Interframe spacing and backoff
6.2.4 This page explains how spacing is used in an Ethernet network for data transmission.
The minimum spacing between two non-colliding frames is also called the interframe spacing. This is measured from the last bit of the FCS field of the first frame to the first bit of the preamble of the second frame.
After a frame has been sent, all stations on a 10-Mbps Ethernet are required to wait a minimum of 96 bit-times (9.6 microseconds) before any station may legally transmit the next frame. On faster versions of Ethernet the spacing remains the same, 96 bit-times, but the time required for that interval grows correspondingly shorter. This interval is referred to as the spacing gap. The gap is intended to allow slow stations time to process the previous frame and prepare for the next frame.
A repeater is expected to regenerate the full 64 bits of timing information, which is the preamble and SFD, at the start of any frame. This is despite the potential loss of some of the beginning preamble bits because of slow synchronization. Because of this forced reintroduction of timing bits, some minor reduction of the interframe gap is not only possible but expected. Some Ethernet chipsets are sensitive to a shortening of the interframe spacing, and will begin failing to see frames as the gap is reduced. With the increase in processing power at the desktop, it would be very easy for a personal computer to saturate an Ethernet segment with traffic and to begin transmitting again before the interframe spacing delay time is satisfied.
After a collision occurs and all stations allow the cable to become idle (each waits the full interframe spacing), then the stations that collided must wait an additional and potentially progressively longer period of time before attempting to retransmit the collided frame. The waiting period is intentionally designed to be random so that two stations do not delay for the same amount of time before retransmitting, which would result in more collisions. This is accomplished in part by expanding the interval from which the random retransmission time is selected on each retransmission attempt. The waiting period is measured in increments of the parameter slot time.
If the MAC layer is unable to send the frame after sixteen attempts, it gives up and generates an error to the network layer. Such an occurrence is fairly rare and would happen only under extremely heavy network loads, or when a physical problem exists on the network.
The next page will discuss collisions.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Ethernet timing
Ethernet timing
6.2.3 This page explains the importance of slot times in an Ethernet network.
The basic rules and specifications for proper operation of Ethernet are not particularly complicated, though some of the faster physical layer implementations are becoming so. Despite the basic simplicity, when a problem occurs in Ethernet it is often quite difficult to isolate the source. Because of the common bus architecture of Ethernet, also described as a distributed single point of failure, the scope of the problem usually encompasses all devices within the collision domain. In situations where repeaters are used, this can include devices up to four segments away.
Any station on an Ethernet network wishing to transmit a message first “listens” to ensure that no other station is currently transmitting. If the cable is quiet, the station will begin transmitting immediately. The electrical signal takes time to travel down the cable (delay), and each subsequent repeater introduces a small amount of latency in forwarding the frame from one port to the next. Because of the delay and latency, it is possible for more than one station to begin transmitting at or near the same time. This results in a collision.
If the attached station is operating in full duplex then the station may send and receive simultaneously and collisions should not occur. Full-duplex operation also changes the timing considerations and eliminates the concept of slot time. Full-duplex operation allows for larger network architecture designs since the timing restriction for collision detection is removed.
In half duplex, assuming that a collision does not occur, the sending station will transmit 64 bits of timing synchronization information that is known as the preamble. The sending station will then transmit the following information:
• Destination and source MAC addressing information
• Certain other header information
• The actual data payload
• Checksum (FCS) used to ensure that the message was not corrupted along the way
Stations receiving the frame recalculate the FCS to determine if the incoming message is valid and then pass valid messages to the next higher layer in the protocol stack.
10 Mbps and slower versions of Ethernet are asynchronous. Asynchronous means that each receiving station will use the eight octets of timing information to synchronize the receive circuit to the incoming data, and then discard it. 100 Mbps and higher speed implementations of Ethernet are synchronous. Synchronous means the timing information is not required, however for compatibility reasons the Preamble and Start Frame Delimiter (SFD) are present.
For all speeds of Ethernet transmission at or below 1000 Mbps, the standard describes how a transmission may be no smaller than the slot time. Slot time for 10 and 100-Mbps Ethernet is 512 bit-times, or 64 octets. Slot time for 1000-Mbps Ethernet is 4096 bit-times, or 512 octets. Slot time is calculated assuming maximum cable lengths on the largest legal network architecture. All hardware propagation delay times are at the legal maximum and the 32-bit jam signal is used when collisions are detected.
