Flashcards for:
Understanding Ethernet Switching Concepts

Auto-MDIX automatically determines the correct cable type and configuration for connecting devices, reducing errors in cabling and simplifying network setups.

The Frame Check Sequence (FCS) field in an Ethernet frame is used for error detection, ensuring data integrity during transmission.

The two sub-layers of the Data Link Layer in Ethernet are the LLC (Logical Link Control) sub-layer, which identifies the network layer protocol, and the MAC (Media Access Control) sub-layer, which is responsible for data encapsulation, media access, and addressing.

Unicast is a frame meant for a single receiver, broadcast is sent to all devices in a network, and multicast targets a specific group of devices.

MAC addresses are 48-bit binary values expressed as 12 hexadecimal characters. They consist of two parts: the Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI) assigned by the IEEE and a device-specific value assigned by the manufacturer.

The standard Ethernet frame size ranges from a minimum of 64 bytes to a maximum of 1518 bytes. Jumbo frames exceed the standard maximum, typically larger than 1500 bytes, and are supported in some network scenarios to reduce overhead.

A MAC Address Table, or CAM Table, stores MAC addresses and corresponding ports; a switch uses it to learn addresses by examining source addresses and to make forwarding decisions based on the destination addresses.

Fast Forward begins forwarding as soon as the destination address is read, achieving low latency, while Fragment Free checks for typical collision fragments (64 bytes of the frame) before forwarding to ensure that collisions are less likely.

Shared memory buffering uses a common memory space for all ports, enabling more efficient handling of traffic congestion and better utilization of memory resources, unlike port-based memory, which can lead to delays if a specific port is overloaded.

An Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI) is a 24-bit number that uniquely identifies a vendor, manufacturer, or other organization on a global scale, and it is assigned by the IEEE.

'Store-and-forward' stores the entire frame, checks it for errors before forwarding, while 'cut-through' forwards the frame after only reading the destination address, enhancing speed but at the risk of forwarding erroneous frames.

When a frame's destination MAC address is unknown, the switch performs a flood, sending the frame out of all ports except the one it arrived on, in order to deliver the frame to the intended recipient.

MAC addresses are Layer 2 addresses used locally for delivery within each LAN segment, which change as frames pass through devices like switches or routers. IP addresses are Layer 3 addresses used for end-to-end delivery across an entire network.

Auto-negotiation is used to automatically configure optimal speed and duplex settings between two connected Ethernet devices, ensuring communication occurs at the best possible rate.

Duplex mismatch can cause significant performance issues, including increased collision rates and network inefficiency, since one device may attempt to operate in full duplex while the other operates in half duplex.