ITEM: BO0405L
Summary of AIXLINK/X.25 V1.1.3 LPP Enhancements
ANSWER:
The AIXLink/X.25 Version 1.1 licensed program product (LPP) for AIX
Version 4 was made generally available in April, 1995. Since that time,
two major functional enhancements have been completed.
The AIXLink/X.25 V1.1.2 enhancement, released in November, 1995, is
available via APAR IX52536 and added
- x25status command
- dialup on demand functionality
- additional PAD customization options
The equivalent function is available with PTF U440663 for AIX V3.2.5
systems running the X.25 LPP.
The AIXLink V1.1.3 enhancement, released April 26, 1996, is available via
APAR IX56707 (same as PTF U443681) and adds
- support for higher speed IBM ARTIC i960 Micro Channel adapters
- support for the IBM ARTIC Multiport Model 2 (ISA bus) adapters
- further enhancements to PAD
- PAD printing support
- new x25mon command flags
- power management support
Details on the AIXLink/X.25 V1.1.3 release enhancements (available for
AIX V4 systems only) follow.
======================================================================
Software and Documentation
======================================================================
New orders for RISCs running X.25 on AIX V4.1.4 systems will automatic-
ally be shipped with the latest release software. Existing AIX V4 X.25
users should first upgrade from the base X.25 LPP software to V1.1.2.
Once at the 1.1.2 release, apply the APAR to upgrade to 1.1.3 level.
Users may identify the various software levels using the "List installed
software" option in the fastpath "smit lslpp" menu or the lslpp command.
Use one of the following or a variation:
lslpp -l | grep sx25.rte
lslpp -l | grep x25
Due to publication schedules, the AIX documentation reflects updated
information on AIXLink/X.25 enhancements at the following levels.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AIXLink/ AIX BOS InfoExplorer Publication
X.25 Rel. minimum (Soft copy) (Hard copy)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
1.1 AIX V4.1.2 AIX V4.1.2 "AIXLink/X.25 1.1 for AIX Guide
and Reference" (SC23-2520-01)
1.1.2 AIX V4.1.4 AIX V4.1.4
1.1.3 AIX V4.1.4 AIX V4.2 the SC23-2520-02 update
All release levels include the /usr/lpp/sx25/README file.
======================================================================
New ARTIC Adapter Support
======================================================================
Note: All of the adapters supported by AIX for X.25 are members of
the ARTIC (A RealTime Interface Coprocessor) family of IBM adapters.
For more information on this adapter family, visit URL:
http://wwprodsoln.bocaraton.ibm.com
With the V1.1.3 enhancement, X.25 users have a wider assortment of
adapters to choose from to meet a range of system needs. A summary of
current adapter support follows:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
SOFTWARE PACKETS NUMBER LOGICAL
ADAPTER SUPPORT PER SECOND* CHANNELS
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Micro Channel bus:
X.25 Co-Processor/2 AIX V3 BOS** 35 64 per adapter
" " " AIXLink LPP 100 512 per adapter
Portmaster/A AIXLink LPP 200 512/port, 1024/adapter
ARTIC960 AIXLink V1.1.3 1,000 512/port, 1024/adapter
ISA bus:
X.25 Co-Processor AIXLink LPP 100 512 per adapter
Multiport Model 2 AIXLink V1.1.3 200 512/port, 1024/adapter
*Assumes 128-byte packets, measured at the packet layer API
**Basic X.25 support was included in the AIX V3 Base Operating System
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Support for two new IBM ARTIC adapter types, the ARTIC960 Micro Channel
adapters and the Multiport Model 2 (ISA), is included in the AIX X.25
V1.1.3 enhancement. These single slot adapters are built by plugging
a protocol-specific interface board (daughter card) into a base adapter.
A matching protocol-specific interface cable (fanout box) plugs into the
adapter and provides either 6 or 8 ports for network attachments. Each
adapter has on-adapter memory -- if more memory than the minimum required
is installed, it is not used by the X.25 software. The X.25 V1.1.3
enhancement supports up to eight X.25 adapters per system in any mix.
