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ND Ethernet

ND 108630 Ethernet Controller Including Cosmos Ethernet Option

  +------------------------------------------------------------+
  |                   Ethernet Configuration                   |
  |                                                            |
  |  +---------+   +---------+   +---------+      +---------+  |
  |  | Compact |   | Compact |   |         |      | Compact |  |
  |  |  [PC]   |   |  [PC]   |   |  ND 500 |      |  [PC]   |  |
  |  +---------+   +---------+   |         |      +---------+  |
  |       |            |         +---------+          |        |
  |       |            |         |         |          |        |
  |       |            +---------+         +----------+        |
  |       |          Coaxial cable     Tranceiver cable        |
  |       |                                               +----+  [PC]   |
  |       +-----------------------------------------------|         |  |
  |                                              +---------+         |  |
  |                                              |         |         |  |
  |                                              |  Disk   |         |  |
  |                                              |         |         |  |
  |                                              +---------+         |  |
  |                                              |                   |  |
  | +---------+     +---------+                  |     +---------+   |  |
  | | Compact |     | Compact |                  |     | Compact |   |  |
  | |  [PC]   |     |  [PC]   |                  |     |  [PC]   |   |  |
  | +---------+     +---------+                  |     +---------+   |  |
  |                                                          +-------+  |
  |                                                            [PC]     |
  +------------------------------------------------------------+

ND Norsk Data

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ND Ethernet

Introduction

The ND Ethernet Network is a high function, high speed, CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection), baseband LAN (Local Area Network). This network supports the attachment of the ND-100 and ND-500 computer families (with the exception of the ND-Satellite models).

Norsk Data offers Ethernet as a package of hardware (the Ethernet Controller) and software (the COSMOS Ethernet Option). The hardware is primarily a data carrier at a physical level. The software may be viewed as a bridge between the user functions provided by COSMOS and Ethernet.

The ND Ethernet conforms to the IEEE 802.3 standards, the ECMA 80/81/82 standards, and the ISO DIS 8802/3 standard for CSMA/CD baseband LANs.

The transfer speed of the Ethernet is 10 megabits per second.

Ethernet has a bus topology, meaning that the network itself is just a passible cable and every attached station can communicate with all other stations. There is no need for routing on an Ethernet network. All nodes are directly connected and sending data is just a matter of knowing the recipient’s address.

The lack of centralized control and the elimination of routing nodes in Ethernet, optimize reliability and flexibility. Only source and destination nodes will spend processing memory and bus bandwidth resources, because no intermediate storage of frames is necessary.

Benefits

  • Connectivity: Each computer on the network has a direct path to all other computers via the same shared cable.
  • Ease of Growth: A small network can easily be expanded to a large network of several hundred nodes.
  • Equipment Location Flexibility: A computer can be removed from the network and reconnected anywhere on the cable.
  • Reliable Data Communications: High reliability and availability are inherent qualities of the design of the network hardware and software.
  • Flexible network management: The network can be managed and monitored from any connected ND computer.
  • State-of-the-Art Communications: Ethernet is the LAN most used worldwide, and ND is committed to developing performance, manageability and functionality of the ND Ethernet software and hardware.

Features

  • Transmission Speed: 10 megabits per second
  • Processing: Powerful 68000 microprocessor with 128 KByte RAM memory.
  • Functionality: Ethernet Network server functions as a gate to any other COSMOS System on the Ethernet, in the COSMOS Network Layer.
  • Reliable network transmission: faults in one network device do not affect the network itself or other devices.
  • Flexibility: Devices may be added removed or replaced from the network while Ethernet is running.
  • Conformity to international standards: Conforms to ISO DIS 8802/3 and IEEE 802.3 specifications.
  • Transparency: From the system supervisor’s point of view, it will seem as if each ND system has a direct link to all other systems on the Ethernet network.
  • Error Detection

Description

The Ethernet Controller including the COSMOS Ethernet Option is a hardware and software package. The Ethernet Controller is an interface consisting of two ND-100/500 boards and two internal cables. The master board is a processor board equipped with the powerful 68000 processor and 128 KBytes of memory that are shared with the ND-100/500. The local memory has single-error correction, double-error detection, and a hardware protection system.

