
Product Overview 1-1
Chapter 1: Product Overview
Introduction to Fast Ethernet
Standard 10 Mbit/s Ethernet has served well for past
generations of 286 and 386 machines performing simple file
transfers. However, with the inevitable growth in corporate
network size and the introduction of fully-functional 32-bit PC
architectures, and operating systems running complex
applications, 10 Mbit/s Ethernet has become a serious
bottleneck.
Among the recent flood of choices for upgrading media
bandwidth, 100 Mbit/s Fast Ethernet has the benefits of low
cost, compatibility with existing Ethernet applications, and the
fact that it can run on top of an installed base of twisted-pair
cabling.
Moreover, by using a dual-speed switch (10 or 100 Mbit/s),
Fast Ethernet can be easily integrated into an existing 10 Mbit/s
Ethernet environment with no need for protocol translation or
changes to network software. It also includes specifications for
a media-independent interface (MII), which permits a switched
connection to any of the 100Base-T sublayers; i.e., 100Base-TX
(10Base-T), or 100Base-T4.
Brief Description of the HP 100Base-T Hubs
The HP 100Base-T Hubs provide a powerful and innovative
LAN network enhancement and management product series.
All hubs support a Fast Ethernet isolation architecture that
enhances traffic management and network bandwidth
utilization. This system offers the network manager a wide
range of flexible configuration options, allowing you to
increase your network’s bandwidth tenfold or more. In
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