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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

4200.0. "flashloader: grey HUB Managed" by UTOPIE::FRUEHWIRTH_M () Wed Feb 05 1997 10:29

hello,

i've a customer who has troubles with flashloader (clearVISN).

they have two DEChub900 backplanes, one has been ordered around
April 1994, the other is newer (mid 1995).

the newer one shows on the display DEChub 900 MultiSwitch,
with flashloader we see this string (DEChub 900 MultiSwitch) too.

the older one shows DEChub 900 'only' (no MultiSwitch),
the same we see with flashloader: only DEChub 900 (no MultiSwitch).

the difference is in flashloader itself:

with the newer one we can select Direct and HUB Managed in the Agent-Type field.

the older one only allows to select Direct, Hub Managed in grey.

we tried different Agent-modules (DECbridge900MX, PORTswitch900TM),
but the problem remains.

(the customer don't want to be wasteful with their IP-addresses,
they want to use 'HUB Managed' updates.)

version: the are exactly the same on both backplanes (HW=F,RO=1.1.6,SW=V4.2.0)
and they use the most recent loadimages for the hub-modules.

what is the problem?
the Management Agent Module of the DEChub900-backplane itself, 
	because the old backplane with the old MAM is too old?
the backplane itself?

if it is too old, what is about backwards-compatibility?

thanks in advance for your help
best regards
martin
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
4200.1NETCAD::MILLBRANDTanswer mamWed Feb 05 1997 15:3711
Hi -

Exactly what says "DEChub 900" instead of "DEChub 900 MultiSwitch"?
In hub firmware V4.2, the LCD will say "Hub900MultiSwitch" during
normal operation, but DEChub 900 when booting.  The console show
status display will show both DECHub 900 MultiSwitch and
Hub900MultiSwitch.

You could try loading through the hub's console setup Installation Menu.

	Dotsie
4200.2KEPTIN::GRANOFFKeptin! Klingon wessel decloaking...Wed Feb 05 1997 16:1311
The information you are seeing in Flash Loader is returned to it by the
hub, or more specifically by the firmware in the hub.  The Flash Loader
uses this information to determine what type of device its talking to, for
example, the string 'Hub900MultiSwitch' tells Flash Loader its a hub. 

That said, a future version of Flash Loader will use a better mechanism to
determine that a hub is in fact a hub (and therefore hub manageable). (In
other words, we know Flash Loader doesn't use the best mechanism today and
we hope to fix it in the next release).

-Mark
4200.3told 'em direct load is betterUTOPIE::FRUEHWIRTH_MMon Feb 17 1997 16:3617
thanks for your replies.

re .1
>> Exactly what says "DEChub 900" instead of "DEChub 900 MultiSwitch"?
the green LCD-display of the MAM in the backplane, and
the flashloader pressing SHOW.

re .2
>> That said, a future version of Flash Loader will use a better mechanism to

told customer to wait for next version of flashloader.
and told them also that giving each module a seperat ip-address
and doing a direct load is better for the performance during the
upgrade and more accurate.

best regards
martin
4200.4NETCAD::MILLBRANDTanswer mamMon Feb 17 1997 19:1910
Mark, the older hub that just displays DEChub 900 instead of 
Hub900MultiSwitch is just too weird!  Next time you speak with
that customer, could you have them write down the full
sysDescriptor?  You can find this in MCM or Hubwatch in the
Agent Summary window, in the field "Description".  You can
also find it at the top of the setup console "Show Current
Settings" display.

Thanks,
	Dotsie