Thread Links Date Links
Thread Prev Thread Next Thread Index Date Prev Date Next Date Index

Re: [802.3af] Minor IEEE802.3af D4 issues



Charles-

You are right in your assertion that NID should be defined. It seemed obvious to us at the time.

We introduced the term to describe any device (presumably compliant) that interfaces to the network.

We did this because, as the document evolved, not all of the interfaces were MDIs and we needed a term for devices. It is not specific to a hub

It is any device that contains a PHY (i.e. DTE and/or repeater), a PSE, a PD or any combination thereof including multiple instances.

I hope this helps.

Geoff

At 05:49 PM 4/23/2003 +0100, Charles Palmer wrote:
Sorry to trouble you with a trivial issue - just trying to help:
 
Paragraph 13.4.1 introduces the term "network interface device (NID)" - I assume from the context that an NID is what we might commonly refer to as a hub, but I can see no formal definition of NID in the definitions section (1.4) of the 802.3af spec or the full 802.3 spec, nor does it feature in the diagrams of sections 33.1 or 33.2. Is NID worthy of a formal definition?
 
On closer reading of 33.4.1.1.1 - this refers to "Equipment [presumably NIDs?] containing multiple instances of PSE and/or PD..." - I am trying unsuccessfully to envisage a piece of equipment with multiple PDs, or a mixture of PSEs and PDs, but if such equipment could exist, and if it is an NID, then I am more unclear about what the term "NID" actually covers.
 
Regards -
Charles Palmer

 
Technical Director, DSP Design Ltd
email: charles@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
7 Tapton Park Innovation Centre, Brimington Rd, Chesterfield S41 0TZ, UK
ph: +44 (0) 1246 545 918