The actual calculated slot time is just longer than the theoretical amount of time required to travel between the furthest points of the collision domain, collide with another transmission at the last possible instant, and then have the collision fragments return to the sending station and be detected. For the system to work the first station must learn about the collision before it finishes sending the smallest legal frame size. To allow 1000-Mbps Ethernet to operate in half duplex the extension field was added when sending small frames purely to keep the transmitter busy long enough for a collision fragment to return. This field is present only on 1000-Mbps, half-duplex links and allows minimum-sized frames to be long enough to meet slot time requirements. Extension bits are discarded by the receiving station.
On 10-Mbps Ethernet one bit at the MAC layer requires 100 nanoseconds (ns) to transmit. At 100 Mbps that same bit requires 10 ns to transmit and at 1000 Mbps only takes 1 ns. As a rough estimate, 20.3 cm (8 in) per nanosecond is often used for calculating propagation delay down a UTP cable. For 100 meters of UTP, this means that it takes just under 5 bit-times for a 10BASE-T signal to travel the length the cable.
For CSMA/CD Ethernet to operate, the sending station must become aware of a collision before it has completed transmission of a minimum-sized frame. At 100 Mbps the system timing is barely able to accommodate 100 meter cables. At 1000 Mbps special adjustments are required as nearly an entire minimum-sized frame would be transmitted before the first bit reached the end of the first 100 meters of UTP cable. For this reason half duplex is not permitted in 10-Gigabit Ethernet.
The next page defines interframe spacing and backoff.
6.2.3 This page explains the importance of slot times in an Ethernet network.
The basic rules and specifications for proper operation of Ethernet are not particularly complicated, though some of the faster physical layer implementations are becoming so. Despite the basic simplicity, when a problem occurs in Ethernet it is often quite difficult to isolate the source. Because of the common bus architecture of Ethernet, also described as a distributed single point of failure, the scope of the problem usually encompasses all devices within the collision domain. In situations where repeaters are used, this can include devices up to four segments away.
Any station on an Ethernet network wishing to transmit a message first “listens” to ensure that no other station is currently transmitting. If the cable is quiet, the station will begin transmitting immediately. The electrical signal takes time to travel down the cable (delay), and each subsequent repeater introduces a small amount of latency in forwarding the frame from one port to the next. Because of the delay and latency, it is possible for more than one station to begin transmitting at or near the same time. This results in a collision.
If the attached station is operating in full duplex then the station may send and receive simultaneously and collisions should not occur. Full-duplex operation also changes the timing considerations and eliminates the concept of slot time. Full-duplex operation allows for larger network architecture designs since the timing restriction for collision detection is removed.
In half duplex, assuming that a collision does not occur, the sending station will transmit 64 bits of timing synchronization information that is known as the preamble. The sending station will then transmit the following information:
• Destination and source MAC addressing information
• Certain other header information
• The actual data payload
• Checksum (FCS) used to ensure that the message was not corrupted along the way
Stations receiving the frame recalculate the FCS to determine if the incoming message is valid and then pass valid messages to the next higher layer in the protocol stack.
10 Mbps and slower versions of Ethernet are asynchronous. Asynchronous means that each receiving station will use the eight octets of timing information to synchronize the receive circuit to the incoming data, and then discard it. 100 Mbps and higher speed implementations of Ethernet are synchronous. Synchronous means the timing information is not required, however for compatibility reasons the Preamble and Start Frame Delimiter (SFD) are present.
For all speeds of Ethernet transmission at or below 1000 Mbps, the standard describes how a transmission may be no smaller than the slot time. Slot time for 10 and 100-Mbps Ethernet is 512 bit-times, or 64 octets. Slot time for 1000-Mbps Ethernet is 4096 bit-times, or 512 octets. Slot time is calculated assuming maximum cable lengths on the largest legal network architecture. All hardware propagation delay times are at the legal maximum and the 32-bit jam signal is used when collisions are detected.
