| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 505.1 | Supported | OZROCK::HARTWIG | Arthur Hartwig, TaN Engineering-Australia | Tue Mar 18 1997 06:29 | 18 |
| As far as engineering is concerned the PBXDP is supported in X.25
V1.0-G - the driver is in the kit and it is known to work on some types
of systems. I'm not sure of the state of "qualification" of the PBXDP with
AlphaServer 1000. (Qualification attempts to verify that various
combinations of options work together on particular systems.)
The PBXDP-AA has been tested in our lab on an AlphaServer 2100; a very
similar system to the AlphaServer 1000.
Qualification did uncover some configuration problems with PBXDP and
some disk controllers on some systems. The console firmware on the
DEC '96 firmware CD to the best of my knowledge) should fix such
problems.
The PBXDP product manager, John (WRKSYS::)Eyemaro should be able to
give you PBXDP qualification status.
Arthur
|
| 505.2 | | COMICS::HESS | | Wed Mar 19 1997 02:41 | 8 |
| Arthur,
Thanks for that information, the issue is very clouded as the SPD
does seem to indicate support but from you reply it may not be ? or at
least it may not work.
Thanks for the contact name, the site does require a definate
statement.
Pete.
|
| 505.3 | | OZROCK::HARTWIG | Arthur Hartwig, TaN Engineering-Australia | Wed Mar 19 1997 11:11 | 42 |
| > Thanks for that information, the issue is very clouded as the SPD
> does seem to indicate support but from you reply it may not be ? or at
> least it may not work.
The PBXDP is supported in X.25 V1.0-G. Ask the product manager
(Bette Ruyffealert at DELNI::BRUFF) if you need an official statement.
I think the release notes for V1.0-G will also claim support.
What does supported mean: it means engineering is committed
to fix it if it doesn't work. Supported doesn't mean the card has been
tried on every possible platform with every possible permutation of I/O
cards. And as I pointed out out in my previous reply there have been some
practical problems encountered with using the PBXDP on some types of systems
(specifically the AlphaServer 4100) and with some combinations of PCI I/O
cards and console firmware (specifically a SCSI disc controller whose
part code I can't remember but it begins with KZ and console firmware
BEFORE that on the DEC 96 console firmware CD).
As far as I know the PBXDP hasn't been tried on a AlphaServer 1000,
but as stated earlier, the PBXDP product manager may be able to update
you on that.
> Thanks for the contact name, the site does require a definate
> statement.
What constitutes a definite statement? I thought I made a
definite statement in my first reply. Perhaps I shouldn't have tried
to tell you that there were certain combinations of things that were
known not to work but could be made to work relatively simply.
I suppose sometimes people confuse "supported" and
'tested and known to work'. These are quite distinct concepts.
Something can be "supported" yet not work (simply because
no-one has the time or resources to test all possible combinations).
But because its supported it will be made to work. An example
with the PBXDP: Its supported in X.25 V1.0-G. After release of V1.0-G
someone attempted to verify it worked on the AlphaServer 4100.
The PBXDP driver in X.25 V1.0-G does not work on the AlphaServer 4100
because the the PCI i/f on the AS 4100 doesn't quite have the same
properties as the PCI i/f on the AlphaServer 2100 and AlphaStation 400.
But because the PBXDP is supported, we patched the driver so it works
on the AS 4100. Something else could be 'tested and known to work'
but not be supported (for example because its not sufficiently robust).
|
| 505.4 | | OZROCK::HARTWIG | Arthur Hartwig, TaN Engineering-Australia | Wed Mar 19 1997 13:24 | 7 |
| I have just looked again at the SPD for X.25 V1.0-G. I think
table 8 says very clearly and unambiguously the PBXDP-A series
of cards are supported on the AlphaServer 1000.
Does the SPD only "seem to indicate" support because someone
else has raised doubts or because of some inherent fault in the
SPD wording?
|
| 505.5 | | COMICS::HESS | | Wed Mar 19 1997 20:05 | 13 |
| Arthur,
This came about because a site purchased a PBXDP-AA and when an
engineer went to install it had problems, he then checked with the
suppliers who told him it was not supported on the Alphaserver 1000/233
they then called us for a "Definitive statement", the SPD as you
rightly point out says it is supported but because of the conflicting
statements the customer has received he has requested confirmation that
1. it is supported (we can tell him it is)
2. it will work on his Alphaserver 1000/233 (it seems we cannot give
him a definate statement on this without the Product Managers input)
Many Thanks
Pete
|