| Chapter 6. Interfaces and Subnets | ||
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| Chapter 6. Interfaces and Subnets | ||
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Table of Contents
This chapter covers the setup of Ethernet interfaces and the definition of subnets that are present on those interfaces.
For information about other types of 'interfaces', refer to the following chapters :-
The FB6000 features two Gigabit Ethernet (1Gb/s) ports. These ports only work at gigabit speeds.
Each port features a green and amber LED, the functions of which can be chosen from a range of options indicating link speed and/or traffic activity.
The exact function of the ports is flexible, and controlled by the configuration of the FB6000.
As the FB6000 only has two phisical ports, the port group configuration on the FB6000 has no options, only two groups are possible, each with the one physical interface. Port group configuration is provided only for consistency and some degree of configuration file portability with the FB2500 and FB2700 products.
In the FB6000, an interface is a logical equivalent of a physical Ethernet interface adapter. Each interface normally exists in a distinct broadcast domain, and is associated with at most one port group.
Each port can operate simply as an interface with no VLANs, or can have one or more tagged VLANs which are treated as separate logical interfaces. Using VLAN tags and a VLAN capable switch you can effectively increase the number of physical ports.
If you are unfamiliar with VLANs or the concept of broadcast domains, Appendix C contains a brief overview.
By combining the FB6000 with a VLAN capable switch, using only a single physical connection between the switch and the FB6000, you can effectively expand the number of distinct physical interfaces, with the upper limit on number being determined by switch capabilities, or by inherent IEEE 802.1Q VLAN or FB6000 MAC address block size. An example of such a configuration is a multi-tenant serviced-office environment, where the FB6000 acts as an Internet access router for a number of tenants, firewalling between tenant networks, and maybe providing access to shared resources such as printers.
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| 5.8. Using Profiles |  | 6.2. Defining an interface |