Adapter connection components include:
* Base adapter
* Interface board (daughter card)
* Interface cable (fanout box plus individual modem cables or
octopus cable)
- Multiport Model 2 (ISA): This base adapter provides an ISA bus
equivalent to the Portmaster/A Micro Channel adapter solution
supported in the original AIX X.25 LPP. In both cases, the
adapter is constructed using a base adapter with at least 1 MB of
memory and one of three daughter cards (Electrical Interface Boards
or EIBS). The daughter cards and corresponding interface cables
(fanouts), which are interchangeable between the Micro Channel and
ISA base adapters, provide an 8-port V.24 (EIA-232) or 6-port X.21
or V.35 connection. The AIXLink X.25 V1.1.3 software supports
individual V.24 ports at speeds up to 19.2 Kbps and X.21 and V.35
connections running at up to 64 Kbps.
The Multiport Model 2 (ISA) base adapter is not available using an
RS/6000 order number, so it cannot be ordered through normal RS/6000
channels and cannot be specified via the RS/6000 Configurator. This
base adapter must be ordered through normal PC channels using the
PS/2 order number, feature \#6590. Daughter cards and fanouts may be
ordered under either the RISC/6000 or PS/2 feature codes. Modem
cables, which attach between the fanout and the modem or DSU/CSU, are
also available through either channel.
- ARTIC960 Micro Channel: This new generation ARTIC adapter provides
a higher performance Micro Channel alternative to the original
Portmaster/A Micro Channel adapter. The adapter has an on-board Intel
i960 RISC processor and is constructed using a base adapter with at
least 4 MB of memory and one of three protocol-specific daughter
cards (Application Interface Boards or AIBs). The daughter cards
offer a 6-port V.36 or 8-port EIA-232/V.24 or X.21 connection. The
AIXLink/X.25 V1.1.3 software supports individual EIA-232/V.24 ports
running at speeds up to 19.2 Kbps and V.36 and X.21 connections
operating at speeds up to 2 Mbps (E1/T1).
With the new generation adapter comes a new design in interface cables
-- whereas the Portmaster fanout box requires separate modem cables
for modem attachment, the new "octopus" or fanout cable design combines
the single adapter connector with the six or eight modem cables.
V.36 offers, essentially, a new generation V.35 connection. One
visible difference is that V.36 uses a 37-pin D-shell connector while
V.35 defines a rectangular 34-pin connector. V.35 modem (or DSU/CSU)
users may utilize the new ARTIC960 V.36 adapter and the Portmaster's
V.35 fanout box and modem cables. This V.35 configuration is supported
for port speeds up to 64 Kbps. The ARTIC960 EIA-232E/V.24 adapter
users can also utilize the fanout box and cables that were used in the
8-port Portmaster/A configuration.
The ARTIC960 adapter/daughter card combination is approximately 4.5
inches in height and can be installed in any available slot on RS/6000
models 3xx, 5xx, and 9xx. Due to its height, the adapter will not fit
RS/6000 models 7006 (such as 41T or 41W) and 7011 (such as 250).
- ARTIC960 Installation Notes: ARTIC960 users must install the IBM
ARTIC960 AIX support Program for RS/6000 software shipped on a diskette
packaged with the adapter. This software must be at V1.1.3 or later.
---> Be sure to save the diskette shipped with the adapter!
The following lslpp -l output indicates that the software has been
installed and it is at the correct level.
devices.mca.artic960.rte 1.1.3.0
If the software is installed in the wrong order, follow the recovery
scheme included in the Hardware Installation section of the AIXLink/
X.25 1.1 for AIX Guide and Reference (SC23-2520-02):
If you install the ARTIC960 AIX Support Program for RISC System/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
======================================================================
PAD Enhancements
======================================================================
The following PAD functions are added to those in the AIXLink/X.25
V1.1.2 enhancement.
- Command line arguments for the xspad command allows the user to
specify characteristics on the command line instead of within the
profile or via a PAD command.
- Automatic termination of the PAD application (xspad) upon termina-
tion of the X.25 Host connection via a command line argument.
- User-defined default initial application to be spawned and auto-
identification.
- More robust method of selecting non-default profiles for both
outgoing and incoming connections.
- Configurable profiles makes setting PAD parameters/values easy for
user.
- Security on a per outgoing X.28/X.25 PAD session user via the
restriction of specific addresses to which a user can connect.
The AIXLink/X.25 V1.1.3 provides a new set of PAD configuration profiles
in the /etc/sx25pad directory: x28parm, x28user, x29access, x29parm,
x29tty, and x29user. Clear cut defaults and examples are also provided.
