Publications Details

Performance and operational characteristics of a Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) ring

Testi, N.

Sandia National Laboratories is in the process of upgrading the Central Computing Network, which is a large heterogeneous network providing scientific computing, file storage, output services, and remote access to network resources. The migration from the present HYPERchannel-50 technology to HYPERchannel-100 is currently in progress and plans to migrate to the Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) token ring architecture are being considered. A migration from a variety of proprietary protocols to a primarily TCP/IP environment is also in progress. In order to test the feasibility of the Network Systems Corporation FDDI technology platform, two test rings have been constructed. Ring A' consists of nine dual attached Data Exchange Units (DXUs) and ring B' consists of two dual attached DXUs. The rings are linked together using N715 DXUs. Other DXU models (with associated host computers where applicable) include N130s, an N220, N400s, and FE640 IP routers. Test data on fault isolation and recovery mechanisms, performance, IP routing (within and between rings), and monitor capabilities will be presented. Interoperability' data based on tests between DXUs and Sun FDDI workstations will also be presented. 14 figs.