IBM 2210 Nways Multiprotocol Router Model 14T

Scalable, affordable routing solutions for
multiprotocol network architectures

The IBM 2210 Nways^® Multiprotocol Routers provide network-computing solutions for a range of applications. Offering connectivity and multiprotocol support to work with everything from a small local area network (LAN) to a large Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)-based wide area network (WAN), the 2210 Nways Multiprotocol Routers can be tailored to your network-computing needs. While offering the scalability to grow to meet tomorrow's networking demands, the 2210 can be configured to work within the limits of today's budget and still provide optimized computing across a broad range of remote locations, branch offices and regional sites.

The entry-level models—the 1S4, 1S8, 1U4 and 1U8—are well suited to the demands of small-business networking. They offer one Ethernet port for LAN architectures and either one serial WAN port or one ISDN BRI port (or allow concurrent serial WAN with a single ISDN B+D channel).

The intermediate models—the 12T, 12E, 127 and 128—offer one Ethernet or Token-Ring LAN port and two serial WAN ports to support medium- sized businesses and larger branch offices. Some midrange models also provide a single ISDN BRI port.

The higher-end models—the 14T, 24T, 24E and 24M—double the connectivity and performance of other 2210 models. They can be configured with up to two LAN ports and four serial WAN ports to provide connectivity for large branch offices and regional locations. These 2210 models also include one open adapter slot that supports the following adapters: 4- or 8-port Dial Access Adapter, ISDN BRI, ISDN Quad BRI (S/T or U interfaces), ISDN PRI, channelized T1/E1/J1, 25-Mbps ATM or 4- or 8-port WAN concentration.

IBM Nways Multiprotocol Routing Services (MRS) Version 3.3 software provides a comprehensive set of multiprotocol routing and VPN functions for the IBM 2210 Nways Multiprotocol Router. Support for these new functions depends on the memory capacity of the individual models. MRS maximizes the power of your existing network and opens up connectivity possibilities to keep pace with upcoming network expansions. Nways MRS is preloaded on the 2210 at the time of manufacture and includes a Configuration Program to assist in deploying the 2210 router. The Configuration Program supports AIX^® Version 3 Release 2.5, AIX windows^®, Microsoft^® Windows^® 3.1 and IBM OS/2^®.

IBM Nways MRS provides security, scalability and availability. Look to IBM Nways MRS to handle enterprise-wide switching, distributed routing, bridging and LAN emulation. Nways MRS software is also engineered to enable the use of virtual private networks for cost- conscious, high-performance networking on public IP backbones.

Virtual private networks allow secure transmission over
TCP/IP (IPSec) and multiprotocol (L2TP) networks

Virtual private networks can be deployed as an extension of your corporate intranet across a public network to create a secure connection through an encrypted "tunnel." Once built, virtual private networks use TCP/IP-based networks, such as the Internet, as dedicated transmission lines, offering encryption, packet- switching, and firewall technologies that prevent unauthorized access. The VPN functions have been enhanced to include:

• Internet Key Exchange (IKE), which provides for automatically setting up security associations and managing cryptographic keys. This function ensures that the VPN policy will be conveniently and accurately implemented throughout the extended network with little manual configuration.
• Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), which enables configuration and managing network policies in a central directory server by an administrator. Additional VPN functions like RSVP, IP filters, IPSec and DS information can be configured for multiple devices across the network.
• Differentation Services (DS), which provides expedited and assured forwarding services for faster transmission for IPv4 packets over PPP or frame-relay links.
• Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), which carries PPP traffic across an IP network to support VPNs.

IBM envisions three broad applications for virtual private network technology:

• For the remote user who needs access to the corporate intranet from remote locations, using the Internet or another TCP/IP network
• For branch office connection to a central corporate intranet without leasing or installing dedicated optical-fiber, copper or coaxial cable
• For business partners or suppliers who need access to internal corporate data without the benefit of a trusted, dedicated connection

In all three applications, virtual private networks use the Internet for secure connectivity and data transfer. Encryption is used for packet transmission, and hosts use firewall technologies to prevent unauthorized access. Most importantly, based on research conducted by Infonetics Research, Inc., virtual private networks can reduce WAN networking costs by as much as 20 to 47% and remote access networking costs by as much as 60 to 80%.

The 2210 Nways Multiprotocol Router's Network Dispatcher features allow system administrators to build and manage scalable Web servers. Network Dispatcher provides load balancing and high availability to users in environments with multiple servers, high traffic volume and many clients. Superior to Domain Name Servers' round-robin queuing, it enables large numbers of individual servers to be linked into large, virtual-server clusters for efficient management. Network Dispatcher is a separately charged program and requires a use- authorization license for each server to be supported.

IBM Branch Extender technology, a component of Nways MRS, enables a single Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking^® (APPN^®) SNA network to scale up to thousands of branch locations. With Branch Extender, the 2210 can service many branch locations and eliminate the need for more network nodes. This reduces overall topology and routing traffic and improves bandwidth use.

The 2210 broadens its Internet capability with the APPN/HPR Enterprise Extender function and TN3270E server for branch office networks enhancing the already strong SNA support enabled by the DLSw protocol. The 2210 is capable of supporting additional protocols such as SDLC and BSC, which enable the 2210 to replace the 2218 in the FRAD environment.

For even greater flexibility in network access, the IBM Dial-In Access to LANs (DIALs) feature allows remote users to dial into a LAN and access resources, emulating a local attachment. DIALs also allows LAN-attached users to dial out to a WAN. The 2210 provides a rich DIALs remote server function that allows the 2210 to be used in a network that supports remote users dialing in or even local users dialing out to remote asynchronous servers. This function is offered by the 2210 to broaden its compatibility with other IBM networking hardware featuring DIALs support. Future DIALs Servers' clients will be fully supported.

