MAI COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL FIELD INFORMATION BULLETIN

SERVICE GROUP(S): MICRO,MINI,LARGE     MFG: XYLOGICS

 NACS  TYPE(S): N107                   MFG. MODEL(S): TERMINAL SERVERS
CATEGORY: NETWORK DEVICES              DESC: ALL

                   *** TABLE OF CONTENTS AS OF 11/19/94 ***                     

FIB 00001.Annex 3 & Micro Annex terminal servers on GPx 40 & 70 sys [W10/05/93
FIB 00002.No communication when using twisted pair with a transceiver.01/25/94
FIB 00003.Installation notes - Micro Annex on a GPx40.................09/22/94


NETWORK DEVICES-XYLOGICS-TERMINAL SERVERS-----------Table Of Contents Pg01 of 01


FIB 00001                  MAI COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL                   10/05/93

  *** Annex 3 & Micro Annex terminal servers on GPx 40 & 70 sys [WPSF 783] ***

TYPE: Problem

PURPOSE: This field bulletin is to notify the field of problems which have been
         found using versions of the Network Administrator Software, 'na', that
         resides on the GPx40 and GPx70 Series Systems. These problems are seen
         when using this software with the new Annex 3 and Micro-Annex terminal
         servers.

SYMPTOM: Previously, only Annex IIe Terminal Servers were supported on GPx40 and
         GPx70 Series Systems. Annex IIe Terminal Servers are no longer
         available and are being replaced by Annex 3 and Micro-Annex Terminal
         Servers.

         Loading the Annex IIe Terminal Server from a BOSS/VX system (GPx40 or
         70) requires that the image for loading the server be resident on the
         system. This image contained in the file:

           "/usr/spool/erpcd/bfs/oper.16.enet"

         was available along with the "na" utility on BOSS/VX.

         Adding an Annex 3 or Micro-Annex Terminal Server to a Series 40 or 70
         system requires that its corresponding image be installed on the
         system.

         For the Annex 3 Terminal Server, the image is:

           "/usr/spool/erpcd/bfs/oper.42.enet"

         For the Micro-Annex Terminal Server the image is:

           "/usr/spool/erpcd/bfs/oper.52.enet"

         The following anomalies were observed in using Annex 3 and Micro-Annex
         on Series 40 and 70 BOSS/VX sytems. Overall, they in no way affect the
         behavior of the server or BOSS/VX system.

         1. SERVER IDDENTIFICATION

         Since the "na" utility on Series 40 and 70 BOSS/VX systems is based on
         Annex IIe, which is not fully compatible with Annex 3 or Micro-Annex,
         some field entries returned when "na" is used to query the server
         cannot be handled. These unknown fields are flagged as question marks
         by "na". Below is an example of such a responce.

         "na" may respond with something like this:

           139.63.22.8: ?? r6.1, 16 ports

         Action: Ignore the question marks since they do not inhibit normal
         operation.

         2. SHOW ANNEX

         The "show Annex" command which typically displays

                                        inet-addr:

NETWORK DEVICES-XYLOGICS-TERMINAL SERVERS-----------FIB001 Pg001

                                   pref_load_addr:
                                   pref_dump_addr:
                                       image_name:

         may show as

                                        inet_addr:
                                   pref_load_addr:
                                   pref_dump_addr:

                          Netadm error: incorrect parameter type

         Action: Ignore the error.

         3. WRITE OPTION

         The write option allows uploading an annex configuration. The "na"
         utility on GPx40 and 70 does not "know" that the Micro-Annex has no
         parallel printer port. When uploading from a Micro-Annex, "na" will
         give the following messages:

           unable to get image_name parameter
           unable to get map_to_upper parameter
           unable to get hardware_tabs parameter
           unable to get printer_width parameter

         Action: Ignore the messages

         4. COPYING ANNEXIIe CONFIGURATIONS

         Annex IIe configurations may be copied to Annex 3 and Micro-Annex
         boxes. The AnnexIIe configuration is first uploaded into a file using
         the "write" option. The configuration file is then downloaded into the
         Annex 3 or Micro-Annex using the "read" option. Note that during the
         downloading process, the user may see messages that certain parameters
         are not supported. If this occurs, upload the new configuration of the
         Annex 3 or Micro-Annex and use the file as a new base for
         modifications.

         WARNING: When copying any server configuration to another server (in
         the above manner), remember to change the IP address on the server
         being copied to. Duplicate IP addresses can be very annoying on a
         network.

SOLUTION: You can ignore these error messages. There are no plans to provide an
          updated version of "na" for the GPx40 and 70 Series Systems.

