Specifications

Understanding Neighbor Discovery
October 15, 2008 Page 4 of 14
TherearetwoprimaryLLDP‐MEDdevicetypes(asshowninFigure 2 onpage5):
•Networkconnectivitydevices,whichareLANaccessdevicessuchasLANswitch/router,
bridge,repeater,wirelessaccesspoint,oranydevicethatsupportstheIEEE802.1ABandMED
extensionsdefinedbythestandardandcanrelayIEEE
802framesviaanymethod.
•Endpointdevices,whichhavethreedefinedsub‐typesorclasses:
–LLDP‐MEDGenericEndpoint(ClassI)—Allendpointproductsthat,whilerequiringthe
baseLLDPdiscoveryservicesdefinedinthestandard,donotsupportIPmediaoractas
anend‐usercommunicationdevice,suchas
IPcommunicationscontrollers,other
communication‐relatedservers,oranydevicerequiringbasicservices.Discoveryservices
definedinthisclassincludeLANconfiguration,devicelocation,networkpolicy,power
management,andinventorymanagement.
–LLDP‐MEDMediaEndpoint(ClassII)—AllendpointproductsthathaveIPmedia
capabilitiesbutthatmaynotbe
associatedwithaparticularenduser,suchasvoice/media
gateways,conferencebridges,andmediaservers.Capabilitiesincludeallofthe
capabilitiesdefinedforGenericEndpoint(ClassI)andareextendedtoincludeaspects
relatedtomediastreaming.Discoveryservicesdefinedinthisclass includemediatype
specificnetworklayerpolicy
discovery.
–LLDP‐MEDCommunicationEndpoint(ClassIII)—Allendpointproductsthatactasan
endpointusercommunicationdevicesupportingIPmedia.Capabilitiesincludeallofthe
capabilitiesdefinedfortheGenericEndpoint(ClassI)andMediaEndpoint(ClassII)
devicesandareextendedtoincludeaspectsrelatedtoenduser
devices,suchasIP
phones,PC‐basedsoftphones,andothercommunicationdevicesthatdirectlysupportthe
enduser.