Stellar Switches

Solutions

Stellar Switches are RBridges, implementing the IETF TRILL protocol with enhancements. They have the best characteristics of both a router and a bridge, enabling flexible network deployment that provides optimal packet forwarding with zero configuration as well as the ability to spread traffic over multiple paths.

Advantages of Stellar Switches using TRILL protocol

• Optimal point-to-point forwarding with zero configuration
  • Greatly reduces configuration effort
    • Networks are easier to manage
  • Traffic is not congested on a spanning tree
    • Greater efficiency and capacity
  • Optimal paths means fewer hops
    • Data transits the network more rapidly

This advantage directly relates to the need to save overhead on network maintenance personnel as well as achieve a more efficient network, that is, higher throughput and lower delay for the same cost.

• Multi-Pathing
  • Traffic can be spread over multiple paths
    • Higher throughput
    • Capacity can be increased by adding paths between any pair of switches at existing network speed without the need to upgrade the speed of equipment and lines

This advantage will enable you to incrementally upgrade and future proof networks, while enjoying the immediate benefit of greater data throughput. This benefit will be appreciated by larger deploying entities, where network replacement is cost prohibitive.

• Compatible with IEEE 802.1 Bridges
  • Can be incrementally deployed
    • Easier to convert existing networks

This advantage enables phased, cost-effective network upgrade, with speed advantages accruing as classic bridges are replaced with an RBridges.

• Forwarding tables at transit RBridges scale with the number of RBridges, not the number of end stations
  • Transit RBridges do not need to know end station addresses
    • Transit RBridges are less expensive

This advantage provides cost savings for equipment. It is of benefit to new LANs as well as to upgrades of existing systems.

• A flexible options feature
  • RBridges automatically know what options are supported on other RBridges
    • Ability to safely and incrementally deploy RBridge options

This advantage provides cost savings for network configuration. It is of benefit to new LANs as well as to upgrades of existing systems. For an existing network, the ability to detect what options are available makes integration a simpler task as well as making it possible to integrate Stellar RBridges with enhancements without endangering the network.

• Optimized distribution of IP-derived multicast
  • Such traffic only goes where it is needed
    • Greater efficiency

This advantage provides the improved efficiency in the use of network resources because unnecessary network resources are not being hogged.