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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

913.0. "What if the MAM should fail...." by CSC32::B_GOODWIN (MCI Mission Critical Support Team) Wed Apr 20 1994 14:58

My customer has a concern about the MAM. From what I have read, that if the MAM
should fail, everything would stay configured correctly on the DH900. But, when
the MAM is replaced, the default would be to put all DR900TM's on to the
Thinwire segment until it was reconfigured by HUBwatch. My customer has a real
problem with this. They have a very segmented network. They would like to
connect different DR900TM's to different rails. If the rails were ever connected
together, it would be via bridges/routers and with very specific filtering to
not allow certain traffic on certain rails. They cannot tolerate having the
traffic mixed for any length of time. This would occur if the MAM should fail
and is replaced. 

Has there been any investigation into once setting the DR900TM's to a rail, that
info is stored on the DR900TM versas the MAM? Do you have any suggestions on
working around this?

Also, is all the security and port status for the DR900TM loaded directly to the
DR900TM, in other words, if the MAM fails and is replaced, all the security and
port status (enabled/disabled) still in effect on the DR900TM.

Thanks,
Brad Goodwin

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
913.1	It should be fixed or replaced ;-)	QUIVER::GALLAGHER		`Wed Apr 20 1994 15:16`	45
	>My customer has a concern about the MAM. From what I have read, that if the MAM >should fail, everything would stay configured correctly on the DH900. But, when >the MAM is replaced, the default would be to put all DR900TM's on to the >Thinwire segment until it was reconfigured by HUBwatch. My customer has a real >problem with this. They have a very segmented network. They would like to >connect different DR900TM's to different rails. If the rails were ever connected >together, it would be via bridges/routers and with very specific filtering to >not allow certain traffic on certain rails. They cannot tolerate having the >traffic mixed for any length of time. This would occur if the MAM should fail >and is replaced. Everything would stay configured until: - the modules are powered down, - the modules are reset, or - a new MAM is installed. >Has there been any investigation into once setting the DR900TM's to a rail, that >info is stored on the DR900TM versas the MAM? Do you have any suggestions on >working around this? Yes, but it's problematic. What happens when you swap modules in and out. Do they forget their connections? What happens if you swap modules from one hub to another? It was decided to keep the modules ignorant about the backplane and let the MAM control everything. A better way to handle this might be to have HubWatch store the configuration. HubWatch would be able to read a hub's current configuration, store it, and be able to later set up a hub using the stored configuration. This would be useful in cases where the MAM fail, when the MAM and backplane are swapped out, and when a customer wants to set up a new hub the same way as an existing hub. This HubWatch functionality has been talked about, but I don't know if/when it's planned. >Also, is all the security and port status for the DR900TM loaded directly to the >DR900TM, in other words, if the MAM fails and is replaced, all the security and >port status (enabled/disabled) still in effect on the DR900TM. The MAM retains backplane information, but the repeater retain all repeater specific information. So yes, "if the MAM fails and is replaced, all the security and port status (enabled/disabled) still in effect on the DR900TM." -Shawn
913.2		CSC32::B_GOODWIN	MCI Mission Critical Support Team	`Wed Apr 20 1994 22:29`	16
	>A better way to handle this might be to have HubWatch store the configuration. >and be able to later set up a hub using the stored configuration. >This would be useful in cases where the MAM fail, when the MAM and backplane >are swapped out, and when a customer wants to set up a new hub the same >way as an existing hub. > >This HubWatch functionality has been talked about, but I don't know if/when >it's planned. I think this would be a great help to reconfig a hub/mam in a hurry, especially, if it could be done without any modules installed or at least one to get ip services working. This would help to convince my customer to buy hubs from us. They are really paranoid about using our hubs should a MAM fail and replace the mam and all of a sudden all of their independant networks are connected together. Brad
913.3	A spare MAM?	NCMAIL::BANKOWSKIJ		`Thu Apr 06 1995 13:25`	8
	Is this possible. Pre-Configure a spare MAM and place it on a shelf until it is needed? Or does it loose it's configuration once removed from the DEChub 900? I have a customer interested in this issue as well. The storing of the hub configuration on a host is also a very ggod idea (such as the HUBwatch station) Regards, Jim
913.4	Another request for the same answers...	CGOOA::PITULEY	Ain't technology wonderful?	`Thu Jun 08 1995 14:54`	15
	In 913.3, the following questions are asked... >> Is this possible: Pre-Configure a spare MAM and place it on a shelf >> until it is needed? Or does it loose it's configuration once removed >> from the DEChub 900? I have a customer interested in this issue as >> well. The storing of the hub configuration on a host is also a very >> good idea (such as the HUBwatch station). Does anyone have answers for those questions?? We also have a deal that might depend on this issue..... (a nice sized government deal). Brian Pituley NPC, Calgary
913.5	It should work as long as you know what's stored where	ROGER::GAUDET	Because the Earth is 2/3 water	`Mon Jun 12 1995 15:49`	9
	Pre-configuring a MAM, removing it from the hub and putting it on the shelf should work just fine. The MAM has a battery backed up non-volatile store that retains configuration information when power is off. Just remember that what's stored in the MAM are things like the IP configuration (address, net mask, default gateway, etc.) the error log and backplane configuration data like LAN types & names and the devices connected to those LANs. Port specific data like security and addresses filters is NOT stored in the MAM. ...Roger...