The LAN Network Manager program works with the LNM OS/2 agent and the NetView for AIX program to enable you to monitor and manage your Logical Link Control (LLC) token-ring networks. The OS/2 agent program acts as an agent in the LLC token-ring environment and responds to management requests sent by LAN Network Manager. The OS/2 agent also informs LAN Network Manager of any changes in the LLC token-ring environment. This enables you to manage all of your LLC token-ring resources from the NetView for AIX console.
This chapter describes the LAN Network Manager LNM OS/2 Agent application and the OS/2 agent, and tells you how to define parameters for LAN Network Manager and the OS/2 agent.
The LNM OS/2 Agent application extends network management to environments that consist of LLC-based token-ring LANs that are interconnected by certain bridges managed by LAN Network Manager for OS/2 Version 2.0. Using information provided by the OS/2 agent, LAN Network Manager integrates the LAN hardware managed by LNM for OS/2 Version 2.0 into the views of the SNMP managed environment. Management of the IBM SNMP-managed 8230 concentrators and multiport bridges is provided by the SNMP Token-Ring and the SNMP Bridge applications, respectively. This management is not provided as part of the LNM OS/2 Agent application.
Although the LLC-based segments are not merged with SNMP segments in the topology views, the flexibility of the graphical interface enables you to manage LLC-based LAN hardware and SNMP-addressable resources.
The LAN Network Manager program uses the IBM OS/2 agent program as its proxy agent in the LLC-based networks. Under the control of LAN Network Manager, the LNM OS/2 Agent application issues instructions to the OS/2 agent program and updates LAN Network Manager based on solicited and unsolicited responses.
The LNM for OS/2 Version 2.0 program operates as the OS/2 agent for LAN Network Manager and extends its management functions to LAN Network Manager. For example, you can query adapters, add and change bridge definitions, and obtain and display performance data. The OS/2 agent communicates with LAN Network Manager through a set of run commands (RUNCMDS) that are built into the LNM for OS/2 Version 2.0 program. The OS/2 agent also converts event notifications that are generated in the token-ring network to SNMP traps and forwards these traps to LAN Network Manager.
After you have installed one or more OS/2 agent programs and used SMIT to define the basic parameters the LAN Network Manager program needs to establish and maintain contact with the OS/2 agent, you can define other parameters that configure OS/2 agent more specifically to the token-ring networks you are managing.
In LLC token-ring networks, you can define two types of parameters using LAN Network Manager:
Resource-specific parameters apply to one particular resource. For example, using the Automatic bridge link field on the Bridge Configuration window you can specify whether the OS/2 agent automatically attempts to link to a specific bridge.
System-wide parameters apply to all instances of a resource known to an OS/2 agent, or to the operating parameters of a specific OS/2 agent. An example of a system-wide parameter is the Bridge autolink flag on the Bridge Parameters window. If you set this parameter to Disabled, the OS/2 agent does not attempt to automatically link bridges, regardless of the setting of the Automatic bridge link field for each bridge.
Resource-specific parameters are described in the following chapters according to the type of resource. The system-wide parameters are described in the remainder of this chapter.
As you use LAN Network Manager to define parameters, refer to the description and details information on the management windows for help about each field you are defining and the values that are valid for it.
The LNM OS/2 Agent Configuration window displays information about the adapter in the agent workstation and about the LAN segment that the agent manages. You can also display and change configuration parameters for all aspects of your token-ring network through the Actions, Lists, or Parameters menus.
To display the LNM OS/2 Agent Configuration window, follow these steps:
The LNM OS/2 Agent Configuration window is displayed.
In addition to viewing the information about the adapter in the agent workstation and the LAN segment that the agent manages, you can change the value for the LNM for AIX response timeout and set the resynchronziation interval.
When information for a field is not available, for example, when the adapter is closed, that field is blank.
The Comments field of the LNM OS/2 Agent Configuration window is blank until you enter information in the field.
In the LNM OS/2 Agent Configuration window, you can specify how often LAN Network Manager refreshes its views of the OS/2 agent domain by setting the resync time parameters. When LAN Network Manager refreshes its views, it begins the process of rediscovering the OS/2 agent. The LAN Network Manager submaps are updated with the information found in the discovery process and the LAN Network Manager views are refreshed.
Refreshing the LAN Network Manager submaps resets the status of congested adapters to normal. When LAN Network Manager refreshes its views, any adapters that show a marginal status (yellow) are reset to normal status (green) after the submaps are refreshed.
You can set the resynchronization interval in either of the following ways:
Specify the time (hour and minute) when you want LAN Network Manager submaps to be daily refreshed. This method is useful when you want to schedule the refresh at night in order to avoid overloading the resources used for network management.
Specify the period in days, hours, and minutes at which you want LAN Network Manager submaps to be regularly refreshed. This period starts from the time when you manually stop and restart LNM daemons by doing one of the following:
/usr/CML/bin/cmlstop lnmlnmemon /usr/CML/bin/cmlstart lnmlnmemon
This method is useful when you want to schedule a refresh of LAN Network Manager submaps at regular intervals.
