AppleTalk routing information

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

AppleTalk routing information

AppleTalk routing information includes:

  • A network number or network range associated with each physical network.

  • The zone name or zone list associated with each physical network.

  • The default zone for the network (if the network has multiple zones).

The network number or network range is the address or range of addresses assigned to the network. A network number is unique and identifies a particular AppleTalk physical network. By keeping track of network numbers and network ranges, routers can send incoming data to the correct physical network. A network number can be any number from 1 through 65,535.

LocalTalk networks can have only a single network number; EtherTalk, TokenTalk, and Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) networks can have network ranges.

A zone is a logical grouping that simplifies browsing the network for resources, such as servers and printers. It is similar to a Windows Server 2003 domain as far as browsing is concerned. In LocalTalk networks, each physical network can be associated with only one zone. However, for EtherTalk, TokenTalk, or FDDI, you have more flexibility in assigning zones. Each EtherTalk, TokenTalk, or FDDI network can have one or more zones associated with it, and each zone can include servers and printers on one or more physical networks. This allows you to group servers and printers logically into zones so that users can easily locate and access the servers and printers, no matter what physical networks they are on.

Each Macintosh client on the network is assigned to a single zone. However, each client can access servers and printers in any zone on the network. Zones make accessing network resources simpler for users. When users use the Chooser to view the network, they see only the resources in a single zone at a time, preventing them from having to navigate through huge numbers of resources on large networks to find the resources that they need. You can put the clients, servers, and printers used by a single group into a single zone so that users will see only the resources they typically use but will still be able to access resources in other zones when required.

A zone list includes all the zones associated with that network. One of these zones is the network's default zone, to which the Macintosh clients on that network are assigned by default. Users can configure the client to be in a different zone, however.