
Other Standards Organizations.
Terminology.
Applications, Clients, and Service Providers.
Encapsulation.
Stations and Interconnections.
Chapter 2 Transparent Bridges.
Principles of Operation.
Unicast Operation.
Unknown and Multicast Destinations.
Generating the Address Table.
Address Table Aging.
Process Model of Table Operation.
Custom Filtering and Forwarding.
Multiple Bridge Topologies.
Transparent Bridge Architecture.
Maintaining the Link Invariants.
The Hard Invariants Are Hard Indeed.
Soft Invariants .
Implementing the Bridge Address Table.
Table Operations.
Search Algorithms.
Hash Tables.
Binary Search.
Content–Addressable Memories.
How Deep Is Your Table?
Aging Entries from the Table.
Bridge Performance.
What Does It Take to Be the Best? 
If You’re Not the Best, How Good Are You?
The IEEE 802.1D Standard.
Operating Parameters and Requirements.
Aging Time.
Bridge Transit Delay.
Additional Operating Requirements.
Bridge Address Assignment.
Reserved Addresses.
Chapter 3 Bridging Between Technologies.
Bridging the LAN Gap.
LAN Operational Mechanisms.
Frame Format Translation.
MAC–Specific Fields.
User Data Encapsulation.
Translating Versus Encapsulating Bridges.
Issues in Bridging Dissimilar LANs.
Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU).
Frame Check Protection.
Bit–Ordering.
Functional Groups Versus True Multicast Addressing. 
LAN–Specific Features.
Thoughts on Bridging Dissimilar LANs.
Bridging Between Local and Wide Area Networks.
Applications of Remote Bridges.
Technologies for Remote Bridges.
Encapsulation.
Issues in Remote Bridges.
Error Rate.
LAN Bandwidth and Delay.
IEEE 802.1G—Not!
Chapter 4 Principles of LAN Switches.
A Switch Is a Bridge Is a Switch.
Switched LAN Concepts.
Separate Access Domains.
Segmentation and Microsegmentation.
Extended Distance Limitations.
Increased Aggregate Capacity.
Data Rate Flexibility.
Cut–Through Versus Store–and–Forward Operation.
MultiLayer Switching.
Layer 3 Switching.
A Router by Any Other NameWould Still Forward Packets.
Layer 3 Switch Operation.
Layer 4 Switching.
A Switch Is a Switch Is a Switch ExceptWhen ...
Four Generations of Switch Integration.
Switch Configurations.
Bounded Systems.
Stackable Switches.
Stacking the Deck.
A Block in the Ointment.
United, We Ar e One.
Chassis Switches.
Switch Application Environments.
Desktop Level.
Workgroup Level.
Campus Level.
Enterprise Level.
The Needs Change with the Level.
Numbers of Ports.
Layer 2 Versus Layer 3 Switching (Bridging Versus Routing).
Table sizes.
Link Technologies.
Port Data Rates and Aggregate Capacity.
Media Support.
Chapter 5 Loop Resolution.
Diary of a Loopy LAN.
Getting Yourself in the Loop.
Getting out of the Loop.
The Spanning Tree Protocol.
History of the Spanning Tree Protocol.
Spanning Tree Protocol Operation.
Spanning Tree Protocol Concepts.
Calculating and Maintaining the Spanning Tree.
Bridge Protocol Data Units.
Port States.
Topology Changes.
Protocol Timers.
Issues in STP Implementation.
Queuing of BPDUs Relative to Data.
Save a Receive Buffer for Me! 
Spanning Tree Protocol Performance.
Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol.
RSTP State of the Port Address.
Discarding.
Learning.
Forwarding.
Port Roles.
The Root Port.
The Designated Port.
The Alternate Port.
The Backup Port.
Forwarding State— Rapid Transition.
Edge Port.
Link Type.
BPDUs (Bip–A–Doo–Two).
BPDU —The Final Frontier ...er ... uh ... The New Format.
How It Is Now Handled.
Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol.
RSTP, MSTP, and STP (Can’t we all just get along?)
Loops in a Remotely Bridged (WAN) Catenet.
There’s More Than a One–Letter Difference.
Spanning Tree on aWAN.
Link Utilization.
Delay.
Using a Single Path for All Traffic.
Proprietary Loop Resolution Algorithms.
Routing Versus Bridging on the WAN.
An Example of Loop Resolution.
Behavior of a Spanning Tree Catenet.
Maintaining the Link Invariants.
Data Flow on the Spanning Tree.
Traffic Congregation at the Root.
Topology Changes and Disruption.
Configuring the Spanning Tree.
‘‘We’ll All