The actual calculated slot time is just longer than the theoretical amount of time required to travel between the furthest points of the collision domain, collide with another transmission at the last possible instant, and then have the collision fragments return to the sending station and be detected. For the system to work the first station must learn about the collision before it finishes sending the smallest legal frame size. To allow 1000-Mbps Ethernet to operate in half duplex the extension field was added when sending small frames purely to keep the transmitter busy long enough for a collision fragment to return. This field is present only on 1000-Mbps, half-duplex links and allows minimum-sized frames to be long enough to meet slot time requirements. Extension bits are discarded by the receiving station.
On 10-Mbps Ethernet one bit at the MAC layer requires 100 nanoseconds (ns) to transmit. At 100 Mbps that same bit requires 10 ns to transmit and at 1000 Mbps only takes 1 ns. As a rough estimate, 20.3 cm (8 in) per nanosecond is often used for calculating propagation delay down a UTP cable. For 100 meters of UTP, this means that it takes just under 5 bit-times for a 10BASE-T signal to travel the length the cable.
For CSMA/CD Ethernet to operate, the sending station must become aware of a collision before it has completed transmission of a minimum-sized frame. At 100 Mbps the system timing is barely able to accommodate 100 meter cables. At 1000 Mbps special adjustments are required as nearly an entire minimum-sized frame would be transmitted before the first bit reached the end of the first 100 meters of UTP cable. For this reason half duplex is not permitted in 10-Gigabit Ethernet.
The next page defines interframe spacing and backoff.
MAC / MAC rules and collision detection/backoff
MAC
6.2.1 This page will define MAC and provide examples of deterministic and non-deterministic MAC protocols.
MAC refers to protocols that determine which computer in a shared-media environment, or collision domain, is allowed to transmit data. MAC and LLC comprise the IEEE version of the OSI Layer 2. MAC and LLC are sublayers of Layer 2. The two broad categories of MAC are deterministic and non-deterministic.
Examples of deterministic protocols include Token Ring and FDDI. In a Token Ring network, hosts are arranged in a ring and a special data token travels around the ring to each host in sequence. When a host wants to transmit, it seizes the token, transmits the data for a limited time, and then forwards the token to the next host in the ring. Token Ring is a collisionless environment since only one host can transmit at a time.
Non-deterministic MAC protocols use a first-come, first-served approach. CSMA/CD is a simple system. The NIC listens for the absence of a signal on the media and begins to transmit. If two nodes transmit at the same time a collision occurs and none of the nodes are able to transmit.
Three common Layer 2 technologies are Token Ring, FDDI, and Ethernet. All three specify Layer 2 issues, LLC, naming, framing, and MAC, as well as Layer 1 signaling components and media issues. The specific technologies for each are as follows:
• Ethernet – uses a logical bus topology to control information flow on a linear bus and a physical star or extended star topology for the cables
• Token Ring – uses a logical ring topology to control information flow and a physical star topology
• FDDI – uses a logical ring topology to control information flow and a physical dual-ring topology
The next page explains how collisions are avoided in an Ethernet network.
MAC rules and collision detection/backoff
6.2.2 This page describes collision detection and avoidance in a CSMA/CD network.
Ethernet is a shared-media broadcast technology. The access method CSMA/CD used in Ethernet performs three functions:
• Transmitting and receiving data packets
• Decoding data packets and checking them for valid addresses before passing them to the upper layers of the OSI model
• Detecting errors within data packets or on the network
In the CSMA/CD access method, networking devices with data to transmit work in a listen-before-transmit mode. This means when a node wants to send data, it must first check to see whether the networking media is busy. If the node determines the network is busy, the node will wait a random amount of time before retrying. If the node determines the networking media is not busy, the node will begin transmitting and listening. The node listens to ensure no other stations are transmitting at the same time. After completing data transmission the device will return to listening mode.
Networking devices detect a collision has occurred when the amplitude of the signal on the networking media increases. When a collision occurs, each node that is transmitting will continue to transmit for a short time to ensure that all nodes detect the collision. When all nodes have detected the collision, the backoff algorithm is invoked and transmission stops. The nodes stop transmitting for a random period of time, determined by the backoff algorithm. When the delay periods expire, each node can attempt to access the networking media. The devices that were involved in the collision do not have transmission priority.
