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December 12, 1995
This Release Note describes important notes and caveats for Catalyst 1600 Software Release 1.2.
Catalyst 1600 Software version 1.2 comprises the following components:
These release notes discuss the following topics:
TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager supports the following platform:
Table 1 lists the microcode version supplied with the Catalyst 1600 Software version 1.2.
| Module | Version supplied |
|---|---|
| Run-time microcode SRSW117R.BIN | 1.17 |
If the Catalyst 1600 you are managing does not have run-time microcode version 1.17 or later, some management features are not available. For information about downloading new run-time microcode to the Catalyst 1600, see the section "Downloading Code to the Catalyst 1600" in Chapter 3, "Managing Devices" of the TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager User Guide.
When you manage a Catalyst 1600 with microcode version 1.17 or later, the following additional management features are available:
This section describes warnings and cautions about using the Catalyst 1600 software. The information in this section supplements that given in the section "Release 1.2 Caveats" later in this document. This section discusses the following topics:
TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager can manage Catalyst 1600s on the network using either IP or IPX. To manage Catalyst 1600s over IPX only, load an IPX interface.
To manage Catalyst 1600s over IPX and IP over a Logical Link Control (LLC) interface, configure the management station as follows:
Step 1 Load an LLC interface.
Step 2 If you normally use IPX on the network, load an IPX interface.
Step 3 Remove any IP protocols that are running on the management station.
Step 4 Add the following line to the trueview.ini file in the TrueView directory, where ip address is the IP address of the TrueView management station.
[SNMP]
MyIPAddress=ip address
You can set an IP address, subnet mask and default IP gateway for the Catalyst 1600 in the Information dialog box. You can set the IP address of a Catalyst 1600 whether Catalyst 1600 Manager communicates with the device using IP or IPX.
To configure IP addresses:
Step 1 Start Catalyst 1600 Manager.
The Catalyst 1600 dialog box is displayed.
Step 2 Click on the Information button.
The Information dialog box is displayed.
Step 3 Enter addresses in the IP address, Subnet mask, and IP gateway text boxes.
Instead of entering the subnet mask in the Subnet mask text box, you can choose to enable the Automatic check box. If the Automatic check box is enabled, Catalyst 1600 Manager determines the subnet mask from the class of the IP address.
Step 4 Click on the OK button.
If the Catalyst 1600 has microcode version 1.17 or later, you can use TrueView Ringswitch Manager to configure the following means of controlling broadcast frames:
To configure broadcast control settings:
Step 1 Start Catalyst 1600 Manager.
The Catalyst 1600 dialog box is displayed.
Step 2 Click on the Information button.
The Information dialog box is displayed.
Step 3 Click on the Source Routing button.
The Source Routing Information dialog box is displayed.
The RIP/SAP suppression and ARE conversion broadcast control settings in the Source Routing Information dialog box are described in Table 2.
| Broadcast control method | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| RIP/SAP suppression | A means of controlling broadcast frames that determines whether the Catalyst 1600 attempts to suppress IPX RIP and SAP frames on ports that do not have an IPX router or server attached. If RIP/SAP suppression is enabled, the Catalyst 1600 forwards Broadcast DA Response and Broadcast DA Request frames only on ports that have been the source of Broadcast DA Response frames. If a Token Ring switch port fails to receive a Broadcast DA Response frame for a period of five minutes, the Catalyst 1600 determines that only IPX workstations are attached to that Token Ring and no longer sends out Broadcast DA Response frames or Broadcast DA Request frames on the port. The default RIP/SAP suppression setting is disabled. | |
| ARE conversion | A means of controlling broadcast frames that determines whether the Catalyst 1600 converts ARE frames into STE frames. | |
| Enable first | The Catalyst 1600 converts all ARE frames that have a RIF length of 2. | |
| Enable all | The Catalyst 1600 converts all ARE frames to STE frames. | |
| Enable bcast first | The Catalyst 1600 converts all ARE frames with the broadcast destination address and a RIF length of 2. | |
| Enable bcast all | The Catalyst 1600 converts all ARE frames with the broadcast desination address. | |
| Disable | The Catalyst 1600 does not convert ARE frames to STE frames. | |
The default ARE conversion setting is Disable. | ||
If you use an LLC interface to manage Catalyst 1600s over IPX and IP, configure the following parameters on the management station:
If errors occur when you run Catalyst 1600 Manager, increase the available SAPs and link stations.
For information about configuring LLC SAPs and link stations, refer to the documentation supplied with your network adapter card.
If you attempt to run TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager or TrueView Alert Manager by running the executable file (RSTV.EXE and ALERTTV.EXE respectively), a general protection fault may occur.
To make sure an application runs when you start TrueView, use the Setup program to specify that the application is included in TrueView.
For example, use the Setup program to configure TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager as follows:
Step 1 In Program Manager, click on the Setup icon in the TrueView program group.
The TrueView Configure dialog box is displayed.
Step 2 Click on the Catalyst 1600 Manager for TV entry in the list of modules.
The Catalyst 1600 Manager Settings dialog box is displayed.
Step 3 Set the Include Catalyst 1600 Manager in TrueView check box to on, so that an 'X' appears in the check box.
Step 4 Click on the OK button.
The TrueView Configure check box is displayed.
Step 5 Click on the Exit button to exit Setup and return to Program Manager.
If the Catalyst 1600 has microcode version 1.17 or later, you can check the speed and status of the power supply fan and the external fan inside the unit.
To view the fan speeds:
Step 1 Start Catalyst 1600 Manager.
The Catalyst 1600 dialog box is displayed.
Step 2 Click on the Fan Speeds button.
The Fan Speed dialog box shows the speed and status of the power supply fan and the external fan.
