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Conference netcad::hub_mgnt

Title:DEChub/HUBwatch/PROBEwatch CONFERENCE
Notice:Firmware -2, Doc -3, Power -4, HW kits -5, firm load -6&7
Moderator:NETCAD::COLELLADT
Created:Wed Nov 13 1991
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:4455
Total number of notes:16761

318.0. "repeater management" by ODIXIE::RICHARDSON (Are we there yet??) Wed Jul 28 1993 14:46

    Can "remote" DECrepeaters be managed via attached DECrepeater 90FA
    modules?
    
    Hub 1                   Hub 2
    -------                 ------
    D D   D                 D D
    E E   E                 E E
    C C   C                 C C
    b r   r                 r r...(3 more
    r p...p                 p p    repeaters)
    i t   t                 t t
    d r   r                 r r
    g 9   9                 9 9
    e 0   0     fiber       0 0
    9 C   F-----------------F T
    0     A                 A
    
    
    When the customer installed this, they were told that they would be
    manage Hub 2 via Hub 1.  It is my understanding that this will NOT work
    without a bridge in Hub 2.  The only way it would work would be to
    connect the 2 hubs via the serial management cable (but this is not
    possible since these are NOT close together).
    
    Also, if I am right, I don't totally understand why it won't work.  Is
    it because all hubs need a "bus master" for management of repeaters
    (since they don't have "standardized" management (whatever that
    means))?  The only bus master is the DECbridge 90 (until the next
    version of the DECagent software comes out (V2.0))?  When this happens,
    the DECagent can be the hub master, but even then, the DECagent will
    have to reside inthe hub with the repeaters to be managed (if no bridge
    is present).
    
    The customer will want an explanation so please let me know if I'm
    totally off base.
    
    Thanks
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318.1Need bridge for repeater managementQUIVER::GAUDETWed Jul 28 1993 18:3411
    You are correct in all your assumptions.  Without the management cable
    between the two hubs, the repeaters in Hub 2 are not manageable without
    a bridge in that hub.  The hub needs a bus master to manage devices
    over the backplane management bus, and with V1.1 of the DECagent, the
    DECbridge is the only supported bus master.
    
    V2.0 will allow the DECagent to be bus master, but you'll obviously
    need a bridge in each remote hub in order to manage repeaters.  I'll
    leave it to others to discuss the schedule.
    
    ...Roger...
318.2a little more clarification...ODIXIE::RICHARDSONAre we there yet??Tue Aug 03 1993 12:5519
    So to clarify.. When V2.0 (of decagent) comes out (last rumor I heard 
    was Jan 94?), the DECagent can be the bus master and a bridge will 
    NOT be needed, right?  Until that time, a bridge is necessary to 
    manage repeaters.
    
    The customer is not real happy about this since they stopped buying
    fiber bridges when the fiber repeaters came out (due to cost).  Also
    since they were told that the repeaters could be managed without a
    bridge (they were told this by someone at remote support).  Their hubs
    are now full with repeaters and servers and now need bridges.  I guess
    the servers (90L+'s) can be managed (standalone) with the DECagent but
    if they are to be "hub represented", the Agent needs to be in the hub
    with the servers, right?
    
    Guess I'm the lucky dog to break the news to them....
    
    That's why we get paid the big bucks we do... yea...RIGHT!!
    
    Thanks for the help.
318.3DECagent 90 SPD confusionODIXIE::RICHARDSONAre we there yet??Tue Aug 03 1993 13:019
    I forgot I had another question...
    
    In the DECagent 90 V1.1 SPD it says that the DECagent 90 provides SNMP
    proxy support for the DECrepeater 90FL and DECrepeater 90FA.  What
    exactly does this mean.  To me it implies that it will manage these
    guys but I know differently.  Is it talking about managing them as
    standalone devices?  Or does it mean that it only manages these devices
    via the DECbridge 90.  It does say that "It also asks the bridge for
    repeater port information".  This SPD is rather confusing...
318.4Hope this clears it upQUIVER::GAUDETTue Aug 03 1993 15:0131
    Correct.  V2.0 of the DECagent will support bus mastership without the
    need of a bridge for repeater management.
    
    Terminal servers do not require an agent (or a bridge) to be in the
    same hub.  Add a new SNMP community to the agent which consists of the
    hub containing terminal servers, specify which slots the servers are in
    and voila, "hub represented" terminal servers (to use your
    terminology).  Terminal servers are managed via MOP over the network.
    Older (pre-October 1992?) DECserver 90L+'s do not support the hub
    backplane management protocol.  The newer (after October 1992?) 90L+
    servers do respond on the backplane, but this is used only for
    auto-discovery by V1.1 of the DECagent.
    
    To your question in .3, proxy management means that we (the DECagent)
    speak a protocol other than the management protocol (SNMP) to devices
    you wish to manage (proxy :== "on behalf of another").  The management
    station (HUBwatch) speaks SNMP to the DECagent and we speak "whatever"
    (in the case of the repeaters, that would be RBMS to the bridge which
    then speaks on the hub backplane to perform the desired operation to
    the repeater).  In V2.0, the DECagent will speak "backplane" directly
    to the repeaters in the same hub (or double hub), thus eliminating the
    need for a bridge for repeater management in that hub (you may,
    however, still want a bridge for "bridging" functions, but that's
    another issue).  Remote hubs will still need a bridge for management of
    repeaters in that hub.  Since the 90-series repeaters speak only
    "backplane" they are not manageable outside the hub (i.e. as standalone
    devices).
    
    Now go earn those big bucks!  :-)
    
    ...Roger...
318.5option = DECbridge or DECagent 90 V2.0 in each hub for managmentNAC::FORRESTTue Aug 03 1993 19:0412
	Just a small clarification on what Roger said in .4

>Remote hubs will still need a bridge for management of
>   repeaters in that hub.

	With DECagent 90 V2.0, you can have a DECagent in the remote hub 
	to do the backplane management, instead of a DECbridge. The DECagent 
	is a few hundred dollars cheaper, and if your remote hub is 
	routed instead of bridged or repeatered?, you'll need the DECagent 
	at the remote site anyway, since RBMS won't get passed over the 
	WAN.