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Technology for computer networking
Two examples of Token Ring networks: a) Using a single MAU b) Using several MAUs connected to each other Token Ring network Token Ring network: operation of an MAU explained IBM hermaphroditic connector with locking clip. Screen contacts are prominently visible, gold-plated signal contacts less so.Token Ring is a physical and data link layer computer networking technology used to build local area networks. It was introduced by IBM in 1984, and standardized in 1989 as IEEE 802.5. It uses a special three-byte frame called a token that is passed around a logical ring of workstations or servers. This token passing is a channel access method providing fair access for all stations, and eliminating the collisions of contention-based access methods.
Following its introduction, Token Ring technology became widely adopted, particularly in corporate environments, but was gradually eclipsed by newer iterations of Ethernet. The last formalized Token Ring standard that was completed was Gigabit Token Ring (IEEE 802.5z), published on May 4, 2001.[1]
A wide range of different local area network technologies were developed in the early 1970s, of which one, the Cambridge Ring, had demonstrated the potential of a token passing ring topology, and many teams worldwide began working on their own implementations. At the IBM Zurich Research Laboratory Werner Bux and Hans Müller, in particular, worked on the design and development of IBM's Token Ring technology,[2] while early work at MIT[3] led to the Proteon 10 Mbit/s ProNet-10 Token Ring network in 1981[4] – the same year that workstation vendor Apollo Computer introduced their proprietary 12 Mbit/s Apollo Token Ring (ATR) network running over 75-ohm RG-6U coaxial cabling.[citation needed] Proteon later developed an upgraded 16 Mbit/s version that ran on unshielded twisted pair cable.
IBM launched their own proprietary Token Ring product on October 15, 1985.[5][6] It ran at 4 Mbit/s,[7] and attachment was possible from IBM PCs, midrange computers and mainframes. It used a convenient star-wired physical topology and ran over shielded twisted-pair cabling. Shortly thereafter it became the basis for the IEEE 802.5 standard.[8][failed verification]
During this time, IBM argued that Token Ring LANs were superior to Ethernet, especially under load,[9] but these claims were debated.[10]
In 1988, the faster 16 Mbit/s Token Ring was standardized by the 802.5 working group.[11] An increase to 100 Mbit/s was standardized and marketed during the wane of Token Ring's existence and was never widely used.[12] While a 1000 Mbit/s standard was approved in 2001, no products were ever brought to market and standards activity came to a standstill[13] as Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet dominated the local area networking market.
100 Mbit/s IBM Token Ring Management Adapter with wake-on-LAN. Both UTP (RJ45) and STP (IBM Data Connector) interfaces are present.
Assorted full-length Micro Channel Token Ring cards, including a LANStreamer which features multiple RJ45 ports for usage in a Token Ring network
Token Ring Network Interface Cards (NICs) with varying interfaces from: ISA, PCI and
Micro ChannelMadge 4/16 Mbit/s TokenRing ISA NIC
A series of multiple 16/4 early Micro Channel Token Ring cards which would have predominantly been installed in many Personal System/2 machines
Texas Instruments TMS380C26PQL network communication processor, used in a Hewlett Packard
JetDirectToken Ring print server card
Early Ethernet and Token Ring both used a shared transmission medium. They differed in their channel access methods. These differences have become immaterial, as modern Ethernet networks consist of switches and point-to-point links operating in full-duplex mode.
Token Ring and legacy Ethernet have some notable differences:
Stations on a Token Ring LAN are logically organized in a ring topology with data being transmitted sequentially from one ring station to the next with a control token circulating around the ring controlling access. Similar token passing mechanisms are used by ARCNET, token bus, 100VG-AnyLAN (802.12) and FDDI, and they have theoretical advantages over the CSMA/CD of early Ethernet.[18]
The data transmission process goes as follows:
Physically, a Token Ring network is wired as a star, with 'MAUs' in the center, 'arms' out to each station, and the loop going out-and-back through each.[19]
A MAU could present in the form of a hub or a switch; since Token Ring had no collisions many MAUs were manufactured as hubs. Although Token Ring runs on LLC, it includes source routing to forward packets beyond the local network. The majority of MAUs are configured in a 'concentration' configuration by default, but later MAUs also supporting a feature to act as splitters and not concentrators exclusively such as on the IBM 8226.[20]
Later IBM would release Controlled Access Units that could support multiple MAU modules known as a Lobe Attachment Module. The CAUs supported features such as Dual-Ring Redundancy for alternate routing in the event of a dead port, modular concentration with LAMs, and multiple interfaces like most later MAUs.[21] This offered a more reliable setup and remote management than with an unmanaged MAU hub.
