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From: jwabik@uc.msc.umn.edu (Jeff Wabik)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Does such a "box" exist?
Keywords: network star fddi concentrator
Message-ID: <3517@uc.msc.umn.edu>
Date: 18 Feb 91 20:44:03 GMT
Organization: Minnesota Supercomputer Center, Minneapolis, MN.
Lines: 50

We're in the process of redesigning our internal networks, and plan 
re-think and re-implement how we do Ethernet and FDDI.  In our most
recent version of the design, we want to do the following to our FDDI
network:

   Assume we have 4 machines (AA,BB,CC, and DD), each in a corner of a
   machine room.

   Normally, we might want to wire [sic] the room like this:
   ( = is the fiber ring )


	+-------------------------------+
	| AA=========================BB |
	|  =                         =  |
	|  =                         =  |
	|  =                         =  |
	|  =                         =  |
	|  =                         =  |
	|  =                         =  |
	|  =                         =  |
	|  =                         =  |
	| CC=========================DD |
	+-------------------------------+

   For any number of reasons (which I'll share, if you care and ask),
   we do not want to lay fiber in this manner, but would rather buy
   some sort of "concentrator" box to "star" our ring.  The box itself
   would have "n" fiber ports, would operate equivalently to a normal
   patch panel..  When a fiber pair is connected to a port, that pair
   becomes part of the ring..    When disconnected, the ring is still
   kept intact internaly.

   If I remember my ancient history, IBM has sold boxes like this for
   their token ring network for years..  It seems reasonable that such
   a box should exist for FDDI, although I have no idea if the switching
   should be optical or electrical..  (i.e.  I'm a software guy.)


If such a box exists, I'd appreciating learning about it..

Thanks!


	-Jeff

--
Jeff Wabik				E/Mail:	 jwabik@msc.edu
Minnesota Supercomputer Center 		AT&T:    +1 612 626 0211
Minneapolis, MN  			FAX:     +1 612 624 6550