ptx/X.25 V4.5.1 Release Notes


Introduction

These release notes support Version 4.5.1 of the ptx®/X.25 communications software. Read this document before you install the ptx/X.25 software on your system.


Product Compatibility

The following software products are prerequisites for ptx/X.25 V4.5.1:


Systems and Boards Supported


Configurations for Running X.25 over Synchronous Lines

Table 1. Supported Boards on NUMA-Q® Systems

Boards

Max. Virtual Circuits

Model

Max. Boards

Max. Lines per Board (Max. Speed)

Clocking Type

4096 per system

SCC-P (pci/SYNC)

16 per system

4 linesa per board.

External


a. Each line can be configured as RS232, EIA530, or X.21.


ATTENTION

The size of the X.25 address format structure has increased to 64 bytes.



Supported Media for X.25-over-LLC Connections

Table 2. Supported Boards on NUMA-Q Systems

Board Providing EthernetTM Interface

Device Name

ETHER-P

pe



ATTENTION

The maximum number of supported PVCs on ptx/X.25 is 1024.



New Features in This Release

ptx/X.25 V4.5.1 does not contain new features. This release is compatible with threads but does not use threads.


Software Installation

To install ptx/X.25 V4.5.1 from the CD, refer to the DYNIX/ptx V4.6 and Layered Products Software Installation Release Notes. After completing the steps in the DYNIX/ptx release notes, follow the instructions listed in the subsections below. If this product has been installed previously on your system, you must deinstall the product before installing V4.5.1. Instructions are included in these release notes.


ATTENTION

The installation should be done only while the system is not being used to support an existing X.25 network. It is recommended that you do the installation in single-user mode. If you perform the installation in single-user mode, you must mount the /usr filesystem.



Saving the Current Configuration (Optional)

To save your current configuration, complete the following steps:

  1. Log in as root.

  2. Enter the following command:

    # /usr/lib/x25/savx25conf directory 

    The directory parameter must specify an existing, writable directory. All X.25 configuration information is saved in various subdirectories and files under this directory. The installation instructions describe how to restore this saved configuration after installing the new version of ptx/X.25.

    When the configuration information has been saved, the following message appears:

    Current X.25 configuration has been saved in directory

Restoring a Saved Configuration (Optional)

After the new ptx/X.25 software is installed, you can restore a previously saved ptx/X.25 configuration. This can only be done if you have saved your current configuration as just described (in "Saving the Current Configuration").


ATTENTION

The configuration files supplied with the version of ptx/X.25 that you just installed will be overwritten by the saved configuration files. If you want to save the new configuration files before overwriting them, follow the procedure in "Saving the Current Configuration," found earlier in these installation instructions.


To restore a previously saved configuration, complete the following steps:

  1. If you have not already done so, log in as root.

  2. Enter the following command:

    # /usr/lib/x25/rstx25conf  directory

    The directory parameter must specify the directory in which you saved the configuration.

  3. When the following message appears, press y and Return to confirm that you want to restore the saved X.25 configuration.

            WARNING         WARNING         WARNING
    Restoring X.25 configuration will overwrite existing files.
    It will overwrite some files even if you are not using them
    currently.
    Are you sure you want to restore X.25 configuration? (y/n)

  4. If your /usr/lib/x25/x25d.action file contains a reference to xlogind, the following message appears:

    Please edit the file /usr/lib/x25/x25d.action 
    to change /usr/etc/xlogind to /bin/login

    You may want to edit this file, because the xlogind program is no longer used in the ptx/X.25 product.

  5. When the X.25 configuration files have been restored, the following message appears:

    Saved X.25 configuration has been restored
  6. If the HDLC Baud Rate parameter in any of the restored configuration files is set to a non-zero value, the following message appears:

    The Level II parameter HDLC Baud Rate MUST be set to 0 if
    clock is provided by an external source. This parameter
    must be set correctly for the X.25 network to operate.
    The following parameter files have this parameter set to
    a non-zero value. If you use them, be sure to check this
    parameter's value.

    List of files
    .
    .
    .

    A non-zero HDLC baud rate indicates that clocking will be provided by an internal source. Internal clocking is only supported on the SCC-I board. If you are using ptx/X.25 with an SCC-V or DCP 8804 board, the HDLC baud rate must be set to 0. You can change this parameter on the "Other Level 2 Parameters" form during ptx/X.25 configuration.


    ATTENTION

    The following applies to new SYNC boards on NUMA systems:

    If external clocking is used, the "HDLC Baud Rate" parameter value has no effect.

    If the link is configured as a DTE, a non-zero value has no effect.


  7. When the following prompt appears, press Return, then y and Return:

    The format of parameter files has changed for this release
    of ptx/X.25.
    The following parameter files are not valid

    List of files
    .
    .
    .
    EOF (Press <Return> here)
    Would you like me to fix ALL of them? (y/n)

    This will convert the restored configuration files to the new format. Note that if you do not convert these files, you cannot use them with this release of ptx/X.25.

    Ignore error messages with the following form:

    /usr/lib/x25/x25fixfile: error in file filename for parameter use_d_bit
  8. Once the saved configuration files have been restored, you can remove the saved directory structure. Before removing the directory, ensure that there are no files in the directory that you wish to save. Then enter the following command:

    # rm -r  directory

    The directory parameter is the directory in which you saved the configuration.


Configuring the Product

If this is the first installation of ptx/X.25 on this system, refer to the ptx/X.25 Administration Guide. Read the first chapter and follow the quick-start configuration procedure at the end of the chapter.

If you have installed ptx/X.25 on this system before and you have saved and restored the previous configuration, no additional configuration is required.


Building a New Kernel

After installing ptx/X.25, you must rebuild the kernel for the new version to take effect. You can complete installing other products before building a new kernel.

To use the ptx/X.25 product, you may have to set a number of kernel configuration parameter values, depending on the number of X.25 lines being configured and also the number of virtual circuits being supported over those lines. Before placing the system into production, read ptx/X.25 Kernel Parameters in the ptx/X.25 Administration Guide to determine if sufficient kernel resources will be available for your production needs. Additional tuning of the kernel may be needed to support your configuration in such areas as the number of stream resources provided.


Documentation Set

The following documentation is available on the online documentation CD or at http://webdocs/sequent.com:


Problem Report Summary

This section describes the major problems that are known to exist in this version of the product. If a procedure to work around a particular problem is known, the procedure is included in the problem report. Unless otherwise stated, fixes for the problems listed here will be considered for inclusion in a future version of the product.


Open Problem Reports


249157 - n_snd of EXPIDITED DATA (INTR) Is Successful but Is Not Sent

If the system has an outstanding INTR (that is, it did not receive an INTRC) and it attempts to send a new INTR, the n_snd() completes, but the INTR is not sent out.

Workaround: None.


Problems Fixed in This Release

249593 - hdlcstat -z option does not xero statistics

249368 - chroot commands during install core dumping

249194 - X.25 uses large kernel stack frame for it's local variables

248520 - Attempting to start a line on a paniced card kills all other line

247823 - x25 menus are inconsistent regarding FOUND column

247724 - FUNC: PAD does not respond correctly if the VC's misconfigured

239293 - SYS alt disk SCRATCH instl from 4.2 to 4.4 X25 devices are wrong

251174 - x25trace unable to trace on board numbers greater than 9


Submitting Problem Reports

When submitting problem reports (mailbugs) on ptx/X.25, please ensure that you include all of the following information:

Some ptx/X.25 problems may require more information. If this is the case, Customer Support will contact you.