Proxy ARP with OptiConnect

 

Proxy address resolution protocol (ARP) allows physically distinct networks to appear as if they were a single, logical network.

The proxy ARP technique provides connectivity between physically separate networks without creating any new logical networks and updating any route tables.

Proxy ARP allows systems that are not connected to the local area network (LAN) to appear as if they were. When a system on the LAN wants to send data to one of the remote systems, it sends an ARP request, asking for the medium access control (MAC) address of the remote system. When the System i™ platform that acts as the proxy sees this request, it replies with the MAC address of the remote system. Conversely, the system that requests the ARP sends its MAC address to the System i platform. The System i platform then forwards the data to the remote system only if IP forwarding is set to *YES.

If you want to apply the preceding scenario in terms of OptiConnect, consider the following scenario:

• Two physically distinct networks: a LAN and a network consisting of an OptiConnect bus need to communicate. In the preceding point-to-point configuration example, we assume that all systems are connected to the same OptiConnect bus and token-ring line. Suppose that SYSTEM A has a token-ring connection and all access to SYSTEM B and SYSTEM C has to go through it. Proxy ARP provides the necessary connectivity between these physically distinct networks.

 

Parent topic:

Configuring TCP/IP over OptiConnect