At 05:11 PM 5/21/02, rtiwari wrote: >is it good to say that >Bridge supports up to 16 ports ans is software based.
No, I think the discriminator is 15 ports. Just KIDDING! Seriously, assigning a number is not necessary. Most bridges had just two ports, but there probably were a few vendors that had bridges with a few more ports. Most bridges were hardware based. Well, there was that irksome bridge software for the IBM PC that turned it into a source-routing bridge. Throw two NICs into an old PC, run that software, and you could extend your network. Caused all sorts of problems if the PC was underpowered. ;-) Switches have more sophisticated hardware and numerous ports. That's really about all you can say (other than the "it's marketing" answer and my more detailed answer about "switching fabrics.") >but Switch supports any number od ports and is >hardware based. > > > > > >Peter van Oene wrote: > > > This begs the question, what is the difference between a multi-port bridge > > and a switch? Or, what is a switch when it routes? I personally think > > bridge and router convey with relatively little ambiguity the function of >a > > device whereas switch is simply a tool that marketing folks use when they > > need to reverse their previous opinion on devices. IE, after telling >folks > > routers are better than bridges for a few years (in order to sell >routers), > > when it becomes more lucrative to sell bridges again, one can simply call > > the bridge a switch and superficially maintains ones > > integrity. Furthermore, when it becomes more lucrative to sell routers > > again, one can simply call the router a layer 3 switch and again perform > > the switchback without visibly contradicting ones previous assertion. I > > think the chain looks something like this > > > > bridges -> routers -> switches - > l3 switches -> etc etc > > > > > > > > At 04:02 PM 5/21/2002 -0400, MADMAN wrote: > > > >>Switch = mega interfaced bridge. > >> > >> Dave > >> > >>rtiwari wrote: > >> > >>>Could somebody will please describe me the difference in > >>>between bridge and switch. > >>>Thanks > >>>Ravi > >>> > >>-- > >>David Madland > >>Sr. Network Engineer > >>CCIE# 2016 > >>Qwest Communications Int. Inc. > >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>612-664-3367 > >> > >>"Emotion should reflect reason not guide it" ________________________ Priscilla Oppenheimer http://www.priscilla.com Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=44680&t=44649 -------------------------------------------------- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