The Interactive Media Activity shows the procedure for collision detection in an Ethernet network.
The next page will discuss Ethernet timing.
6.2.1 This page will define MAC and provide examples of deterministic and non-deterministic MAC protocols.
MAC refers to protocols that determine which computer in a shared-media environment, or collision domain, is allowed to transmit data. MAC and LLC comprise the IEEE version of the OSI Layer 2. MAC and LLC are sublayers of Layer 2. The two broad categories of MAC are deterministic and non-deterministic.
Examples of deterministic protocols include Token Ring and FDDI. In a Token Ring network, hosts are arranged in a ring and a special data token travels around the ring to each host in sequence. When a host wants to transmit, it seizes the token, transmits the data for a limited time, and then forwards the token to the next host in the ring. Token Ring is a collisionless environment since only one host can transmit at a time.
Non-deterministic MAC protocols use a first-come, first-served approach. CSMA/CD is a simple system. The NIC listens for the absence of a signal on the media and begins to transmit. If two nodes transmit at the same time a collision occurs and none of the nodes are able to transmit.
Three common Layer 2 technologies are Token Ring, FDDI, and Ethernet. All three specify Layer 2 issues, LLC, naming, framing, and MAC, as well as Layer 1 signaling components and media issues. The specific technologies for each are as follows:
• Ethernet – uses a logical bus topology to control information flow on a linear bus and a physical star or extended star topology for the cables
• Token Ring – uses a logical ring topology to control information flow and a physical star topology
• FDDI – uses a logical ring topology to control information flow and a physical dual-ring topology
The next page explains how collisions are avoided in an Ethernet network.
MAC rules and collision detection/backoff
6.2.2 This page describes collision detection and avoidance in a CSMA/CD network.
Ethernet is a shared-media broadcast technology. The access method CSMA/CD used in Ethernet performs three functions:
• Transmitting and receiving data packets
• Decoding data packets and checking them for valid addresses before passing them to the upper layers of the OSI model
• Detecting errors within data packets or on the network
In the CSMA/CD access method, networking devices with data to transmit work in a listen-before-transmit mode. This means when a node wants to send data, it must first check to see whether the networking media is busy. If the node determines the network is busy, the node will wait a random amount of time before retrying. If the node determines the networking media is not busy, the node will begin transmitting and listening. The node listens to ensure no other stations are transmitting at the same time. After completing data transmission the device will return to listening mode.
Networking devices detect a collision has occurred when the amplitude of the signal on the networking media increases. When a collision occurs, each node that is transmitting will continue to transmit for a short time to ensure that all nodes detect the collision. When all nodes have detected the collision, the backoff algorithm is invoked and transmission stops. The nodes stop transmitting for a random period of time, determined by the backoff algorithm. When the delay periods expire, each node can attempt to access the networking media. The devices that were involved in the collision do not have transmission priority.
The Interactive Media Activity shows the procedure for collision detection in an Ethernet network.
The next page will discuss Ethernet timing.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Ethernet frame structure / Ethernet frame fields
Ethernet frame structure
6.1.6 This page will describe the frame structure of Ethernet networks.
At the data link layer the frame structure is nearly identical for all speeds of Ethernet from 10 Mbps to 10,000 Mbps. However, at the physical layer almost all versions of Ethernet are very different. Each speed has a distinct set of architecture design rules.
In the version of Ethernet that was developed by DIX prior to the adoption of the IEEE 802.3 version of Ethernet, the Preamble and Start-of-Frame (SOF) Delimiter were combined into a single field. The binary pattern was identical. The field labeled Length/Type was only listed as Length in the early IEEE versions and only as Type in the DIX version. These two uses of the field were officially combined in a later IEEE version since both uses were common.
The Ethernet II Type field is incorporated into the current 802.3 frame definition. When a node receives a frame it must examine the Length/Type field to determine which higher-layer protocol is present. If the two-octet value is equal to or greater than 0x0600 hexadecimal, 1536 decimal, then the contents of the Data Field are decoded according to the protocol indicated.
The next page will discuss the information included in a frame.
