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Conference 7.286::fddi

Title:FDDI - The Next Generation
Moderator:NETCAD::STEFANI
Created:Thu Apr 27 1989
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2259
Total number of notes:8590

2213.0. "Can we use FDDI for a hi constraint Real Time application?" by COWBOY::MIRGHANE () Mon Feb 03 1997 05:55

    Hi,
    We have a customer equipped with:
    - 2 VAX6xxx  (node V1 and node V2)
    - 2 MVAX 3800 (node M1 and node M2)
    Today the computers are linked using dedicated parallel lines for
    realtime puposes. That is every period of 10 milliseconds:
    : M1, M2 and V2 send 1 Kilobyte each to V1 maximum time transfer
    allowed for each packet 2 milliseconds.
    : V1 send a packet to V2 size 1 Kilobyte maximum allowed time transfer
    2 milliseconds. 
    
    
    However these dedicated lines and the corresponding
    drivers are no more supported by their vendor.
    We are planning to go to FDDI.
    
    For this we propose the following modifications:
    1/replace the  MVAX 3800 with VAX 4000_505
    2/put the 4 machines in an FDDI ring.
    3/add a DECswitch 900EF to link to an Ethernet network.
    
    From what I understand The FDDI token passes from a computer to another
    in less than 300 microseconds ( 300 microseconds is when there is a
    transmission of a packet of 4 Kbytes)
               
    Our questions are:
    ----------------
    1/Can we conclude that in our case the time to transmit the token from
    one computer to another should be around 100 microseconds (packet of 1
    Kbytes max per computer) That would lead to some 500 microseconds
    for a total rotation?
    which shows that the FDDI ring will match the Real Time constraints?
    
    2/Are there potential drawbacks we do not see in the way FDDI works
    that may lead to not matching the Real time application (max 2
    milliseconds to send a 1 Kbyte message)?.
    
    3/Do we have any documentation or specifications of our FDDI adapters
    I can supply the customer with?
    
    Thanks very much for your best and quickest help.
    Soumetty.
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2213.1STAR::STOCKDALEMon Feb 03 1997 11:2312
>>    For this we propose the following modifications:
>>    1/replace the  MVAX 3800 with VAX 4000_505
>>...
>>    2/Are there potential drawbacks we do not see in the way FDDI works
>>    that may lead to not matching the Real time application (max 2
>>    milliseconds to send a 1 Kbyte message)?.

Why not go to Alpha?  FDDI performance on VAX is dismal at best (VAX 6000/7000
is ok with DEMFA). A VAX 4000 would use a QBUS FDDI adapter?  If so, you could
expect miserable performance.

- Dick
2213.2some commentsJULIET::HARRIS_MANetworks Sales ExecMon Feb 03 1997 13:278
    1. Use Alpha instead of VAX
    
    2. Use Full Duplex Point-to-point FDDI links between 2 systems
    
    3. Consider CSS for real-time applications. They have a great deal
    	of experience in real-time applications.
    
    Mark
2213.3Moved by moderatorNETCAD::STEFANITue Feb 04 1997 11:1225
               <<< UPSAR::USER$411:[NOTES$LIBRARY]FDDI.NOTE;1 >>>
                        -< FDDI - The Next Generation >-
================================================================================
Note 2214.0                      need more help                       No replies
COWBOY::MIRGHANE                                     18 lines   4-FEB-1997 05:25
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Thanks very much for your interest here. 
    For application reasons it is not possible to go to Alpha (some
    applications are written in macro assembler) 
    Although the Gigaswitch/FDDI is looked as an option; There is not a lot
    of throughput here only time constraints (maximum of 5 Kbytes in 2 milliseconds is
    equivalent to 20 Mbits/sec ) . 
    So We really need to know the time the token will take to go from one
    computer to another - Each computer loading 1 Kbyte of data when it
    gets the token -.
    We also need to know is this time is stable or if not what reasons could
    make it not stable?
    
    
    Thanks very much for help.
    Soumetty.
    
    
    

2213.4FDDI has "encumbered" bandwidthNETCAD::ROLKEThe FDDI Genome ProjectTue Feb 04 1997 13:0433
>    So We really need to know the time the token will take to go from one
>    computer to another - Each computer loading 1 Kbyte of data when it
>    gets the token -.

On a "clean" ring with "fast" processors the situation is just as you are
describing it.  Each node would get data to transmit and present it to the
FDDI ring driver.  Then the data is queued to the FDDI hardware for
transmission.  The hardware waits for a token, transmits its data and then
releases the token.  The data load you are presenting to the FDDI link
is a reasonable load.

Be aware that there is communication on the FDDI link over which you have
no direct control.  Stations on the ring communicate periodically but
this is no big deal.

>    We also need to know is this time is stable or if not what reasons could
>    make it not stable?
    
Any ring event such as "station insertion" or "station removal" will cause
a ring initialization.  This will make the ring go unavailable for a period
of about one second (more or less). This is a normal process.  Errors and
other events can cause abnormal ring outages.

Also, the token rotation time is negotiated during the ring initialization
claim process.  This dictates the "longest you will have to wait" for a
token.  The accepted low limit for TTRT (t_req) is 4 mS.  See note 1491.4.
This means that your nodes will wait for the token for up to 8 mS before 
your node declares the ring to be in trouble and begins a reinitialization.

FDDI is nothing like the dedicated bandwidth of a parallel interface.
See what kind of resources CSS has to help you with this.

Chuck