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APPENDIX A:  BASIC FDDI NETWORKS
Page A-2
BRIM-F6 User’s Guide
When a station has a frame waiting to transmit, the station captures the 
token at the next opportunity, transmits the data frame, and then reissues 
the token. (A Token Holding Timer (THT) controls the maximum length 
of time that any station may retain the token.) Each station receives and 
repeats the data frame as it circulates around the ring. When the frame 
arrives at the station defined by the destination address, the receiving 
station copies the frame into its buffer and forwards with information 
reflecting the receipt of the frame and related frame status. After the data 
frame circulates completely around the ring, the source station strips the 
data frame from the ring. 
FDDI networks use duplex fiber optic cable for point-to-point 
connections between a number of stations to form two closed loops. The 
two rings serve as redundant (primary and secondary) data paths that 
operate as counter-rotating rings. Redundant rings facilitate recovery 
procedures in the event of a ring segment failure. This recovery resembles 
that in Token Ring/IEEE 802.5 networks. This Appendix discusses this in 
greater detail later in this section.
The FDDI standard defines two ring access methods, single attachment 
and dual attachment (see Figure A-1). Dual attached stations (DAS) 
and dual attached concentrators (DAC) connect to both primary and 
secondary rings and can restore ring continuity in the event of a segment 
failure. Single attached stations (SAS) and single attached 
concentrators
 (SAC) cannot restore ring continuity and therefore cannot 
reside on the main ring path. 
Single attached devices access the main ring through a DAC and duplex 
fiber optic cable connections. These connections form branches that 
extend from the DAC out to each of the attached SASs, creating a Ring of 
Trees
 topology. The DAC controls main ring access to the attached SASs, 
restoring the continuity of the ring whenever an SAS fails, becomes 
disconnected, or is turned-off.
BRIM-F Book  Page 2  Monday, January 29, 1996  9:26 AM