3-1Chapter 3Using the TSX-1620 Bridge ViewA brief explanation of bridging methods; a tour of the Bridge Traffic View; using the Detail View;monitoring bridge operation; using the Filtering Database; configuring bridge operating parameters;setting forwarding thresholds and notification options; setting polling parameters; enabling anddisabling bridgesThe SPECTRUM Portable Management Application (SPMA) Bridge Viewpresents a series of windows that describe the TSX-1620 bridge and its bridgeinterfaces. The Bridge View is available for devices that support the dot1dBridgeMIB. You can monitor bridge activity and performance and manage bridgeconfiguration for both Transparent and Source Routing bridging through theBridge Traffic View and other related windows. The SPMA bridge applicationprovides separate windows for configuring Source Route and Transparentbridging.Bridging BasicsBridges are used in local area networks to connect two or more network segmentsand to control the flow of packets between the segments. Ideally, bridges forwardpackets to another network segment only when necessary. Bridges are also usedto increase the fault tolerance in a local area network by creating redundantbridge paths between network segments. This is so that in the event of a bridge orbridge segment failure, an alternate bridge path will be available to networktraffic, without significant interruption to its flow.The method a bridge uses to forward packets, choose a bridge path, and ensurethat a sending station’s messages take only one bridge path depends on thebridge’s type: Transparent or Source Routing. A third type of bridge — a SourceRoute Transparent (SRT) bridge —has both Source Routing and Transparentbridging capabilities.