The master board runs under its own operating system, known as PIOCOS, and has a driver controlling the Ethernet controller board operation and buffer management.

The controller board controls all physical-level functions, such as CRC (Cyclic Recovery Code) generation and checking. It handles a half duplex 10-megabit per second communication line, compatible with the ISO DIS 8802/3 specifications.

The COSMOS Ethernet Server is a part of the ND COSMOS Ethernet Option software. This program allows use of Ethernet as a transmission medium under COSMOS. The Ethernet network server functions as a gate to XMessage (XMSG). The COSMOS Basic Module is on top of XMSG. The COSMOS Ethernet Option software provides users the full functionality of the COSMOS networking system across Ethernet. This software is contained in the Ethernet Interface, so no extra memory for buffering and resident parts of code is needed in the ND-100.

The Ethernet cabling system comprises coaxial cables with terminators and splices, and transceivers with cables and repeaters. The maximum length of a cable segment is 500 meters. The maximum distance between two devices within Ethernet is 2.8 kilometers.

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ND Ethernet

Diagram

flowchart LR
    subgraph ND-100 A
        A1[Cosmos Basic Module]
        A2[XMessage]
        A3[Ethernet Net Server]
        A4[Proprietory Reliable Network Service]
        A5[Logical Link Control 1 (LLC1 OSI 8802/2)]
        A6[Media Access Control Ethernet - OSI 8802/3]
        A7[Transceiver]
    end

    subgraph ND-100 B
        B1[Cosmos Basic Module]
        B2[XMessage]
        B3[Ethernet Net Server]
        B4[Proprietory Reliable Network Service]
        B5[Logical Link Control 1 (LLC1 OSI 8802/2)]
        B6[Media Access Control Ethernet - OSI 8802/3]
        B7[Transceiver]
    end

    A5 -->|Runs in the ND-100| A1
    A6 -->|COSMOS Ethernet Option - Runs in the Ethernet Interface| A1
    A7 --- B7

Implementation

Physical Level

The controller board handles electrical signalling, timing, etc. It also controls functions such as destination address checking, and CRC (Cycle Redundancy Code) generation and checking.

Media Access Level

The Media Access Level is the lower sub-layer of the ISO Link Level. The algorithm for access is CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection). The Master board, an MC68000-based processor, takes care of functions such as addressing, packaging of frames, address decoding, etc.

The Logical Link Control (LLC1) is compatible with the OSI 8802/2 (based on the IEEE 8802/2 service). Logical Link Control 1 is a connectionless service that ensures that messages are sent to the next layer in the communication process.

Network Level

The proprietary network service ensures reliable network connections between any two systems on the network. The network server is an interface to XMSG and provides COSMOS with a reliable connection-oriented service to all ND systems on the network.

ND 108630 Includes

  • Ethernet Master Board
  • Ethernet Controller Board
  • Flat cable with 64 pin connectors between the B connectors
  • Internal cable from 3037 A-connector to plug panel
  • 15 pin D-subminiature female connector at the plug panel
  • Software Modules: COSMOS Network server module, Media Access module (controlling the hardware), and Management module (for startup and error reporting)

Requirements

  • ND-100, 100/CX, or 110/CX Standard Computer System
  • SINTRAN III USE/VSX version I or later
  • ND 210374 COSMOS Basic Module
    • (No additional memory beyond that of COSMOS Basic is required, i.e. 1 MB)
  • Coaxial cable with ground connection and two terminators and insulators
  • Transceiver and transceiver cable for every node

Documentation

Ethernet Hardware Description .......... ND-12.029. EN