Source Routing Bridges

Developed by IEEE 802.5 committee.

To interconnect token ring networks.
Unlike Transparent bridges that place implementation complexity in
bridges, but source routing put the burden on end station.
Each source station determines route to destination
Routing information inserted in frame
Routing
control
2 bytes

Route 1
Route 2
designator designator
2 bytes
2 bytes

Destination Source
Routing
address
address information

Route m
designator
2 bytes

Data

FCS

Basic Principle
Each

station determines the route to the

destination when it wants to send a frame
Includes route information in the header of
the frame

Frame Format for Source Routing

Routing
control
2 bytes

Route 1
Route 2
designator designator
2 bytes
2 bytes

Destination Source
Routing
address
address information

Route m
designator
2 bytes

Data

FCS

1. Routing information field is included only if two communicating devices

are on different LANs.
2. Presence of routing information field is indicated by individual/group
address (I/G) bit in the source address field.
3. Routing control field defines
1. Frame type
2. Length of the routing information field
3. Direction of the route given by the route designator field
4. Route designator field contains LAN number and bridge number.

 In

general, when a station wants to send a

frame to another station on a different LAN,
then the station uses its routing table
-

If the route to the destination is found, the station

inserts the routing information into the frame
Else, the station performs route discovery
procedure. Once the route is found the station
adds the route information in its routing table

Basic idea for a station to discover a route

To discover route to a destination each station
broadcasts a single-route broadcast frame
Frame visits every LAN once & eventually reaches
destination
Route
Discovery
Destination sends all-routes broadcast frame which
generates all routes back to source
Source collects routes & picks best route.

Source Routing Bridges

To determine the exact remote location of Host Y,

Host X sends an explorer frame. Each bridge receiving the
explorer frame (Bridges 1 and 2, in this example) copies the
frame onto all outbound ports.
Route information is added to the explorer frames as they
travel through the internetwork.
When Host X's explorer frames reach Host Y, Host Y replies
to each individually, using the accumulated route information.
Upon receipt of all response frames, Host X chooses a path
based on some predetermined criteria.
LAN 1 to Bridge 1 to LAN 3 to Bridge 3 to LAN 2
LAN 1 to Bridge 2 to LAN 4 to Bridge 4 to LAN 2

Detailed Route Discovery

1.
2.
3.

4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

10.

Bridges must be configured to form a spanning tree so that the frame

appears only once.
Source sends single-route frame on its LAN without route designator field.
Selected Bridges in first LAN add incoming LAN #, its bridge #, outgoing
LAN # into frame (routing information field) & forwards frame to the
outgoing LAN.
Each subsequent bridge attaches its bridge # and outgoing LAN #
Eventually, one single-route frame arrives at destination.
When destination receives single-route broadcast frame it responds with
all-routes broadcast frame with no route designator field.
Bridge at first hop inserts incoming LAN #, its bridge #, and outgoing LAN #
and forwards to outgoing LAN # to the routing information field
Subsequent bridges insert their bridge # and outgoing LAN # and forward
To prevent all-routes broadcast frame circulating in the network, bridge
checks whether the outgoing LAN already in route designator field, if it is
recorded then the bridge will not forward the frame.
all-routes broadcast frame received by the source should list all possible
routes and choose the route.

Find routes from S1 to S3

LAN 2

S1

B4

LAN 4

B1

LAN 1

S2
B5

B3

B7

B2

S3
B6

LAN 3

LAN1

B1

B3

LAN3

B4

LAN4

LAN2

LAN 5

B6

LAN5

LAN 2

S1

LAN 4

B4

B1

S2

LAN 1

B3

B5

LAN 3

B6

B7

B2

B6

LAN3

B2

LAN1

B1

LAN2

B3

LAN2

B1
B4

LAN1
LAN4

LAN4

B4

LAN2

B5

LAN5

B7
B1
B4
B7

LAN 5

LAN2

LAN4
B5

LAN1

LAN3

B3

LAN3

B2
B3
B6

LAN1
LAN2

S3

B3
B4
B2
B5
B7
B1
B3

LAN4

B5
B7

LAN1

B2

B2

LAN3

B2
B5
B6
B1
B1
B4

LAN1

B3
B5
B6
B1

LAN2
LAN1

B3
B4
B2