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the 10/100 converters must be disabled to facilitate user data privacy by isolating the
converters from each other and from the “A” and “B” Links.
It should also be noted that in this configuration, in addition to data privacy infringement,
enabling the “A” and “B” Links will cause a broadcast storm (since the modules create
closed loops through the switch) or partitioning of some of the data paths by the switch.
The management data flows between the NMM module’s front-plane (out-of-band) and
any secure and dedicated management network hardware.
This configuration provides the network administrator with the ability to provide multi-
customer service using a single chassis which is securely managed.
1.4.2 In-Band Managed 10/100Mbps Converter/Switch Application
Fig. 4 In-Band Managed 10/100Mbps Converter/Switch Application
Fig. 4 depicts a 5-Module chassis with four modules plugged into adjacent back-
plane slots. In this application, which is typical for a Customer Premises (CPE) or
Multiple Tenant Building, a 5-Module chassis is loaded with a 10/100 UTP to fiber
converter that converts fiber cabling originating at a core switch and distributing the
fiber uplink to different customers via 10/100 UTP.
In this example, the module in Slot 1 is a Network Management Module (NMM) that
connects via its “A” backplane port to the 10/100 in Slot 2 facilitating “In-Band”
management (via the fiber uplink). The 10/100 is connected via its “B” link port to a
4-port 10/100 switch module (4Tx) in Slot 3, that is connected via its “A” link port to a
second 4Tx module in Slot 4. This 4-module configuration provides an effective
9-port 10/100 managed switch with a fiber uplink configuration.