Note that these two methods are mutually exclusive. If you set resynchronization, you must specify either a daily time or an interval of time.
To prevent LAN Network Manager submaps, from being automatically refreshed, set the resynchronization interval to zero. If you turn off resynchronization in this way, you can manually refresh the views by selecting Refresh LAN Network Manager view from the Actions pull-down menu on the LNM OS/2 Agent Configuration window. See Refreshing the LNM for AIX View for more information.
| Note: | Using SMIT, you can also specify the resynchronization time by selecting Nways Campus Manager -> Configure -> Configure OS/2 agent (cmol) capability -> Edit IBM LNM for OS/2 configuration file from the SMIT main menu. |
You can perform additional actions from the LNM OS/2 Agent Configuration window by selecting a menu choice from the Actions, Navigation, or Parameters pull-down menu.
You can select the following choices from the Actions pull-down menu:
| For information about: | Read: |
|---|---|
| Add Definition | Adding a Station Definition |
| Delete Definition | Deleting a Concentrator Qualifier |
| Restart LNM OS/2 Agent | Restarting the LNM OS/2 Agent |
| Refresh View of LNM OS/2 Agent | Refreshing the LNM for AIX View |
To navigate directly to one of the following windows, select a choice from
the Lists pull-down menu on the LNM OS/2 Agent Configuration window:
| Select: | To navigate to: |
|---|---|
| Bridges | Bridge List |
| Concentrators | Concentrator List |
| Stations | Station List |
To perform additional configuration tasks on the selected OS/2 agent, you
can choose one of these choices from the Parameters pull-down menu on the LNM
OS/2 Agent Configuration window:
| For information about: | Read: |
|---|---|
| Access Control | Defining Access Control Parameters |
| Adapter Monitoring | Defining Adapter Monitoring |
| Bridge | Defining General Bridge Parameters |
| Configuration Monitoring | Defining Configuration Monitoring Parameters |
| General | Defining General LNM Parameters |
| Segment | Defining Segment Parameters |
To update your LAN Network Manager submaps with current information, select Refresh LNM for AIX view from the Actions pull-down menu on the LNM OS/2 Agent Configuration window. When you select Refresh view of LNM OS/2 Agent, LAN Network Manager begins the process of discovering the OS/2 agent again. The LAN Network Manager submaps are updated with the information found in the discovery process and the LAN Network Manager views are refreshed. Refreshing the LAN Network Manager view does not cause the OS/2 agent to be resynchronized.
Refreshing the LAN Network Manager submaps resets the status of congested adapters to normal. When you select Refresh view of LNM OS/2 Agent, any adapters that show a marginal status (yellow) are reset to normal status (green) after the submaps are refreshed.
To refresh the view of a specific segment only, select Resync from the Actions pull-down menu of the Segment Profile window. See Resynchronizing a Segment for more information.
Parameters that you define on the Access Control Parameters window specify the conditions that cause LAN Network Manager to remove an adapter when it detects an access control violation.
The access control function of LAN Network Manager allows you to detect and remove unauthorized adapters. The asset management function of the Controlled Access Unit captures the location information about adapters and notifies LAN Network Manager when these adapters are moved. To fully implement the access control and asset management functions, all managed adapters need to be connected to concentrators that are registered with this LAN Network Manager program. See Registering with a Concentrator for more information about registration.
A registered concentrator can disable a port to which an unauthorized adapter is attached. Using the concentrator and the controlling OS/2 agent, you can disable the concentrator port so that the station cannot re-enter the network. LAN Network Manager can command the concentrator to disable a port only if the concentrator is registered to LAN Network Manager.
The authorization of stations that insert in the network is based on information in the agent's database. A station is not authorized if its address is not in the database. Add the address to the database using the Station Definition window.
When the OS/2 agent determines that an adapter has been inserted on the LAN, it verifies the adapter against its list of defined adapters in the database. If access control is enabled and the OS/2 agent does not find the adapter address in the database, or if the time, day, or concentrator location information recorded in the database for that adapter does not match, the OS/2 agent generates an alert indicating that an access violation has occurred. LAN Network Manager can remove the unauthorized adapter or disable the port on the concentrator.
Attention: Define all bridge adapters and adapters of critical resources before you activate access control. If you do not, LAN Network Manager might remove an adapter that you need. For example, suppose you activate access control, then link to a bridge without first defining the bridge adapters. If the near adapter is on the local segment, it is authorized. However, the far adapter is considered unauthorized. Therefore, the far adapter is removed. If the adapter is removed, the link to the bridge is lost, and LAN Network Manager can no longer manage the remote segment. If neither adapter is on a managed segment, then both adapters are removed.
To display the Access Control Parameters window, follow these steps:
The Access Control Parameters window is displayed.
You can perform additional actions from the Access Control Parameters window by selecting a menu choice from the Actions or Navigation pull-down menu.
You can make access control active or inactive by selecting the Access Control menu choice from the Actions pull-down menu. When you select Access Control, a cascade menu is displayed. Select Active to activate access control. Select Inactive to disable access control.
