Sun Microsystems 1.0 - Manual (Page 98)

72 SunFDDI/P 1.0 Adapter User’s Guide—May 1997
7
Standalone Concentrator
Figure 7-3 shows multiple single-attached stations connected to a single,
dual-attached concentrator through its M-ports. The concentrator can also be
connected to an external dual ring through its A- and B-ports.
A standalone concentrator provides a stable, low-cost alternative for small
work groups that do not require the fault recovery facility provided by the
dual-ring configuration.
Figure 7-3 Standalone Concentrator
The typical ring architecture of the FDDI network is less obvious in this
topology because it exists within the concentrator itself. For this reason, this
arrangement of stations is usually described as a tree, with the concentrator as
the root.
Advantages
In the standalone concentrator configuration, individual stations have less
influence on the operation of the network, which is controlled by the
concentrator. Concentrators are inherently more stable than FDDI stations.
They do not have monitors, or disk drives, are subject to more predictable
FDDI SAS FDDI SAS FDDI SAS FDDI SAS
S-port S-port S-port S-port
M-port M-port M-port M-port
To external ring
(optional)
A-port B-port
Dual-Attached concentrator