Ring Redundancy

The concept of the Ring Redundancy enables the construction of high-availability, ring-shaped network structures.

If a section is down, the ring structure of a

With the aid of a device's Ring Manager (RM) function you can close both ends of a backbone in a line-type configuration to form a redundant ring.

Depending on the device model, the Ring Redundancy dialog allows you to:

Note: Only one Ring Redundancy method can be enabled on one device at any one time. When changing to another Ring Redundancy method, deactivate the function for the time being.
Note: If you have configured a device as the MRP Ring Manager, the device enables you to carry out the MRP Ring Configuration automatically (refer Advanced Ring Configuration/Diagnostics (ARC)).

Tab. Ring Redundancy basic configuration

Parameter

Meaning

Version

Select the Ring Redundancy version you want to use:
HIPER-Ring
MRP
FAST HIPER-Ring (RSR20/30, MACH 1000)

Ring port No.

In a ring, every device has 2 neighbors. Define 2 ports as ring ports to which the neighboring devices are connected.

Module

Module identifier of the ports used as ring ports

Port

Port identifier of the ports used as ring ports

Operation

Value depends on the Ring Redundancy version used. Described in the following sections for the corresponding Ring Redundancy version.

Configuring the HIPER-Ring

Note: For the ring ports, select the following basic settings in the Basic Settings:Port Configuration dialog:

Tab. Port settings for ring ports

Port type

Bit rate

Autonegotiation (automatic configuration)

Port setting

Duplex

TX

100 Mbit/s

off

on

100 Mbit/s full duplex (FDX)

TX

1 Gbit/s

on

on

-

Optical

100 Mbit/s

off

on

100 Mbit/s full duplex (FDX)

Optical

1 Gbit/s

on

on

-

Optical

10 Gbit/s

-

on

10 Gbit/s full duplex (FDX)


Note: Configure all the devices of the HIPER-Ring individually. Before you connect the redundant line, you must complete the configuration of all the devices of the HIPER-Ring. You thus avoid loops during the configuration phase.
Note: As an alternative to using software to configure the HIPER-Ring, with the RS20/30/40, MS20/30 and PowerMICE Switches, you can also use DIP switches to enter a number of settings on the devices. You can also use a DIP switch to enter a setting for whether the configuration via DIP switch or the configuration via software has priority. The state on delivery is “Software Configuration”. You will find details on the DIP switches in the “Installation” user manual.

Tab. HIPER-Ring configuration

Parameter

Meaning

Ring port X.X operation

Display in “Operation” field:
active: This port is switched on and has a link.
inactive: This port is switched off or it has no link.

Ring Manager Status

Status information, no input possible:
Active (redundant line): The redundant line was closed because a data line or a network component within the ring failed.
Inactive: The redundant ring is open, and all data lines and network components are working.

Ring Manager Mode

If there is exactly one device, you switch the Ring Manager function on at the ends of the line.

Ring Recovery

The settings in the ”Ring Recovery“ frame are only effective for devices that are ring managers.

In the ring manager, select the desired value for the test packet timeout for which the ring manager waits after sending a test packet before it evaluates the test packet as lost.

  • Standard: test packet timeout 480 ms

  • Accelerated: test packet timeout 280 ms

Note: The settings are especially meaningful if at least one line in the ring consists of a 1,000 MBit/s twisted pair line. The reconfiguration time after connection interruption existing due to the reaction characteristic of 1,000 MBit/s twisted pair ports can thus be accelerated considerably.

Information

If the device is a ring manager: The displays in this frame mean:
“Redundancy working”: When a component of the ring is down, the redundant line takes over its function.
“Configuration failure”: You have configured the function incorrectly, or there is no ring port connection.

Note: Deactivate the Spanning Tree protocol (STP) for the ports connected to the redundant ring, because the Spanning Tree and the Ring Redundancy work with different reaction times (Redundancy:Spanning Tree:Port). If you used the DIP switch to activate the HIPER-Ring function, STP is automatically switched off.
Note: If you have configured VLANS, note the VLAN configuration of the ring ports.
In the configuration of the HIPER-Ring, you select for the ring ports

Note: If you are also using redundant ring/network coupling, make sure that the device is transmitting VLAN 1 packets tagged on the two ring ports.
Note: If you want to use link aggregation connections in the HIPER-Ring (PowerMICE and MACH 4000), you enter the index of the desired link aggregation entry for the module and the port.
Note: When activating the HIPER-Ring function via software or DIP switches, the device sets the corresponding settings for the pre-defined ring ports in the configuration table (transmission rate and mode). If you switch off the HIPER-Ring function, the ports, which are changed back into normal ports, keep the ring port settings. Independently of the DIP switch setting, you can still change the port settings via the software.

