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Conference npss::gigaswitch

Title:GIGAswitch
Notice:GIGAswitch/FDDI Jan 97 BL3.1 914.0 documentation 412.1ion 412.1
Moderator:NPSS::MDLYONS
Created:Wed Jul 29 1992
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:995
Total number of notes:4519

938.0. "eFDXState and DEMFA" by GIDDAY::KULHALLI () Tue Feb 25 1997 01:37

    
    I have another querry regarding the eFDXState - mib variable. The
    Gigaswitch ports are indicating some are in a state of fdxRequest and
    some are in fdxOperation and some in idle etc.
    
    All these ports are connecting to a DEMFA ( XMI - FDDI interface in a
    VAX) card - S/S connection.
    Why some are indicating - they are FDX operational and others are in
    FDX request state ?
    What is request state and how to get it into operational - as I have
    said before the one in request is connecting to a demfa in one vax 6620
    and another port in fdx operational state connects to another demfa in
    another vax 6620.
    
    
    I am not sur whether there is any difference in demfa microcode 2.0 and
    2.1 as one in request state connects to 2.1 demfa and another in
    operational state connects to demfa 2.0.
    
    Any help appreciated
    
    Mohan
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
938.1VMS 6.1GIDDAY::KULHALLITue Feb 25 1997 01:567
    
    Sorry I forgot to mention in my previous note - the VAXes are running
    VMS 6.1. 
    
    thanks
     
    mohan
938.2NPSS::MDLYONSMichael D. Lyons DTN 226-6943Tue Feb 25 1997 12:4320
        DEMFA questions are better asked in HUMANE::FDDI
    
        The state changes based on what is going on at the other end.  It
    is not of general user interest.  The two more useful MIB objects from
    a user perspective are eFDXEnable which tells you if it is enabled on
    this end, and eFDXOp which tells you if it's operating in FFDT or not.
    
        I seem to recall that DEMFA firmware does not enable FFDT by
    default.
    
        Fdx_Request state is entered after a two node ring is detected. 
    While a station is in this state, it sends out Fdx Request frames to
    the other end.  If a Fdx Request or Fdx Confirm frame is received, the
    station enters Fdx_Confirm state.
    
        I.E. This is what I would expect to see in a point to point
    configuration if the other end is not enabled for FFDT operation or
    does not support FFDT.
    
    MDL
938.3NPSS::MDLYONSMichael D. Lyons DTN 226-6943Tue Feb 25 1997 12:465
       ...and *of course* your customer is running the current (BL3.1)
    GIGAswitch/FDDI firmware.  Some older firmware had bugs which caused
    links to drop out of FFDT occasionally.  This is in the release notes.
    
    MDL
938.4GIDDAY::KULHALLITue Feb 25 1997 18:244
    
    yes he is running 3.1.
    
    /mohan
938.5V2.1 = No FDXNPSS::KIRKTue Feb 25 1997 19:565
    DEMFA firmware version 2.1 removed support for full duplex operation.
    
    Regards,
    
    Dick Kirk
938.6GIDDAY::KULHALLITue Feb 25 1997 21:4314
    
    Thanks for the prompt reply - but customer  (and so am I) wants to know
    why this support was removed in DEMFA version 2.1. Only alternative
    for customer to get the FDX working is to down grade to 2.0 which has
    some bugs in it - and many of our customers who had  2.0 DEMFAs  were
    advised to down grade to 1.4 - or more recently to upgrade to 2.1 . Now
    with 2.1 - the FDX feature has been removed.
    
    Could you please shed some light on this situation.
    
    Again thanks in advance.
    
     /mohan
938.7GIDDAY::KULHALLITue Feb 25 1997 21:448
    
    I forgot to mention in my previous note - both DEMFA 1.4 and 2.1 do not
    support FDX - only 2.0 does. Any explaination why FDX support was
    removed in 2.1.
    
    /mohan