Ethernet frame fields
6.1.7 This page defines the fields that are used in a frame.
Some of the fields permitted or required in an 802.3 Ethernet frame are as follows:
• Preamble
• SOF Delimiter
• Destination Address
• Source Address
• Length/Type
• Header and Data
• FCS
• Extension
The preamble is an alternating pattern of ones and zeros used to time synchronization in 10 Mbps and slower implementations of Ethernet. Faster versions of Ethernet are synchronous so this timing information is unnecessary but retained for compatibility.
A SOF delimiter consists of a one-octet field that marks the end of the timing information and contains the bit sequence 10101011.
The destination address can be unicast, multicast, or broadcast.
The Source Address field contains the MAC source address. The source address is generally the unicast address of the Ethernet node that transmitted the frame. However, many virtual protocols use and sometimes share a specific source MAC address to identify the virtual entity.
The Length/Type field supports two different uses. If the value is less than 1536 decimal, 0x600 hexadecimal, then the value indicates length. The length interpretation is used when the LLC layer provides the protocol identification. The type value indicates which upper-layer protocol will receive the data after the Ethernet process is complete. The length indicates the number of bytes of data that follows this field.
The Data field and padding if necessary, may be of any length that does not cause the frame to exceed the maximum frame size. The maximum transmission unit (MTU) for Ethernet is 1500 octets, so the data should not exceed that size. The content of this field is unspecified. An unspecified amount of data is inserted immediately after the user data when there is not enough user data for the frame to meet the minimum frame length. This extra data is called a pad. Ethernet requires each frame to be between 64 and 1518 octets.
A FCS contains a 4-byte CRC value that is created by the device that sends data and is recalculated by the destination device to check for damaged frames. The corruption of a single bit anywhere from the start of the Destination Address through the end of the FCS field will cause the checksum to be different. Therefore, the coverage of the FCS includes itself. It is not possible to distinguish between corruption of the FCS and corruption of any other field used in the calculation.
This page concludes this lesson. The next lesson will discuss the functions of an Ethernet network. The first page will introduce the concept of MAC.
6.1.6 This page will describe the frame structure of Ethernet networks.
At the data link layer the frame structure is nearly identical for all speeds of Ethernet from 10 Mbps to 10,000 Mbps. However, at the physical layer almost all versions of Ethernet are very different. Each speed has a distinct set of architecture design rules.
In the version of Ethernet that was developed by DIX prior to the adoption of the IEEE 802.3 version of Ethernet, the Preamble and Start-of-Frame (SOF) Delimiter were combined into a single field. The binary pattern was identical. The field labeled Length/Type was only listed as Length in the early IEEE versions and only as Type in the DIX version. These two uses of the field were officially combined in a later IEEE version since both uses were common.
The Ethernet II Type field is incorporated into the current 802.3 frame definition. When a node receives a frame it must examine the Length/Type field to determine which higher-layer protocol is present. If the two-octet value is equal to or greater than 0x0600 hexadecimal, 1536 decimal, then the contents of the Data Field are decoded according to the protocol indicated.
The next page will discuss the information included in a frame.
Ethernet frame fields
6.1.7 This page defines the fields that are used in a frame.
Some of the fields permitted or required in an 802.3 Ethernet frame are as follows:
• Preamble
• SOF Delimiter
• Destination Address
• Source Address
• Length/Type
• Header and Data
• FCS
• Extension
The preamble is an alternating pattern of ones and zeros used to time synchronization in 10 Mbps and slower implementations of Ethernet. Faster versions of Ethernet are synchronous so this timing information is unnecessary but retained for compatibility.
A SOF delimiter consists of a one-octet field that marks the end of the timing information and contains the bit sequence 10101011.
The destination address can be unicast, multicast, or broadcast.
The Source Address field contains the MAC source address. The source address is generally the unicast address of the Ethernet node that transmitted the frame. However, many virtual protocols use and sometimes share a specific source MAC address to identify the virtual entity.
The Length/Type field supports two different uses. If the value is less than 1536 decimal, 0x600 hexadecimal, then the value indicates length. The length interpretation is used when the LLC layer provides the protocol identification. The type value indicates which upper-layer protocol will receive the data after the Ethernet process is complete. The length indicates the number of bytes of data that follows this field.
