Ethernet: Implemented Standards

The Ethernet model operates according to the following standards:

Gigabit Ethernet: IEEE 802.3z-1998
Full-Duplex Ethernet with Flow Control: IEEE 802.3x-1997
Fast Ethernet: IEEE 802.3u-1995
Ethernet: IEEE 802.3-1998

Note: switches don't implement the Spanning Tree Protocol. You need to avoid cycles in the LAN topology.

MAC and higher layers

MAC and LLC are implemented as separate modules (EtherMAC and EtherLLC/EtherEncap) because encapsulation/decapsulation functionality is not always needed. (Switches don't do encapsulation/decapsulation.) In switches, EtherMAC is used with IMACRelayUnit.

EtherLLC and higher layers

The EtherLLC module can serve several applications (higher layer protocols), and dispatch data to them. Higher layers are identified by DSAP. See Application registration for more info.

EtherEncap doesn't have the functionality to dispatch to different higher layers because in practice it'll always be used with IPv4.