Access interfaces

Overview

Each customer service is configured with at least one access interface point called a SAP. The access interface identifies the point of customer interface for a service on the managed device.

A Layer 2 or Layer 3 access interface is uniquely identified using these parameters:

• physical Ethernet port or POS port and channel

• encapsulation type (if applicable)

• encapsulation id (if applicable)

Depending on the encapsulation type, a physical port or channel can have more than one access interface associated with it. Using encapsulation or a SONET/SDH channel, devices can support multiple services for a customer or for multiple customers.

Access interfaces can only be created on ports or channels that are designated as access in the physical port configuration. Access interfaces cannot be created on ports designated as core-facing network ports because these ports have a different set of features enabled in software.

Access interfaces can participate in policies. Time of day suites can also be associated with access interfaces to apply a set of time-based policies, filters, and schedulers. Configuration of access interfaces can be performed during service configuration or modification.

When you configure an access interface, consider the following:

• An access interface is owned by and associated with the service in which it is created.

• An access interface is a local entity and is locally unique to a specific device. The same access interface ID value can be used on another device.

• There are no default access interfaces. All access interfaces must be created.

• The default administrative state for an access interface at creation time is administratively enabled.

• If a port or channel is shut down ( administratively or operationally), access interfaces on that port/channel are operationally out of service.