Specify whether to activate adapter monitoring using the Adapter Monitoring Parameters window.
You can monitor any adapter, within the managed domain, that responds to test frames sent to the logical link control (LLC) null service access point (SAP).
When the OS/2 agent program is started or restarted, each adapter that is defined to be monitored is polled. The first time an adapter responds, the LAN Network Manager program logs an event indicating that the adapter is responding. If an adapter does not respond, LAN Network Manager continues to poll the adapter until the number of retries specified in the Adapter Monitoring Parameters window is reached. If the adapter responds as expected during polling, no action is taken. Otherwise, a trap is generated.
To display the Adapter Monitoring Parameters window, follow these steps:
The Adapter Monitoring Parameters window is displayed.
Bridge parameters that control how the agent program communicates and manages bridges can be defined on the Bridge Parameters window. Examples of these parameters are the bridge autolink flag, the autolink timer, and the status of the reporting link.
Each IBM bridge program that is supported by LAN Network Manager has four reporting links, numbered from 0 through 3. Thus, a single bridge can communicate with up to four OS/2 agents at a time. When you configure the bridge program, you can define a password for each of the reporting links. You can also decide which OS/2 agent program is to be the controlling agent for each bridge. All other OS/2 agent programs communicating with the bridge are observing agents.
The controlling agent is assigned link number 0; the observing agents are assigned link numbers 1 through 3.
A controlling agent can issue any OS/2 agent command for the local LAN segment or a remote LAN segment, including commands that change the way LAN components operate and change the topology of the segment. Only controlling OS/2 agent programs log and transport alerts from application programs, using the alert transport facility.
A network can have more than one controlling OS/2 agent if the controlling agents do not attempt to establish links to the same bridges. For bridges that you define using LAN Network Manager, the default reporting link is used unless you modify the reporting link using run commands or the OS/2 agent user interface.
The bridge program uses the password, which you defined for each reporting link, to determine if an OS/2 agent is authorized to establish a reporting link with the bridge. The OS/2 agent sends its password to the bridge with which it is linking. The bridge program compares the reporting link password with the password defined in the bridge configuration for this reporting link. If the password does not match, the bridge program rejects the link, sends a notification to all of the managing stations linked to the bridge, and generates an alert.
Both the OS/2 agent program and the bridge program require a password for a reporting link. You can use the default password provided. LAN Network Manager does not require that you change this password.
To display the Bridge Parameters window, follow these steps:
The Bridge Parameters window is displayed.
If you change the reporting link in the Reporting link status field, the default reporting link for the OS/2 agent program is changed.
Specify the configuration monitor age-out interval and the resynchronization time for the OS/2 agent on the Configuration Monitoring Parameters window.
The value you specify for resynchronization determines how often the OS/2 agent resynchronizes the network by querying each adapter or bridge and updating the OS/2 agent database tables with current information. This information enables the OS/2 agent to maintain an accurate network configuration.
The configuration monitor age-out interval is used by the OS/2 agent program when it checks for adapters that are inactive. If an adapter has been inactive for longer than the time specified by the age-out time interval, it is deleted from the OS/2 agent database configuration table.
To display the Configuration Monitoring window, follow these steps:
The Configuration Monitoring Parameters window is displayed.
| Note: | Ensure that the resync interval is longer than the time required to complete a discovery cycle. |
Define and change parameters dealing with remote communication and attachment to the segment on the General Parameters window. These parameters include response timeout, retry interval, and number of retries. You can also specify the tracing policy for the agent and whether the adapter in the agent station attempts to automatically reopen on a beaconing ring.
To display or change the general OS/2 agent parameters, follow these steps:
The General Parameters window is displayed.
Specify which adapters are allowed to trace on the network, for the portion of the network that the OS/2 agent controls, in the Trace field. Select the push button in the Trace field to display an option menu of the types of tracing you can authorize.
The OS/2 agent must be controlling to change tracing authorization parameters.
Only IBM or compatible Token-Ring Network trace and performance adapters are recognized as trace adapters.
Specify the data collection interval and the days and times to collect data from your network on the Segment Parameters window. When you specify a collection interval on the Segment Parameters window and activate collection on the Segment Performance window, LAN Network Manager gathers data related to the performance of your segments and saves this data in history files. If you select Graph History from the Segment Performance window, LAN Network Manager displays a graph of the segment performance data it has collected.
For more information about data collection and segment performance, refer to Displaying Segment Performance.
To display the Segment Parameters window, follow these steps:
The Segment Parameters window is displayed.
To restart the LNM OS/2 agent, select Restart LNM OS/2 agent from the Actions pull-down menu on the LNM OS/2 Agent Configuration window. The Restart LNM OS/2 Agent dialog box is displayed. Select OK to restart the LNM OS/2 agent, or select Cancel if you do not want to restart the LNM OS/2 agent.
When the OS/2 agent is restarted, the LAN Network Manager view is refreshed. The network resources in the LAN Network Manager view might show a status of unmanaged until the resources are rediscovered.