The V.34 ASYNC interface and DIALs function requires an update to the boot code on the PROM for 2210 12x models and x4x models that were manufactured prior to December 1996. The BOOT ROM version must be 1.50 or 1.60 for the 12x models and Version 2.20 for the x4x models prior to using the V.34 interface and the Dial-in or Dial- out functions of DIALs function. During the loading of the MRS code, if the PROM is not at the correct level, the V.34 support and DIALs functions are disabled. The V2.20 PROM upgrade for the x4x models can be obtained from the IBM 2210 Home Page in the download area.

Remote dial access for mobile users

The 2210 supports ATM- and TCP/IP-based networks seamlessly and can even bridge over ATM to IP and IPX protocols. Supporting 25-Mbps ATM data transmission rates, the 2210 can also provide a LAN Emulation Client to assist in migration to ATM technology, thereby lowering network management costs.

Additional ATM enhancements offered by the 2210 include high-speed ATM application integration, configurable Quality of Service (QoS) for ATM LAN emulation, and support for Next Hop Resolution Protocol (NHRP) to establish shortcut routes and new network redundancy.

The 2210 also supports Classical IP and reliability mechanisms for IP over ATM networks. Native SNA traffic routing with High Performance Routing (HPR) maps and HPR service class to ATM's guaranteed bandwidth services, real-time transport, and multicasting ability also serve to position the 2210 as a flexible ATM solution.

The 2210 Nways Multiprotocol Router was designed to take advantage of the latest enhancements and standards offered by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). Enhancements to each protocol and link type improve security, administration, reliability, and network efficiency. Among the 2210's innovative features are increased X.25 scalability, X.25 Closed User Group facilities, and X.25 local support over TCP/IP. The 2210 also provides the following benefits:

• Broadened remote concentration to encompass a full complement of link types (Frame Relay, SVC/PVC, PPP, SDLC, SDLC relay, V.25bis, X.25 and V.34) for the WAN ports on the system card and 4-port WAN CPCI adapters.
• IP routing includes ICMP, TCP, UDP, RIP, OSPF V2, BGP-4, static routes, Multicast Extensions to OSPF (MOSPF), ARP, InARP, IP Access Controls and IP Version 6 support.
• Advanced SNA support with APPN Network Node (NN), APPN Intermediate Session Routing (ISR), HPR, Dependent LU Requester (DLUR), Version 2-compliant Data Link Switching (DLSw) including NetBIOS support, Branch Extender, Boundary Access Node (BAN), and LAN Network Manager.
• TN3270E server support enables IP access to SNA host applications. Distributed TN3270 servers across an IP, subarea, or APPN network provide:
  • Better availability by eliminating a single point of failure with a central gateway
  • Scalability with incremental capacity per 2210 site instead of a large, central-site, server gateway
• The Enterprise Extender function, with Class of Service (CoS) and SNA priority capabilities provides better service levels than DLSw to SNA users running over an IP backbone.
• IETF Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) standard support enables the tunneling of multiprotocol PPP traffic across intranets, extranets or the Internet.
• Layer 2 Forwarding (L2F) protocol, similar to L2TP and PPTP, carries privately addressed IP, IPX and AppleTalk dial-up via PPP across the Internet.
• BAN support to enable end stations attached to the 2210 to make a direct connection through Frame Relay to a front-end controller such as the IBM 3745 Communication Controller or the IBM 3746 Nways Multiprotocol Controller. A similar, direct connection can also be established between the 2210 and an IBM AS/400^® system.
• HPR to provide high-speed, native SNA transport with nondisruptive routing around failed connections, and adaptive rate-based congestion control.
• DLUR to enable 3270 traffic to utilize HPR and APPN transports.
• APPN Network Node support to provide routing and directory services to Ethernet, Token-Ring and SDLC-attached nodes.
• APPN ISR to provide the forwarding of session data to the next node along the path.
• IP enhancements such as Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server provide IP address and other configuration information to LAN-attached DHCP clients. Dynamic IP retrieves a public IP address from an ISP for use on the PPP interface.
  • IPv6 enhancements include new filters, dynamic reconfiguration for IPv6 configurable interfaces and relay agent to provide DHCP server information across the subnets.
  • IPv4 is enhanced to include the generic IP route policy. This controls which routes are included and excluded.
• Performance improvements include the two-way simultaneous scheduling and SDLC full-duplex stations.

Note: HPR, DLUR, APPN ISR, APPN Network Node, Enterprise Extender, TN3720E and Network Dispatcher are not available on Models 1Sx and 1Ux. Certain limitations apply to the individual models based on memory requirements.

WAN ISDN concentration for remote offices

If you are considering the increased use of dial services for backup and for remote offices with only occasional network access, you can use the ISDN BRI and PRI adapters. The 4- and 8-port WAN concentration adapters provide potential cost savings when multiple physical links can be consolidated into a single, high-speed link.

The EasyStart function means the remote 2210 can be plugged in at a remote location and it will find its configuration on a network server that is typically located at a central site.

All 2210 models also contain a service port supporting asynchronous communication for configuration and maintenance. All models support the industry's open network management standard, SNMP. Management of the system can be accomplished using SNMP managers.

Management application support is provided by many of IBM's management programs, including the Nways Enterprise Manager and the Campus Manager LAN for AIX products. You can also use IBM Nways Workgroup Manager for Windows NTr for smaller networks.

Patent-pending, IBM-exclusive VPN Manager tests simulate the effect of traffic against router policies and measure response time for Layer 2 sessions. The VPN Manager supports the 2210, 2212, 2216, and Network Utility and is supported on Windows NT, AIX, and HP-UX beginning in the previewed Nways Manager Version 2.