Brocade Multi-Service IronWare Switching Configuration Guide (Supporting R05.6.00) - Manual (Page 309)

Multi-Service IronWare Switching Configuration Guide 279
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Backbone Edge Bridge (BEB) operation
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A PBB network uses two types of bridges ( Figure 44 ): Backbone Edge Bridges (BEB) and Backbone
Core Bridges (BCB). As explained above, the functionality required from a BCB is the same as a
standard IEEE 802.1ad PB bridge. A BEB is used at the boundary of a PBB network to add and
remove the PBB header.
Backbone Edge Bridge (BEB) operation
A BEB containing an I-Component and a B-Component is called an IB-BEB. The B-Component of an
IB-BEB forwards packets towards the PBB network based on backbone MAC addresses (that is, it
learns backbone MAC addresses), while the I-Component forwards packets towards the PB network
based on the customer MAC addresses (that is, it learns customer MAC addresses). Brocade
NetIron XMR and Brocade MLX series only support IB-BEB. Neither support just the I-component
BEB or just the B-component BEB.
FIGURE 44 Backbone Edge Bridge operation