Conference netcad::hub_mgnt

2169.0. "DS900EF and IP Services, Time Outs" by DPDMAI::DAVIES (Mark, SCA Area Network Consultant) Wed Apr 05 1995 09:33

    Before I get started let me mention that I carry a DEChub 900 & 90 in
    my trunk and I have a full set of modules for both, servers, repeaters,
    switches, concentrators, etc.  I use these for customer demos on-site. 
    I manage the DEChub 900 with HUBwatch for Windows V3.1 running on my
    laptop and connecting to the hub via RoamAbout and an Access Point in
    the DEChub.  The problem I describe below I have never seen before
    since I ALWAYS have a DECrepeater 900TM in Slot 8 for IP Services and I
    have never used the DS900EF to connect to the DEChub 900.
    
    My customer has a DEChub 900MS running V3.1 firmware.  He has 3 modules
    installed in it:
    
    	Slot 1		=	DECserver 90L+
    	  .
    	Slot 7		=	DECswitch 900EF
    	Slot 8		=	DECconcentrator 900MX
    
    HUBwatch for OpenVMS V3.1 is running on their workstation.  We selected
    the DS900EF in Slot 7 as the IP Services module and started Indirect
    Mode and everything seemed fine.
    
    HUBwatch came up OK.  We saw a correctly configured hub with 3 modules in 
    the correct slots.  We could click on either of the MAX modules and we
    would get all the correct displays, etc.  
    
    Now the problems/concerns, ie, all is not working:
    
    1. When we select the View which shows the backplanes, only a single
       Ethernet exists (as expected).  When we try to create a new FDDI or
       Ethernet LAN segment, we get "SNMP SET Failed, Timed-out...".
    
    2. We also get a "Timed-out" error message anytime we try to make a
       change to either of the MAX modules, eg, changing the configuration
       by moving an Ethernet from the front bezel to the backplane on a
       DS900EF or configuring the A/B ports on the DC900MX.
    
    The DS900EF is my module which I have loaned to the customer until his
    arrives, so I know that it is good (or at least it was last week).
    
    We are connected to the DEChub 900 via Port #1 on the DS900EF (AUI).
    
    We can view most anything, we just cannot make any changes.  We have
    upped the Retries count (at startup) to 10 (was 2) and this didn't
    help.
    
    These guys need to get this up and running so that their usiers
    connected to their GIGAswitch/FDDI can talk to the Ethernet users.
    
    Also, we have not defined an Agent Table for this DEChub 900.  We just
    loaded HUBwatch (after setting all the VMS parameters), pinged the HUB
    and the entered the VMS Watch command with an IP address and up it
    came.
   
    Any help or suggestions are appreciated.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Mark
        

At the risk insulting you with an obvious question, is it possible that the 
Hub Manager's read-write community has changed?  

(Excellent problem description by the way.)

							-Shawn

    Sounds like NVRAM might be corrupt.  Did you try a factory reset on the
    MAM and all modules?
    
    And, what are the revs for the MAM and modules?
    
    
Bill Wade
Network Product Support
    

Bill,

Why do you think NVRAM might be corrupt?

						-Shawn

    Shawn,
    
      I've seen situations similiar to this where a reset to factory defaults
      has cleared the problem.  One of the explanations that was given to me
      is that NVRAM could be corrupt due to an unknown bug (bugs, what
      bugs?).  
    
    Mark,
    
      Any chance of getting us an snmpwalk against the HUB IP address?
    
    Bill
    

    I will chaeck out the rev level for MAM, I will do a RESET on all
    modules and Yes, it is possible that somebody changed the community
    string.  I was pulled from a meeting yesterday with customer management
    when this technical problem came up.
    
    My first thought was VMS parameters.  Well, they didn't set a single
    one, ie, they never read the Release Notes.  Then they had chosen the
    DECconcentrator to provide IP services, but it wasn't connected to the
    DS900EF so the ethernet based management station could not get to it.
    
    After all this, we tried a few more times, got time outs and it was
    time for them to close up shop.
    
    I will get back to y'all this evening.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Mark
    

I had this happen to me a number of times (and my Hub sits in the customer 
center). Doing a Factory Reset usually clears the problem - but it is 
tedious to re-create the configuration. By the way, doing the reset causes 
a error message on Hubwatch and a 3-5 minutes later, the bridge comes up 
again.

Leslie Leong
SE, Toronto.

    Resets did the trick.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Mark