tx/SYNC V4.6.0 Release Notes


Introduction

These release notes support the ptx®/SYNC V4.6.0 synchronous Wide Area Networking software, which is a prerequisite for all other ptx synchronous data communication products, such as ptx/SNA and ptx/X.25. This software works in conjunction with a Synchronous Communication Controller, or SCC, such as the SCC-P for the NUMA-Q® platform.


Product Compatibility

ptx/SYNC V4.6.0 requires DYNIX/ptx® V4.6.0 or later on a NUMA-Q system. ptx/SYNC is a requirement for ptx/SNA V4.6.1 or later and ptx/X.25 V4.5.1 or later.


ATTENTION

On NUMA-Q systems, the sync board is the SBE PCI-360 Intelligent High-Speed Synchronous Serial Communications Adapter, or SCC-P.



System and Board Configurations

System Type

Board

Supported Configurations

NUMA-Q 1000

SCC-P (pci/SYNC)

4 boards per Quad up to a maximum of 8 boards per system

1 EIA-530 or X.21 line up to E1 per board, or

4 EIA-530 or X.21 lines up to T1 per board, or

4 RS-232 lines up to 19.2 Kbps per board

NUMA-Q 2000

SCC-P (pci/SYNC)

4 boards per Quad up to a maximum of 16 boards per system

1 EIA-530 or X.21 line up to E1 per board, or

4 EIA-530 or X.21 lines up to T1 per board, or

4 RS-232 lines up to 19.2 Kbps per board



Software Installation

To install ptx/SYNC, follow the instructions in the DYNIX/ptx V4.6.0 and Layered Product Software Installation Release Notes. Be sure to rebuild the kernel and reboot the system, as directed in the software installation release notes. It is recommended that the SCC board(s) be installed when the system is brought down to install the newly rebuilt kernel.

After installing the ptx/SYNC software and the SCC board(s), and before using ptx/SNA or ptx/X.25, set up the system using ptx/ADMIN® to automatically download the necessary firmware module to the board during boot-up.


ATTENTION

On NUMA-Q systems during system bootup and download of the ptx/SYNC protocol module, the SCC-P LEDs will change states. (Consult your Customer Service Representative if you have questions.) After the ptx/SYNC protocol module has been successfully downloaded and initiated either by the applicable /etc/rc2.d/S43syncX script (where X is the board number) or the syctl(1M) command, the left LED should be on; the right, off.

In the unlikely event the protocol module panics, both the LEDs will be on. Contact your Service Representative.



After Installing ptx/SYNC on a NUMA-Q System

After you have installed ptx/SYNC and the Synchronous Communications Controller(s), or SCC, and have rebooted the new kernel, set up the system to recognize the proper device name for each SCC and to automatically download a particular firmware module during the boot sequence.

For ptx/SYNC and SCC-P board(s) on NUMA-Q systems:

  1. Invoke the ptx/ADMIN menu system by logging in as the root user and enter the following command:

    # menu
  2. Select the Network Administration menu.

  3. Select the SYNC Setup menu.

  4. Select the Add a Board option. SYNC boards that have not yet been set up are displayed with temporarily assigned names; for example:

                    ptx/SYNC Add a Board menu
    
             Board                             Quad
             sync0                             0 
             sync1                             0 
    
     Press S to select an entry
    
  5. To select the board you plan to set up, highlight the entry with the cursor control keys and press the S key. The Add a SYNC Board screen will be displayed. In this example:

                             addnsync            
    Add a SYNC Board
    Enter the Board number for "sync0" ____
    Quad Number x
    Enter Software(hdlc, sdlc or both) both
  6. Enter a unique board number from 0 to 15 (inclusive). The Quad number is determined by the system and cannot be altered.

    Enter a protocol from the list provided:

    hdlc
    ptx/X.25; does not prohibit ptx/SNA from using the SYNC board.
    sdlc
    ptx/SNA; prohibits ptx/X.25 from using the SYNC board.
    both (default)
    Both ptx/X.25 and ptx/SNA.

    For example, to set up a new SYNC board in Quad0 for both ptx/SNA and ptx/X.25, enter the following information. You will change the temporary board number for sync0 to sync3.

                         addnsync            
    Add a SYNC Board
    Enter the Board number for " sync0 " 3
    Quad Number 0
    Enter Software(hdlc, sdlc or both) both

    To verify that the SYNC board has been added, press the Run key (usually F1) to see confirmation. For example:

    devctl: Assigned sync0 -> sync3

    Board sync3 has been added. Press Return to continue.

  7. The board sync3 (device node /dev/com/sync3) is now set up and will automatically be downloaded at system boot time. Press the Return key to redisplay the SYNC Setup Menu.

  8. To verify that the SYNC board has been set up, select the Configure a Board option from the SYNC Setup Menu to see a list of all the properly set-up SYNC boards. For example:

            Configure ptx/SYNC Board Configuration
    
            Board     Quad      Slot      Software
    
              0         2         2         hdlc
              3         0         2         both(hdlc/sdlc)
    
    

    To change an entry, highlight the entry and press C.

    To update the information, press the Run key (usually F1).

  9. Exit from the menu system (usually F4 or Ctrl-X).

  10. For the initial download of the firmware to the SCC, either reboot the system or execute the following command as the root user:

    # /etc/rc2.d/S43syncx start

    where x is the number assigned to the board. Each time the system reboots, the board will be downloaded.


    ATTENTION

    This command is downloaded in the background and takes about ten seconds.



Problem Reports

The number that appears in parentheses in problem report titles is the Problem Tracking Number assigned to the report. These problems will be corrected in a future release unless otherwise noted.


Open Problem Reports


Alternate Disk Installation Aborts (254127)

Alternate disk installation of ptx/SYNC V4.6.0 aborts if being installed from a release of DYNIX/ptx earlier than V4.6.0.

Workaround: Boot the system on the newly-installed disk partition and perform a root installation of ptx/SYNC V4.6.0.


Fixed Problem Reports

(251714) SYNC wq deadlocked if allocb() fails and rq has pending bufcall()

(251612) NULL ptr panic from race between sync_close & msgblk_bufcall_wq

(251505) hdlcstat -z option does not zero statistics.

(250952) x25 stops receiving and eventually sync card may panic.