The Data field and padding if necessary, may be of any length that does not cause the frame to exceed the maximum frame size. The maximum transmission unit (MTU) for Ethernet is 1500 octets, so the data should not exceed that size. The content of this field is unspecified. An unspecified amount of data is inserted immediately after the user data when there is not enough user data for the frame to meet the minimum frame length. This extra data is called a pad. Ethernet requires each frame to be between 64 and 1518 octets.
A FCS contains a 4-byte CRC value that is created by the device that sends data and is recalculated by the destination device to check for damaged frames. The corruption of a single bit anywhere from the start of the Destination Address through the end of the FCS field will cause the checksum to be different. Therefore, the coverage of the FCS includes itself. It is not possible to distinguish between corruption of the FCS and corruption of any other field used in the calculation.
This page concludes this lesson. The next lesson will discuss the functions of an Ethernet network. The first page will introduce the concept of MAC.
Layer 2 framing
Layer 2 framing
6.1.5 This page will explain how frames are created at Layer 2 of the OSI model.
Encoded bit streams, or data, on physical media represent a tremendous technological accomplishment, but they, alone, are not enough to make communication happen. Framing provides essential information that could not be obtained from coded bit streams alone. This information includes the following:
• Which computers are in communication with each other
• When communication between individual computers begins and when it ends
• Which errors occurred while the computers communicated
• Which computer will communicate next
Framing is the Layer 2 encapsulation process. A frame is the Layer 2 protocol data unit.
A voltage versus time graph could be used to visualize bits. However, it may be too difficult to graph address and control information for larger units of data. Another type of diagram that could be used is the frame format diagram, which is based on voltage versus time graphs. Frame format diagrams are read from left to right, just like an oscilloscope graph. The frame format diagram shows different groupings of bits, or fields, that perform other functions.
There are many different types of frames described by various standards.A single generic frame has sections called fields. Each field is composed of bytes. The names of the fields are as follows:
• Start Frame field
• Address field
• Length/Type field
• Data field
• Frame Check Sequence (FCS) field
When computers are connected to a physical medium, there must be a way to inform other computers when they are about to transmit a frame. Various technologies do this in different ways. Regardless of the technology, all frames begin with a sequence of bytes to signal the data transmission.
All frames contain naming information, such as the name of the source node, or source MAC address, and the name of the destination node, or destination MAC address.
Most frames have some specialized fields. In some technologies, a Length field specifies the exact length of a frame in bytes. Some frames have a Type field, which specifies the Layer 3 protocol used by the device that wants to send data.
Frames are used to send upper-layer data and ultimately the user application data from a source to a destination. The data package includes the message to be sent, or user application data. Extra bytes may be added so frames have a minimum length for timing purposes. LLC bytes are also included with the Data field in the IEEE standard frames. The LLC sublayer takes the network protocol data, which is an IP packet, and adds control information to help deliver the packet to the destination node. Layer 2 communicates with the upper layers through LLC.
All frames and the bits, bytes, and fields contained within them, are susceptible to errors from a variety of sources. The FCS field contains a number that is calculated by the source node based on the data in the frame. This number is added to the end of a frame that is sent. When the destination node receives the frame the FCS number is recalculated and compared with the FCS number included in the frame. If the two numbers are different, an error is assumed, the frame is discarded.
Because the source cannot detect that the frame has been discarded, retransmission has to be initiated by higher layer connection-oriented protocols providing data flow control. Because these protocols, such as TCP, expect frame acknowledgment, ACK, to be sent by the peer station within a certain time, retransmission usually occurs.
There are three primary ways to calculate the FCS number:
• Cyclic redundancy check (CRC) – performs calculations on the data.
• Two-dimensional parity – places individual bytes in a two-dimensional array and performs redundancy checks vertically and horizontally on the array, creating an extra byte resulting in an even or odd number of binary 1s.
• Internet checksum – adds the values of all of the data bits to arrive at a sum.
The node that transmits data must get the attention of other devices to start and end a frame. The Length field indicates where the frame ends. The frame ends after the FCS. Sometimes there is a formal byte sequence referred to as an end-frame delimiter.
