Abstract

Nortel Networks commissioned The Tolly Group to evaluate the Layer 2 and Layer 3 interoperability of the Passport 8600 Routing Switch, version 3.2.15, a wiring closet/workgroup switch and the BayStack 470-48T Policy Switch, version 2.1.0, a Layer 2 wiring closet/edge switch. The Tolly Group engineers put each device through a battery of tests designed to reveal the depth of interoperability each switch provides. The devices were tested for interoperability with twelve other switches from eight other network infrastructure vendors. Tests were conducted in conjunction with The Tolly Group/Network World Switch Interoperability Study 2002; vendors configured their own devices for testing. Mandatory tests were broken down into two groups: Layer 2 tests of auto-negotiation, Link Aggregation (802.3ad), Gigabit Ethernet uplink support, support for IEEE 802.1p/Q; and Layer 3 tests of Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) protocol, Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)-4, Routing Information Protocol (RIP) 1 and RIP 2, the Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) and IP Multicast support. Optional tests focused on support for Jumbo Frames and 10-Gigabit Ethernet LAN PHY interface support.