The AppleTalk Protocol
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Networks using Cisco routers can also use AT EIGRP, which provides
significant advantages in terms of the bandwidth required. As with IP EIGRP
and IPX EIGRP, the protocol is proprietary and can require a significant
amount of processor and memory on the router. Because non-Cisco devices
cannot use the EIGRP protocol, its use is usually limited to WAN and back-
bone links. This assumes that RTMP is disabled on the segment. This is
accomplished with the
no appletalk protocol rtmp
command. Cisco
routers automatically redistribute RTMP and AT EIGRP.
AppleTalk Update-Based Routing Protocol (AURP) is a method of encapsulat-
ing AppleTalk traffic. This occurs within the header of another protocol, usually
TCP/IP. The resulting connection is referred to as an AURP tunnel. AURP main-
tains routing table information and permits AppleTalk networks to span WANs
that do not service the AppleTalk protocol. While AURP is considered an Apple-
Talk routing protocol, this chapter will focus on RTMP and AT EIGRP.
Unlike IP and IPX EIGRP, which use an autonomous system number or process
number, AT EIGRP uses a router number. This number must be unique for each
router in the network.
AppleTalk
ping
Command
The AppleTalk
ping
command is used for troubleshooting, in much the
same way as the TCP/IP
ping
command is used. This command is useful for
verifying connectivity if the administrator knows the AppleTalk address or
node name.
A command line
ping
is displayed as follows:
Router_C#
ping apple 1.87
Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte AppleTalk Echos to 1.87, timeout is 2
seconds:
!!!!!
Success rate is 100 percent (5/5), round-trip min/avg/max
= 1/2/4 ms
The extended
ping
option with verbose mode selected is as follows:
Router_C#
ping
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