Configuring the MRP-Ring

Note: To configure an MRP-Ring, you set up the network to meet your demands. For the ring ports, select the following basic settings in the Basic Settings:Port Configuration dialog:

Tab. Port settings for ring ports

Port type

Bit rate

Autonegotiation (automatic configuration)

Port setting

Duplex

TX

100 Mbit/s

off

on

100 Mbit/s full duplex (FDX)

TX

1 Gbit/s

on

on

-

Optical

100 Mbit/s

off

on

100 Mbit/s full duplex (FDX)

Optical

1 Gbit/s

on

on

-

Optical

10 Gbit/s

-

on

10 Gbit/s full duplex (FDX)


Note: Configure all the devices of the MRP-Ring individually. Before you connect the redundant line, you must have completed the configuration of all the devices of the MRP-Ring. You thus avoid loops during the configuration phase.
Note: If you have configured VLANs and you want to assign the MRP-Ring configuration to a VLAN.
Note: If you are also using redundant ring/network coupling, make sure that the device is transmitting VLAN 1 packets tagged on the two ring ports.

Tab. MRP-Ring configuration

Parameter

Meaning

Ring port X.X operation

Display in “Operation” field:
forwarding: This port is switched on and has a link.
blocked: This port is blocked and has a link.
disabled: This port is switched off.
not connected: This port has no link.

Ring Manager Configuration

Deactivate the advanced mode if a device in the ring does not support the advanced mode for fast switching times. Otherwise you activate the advanced mode.

Note: All Hirschmann devices that support the MRP-Ring also support the advanced mode.

Ring Manager Mode

If there is exactly one device, you switch the Ring Manager function on at the ends of the line.

Operation

When you have configured all the parameters for the MRP-Ring, you switch the operation on with this setting. When you have configured all the devices in the MRP-Ring, you close the redundant line.

Ring Recovery

For the device for which you have activated the ring manager, select the value 200 ms if the stability of the ring meets the requirements for your network. Otherwise select 500 ms.
Note: Settings in the “Ring Recovery” frame are only effective for devices that are ring managers.

VLAN ID

If you have configured VLANs, then here you select:

  • VLAN ID 0 if you do not want to assign the MRP-Ring configuration to any VLAN. Note the VLAN configuration of the ring ports: Select VLAN ID 1 and VLAN membership U in the static VLAN table for the ring ports.

  • VLAN ID > 0 if you want to assign the MRP-Ring configuration to this VLAN. Select this VLAN ID in the MRP-Ring configuration for all devices in this MRP-Ring.Note the VLAN configuration of the ring ports: For all ring ports in this MRP-Ring, select this corresponding VLAN ID and the VLAN membership T in the static VLAN table.

Information

If the device is a ring manager: The displays in this frame mean:
“Redundancy working”: When a component of the ring is down, the redundant line takes over its function.
“Configuration failure”: You have configured the function incorrectly, or there is no ring port connection.

Note: For all devices in an MRP-Ring, activate the MRP compatibility in the Redundancy:Spanning Tree:Global dialog if you want to use RSTP in the MRP-Ring. If this is not possible, perhaps because individual devices do not support the MRP compatibility, you deactivate the Spanning Tree protocol on the ports connected to the MRP-Ring. Spanning Tree and Ring Redundancy affect each other.
Note: If you combine RSTP with an MRP-Ring, you must give the devices in the MRP-Ring a better (i.e. numerically lower) RSTP bridge priority than the devices in the connected RSTP network. You thus help avoid a connection interruption for devices outside the Ring.

Advanced Ring Configuration/Diagnostics (ARC)

A special feature of the Hirschmann device is completing the configuration of all the devices in an MRP Ring using the ARC protocol (Advanced Ring Configuration).

To configure an MRP Ring using ARC, all you have to do is to connect Hirschmann devices in their default state to a ring and to run the Advanced Ring Configuration/Diagnostics on a device. Only the device on which you are operating the ARC using the Web-based interface requires an IP address.

The ARC manager first sends diagnostic packets to the ring and analyzes the responses from the ring subscribers. In doing so, it determines the ring ports and the ring subscribers' current settings.
If the ARC manager determines that the requirements for the Advanced Ring Configuration/Diagnostics are met, it carries through the configuration for you automatically.
At the same time, the ARC manager sends the configuration packets to the ring. In the course of this, all the devices in the ring automatically configure their ring redundancy settings for an MRP Ring according to the ARC manager's specifications.
After this, all the devices in the ring save their new configuration non-volatilely.