The next page will discuss the frame structure of an Ethernet network.
6.1.5 This page will explain how frames are created at Layer 2 of the OSI model.
Encoded bit streams, or data, on physical media represent a tremendous technological accomplishment, but they, alone, are not enough to make communication happen. Framing provides essential information that could not be obtained from coded bit streams alone. This information includes the following:
• Which computers are in communication with each other
• When communication between individual computers begins and when it ends
• Which errors occurred while the computers communicated
• Which computer will communicate next
Framing is the Layer 2 encapsulation process. A frame is the Layer 2 protocol data unit.
A voltage versus time graph could be used to visualize bits. However, it may be too difficult to graph address and control information for larger units of data. Another type of diagram that could be used is the frame format diagram, which is based on voltage versus time graphs. Frame format diagrams are read from left to right, just like an oscilloscope graph. The frame format diagram shows different groupings of bits, or fields, that perform other functions.
There are many different types of frames described by various standards.A single generic frame has sections called fields. Each field is composed of bytes. The names of the fields are as follows:
• Start Frame field
• Address field
• Length/Type field
• Data field
• Frame Check Sequence (FCS) field
When computers are connected to a physical medium, there must be a way to inform other computers when they are about to transmit a frame. Various technologies do this in different ways. Regardless of the technology, all frames begin with a sequence of bytes to signal the data transmission.
All frames contain naming information, such as the name of the source node, or source MAC address, and the name of the destination node, or destination MAC address.
Most frames have some specialized fields. In some technologies, a Length field specifies the exact length of a frame in bytes. Some frames have a Type field, which specifies the Layer 3 protocol used by the device that wants to send data.
Frames are used to send upper-layer data and ultimately the user application data from a source to a destination. The data package includes the message to be sent, or user application data. Extra bytes may be added so frames have a minimum length for timing purposes. LLC bytes are also included with the Data field in the IEEE standard frames. The LLC sublayer takes the network protocol data, which is an IP packet, and adds control information to help deliver the packet to the destination node. Layer 2 communicates with the upper layers through LLC.
All frames and the bits, bytes, and fields contained within them, are susceptible to errors from a variety of sources. The FCS field contains a number that is calculated by the source node based on the data in the frame. This number is added to the end of a frame that is sent. When the destination node receives the frame the FCS number is recalculated and compared with the FCS number included in the frame. If the two numbers are different, an error is assumed, the frame is discarded.
Because the source cannot detect that the frame has been discarded, retransmission has to be initiated by higher layer connection-oriented protocols providing data flow control. Because these protocols, such as TCP, expect frame acknowledgment, ACK, to be sent by the peer station within a certain time, retransmission usually occurs.
There are three primary ways to calculate the FCS number:
• Cyclic redundancy check (CRC) – performs calculations on the data.
• Two-dimensional parity – places individual bytes in a two-dimensional array and performs redundancy checks vertically and horizontally on the array, creating an extra byte resulting in an even or odd number of binary 1s.
• Internet checksum – adds the values of all of the data bits to arrive at a sum.
The node that transmits data must get the attention of other devices to start and end a frame. The Length field indicates where the frame ends. The frame ends after the FCS. Sometimes there is a formal byte sequence referred to as an end-frame delimiter.
The next page will discuss the frame structure of an Ethernet network.
Naming
Naming
6.1.4 This page will discuss the MAC addresses used by Ethernet networks.
An address system is required to uniquely identify computers and interfaces to allow for local delivery of frames on the Ethernet. Ethernet uses MAC addresses that are 48 bits in length and expressed as 12 hexadecimal digits. The first six hexadecimal digits, which are administered by the IEEE, identify the manufacturer or vendor. This portion of the MAC address is known as the Organizational Unique Identifier (OUI). The remaining six hexadecimal digits represent the interface serial number or another value administered by the manufacturer. MAC addresses are sometimes referred to as burned-in MAC addresses (BIAs) because they are burned into ROM and are copied into RAM when the NIC initializes.
At the data link layer MAC headers and trailers are added to upper layer data. The header and trailer contain control information intended for the data link layer in the destination system. The data from upper layers is encapsulated within the data link frame, between the header and trailer, and then sent out on the network.