Cabling and interfaces[edit]Cabling is generally IBM "Type-1", a heavy two-pair 150 ohm shielded twisted pair cable. This was the basic cable for the "IBM Cabling System", a structured cabling system that IBM hoped would be widely adopted. Unique hermaphroditic connectors, referred to as IBM Data Connectors in formal writing or colloquially as Boy George connectors, were used.[22] The connectors have the disadvantage of being quite bulky, requiring at least 3 cm × 3 cm (1.2 in × 1.2 in) panel space, and being relatively fragile. The advantages of the connectors being that they are genderless and have superior shielding over standard unshielded 8P8C. Connectors at the computer were usually DE-9 female. Several other types of cable existed such as type 2, and type 3 cable.[23]
In later implementations of Token Ring, Cat 4 cabling was also supported, so 8P8C (RJ45) connectors were used on both of the MAUs, CAUs and NICs; with many of the network cards supporting both 8P8C and DE-9 for backwards compatibility.[19]
IBM Data Connectors on the IBM 8228 Multistation Access Unit
8P8C 'Media Filters' that plug into an IBM Data Connector converting it for use with 8P8C connectors
When no station is sending a frame, a special token frame circles the loop. This special token frame is repeated from station to station until arriving at a station that needs to send data.
Tokens are three octets in length and consist of a start delimiter, an access control octet, and an end delimiter.
Start Delimiter Access Control End Delimiter 8 bits 8 bits 8 bitsUsed by the sending station to abort transmission.
Data frames carry information for upper-layer protocols, while command frames contain control information and have no data for upper-layer protocols. Data and command frames vary in size, depending on the size of the Information field.
SD AC FC DA SA PDU from LLC (IEEE 802.2) CRC ED FS 8 bits 8 bits 8 bits 48 bits 48 bits Up to 4500 × 8 bits 32 bits 8 bits 8 bitsEvery station in a Token Ring network is either an active monitor (AM) or standby monitor (SM) station. There can be only one active monitor on a ring at a time. The active monitor is chosen through an election or monitor contention process.
The monitor contention process is initiated when the following happens:
When any of the above conditions take place and a station decides that a new monitor is needed, it will transmit a claim token frame, announcing that it wants to become the new monitor. If that token returns to the sender, it is OK for it to become the monitor. If some other station tries to become the monitor at the same time then the station with the highest MAC address will win the election process. Every other station becomes a standby monitor. All stations must be capable of becoming an active monitor station if necessary.
The active monitor performs a number of ring administration functions. The first function is to operate as the master clock for the ring in order to provide synchronization of the signal for stations on the wire. Another function of the AM is to insert a 24-bit delay into the ring, to ensure that there is always sufficient buffering in the ring for the token to circulate. A third function for the AM is to ensure that exactly one token circulates whenever there is no frame being transmitted, and to detect a broken ring. Lastly, the AM is responsible for removing circulating frames from the ring.
Token insertion process[edit]Token Ring stations must go through a 5-phase ring insertion process before being allowed to participate in the ring network. If any of these phases fail, the Token Ring station will not insert into the ring and the Token Ring driver may report an error.
In some applications there is an advantage to being able to designate one station having a higher priority. Token Ring specifies an optional scheme of this sort, as does the CAN Bus, (widely used in automotive applications) – but Ethernet does not.
In the Token Ring priority MAC, eight priority levels, 0–7, are used. When the station wishing to transmit receives a token or data frame with a priority less than or equal to the station's requested priority, it sets the priority bits to its desired priority. The station does not immediately transmit; the token circulates around the medium until it returns to the station. Upon sending and receiving its own data frame, the station downgrades the token priority back to the original priority.
Here are the following eight access priority and traffic types for devices that support 802.1Q and 802.1p:
Priority bits Traffic type x'000' Normal data traffic x'001' Not used x'010' Not used x'011' Not used x'100' Normal data traffic (forwarded from other devices) x'101' Data sent with time sensitivity requirements x'110' Data with real time sensitivity (i.e. VoIP) x'111' Station management Interconnection with Ethernet[edit] Both Token Ring and Ethernet interfaces on the 2210-24MBridging solutions for Token Ring and Ethernet networks included the AT&T StarWAN 10:4 Bridge,[24] the IBM 8209 LAN Bridge[24] and the Microcom LAN Bridge. Alternative connection solutions incorporated a router that could be configured to dynamically filter traffic, protocols and interfaces, such as the IBM 2210-24M Multiprotocol Router, which contained both Ethernet and Token Ring interfaces.[25]
Operating system support[edit]This section
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(October 2024)In 2012, David S. Miller merged a patch to remove token ring networking support from the Linux kernel.[26]
IBM does not view high-speed Token Ring as a requirement for the majority of its customers, and therefore the decision has been made not to provide 100 Mbps high-speed Token Ring uplinks on its products...
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