ORIGINATOR: Dale Jensen

NETWORK DEVICES-XYLOGICS-TERMINAL SERVERS-----------FIB001 Pg002

FIB 00002                  MAI COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL                   01/25/94

      *** No communication when using twisted pair with a transceiver ***

SYMPTOM: No communication across twisted pair modular cable when connected to
         a transceiver.

         ex. A SUN 1000 is connected from le0 (internal TP ethernet) via a
         modular cable to a transceiver converting to aui into a terminal
         server, and message "le0 no carrier" occurs.

FIX: The wiring has to be cris-crossed when a transceiver is used, this is not
     a problem when a hub is used.

     Normal modular (RJ-45) twisted pair cable :
            PIN          PIN                                                 
             1 (pair 1) - 1 (pair 1)
             2 (pair 1) - 2 (pair 1)
             3 (pair 2) - 3 (pair 1)
             6 (pair 2) - 6 (pair 1)

      Modular (RJ-45) cable for use with transceiver:
            PIN          PIN                                                 
             1 (pair 1) - 3 (pair 2)                                         
             2 (pair 1) - 6 (pair 2)
             3 (pair 2) - 1 (pair 1)                                         
             6 (pair 2) - 2 (pair 1)

   RJ-45 Female Plug Front View               RJ-45 Male Plug Front View

                                                         /       /           
--------------------------------------                  /       /            
|            -----------             |                 /       /
|            |         |             |                /       /              
|         ----         ----          |            -----        ----
|        |                 |         |           |                 |         
|        |                 |         |           |                 |         
|    -----                 -----     |       -----                 -----     
|   |                           |    |      |                           |    
|   |                           |    |      |                           |    
|   |                           |    |      |                           |    
|   |  [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []  |    |      |  [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []  |    
|   ---|---------------------|---    |      ---|---------------------|--
-------|---------------------|--------         |                     |       
       |                     |                 |                     |       
       |                     |                 |                     |       
     PIN 8                 PIN 1             PIN 1                 PIN 8
              / /                                                            
             / /                                                             
           _/_/______________                                                
          |Pin 8 Side        |----------------
          |_________         |________________
                    \________|

NETWORK DEVICES-XYLOGICS-TERMINAL SERVERS-----------FIB002 Pg001

                                        \ \                                  
                                         \ \                                 
                           _______________\_\_
          -----------------|      Pin 1 Side  |
          _________________|         _________|                              
                           |________/

ORIGINATOR: Norm Jones

NETWORK DEVICES-XYLOGICS-TERMINAL SERVERS-----------FIB002 Pg002


FIB 00003                  MAI COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL                   09/22/94

              *** Installation notes - Micro Annex on a GPx40 ***

This FIB is an outline for installing a micro Annex terminal server on a GPx40
system.

1. install the DE200 ethernet lan controller in the system, this is THE ONLY
   model of lan controller supported on the GPx40

2. install the TCP software package using 'mbfinstall'

3. create the directory for the annex software:
   # mkdir /usr/annex

4. restore the annex software
   # cd /usr/annex                                                           
   # tar -xvf /dev/tape

5. copy the annex boot software to the correct directory
   # copy /usr/annex/bfs/* /usr/spool/erpcd/bfs -v

6. shutdown the system and re-boot

7. set-up the terminal server by connecting a terminal to port 1 using the
   supplied modular cable and a male DB25 modular adapter, the modular
   adapter supplied with the terminal server is a female.
   a) set the terminal for 9600, 8 bits, no parity
   b) power the terminal server on and depress the test switch, may have to
      press the test switch a second time to get the test light to stay on
   c) after the prompt 'monitor::' appears on the screen, use the addr command
      to set the internet address and preferred load host address to the
      internet address of the GPx40, and select 'ethernet' encapsulation

8. boot the terminal server using the terminal
   # boot

   There should be status messages, several rows of dots, then EOF. If the load
   is correct there will be no more boot messages.

9. configure the ports using /usr/annex/na, or switch to supervisory mode on a
   terminal connected to the terminal server                                 
   annex: su
   password: <internet address of the server>

NOTE: The TCP software installed from the OS base tape, has copies of the
      terminal server boot software which will be placed in the correct
      directory (/usr/spool/erpcd/bfs), unfortunately these do not work
      properly, therefore, be sure to copy the files from the annex software
      a per step 5 above

      The terminals will have to issue a telnet command to connect to the
      GPx40 (annex: telnet <GPx40's internet address>) unless the ports are
      configured as dedicated telnet ports.

ORIGINATOR: Norm Jones


NETWORK DEVICES-XYLOGICS-TERMINAL SERVERS-----------FIB003 Pg001