View figure.
This chapter shows you how to get started with using the following components related to the IBM Multilayer Ethernet Switch (IBM 8371):
The information in this chapter is divided into the following sections:
Before you begin, refer to the following checklist to verify that your device is installed correctly.
Have you...
| Attention: | If you are using a service port-attached terminal to configure or monitor
your IBM 8371 and your service terminal is unreadable, you need to change some
parameters in your configuration. (See "Service Terminal Display
Unreadable" in 8371 Networking Multilayer Ethernet Switch Installation and
Planning Guide.)
Refer to your hardware documentation. |
For more information on any of these procedures, refer to the Networking Multilayer Ethernet Switch Installation and Planning Guide.
ATTENTION:To download the latest operational code for the 8371, or to see Tech Tips, customer forums, or to register for information updates, go to:
www.networking.ibm.com/support/products.nsf/techsupport/(8371)?OpenDocument
You need to download Control Point Switch code from the Web for 8265 Blade from
www.networking.ibm.com/support/products.nsf/techsupport/(8265)?OpenDocument
The microcode level should be PNNI Version 4.1.2 or higher.
If you use a Control Point Switch code in your 8260, you need to download the Control Point Switch code from the Web for 8260 Blade from
www.networking.ibm.com/support/products.nsf/techsupport/(8260)?OpenDocument
The microcode level should be Version 2.5.4 or higher.
The device console lets you use the device user interface to monitor and change the function of the device's networking software. The device supports local and remote consoles.
Local consoles are either directly connected by an EIA 232 (RS-232) cable, or connected via modems to the device. You may need to use a local console during the initial software installation. After the initial setup connection, you can connect using Telnet, as long as IP forwarding has been enabled. (Refer to Protocols and Features for more information on enabling IP forwarding.)
When the configured device is started for the first time, a boot message appears on the screen, followed by the OPerator's CONsole or OPCON prompt (*). The * prompt indicates that the device is ready to accept OPCON commands.
Your IBM 8371 software may have been pre-configured at the factory. If it was, you do not need to use a local console to perform initial configuration. If, however, your IBM 8371 was not pre-configured at the factory, you will need to use an ASCII terminal attached to the 8371 service port to initially configure it.
| Important: | Garbage, random characters, reverse question marks, or the inability to
connect your terminal to the 8371 service port can have many causes.
The following list contains some of those causes:
|
(See "Service Terminal Display Unreadable" in the 8371 Networking Multilayer Ethernet Switch Installation and Planning Guide .)
Once the IBM 8371 is initially configured, you will not need a local console for device operation, as long as IP is enabled.
The device software automatically handles console activity. When upgrading the software, you might have to use the local console. For information on attaching and configuring local consoles, refer to the Networking Multilayer Ethernet Switch Installation and Planning Guide.
Remote consoles attach to the device using a standard remote terminal protocol. Remote consoles provide the same function as local consoles, except that a local console must be used for initial configuration if your IBM 8371 was not pre-configured at the factory.
The device supports both Telnet Client and Server. The remote console on the device acts as a Telnet server. The device acts as a Telnet client when connecting from the device to either another device or a host using the telnet command in the OPCON (*) process.
During a remote login, the device prompts you for a login name and password. You can display the login name when logged in to the device from a remote console by using a device status command.
Logging in to a local console is the same as logging in to a remote console except that you must connect to the device by starting Telnet on your host system. To log in remotely, begin at step 1. To log in locally, begin at step 3.
To log in from a remote console:
To use device names, your network must have a name server. Issue either the device name or the IP address as shown in the following example:
% telnet brandenburg
or
% telnet 128.185.132.43
At this point, it makes no difference whether you have logged in remotely or locally.
login:
Password:
It is possible that there is a login and no password. The password controls access to the device. If a password has not been set, press the Enter key at the Password: prompt. Logins are not set automatically. For security, you can set up user names and passwords using the add user command in the CONFIG process. For additional information, see the add user configuration command, on page ***. Remember to reload to activate any changes.
| Note: | If you do not enter a login name and valid password within 1 minute of the initial prompt, or if you enter an incorrect password three times in succession, the device drops the Telnet connection. |
You may have to press the Enter key more than once or press Ctrl-P to obtain the * prompt.
Once at this level, you can begin to enter commands from the keyboard. Press the Backspace key to delete the last character typed in on the command line. Press the Delete key or Ctrl-U to delete the whole command line entry so that you can reenter a command. See "Command Completion" and "Command History" for more information.
You can also use local Telnet commands on your Telnet client to close the Telnet connection.
| Note: | If you use a VT100 terminal, do not press the Backspace key, because it inserts invisible characters. Use the Delete key. |
Use the reload command to reboot the device by loading a new copy of the configuration from memory. Whenever you change a user-configurable parameter that is not dynamically configurable, you must reload the device for the change to take effect. For example:
* reload The configuration has been changed, save it? (Yes or [No] or Abort) Are you sure you want to reload the gateway? (Yes or [No]): yes
Return to the * prompt and use the logout command to close the Telnet connection. For example:
IP Config> exit
Config> Ctrl-P
* logout
%
You can also use local Telnet commands on your Telnet client to close the Telnet connection.
The software is a multitasking system that schedules use of the CPU among various processes and hardware devices. The device software:
The user interface to the software consists of the main menu (process) and several subsidiary menus (processes). These menus are related to the multiple levels of processes in the software.
The first level of processes consists of the OPCON and CONFIG-ONLY processes. In most cases, you will use the OPCON process to access the second level to configure or operate the base services, features, interfaces, and protocols you will run on your IBM 8371.
The second level contains processes such as Configuration (CONFIG), Console (GWCON) and Event Logging System (MONITR). You may use the OPCON commands configuration, console or event to access these second level processes. Alternatively, you may use the status command to list the second level processes and then use the talk pid command to access the second-level processes. There are processes that you cannot use in the software. See Table 1 for an overview of the processes.
Figure 1 shows the processes and how they fit within the structure of the device software.
Figure 1. IBM 8371
View figure.
Figure 2 is an example of the relationship between the various process levels.
Figure 2. Relationship of Processes and Commands
*-----*
First *------------------->|OPCON|<-------------------*
Level | | * | |
| **---** |
| *----------* ^ *---------* |
| Console | Configuration |
| | | | |
| or | or |
| | | | |
| Talk 5 | Talk 6 |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| V | V |
| *-------* | *-------* |
Second | |GWCON | ctrl-p |CONFIG | |
Level | |process*-------*-------*process| |
| *--*----* *----*--* |
| * ^ ^ | |
| Prot SNMP| | Prot SNMP |
| * | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
ctrl-p V | | V ctrl-p
Third | *-----*| |*------------*|
Level *-------*SNMP>|Exit Exit|SNMP Config>**
*-----* *------------*
|
| Note: | Also shown in Figure 2 are the various commands to access each process level and return from each process level. |
See "What is the OPCON Process?" for more information about OPCON.
The ROPCON process handles processing from remote consoles and is essentially the same as the OPCON process.
Multiple users with login permissions can be added using the add user command. See "Configuring User Access" for details on security issues and for information on the set password and add user commands.