Token Rings and Network Adaptors

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Token Ring (IEEE 802.5)

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Properties
The ring is a single, shared medium, not point to point links in a loop. All nodes see all frames. A distributed algorithm determines when a node can transmit. Data always flows in one direction. Basic idea: A token circulates around the ring. When a host has a frame to transmit, it seizes the token and injects the frame on the medium. The frame is forwarded by intermediate nodes until arriving at the destination. The destination puts the frame back after receiving it, but with a special mark. The frame circulates back to the sender.
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Physical Properties
Question: What happens if a node on the ring fails?
Host Host Host Host

From prev ious host

To next host

From prev ious host

To next host

Relay (a)
Host

Relay (b)

As long as a node provides power to the relay, the relay stays open. When the node fails, the relay closes bypassing the node.

MSAU Host Host

Multi-Station Access Unit: Several relays packaged together. Multiple MSAUs can be plugged together to make a larger network.

From prev ious MSAU To next MSAU Host

Typical token ring data rates go from 4 Mbps to 16 Mbps. Number of stations can be as high as 260.
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Medium Access Control (MAC)

network adaptor

TX

data storage

RX

Each host holds part of the token (1 bit). A designated monitor host may hold more bits than others.

As the token circulates around the ring, a host needing to send data drains it off the ring. Each TXed frame contains the receivers address. Frames are not removed from the ring: they flow through the NIC and the receiver copies it into a buffer. When the frame gets back to where it started, the sender drains it off the ring. Question: How long should a host hold the token?
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MAC Performance
Token holding time (THT): How long a node is allowed to hold the token (indirectly, how much data a node can transmit). Token rotation time (TRT): The amount of time a token takes to traverse the ring. Ring latency: Time for the token to circulate around the whole ring when no host has data to send.
a Fr m e
Token
Token

Fra m

(a)

(b)

Early release: token goes back out following frame.

Delayed release: token goes back after frame has gone around and been removed.

TRT ActiveNodes THT RingLatency

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Token Ring Maintenance

Monitor host: Ensure the health of the ring. Periodically announces its presence; when it fails, another host assumes the role. Becoming the monitor: Host circulates special token, if it comes back, it can assume the role of monitor. What if more than one node wants to become monitor? Question: What can cause a token to disappear in a ring? Detecting a missing token: Watch for a passing token, count maximum rotation time (MRT).

MRT NumStations THT RingLatenc y

Question: What else should the monitor to do? Detect and drain corrupted and orphaned frames. Detect dead hosts: send beacon frame to suspected failed host, see how far it goes in the ring.
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Network Adaptors

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Basic Features
CPU

CPU Memory

Cache

Network adaptor

(To network)

Adaptor
I/O bus Memory

Memory Memory Host

Control and status:

Interrupts, DMA, and PIO:

No carrier, missed incoming packet, interrupt enable, received packet interrupt, transmitter packet interrupt, memory error, no carrier, initialization done, RX on, TX on, start, stop, initialize.
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Why use interrupts with a network adaptor?

How does Direct Memory Access work?

How does Programmed I/O work?

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Scatter-read and Gather-write

Memory buf f ers 100 1400 1500 1500

1500 Buf f er descriptor list

Organization of a frame and the several protocol headers it contains in addition to a messages data

Scatter-read: separate incoming frames are put in separate buffers, but a single frame may be scattered across multiple buffers.

Gather-write: an outgoing frame is built piece-by-piece by each protocol layer attaching its header/trailer.
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Device Drivers and Memory

Discussion:
235 Mbps Memory 1056 Mbps I/O bus

Why do we write device drivers? What is the relationship between hardware and device driver? What is the relationship between operating system and device driver?

CPU

Crossbar

Discussion: What can you say about the performance of the combined computer system and networking hardware?

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