The NIC uses the MAC address to determine if a message should be passed on to the upper layers of the OSI model. The NIC does not use CPU processing time to make this assessment. This enables better communication times on an Ethernet network.
When a device sends data on an Ethernet network, it can use the destination MAC address to open a communication pathway to the other device. The source device attaches a header with the MAC address of the intended destination and sends data through the network. As this data travels along the network media the NIC in each device checks to see if the MAC address matches the physical destination address carried by the data frame. If there is no match, the NIC discards the data frame. When the data reaches the destination node, the NIC makes a copy and passes the frame up the OSI layers. On an Ethernet network, all nodes must examine the MAC header.
All devices that are connected to the Ethernet LAN have MAC addressed interfaces. This includes workstations, printers, routers, and switches. The next page will focus on Layer 2 frames.
6.1.4 This page will discuss the MAC addresses used by Ethernet networks.
An address system is required to uniquely identify computers and interfaces to allow for local delivery of frames on the Ethernet. Ethernet uses MAC addresses that are 48 bits in length and expressed as 12 hexadecimal digits. The first six hexadecimal digits, which are administered by the IEEE, identify the manufacturer or vendor. This portion of the MAC address is known as the Organizational Unique Identifier (OUI). The remaining six hexadecimal digits represent the interface serial number or another value administered by the manufacturer. MAC addresses are sometimes referred to as burned-in MAC addresses (BIAs) because they are burned into ROM and are copied into RAM when the NIC initializes.
At the data link layer MAC headers and trailers are added to upper layer data. The header and trailer contain control information intended for the data link layer in the destination system. The data from upper layers is encapsulated within the data link frame, between the header and trailer, and then sent out on the network.
The NIC uses the MAC address to determine if a message should be passed on to the upper layers of the OSI model. The NIC does not use CPU processing time to make this assessment. This enables better communication times on an Ethernet network.
When a device sends data on an Ethernet network, it can use the destination MAC address to open a communication pathway to the other device. The source device attaches a header with the MAC address of the intended destination and sends data through the network. As this data travels along the network media the NIC in each device checks to see if the MAC address matches the physical destination address carried by the data frame. If there is no match, the NIC discards the data frame. When the data reaches the destination node, the NIC makes a copy and passes the frame up the OSI layers. On an Ethernet network, all nodes must examine the MAC header.
All devices that are connected to the Ethernet LAN have MAC addressed interfaces. This includes workstations, printers, routers, and switches. The next page will focus on Layer 2 frames.
Ethernet and the OSI model
6.1.3 This page will explain how Ethernet relates to the OSI model.
Ethernet operates in two areas of the OSI model. These are the lower half of the data link layer, which is known as the MAC sublayer, and the physical layer.
Data that moves from one Ethernet station to another often passes through a repeater. All stations in the same collision domain see traffic that passes through a repeater. A collision domain is a shared resource. Problems that originate in one part of a collision domain will usually impact the entire collision domain.
A repeater forwards traffic to all other ports. A repeater never sends traffic out the same port from which it was received. Any signal detected by a repeater will be forwarded. If the signal is degraded through attenuation or noise, the repeater will attempt to reconstruct and regenerate the signal.
To guarantee minimum bandwidth and operability, standards specify the maximum number of stations per segment, maximum segment length, and maximum number of repeaters between stations. Stations separated by bridges or routers are in different collision domains.
Figure maps a variety of Ethernet technologies to the lower half of OSI Layer 2 and all of Layer 1. Ethernet at Layer 1 involves signals, bit streams that travel on the media, components that put signals on media, and various topologies. Ethernet Layer 1 performs a key role in the communication that takes place between devices, but each of its functions has limitations. Layer 2 addresses these limitations.
Data link sublayers contribute significantly to technological compatibility and computer communications. The MAC sublayer is concerned with the physical components that will be used to communicate the information. The Logical Link Control (LLC) sublayer remains relatively independent of the physical equipment that will be used for the communication process.
Figure maps a variety of Ethernet technologies to the lower half of OSI Layer 2 and all of Layer 1. While there are other varieties of Ethernet, the ones shown are the most widely used.
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