The prerequisites for checking and carrying out the Advanced Ring Configuration/Diagnostics automatically are:

Note: Note the following special features of the Advanced Ring Configuration/Diagnostics:

If you have designated a device as a Ring Subscriber, it displays the “Advanced Ring Configuration/Diagnostics” frame, including 3 selection options, in the Ring Redundancy dialog.

If necessary, select the “Read/Write” option and save the setting to the device.

If you have designated a device as a Ring Manager, it displays the “Advanced Ring Configuration/Diagnosics Protocol” frame in the Ring Redundancy dialog. It includes 2 selection options and the “Configuration” and “Diagnostics” buttons.

If necessary, select the “On” option and save the setting to the device.

To check whether the ARC can configure the ring automatically, click on “Diagnostics”. To configure the ring automatically using the ARC, click on “Configuration”. The device guides you through the diagnostic and configuration steps with the aid of a wizard and displays the results for you.

Configuring the Fast HIPER-Ring (RSR20, RSR30, MACH 1000)

Within a Fast HIPER-Ring, you can use any combination of the following devices:

To configure a Fast HIPER-Ring, you set up the network to meet your requirements. For the ring ports, select the following basic settings in the Basic Settings:Port Configuration dialog:

Tab. Port settings for ring ports

Port type

Bit rate

Autonegotiation (automatic configuration)

Port setting

Duplex

TX

100 Mbit/s

off

on

100 Mbit/s full duplex (FDX)

TX

1 Gbit/s

on

on

-

Optical

100 Mbit/s

off

on

100 Mbit/s full duplex (FDX)

Optical

1 Gbit/s

on

on

-

Optical

10 Gbit/s

-

on

10 Gbit/s full duplex (FDX)


Note: Configure all the devices of the Fast HIPER-Ring individually. Before you connect the redundant line, you must have completed the configuration of all the devices of the Fast HIPER-Ring. You thus avoid loops during the configuration phase.
Note: If you have configured VLANs and you want to assign the Fast HIPER-Ring configuration to a VLAN:
Note: If you are also using redundant ring/network coupling, make sure that the device is transmitting VLAN 1 packets tagged on the two ring ports.

Tab. Fast HIPER-Ring configuration

Parameter

Meaning

Ring port X.X operation

Display in “Operation” field:
forwarding: This port is switched on and has a link.
blocked: This port is blocked and has a link.
disabled: This port is switched off.
not connected: This port has no link.

Ring Manager Mode

If there is exactly one device, you switch the Ring Manager function on at the ends of the line.

Operation

When you have configured all the parameters for the Fast HIPER-Ring, you switch the operation on here. When you have configured all the devices in the Fast HIPER-Ring, you close redundant lines.

Ring Information
Round Trip Delay

Round Trip Delay: round-trip delay in µs for test packets, measured by ring manager.
The display begins with 100 µs, in steps of 100 µs. Values of 1000 µs and greater indicate that the ring may become unstable. In this case, check that the number of devices in the “Switches” frame is correct (see below).

VLAN ID

If you have configured VLANs, you select
VLAN ID 0 here if you do not want to assign the Fast HIPER-Ring configuration to a VLAN. Note the VLAN configuration of the ring ports: Select for VLAN ID 1 and VLAN membership U in the static VLAN table for the ring ports.
VLAN ID > 0 if you want to assign the Fast HIPER-Ring configuration to this VLAN. Select the same VLAN ID in the Fast HIPER-Ring configuration for all devices in this ring. Note the VLAN configuration of the ring ports: For all ring ports in this Fast HIPER-Ring, select this corresponding VLAN ID and the VLAN membership T in the static VLAN table.

Switches / Number

Enter the number of devices integrated in this Fast HIPER-Ring. This entry is used to optimize the reconfiguration time and the stability of the ring.

Information

If the device is a ring manager: The displays in this frame mean:
“Redundancy working”: When a component of the ring is down, the redundant line takes over its function.
“Configuration failure”: You have configured the function incorrectly, or there is no ring port connection.

Note: Deactivate the Spanning Tree protocol (STP) for the ports connected to the redundant ring, because the Spanning Tree and the Ring Redundancy work with different reaction times (Redundancy:Spanning Tree:Port).

Buttons

Tab. Buttons (Forts.)

Button

Meaning

“Set”

Transfers the changes to the volatile memory (RAM) of the device. To permanently save the changes, open the Basic Settings:Load/Save dialog, select the location to save the configuration, and click “Save”.

“Reload”

Updates the fields with the values that are saved in the volatile memory (RAM) of the device.

“Delete ring configuration”

Switches off the redundancy function and resets all the settings in the dialog to the state on delivery.

“Help”

Opens the online help.