Chapter 4. X.25 Installation and Configuration

The following information explains what you need to install the X.25 program and how to configure your system for X.25 communications.

Before you install the X.25 program, ensure that your system meets the minimum software and hardware requirements.

Minimum Requirements

Software

You need the following software:

• AIX Version 3.2.5 with required updates.
• AIX X.25/6000 Version 1.1 licensed program or higher (feature 5696-868).

or

• AIX Version 4 with required updates.
• AIXLink X.25 Version 1.1 licensed program or higher (feature 5696-926).

Hardware

You need the following hardware:

• A system with at least one of the following:
  • Portmaster Adapter/A 8-port V.24
  • Portmaster Adapter/A 6-port V.35
  • Portmaster Adapter/A 6-port X.21
  • ARTIC960 6-port V.36
  • ARTIC960 8-port X.21
  • ARTIC960 8-port EIA-232E (V.24)

    Notes:

    1. The Portmaster adapters are made up of a processor board, along with an add-on electrical interface board (EIB). The EIB requires you to select the type of line interface to be used. The adapters should have 1 or 2 MB of memory.
    2. The ARTIC960 adapters are made up of a processor board, along with an add-on applications interface board (AIB). The AIB type determines the line interface. The adapters must have 4MB of memory.

  • X.25 Interface Co-Processor/2.
• A PowerPC Personal Computer with the following:
  • X.25 Interface Co-Processor/1.

    Note: The interrupt level of this adapter is set using switches on the adapter. The interrupt level should be set to match the other adapters installed. Refer to the system unit's documentation for more details.

  • IBM 2-Port Multiprotocol PCI Adapter.

    Note: The PowerPC model must have PCI slots in order to use this adapter.

Planning Your X.25 Installation

The best method for data transfer over a wide area network depends on a number of factors. Among the common factors are the amount of data traffic, the frequency that data is sent, response time required, and so forth. Along with these, the tariff available for the network providers can play an important part in protocol choice.

Once X.25 is decided upon, the specifics of the network subscription must be planned along with the network provider. Switched virtual circuits can be used by different applications, possibly to different remote destinations, at different times. Permanent virtual circuits are dedicated to a given remote destination. Depending on the type of X.25 traffic that is generated, the number and speed of X.25 lines must be decided, along with the number of virtual circuits, and so forth.

With the characteristics of the X.25 interfaces defined, X.25 adapters (X.25 Co-Processor/2 or the ARTIC Portmaster Adapter) to support these interfaces must be added to the system. Choice of adapter and line interface depends on the characteristics of the network subscription.

If you are using an AIX Version 3 system, the base AIX Version 3 X.25 may already be in use. With the base system active, it should be decided which adapters should be used to support the old X.25 system and which should be used to support the licensed program.

Note: If your X.25 applications use the Data Link Provider Interface (DLPI), and you are migrating to AIXLink/X.25 Version 1.1.4 from a prior version of the product, you may need to make changes to your DLPI applications.

The changes are necessary to allow your applications to make use of all adapters supported by the AIXLink/X.25 product. If your DLPI applications are not configured to use the IBM 2-Port Multiprotocol PCI adapter, then the changes are not strictly required. See Chapter 6, DLPI Overview, for more information.

Installation Procedure

The X.25 licensed program is delivered as an install-image. To install the X.25 program:

1. Read "Planning Your X.25 Installation."

   AIX Version 3.2.5 users

   The licensed program is installed as one option, which installs all the product's files.

   AIX Version 4 users

   The files making up the licensed program are divided into a number of sets that may be installed independently. Installation of the X.25 run time system is a prerequisite for installation of any of the other X.25 options. When installing the X.25 files, the language environment should be set to E_US. The following options are available: All COMIO Compatibility Support and Applications NPI and DLPI Support Runtime Environment TCP/IP Support Triple-X Packet Assembler/Disassembler (PAD) Applications such as SNA and XTALK the COMIO Compatibility support.

2. Follow the instructions included with the program package.
3. Use the installp command or SMIT to install the program.

Hardware Installation

The adapters should be installed as described in the system unit's documentation.

• The ARTIC960 adapters attach to a special breakout cable, which converts the one connector on the adapter to the 6 or 8 ports supported. This cable must be the same interface type as the AIB attached to the adapter. From the breakout cable, the ports are attached to the line interface equipment.

  Notes:

  1. The ARTIC960 adapter is supported only on AIXLink/X.25 Version 1.1.3 or later. Prior to using AIXLink/X.25 on the ARTIC960 adapter, install the IBM ARTIC960 AIX Support Program for RS /6000 software for AIX Version 4. This software is shipped on a diskette packaged with the adapter and must be version 1.1.3 or later. When running X.25 on an ARTIC960 adapter, do not directly run any other ARTIC960 software on that adapter, including the programs in /usr/lpp/devices.artic960/bin. The ARTIC960 adapter is not supported on 7006- and 7011-type systems.
  2. If you install the ARTIC960 AIX Support Program for RS /6000 Version 1.1.3 after installing AIXLink/X.25, the following error may occur when attempting to add a twd AIXLink/X.25 device driver to the ARTIC960 adapter:

     Method error (/usr/lib/methods/define):
          0514-022 The specified connection is not valid. 

     If you encounter this error, run the following script to fix the problem:

     /usr/lpp/sx25/inst_root/sx25.rte.config

  3. The ARTIC960 EIA-232E (V.24) AIB can use the same fanout boxes and cables as those used for the Portmaster Adapter/A. The ARTIC960 X.21 AIB cannot. If the ARTIC960 V.36 AIB is being connected to a V.35 network, the same fanout box and cables can be used as those for the Portmaster Adapter/A. If the ARTIC960 V.36 AIB is being connected to a V.36 network, the ARTIC960 6-port V.36 cable must be used.

• The 2-Port Multiprotocol PCI Adapters provide two interface ports, the physical interface type being selected by the type of cable used. This adapter supports four different cabling options, corresponding to the following physical line interface types:
  • RS-232
  • V.35
  • V.36
  • X.21

  Please order the appropriate cable for your interface equipment.

• The Portmaster/A adapters attach to a special breakout cable, which converts the one connector on the adapter to the 6 or 8 ports supported. This cable must be the same interface type as the EIB attached to the adapter. From the breakout cable, the ports are attached to the line interface equipment.
• The X.25 Co-Processors provide one interface port, the physical interface type being selected by the type of cable used.
• With the X.25 Co-Processor/1, the adapter's interrupt level must be set so it will not conflict with other adapters in the system. Refer to the system's documentation for details of the interrupt setup.