BCM567X BOARDCOM [Broadcom Corporation.], BCM567X Datasheet - Page 21

• Manufacturer Part Number: BCM567X
• Description: A Scalable Approach to Gigabit Ethernet Switch Design
• Manufacturer: BOARDCOM [Broadcom Corporation.]

06/27/02
I
As mentioned, StrataXGS products provide a stacking solution for connecting modules across a HiGig interface in a tightly
integrated way that extends a number of powerful features across all the components so that no functionality is lost. The
XAUI-based HiGig interface extends the reach of features at wire speeds across both switch fabrics and cables. These
features, for example, include trunking, port mirroring, VLAN membership, QoS, and a single IP address for unified
management. In addition, multicast packets are distributed efficiently across the stack without replicating the packet at the
source.
By contrast, stackables built with competing products today have loose connections across the set of switches and do not
offer the integration of these services across the modules. For example, in stackable switches built on competing
architectures, QoS mechanisms enforced at the interface level on a switch are lost when the frame is placed on the stack
media. This is not the case with StrataXGS.
The integration is achieved by the 8-byte HiGig tag, which carries information relevant to trunking and port mirroring across
the stack and is added to each packet that traverses the stack across HiGig interfaces. A single CPU and command line
interface (CLI) are used for management across a stack.
In addition, new advanced discovery and management protocols are available for stackable systems. These protocols,
Master Discovery Protocol (MDP) and Reliable Data Protocol (RDP), designate a master device for control and management
in a stack of chips. They also define a backup master, should the primary master fail. Both MDP and RDP run on top of the
Broadcom API.
Document
NTEGRATED
567x_569x-WP100-R
A
PPROACH TO
Note: The proven, reliable Broadcom development API hastens
system vendors’ time to market with new GE switches.
S
TACKING
OSPF
Switch/system vendor’s management
software application
Broadcom
StrataSwitch or
other Broadcom
chip
Figure 9: The Broadcom API at Work
BROADCOM API
Bro adco m Co rp or atio n
Telnet
Broadcom StrataXGS
chip family member
Other Services
StrataXGS Features and Benefits in Depth
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