Conference netcad::hub_mgnt

    Well, I'll answer the LAN INTERCONNECT question myself.
    
    I finally got a DR 900TM an spent some more time on site.  I installed
    the 900TM and created an Ethernet under the thinwire.  Then connected
    one of the legs of the 900TM to that segment.  Went back to the
    bridge and was able to drag an Ethernet to that segment, release
    it and it stayed.  I was able to repeat this until all Ethernet
    ports were connected to individual IMB's.  I then removed the 900TM
    and all Ethernets stayed where asigned.
    
    Since there were no modules in the hub, other than the DB 900MX,
    I guess I didn't really want to connect bridge ports to empty Ethernet
    segments or so the MAM thought.  8^)

    dave

    
    RE:.1
    
    Dave,
    
    	I tried the scenario which you described regarding the inability to 
        connect the DB900MX Ethernet ports to IMBs without another Ethernet
        module present in the DEChub. It worked here no problem. Any
        further details which might be of interest? I had a DEF6X and
        DB900MX in my hub with very light traffic.
    
    Regards,
    Bob

    My hub consisted of the following:
    
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
    D D D D     D D
    E E E E     E E
    N N N F     F F
    M M M A     B B
    A A A R     A A
    
    I'm using the DB 900 in slot 7 for backplane Ethernets.  Port 3
    connected to the 90 Thinwire OK so there was traffic there immediately.
    Port 4 and Port 5 were dragged down to any of the 5 Ethernet segments
    created in the hub but when released the button, would jump back
    up to the top.  When I put a DECrepeater 900TM in slot 6 and dragged
    it's IMB connection down to any segment then I could drag the DB
    900 Ethernets down and they would stay.  I have since taken the
    DR 900TM out and all DB 900 ports remain.  I cannot power down the
    hub to see if the connections survive as the hub is now in production.
    
    The hub, DB900's and my OpenVMS system are all running the latest
    firmware or software.
    
    I'll try this on some of the other hubs and bridges and see if there
    is any difference, ie. sun in a different place in the sky, raining
    instead of sunny, etc.
    
    dave

    Had you upgraded either the hub manager or the bridge before you had
    the connection problem?
    
    If you had early ship versions, you need to factory reset everything at
    once after an upgrade or you could get behaviour like you saw.
    
    I've configured a number of bridges onto backplane ethernets without
    anything else connected to them, so I don't think that's the problem.

    I received 6 production bridges at V1.1.2.  In order to drive the
    front ports into the hub I had to upgrade to V1.2.1 and upgrade the MAM
    to handle the DB 900.  I'll reset both to factory defaults and see
    what happens before I install and configure in the DR 900FP's. 
    This will be my last chance to try this, at least at this site,
    as once the 900FP's go in then it's in production.
    
    I'll let you know.
    
    dave

    I reset the DB 900 to factory and also power cycled.  Behaviour
    was better but not perfect.  I was able, with no other devices
    connected to the 6 Ethernets, connect almost all the DB 900 Ethernets
    into the backplane the first time.  That is except Port 5.  It refused
    to stick to a backplane segment.  So I did Ports 6 & 7 and then
    came back to Port 5 and it stayed.  Very strange.
    
    dave

    It sounds like you have a problem that can result from having had one
    or more of the early ship versions (I had this here in DEChub
    Engineering on our own net); the solution is a bit painfull, but it
    works:
    
    1) Upgrade everything to the latest release
    
    2) Factory reset all the line cards
    
    3) Factory reset the MAM
      3a) IMPORTANT - as soon as you see the MAM entering diagnostics
          after the reset (the ROM version number - V1.1.6 appears)
    	  POWER CYCLE the hub.
    
    This proceedure will leave you with a 'true' updated, factory reset
    configuration; you should now be able to configure everything.
    
    Yes, we know this is ugly.  We're very sorry, and we promise not to do
    this again, but we got the products out...

    What is more painful than your little procedure would be standing
    in front of the customer and telling him that he ain't gonna get
    any equipment for another X number of weeks.  NO THANKS.
    
    I'll just schedule a shutdown with the customer.
    
    Thanks,
    dave