1. Introduction
The Amsterdam Internet Exchange operates as a shared Layer 2 (L2) Ethernet infrastructure. Large Ethernet LANs require that more or less everyone plays by the same set of rules. In other words, it can be quite sensitive to misbehaviour.
In order to improve the stability of the Exchange, AMS-IX has defined a set of rules to which every member's connnection must adhere, the Technical Specifications.
Not everybody immediately grasps the subtleties of configuring equipment to adhere to the rules, so this document tries to fill in some blanks and provide examples and hints for the most common equipment.
1.1. Definition of Terms
In this document we refer to terms like “L2 device”, “L2/L3 hybrid”, etc. It may be worthwile to explain what we mean by them here.
- L2 Device
A device that functions as a Layer 2 (Ethernet) Bridge (a.k.a. “switch”, “bridge”, “hub”, etc).
- L3 Device
A device that functions as a L3 (IP) router only. This means it does not bridge any Ethernet frames between its interfaces. Such a device is typically called a “router”.
- L2/L3 Hybrid
A device that functions both as a L2 bridge and a L3 router. This means it can both bridge Ethernet frames between its interfaces as well as route IP traffic and participate in IP routing protocols. Foundry, Force10 and Extreme are common examples of this type of device.