What is FDDI?

FDDI is a highly reliable way to transmit data using a dual-ring protocol based on the token ring protocol. A token ring network is a local area network where all the computers on the network are connected in a giant circle and a token-passing setup is employed to prevent data collision when two computers send data at the same time. FDDI uses two rings that are independent of each other and transmit data in opposite directions. A secondary ring provides an alternate data path in the event a fault occurs on the primary ring. FDDI stations incorporate this secondary ring into the data path to route traffic around the fault. During normal operation, the primary ring transmits data and the secondary ring is idle. Here is a sample FDDI topology. Click on the image for definitions. Figure 8-3: FDDI specifications map to the OSI hierarchical model.

FDDI Transmission FDDI data is transmitted on two types of fiber optic lines: single-mode and multi-mode. A mode is a light ray that goes through the fiber, usually either from a laser or other light-generating device. A single-mode setup only allows one mode of light to go through the fiber. This method achieves higher performance connectivity over much larger distances, so it is used most often between buildings and across geographically dispersed environments.

A multi-mode fiber allows more than one light ray, which limits the bandwidth. This makes it the ideal technology for connectivity within a single building or in a relatively small geographic environment. Figure 8-2: Light sources differ for single-mode and multi-mode fibers.

Where is FDDI used? FDDI is used mainly in mission critical and high traffic networks where large amounts of data flow need to flow quickly and efficiently. FDDI is used anywhere that utilizes a large network in need of high bandwidth. Businesses, the Government, hospitals and other medical fields, stock exchanges and money markets, the automobile industry, and the media, just to name a few. It has become the mainstay access method of high speed networking in local area and metropolitan area networks in many places. Why use FDDI? FDDI offers more powerful workstations and servers, intensive network applications, growing distributed client/server applications, larger spans of distributed networks, increasing numbers of network users, and bigger and more powerful software applications. Also, FDDI offers higher capacity and performance with more simultaneous transactions, higher availability due to the dual ring topology, and longer distance loops, up to 100km. It is also compatible with other protocols that follow the OSI model, so integration with most existing and new technologies is seamless.

The physical media described by the FDDI specifications are various optical fibers with some of the following characteristics: FDDI Physical Parameters

Data Rate: 100Mbps. Topology: physical ring of trees, logical ring. Maximum distance between adjacent stations: 2 km. Total max. ring length: 100 km. Max. number of attached stations: 1000.

Comparison Chart Protocol FDDI IEEE 802.5 IBM Token Ring Data Rate 100 4/16 4/16 Segment Length Unlimited 250 250 Media Optical Fiber Not Specified Twisted Pair Rings 2 1 1