Four files (address, profile, tty and user) were included in X.25 V1.1.2.
======================================================================
PAD Printing
======================================================================
AIXLink/X.25 V1.1.3 provides for remotely or locally initiated PAD
printing. In the remotely initiated case, the printing is initiated
when a remote PAD transmits an X.25/X.29 call to AIX. AIX, then,
identifies the printer queue, prints the job, and terminates the
connection after the last job queued. In the locally (or host)
initiated case, a pre-configured mapping between the remote printer
queue and the RISC's NUA is used.
======================================================================
New x25mon Flags
======================================================================
With X.25 V1.1.3, two new x25mon flags (-i and -d) are offered and the
length of data is indicated via an "l:" in the trace for both packet and
frame layers.
Running an X.25 line trace (via x25mon) on a system with heavy X.25
traffic can negatively impact X.25 throughput due to additional
processing overhead and adapter memory resource constraints. Thus,
tracing is recommended for problem isolation activity rather than as
a matter of routine.
Prior to the X.25 V1.1.3 enhancement, all packet and frame data was
saved in the x25mon trace information and trace packets were discarded,
when necessary, to keep up with the incoming traffic. When this
happened, the trace output was flagged with:
PK_LMS_IND 1:0 missed: xx (where xx is the number of packets missed)
With X.25 V 1.1.3, users can lessen the trace burden by saving only a
portion of the contents of the data packets. Two new flags, the "i"
and "d", allow users to specify the maximum number of frame and
packet level data bytes to save in the trace. In addition, all trace
data will be captured, regardless of network load -- the X.25 device
driver will no longer sacrifice trace data in order to service in-coming
traffic.
The i flag indicates the Info frame trace size. Valid value ranges are
from 0 to 5003. If -i flag is not specified, 512 bytes is assumed. The
d flag sets the data packet trace size. Valid value ranges are from
0 to 4096). If -d flag is not specified, all data is captured in the
trace.
The following command will, for example, trace the packet and frame
layers of the sx25a0 port, showing the first 5 bytes of data in the
packet layer and the first 10 bytes of data within the frame layer.
The user will know that the trace shows only a portion of the actual
content because those bytes are annotated with ".."
x25mon -p -d 5 -f -i 10 -n sx25a0
Limiting the number of bytes saved in the trace is extremely important as
it affects both performance and memory resource utilization. It is
highly recommended that frame traces be limited to less than 512 bytes.
Running with larger traces may result in severe adapter memory
constraints.
======================================================================
Power Management Support
======================================================================
AIX's power management is a technique for minimizing power consumption --
an outgrowth of portable systems running on battery. Power Management
(PM) is available for non-Micro Channel RISC models with PM controllers,
including the 43P, E20, and F30. It defines the following power-saving
transitions:
enable --> standby --> suspend --> hibernation --> shutdown
The AIXLink/X.25 V1.1.3 device driver is now "power management
aware". (Drivers with no power management awareness can prevent PM-
capable systems from going into power-savings transition.) This
X.25 enhancement is appropriate for customers connected via X.25 to
packet switching data networks who want to utilize the suspend or
hibernate power management modes. Today, this PM support is available
to X.25 users running either the Multiport 2 or X.25 Interface
Co-Processor adapters in PM-enabled ISA bus systems.
When PM is configured and enabled, the entire system goes into hibernate
mode after user-configured period of inactivity from the keyboard.
From an X.25 perspective, things behave as if the X.25 adapter cable
had been unplugged from the NTU (modem or DSU/CSU) -- all ports
remain "Available" and applications (such as the x29 daemon) continue
to run, but the physical connection is broken.
Keyboard activity keeps systems in full-on state -- X.25 link activity
will neither keep a system in full-on mode, nor reactivate it during
hibernation. Thus, remote users will not be able to access AIX
systems that have gone into suspend/hibernate mode. For this reason,
---> PM is not recommended for X.25-attached hosts running as
unattended data servers!
By default, PM software is Configured (device pmc0 is Available) and
Enabled. When PM is disabled, no system state transition occurs and
devices operate in the full-on mode. PM software can be force installed
on Micro Channel RISC models, but there is no PM controller, so the
software can't run.
(June 26, 1996)
Support Line: Summary of AIXLINK/X.25 V1.1.3 LPP Enhancements ITEM: BO0405L
Dated: September 1996 Category: N/A
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