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Interfaces, Ports, and Bindings 47
SmartWare Software Configuration Guide 2 • Configuration concepts
Interfaces, Ports, and Bindings
Interfaces
The concept of an interface in SmartWare differs from that in traditional networking devices. Traditionally, the
term interface is often synonymous with port or circuit, which are physical entities. In SmartWare however, an
interface is a logical construct that provides higher-layer protocol and service information, such as layer 3
addressing. Interfaces are configured as part of a context, and are independent of physical ports and circuits.
The decoupling of the interface from the physical layer entities enables many of the advanced features offered
by SmartWare.
In order for the higher-layer protocols to become active, you must associate an interface with a physical port or
circuit. This association is referred to as a binding in SmartWare. Refer to the “Bindings” section for more
information. In figure 5 on page 45, the IP context shows three interfaces and the CS context shows four inter-
faces. These interfaces are configured within their contexts. The bindings shown in the figure are not present
when the interfaces are configured; they are configured later.
Ports and circuits
Ports and circuits in SmartWare represent the physical connectors and channels on the SmartNode hardware.
The configuration of a port or circuit includes parameters for the physical and data link layer such as line
clocking, line code, framing and encapsulation formats or media access control. Before any higher-layer user
data can flow through a physical port or circuit, you must associate that port or circuit with an interface on a
context. This association is referred to as a binding. Refer to the “Bindings” section for more information.
Examples of ports are: Ethernet, Serial, DSL, FXS or FXO. Ports are numbered according to the label (or
abbreviation) printed on the hardware.
Example: Ethernet 0/1, Serial 0/0, BRI 3/2
Some ports may contain multiple circuits. For example, serial ports can contain one or more Frame Relay Per-
manent Virtual Circuits (PVC). If a port has one or more circuits configured, the individual circuits are bound
to interfaces on a context. The port itself may not be bound in that case.
Example: frame-relay pvc 112.
Figure 5 on page 45 shows five ports. Three ports are bound directly to an IP interface. One port has a single
circuit configured, which is bound to the IP context. Two ISDN ports are bound to CS interfaces.
Bindings
Bindings form the association between circuits or ports and the interfaces configured on a context. No user
data can flow on a circuit or Ethernet port until some higher-layer service is configured and associated with it.
Bindings are configured statically in the port or circuit configuration. The binding is created bottom-up, that is
from the port to the interface.
In the case of VoIP CS interfaces, bindings are configured statically in the CS interface configuration. The
binding is created from the interface to the gateway.
Bindings from ports to interfaces shown in figure 5 on page 45.