Re: [BP] Changing the format of GMII or XGMII for back-plane frame transmission..

["Grow, Bob" <bob.grow@xxxxxxxxx>]

It is unlikely at this point that the group would choose to extend the project to include changes to the GMII/XGMII.  Neither the GMII or XGMII are designed to add protocol headers and that would I expect be something opposed by many and certainly something that is not done simply in the 802.3 architecture.  There are also many other ways to accomplish what you propose, including things that require no standardization (I'm guessing about the low speed ports), or above the MAC.

 

I certainly don't understand why switching on the line card is undesirable.  No matter what you are calling it, that is what you are doing if the low speed ports are Ethernet. 

 

--Bob Grow

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From: owner-stds-802-3-blade@ieee.org [mailto:owner-stds-802-3-blade@ieee.org] On Behalf Of ??
Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2005 3:56 AM
To: STDS-802-3-BLADE@listserv.ieee.org
Subject: [BP] Changing the format of GMII or XGMII for back-plane frame transmission..

Hi,

 

I'm new to this e-mail reflector.

These couple of days, I've been thinking about extending the GMII format by putting logical port ID in the preamble portion at the back plane transmission.(This is similar to using LLID used in EPON). This way, one physical interface at the back-plane can be regarded as many logical ports seen from the switch. And we can use multiplexer/demultiplexer at the line card to connect many low speed ports to the switch, using single high speed port, without using switches at the linecards.

This means that we don't want frames to be switched at the line card among low speed ports. All the switching is done by high capacity, intelligent switch in the switch card.

I think this can be a small optional standard, or recommanded practice.

But after reviewing the presentation materials of 802.3ap, I found the scope of 802.3ap does not include GMII or XGMII. (preserve them)

Is it possible to consider optionally changing the format of GMII or XGMII in this task force?

Please someone reply to my question.

 

Thank you.

 

regards,

 

Chan Kim

ETRI