GIGABIT NETWORKING Office of the Manager National Communications System February 1999 Communication Technologies, Inc. 503 Carlisle Drive, Suite 200 Herndon, Virginia 20170 703-318-7212 (Voice) 703-318-7214 (Fax) Web: www.comtechnologies.com GIGABIT NETWORKING Abstract Gigabit networking is expected to grow rapidly in popularity over the next several years. It is anticipated that as the communications infrastructure evolves to support gigabit speeds, new applications such as telemedicine, desktop videoconferencing, scientific modeling, and interactive telecollaboration will evolve to become important commonplace capabilities. These and many other bandwidth intensive applications have great potential to improve National Security/Emergency Preparedness (NS/EP) communications and event management activities. This report examines existing and emerging gigabit networking technologies, addresses issues associated with their applications, and discusses their applicability to NS/EP environments. 3 Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... 7 1.1 NS/EP Event Characteristics................................................................................ 7 2 BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................... 9 3 GIGABIT NETWORKING TECHNOLOGIES .........................................................................11 3.1 Fibre Channel .................................................................................................... 11 3.1.1 Fibre Channel Architecture ........................................................................... 12 3.1.1.1 FC-0 ...................................................................................................... 12 3.1.1.2 FC-1 ...................................................................................................... 13 3.1.1.3 FC-2 ...................................................................................................... 13 3.1.1.4 FC-3 ...................................................................................................... 15 3.1.1.5 FC-4 ...................................................................................................... 16 3.1.1.5.1 Classes of Service .......................................................................... 16 3.1.1.5.1.1Class 1 ......................................................................................... 16 3.1.1.5.1.2Class 2 ......................................................................................... 17 3.1.1.5.1.3Class 3 ......................................................................................... 17 3.1.1.5.1.4Class 4 ......................................................................................... 17 3.1.1.5.1.5Class 6 ......................................................................................... 17 3.1.2 Topologies.................................................................................................... 18 3.1.2.1 Point-to-Point......................................................................................... 18 3.1.2.2 Arbitrated Loop ..................................................................................... 18 3.1.2.3 Switched Fabric ..................................................................................... 19 3.1.3 Fibre Channel Services ................................................................................. 19 3.1.4 Fibre Channel Standardization ...................................................................... 19 3.2 HIPPI ................................................................................................................ 19 3.2.1 HIPPI Architecture ....................................................................................... 20 3.2.1.1 HIPPI-PH .............................................................................................. 20 3.2.1.1.1 Error Detection and Recovery......................................................... 22 3.2.1.2 HIPPI-SC............................................................................................... 22 3.2.1.3 HIPPI-FP ............................................................................................... 22 3.2.1.4 Mapping to Other Protocols ................................................................... 24 3.3 HIPPI-Serial ...................................................................................................... 24 3.4 HIPPI-6400 ....................................................................................................... 24 3.4.1 HIPPI-6400 Architecture .............................................................................. 24 3.4.1.1 HIPPI-6400-PH ..................................................................................... 25 3.4.1.1.1 HIPPI-6400 Messages .................................................................... 25 3.4.1.1.2 Virtual Channels............................................................................. 25 3.4.1.1.3 Error Detection and Recovery......................................................... 26 3.4.1.1.4 Network Management .................................................................... 26 3.4.1.2 HIPPI-6400-SC...................................................................................... 26 3.4.1.3 HIPPI-ST............................................................................................... 26 3.4.2 HIPPI, HIPPI-Serial, and HIPPI-6400 Standardization.................................. 27 3.5 Gigabit Ethernet ................................................................................................ 27 4 3.5.1 Gigabit Ethernet Architecture........................................................................ 27 3.5.1.1 Physical Layer ....................................................................................... 28 3.5.1.1.1 Physical Coding Sub-layer ............................................................. 29 3.5.1.1.2 Physical Medium Attachment sub-layer ......................................... 29 3.5.1.1.3 Physical Medium Dependent sub-layer........................................... 29 3.5.1.1.4 Interfaces........................................................................................ 29 3.5.1.2 MAC Layer............................................................................................ 30 3.5.1.2.1 Carrier Extension ........................................................................... 30 3.5.1.2.2 Packet Bursting .............................................................................. 31 3.5.2 Topologies.................................................................................................... 31 3.5.3 QoS on Gigabit Ethernet ............................................................................... 31 3.5.4 Gigabit Ethernet Standardization................................................................... 31 3.6 ATM ................................................................................................................. 32 3.6.1 ATM Protocol Architecture .......................................................................... 32 3.6.1.1 Physical Layer ....................................................................................... 33 3.6.1.2 ATM Layer............................................................................................ 33 3.6.1.3 AAL ...................................................................................................... 33 3.6.2 Traffic and Congestion Control..................................................................... 34 3.6.3 ATM Network Security................................................................................. 35 3.6.4 ATM Network Management ......................................................................... 35 3.6.5 ATM Standardization.................................................................................... 36 4 TCP/IP ON GIGABIT NETWORKS ..........................................................................................37 5 NS/EP GIGABIT APPLICATIONS AND ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES..............................38 5.1 Gigabit Applications.......................................................................................... 38 5.2 Application Affinity Groups .............................................................................. 38 5.3 Distributed Object Computing ........................................................................... 39 5.4 Telecollaboration............................................................................................... 40 5.5 Visualization For Data Analysis......................................................................... 41 5.6 Data Mining ...................................................................................................... 42 5.6.1 Data Mining Standardization Efforts............................................................. 43 5.7 Computer Simulation......................................................................................... 43 5.8 Telemedicine..................................................................................................... 44 5.8.1 Telemedicine Standards Activities ................................................................ 45 5.8.1.1 HL7 Standard Version 2.3...................................................................... 46 5.8.1.2