For information about the Catalyst 1600 dialog box and the Fan Speeds button, refer to TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager Help.
When you have entered a valid password, you can download code to the Catalyst 1600 by clicking on the Reset button in the Catalyst 1600 dialog box.
If the Catalyst 1600 has microcode version 1.17 or later, you can also reset the Catalyst 1600, erase the stored configuration, erase the run-time microcode or erase the boot code.
If the Catalyst 1600 has microcode version 1.17 or later, you can reset the Catalyst 1600 from the management station.
To reset the Catalyst 1600:
Step 1 Start Catalyst 1600 Manager.
The Catalyst 1600 dialog box is displayed.
Step 2 Click on the Reset button.
A pop-up menu is displayed.
Step 3 Click on the Remote Reset choice.
A warning is displayed.
Step 4 Click on the OK button.
The Catalyst 1600 resets.
If the Catalyst 1600 has microcode version 1.17 or later, you can erase the stored configuration information and reset the settings to the factory default values. When you erase the configuation, the Catalyst 1600 password returns to the default password.
To erase the stored configuration:
Step 1 Start Catalyst 1600 Manager.
The Catalyst 1600 dialog box is displayed.
Step 2 Click on the Reset button.
A pop-up menu is displayed.
Step 3 Click on the Erase Config choice.
A warning is displayed.
Step 4 Click on the OK button.
The stored configuration is erased.
If the Catalyst 1600 has microcode version 1.17 or later, you can erase the boot code from the Catalyst 1600.
To erase the boot code:
Step 1 Start Catalyst 1600 Manager.
The Catalyst 1600 dialog box is displayed.
Step 2 Click on the Reset button.
A pop-up menu is displayed.
Step 3 Click on the Erase Bootcode choice.
A warning is displayed.
Step 4 To proceed, click on the OK button.
The Open dialog box is displayed.
Step 5 Click on the OK button.
The boot code is erased. Use the Remote Reset choice (see the section "Resetting the Catalyst 1600") to make the Catalyst 1600 restart using the boot code stored in ROM.
If the Catalyst 1600 has microcode version 1.17 or later, you can erase the run-time microcode from the Catalyst 1600.
To erase the microcode:
Step 1 Start Catalyst 1600 Manager.
The Catalyst 1600 dialog box is displayed.
Step 2 Click on the Reset button.
A pop-up menu is displayed.
Step 3 Click on the Erase Microcode choice.
A warning is displayed.
Step 4 To proceed, click on the OK button.
The Open dialog box is displayed.
Step 5 Click on the OK button.
The Catalyst 1600 runs the loader program, which waits for new code to be downloaded from the management station or a TFTP server (see the section "Downloading Code from a TFTP Server"), then erases the old version and restarts with the new code.
If the Catalyst 1600 has boot code version 1.01 or later, you can download code from a TFTP server to the switch via TFTP over IP.
Before downloading code via TFTP over IP, you need the following:
To start the download process from the network management station:
Step 1 Compile CISCOBOX.MIB and use the browser to set variables madgeDownloadIPAddress, madgeDownloadIPGateway and madgeDownloadFileName under:
iso.org.dod.internet.private.enterprises.madge.madgeBox.madgeDownload
Step 2 Set the variable madgeDownloadIPAddress to match the IP address of the TFTP server.
Step 3 If the TFTP server and the Catalyst 1600 are on different IP subnets, set the variable madgeDownloadIPGateway to match the IP gateway.
Step 4 Set the variable madgeDownloadFileName to match the pathname of the microcode file on the TFTP server.
Step 5 Use the browser to set variable madgeConfigAdminStatus under:
iso.org.dod.internet.private.enterprises.madge.madgeBox.madgeConfig
Step 6 Set the variable madgeConfigAdminStatus to 7. With some MIB browsers, the option may be shown as tftp-ip.
When you finish browsing CISCOBOX.MIB, the Catalyst 1600 resets and starts the loader program, and the TFTP server downloads new microcode. When the code has been downloaded from the TFTP server, the switch returns all the above MIB variables to null.
If the download process fails:
Step 1 Use the browser to check the variable madgeDownloadFailureText under:
iso.org.dod.internet.private.enterprises.madge.madgeBox.madgeDownload
Step 2 Check the variable madgeDownloadFailureText to find out why the download process failed, then rectify the problem and repeat the download procedures from the start. You do not need to reset the Catalyst 1600 if the loader program is still running.
This section describes possibly unexpected behavior by Catalyst 1600 Software Release 1.2.
When you upgrade to TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager Release 1.2 from a previous version, delete the Catalyst 1600 database by using the TrueView Setup program, then add the Catalyst 1600s on the network to the database.
To delete the Catalyst 1600 database:
The TrueView Configure dialog box is displayed.
The Catalyst 1600 Settings dialog box is displayed.
You are warned that you are about to delete all saved data about Catalyst 1600s on the network.
The Catalyst 1600 database is deleted.
When you run TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager, add the Catalyst 1600s on the network to the database by using Auto discovery or adding the devices manually. For information about adding Catalyst 1600s, see the section "Adding a Catalyst 1600" in Chapter 2, "Getting Started" in the TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager User Guide.
The following combination of IBM network adapter drivers is not supported by TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager:
Do not run Catalyst 1600 Manager with the above combination of IBM network adapter drivers.
TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager does not support Integralis' Chameleon TCP/IP applications package for Windows. Do not run Catalyst 1600 Manager with Chameleon.
The Catalyst 1600 supports the IBM spanning-tree algorithm. In the section "Spanning-Tree Protocol" in Appendix B, "About Token Ring Switching" of the Catalyst 1600 Token Ring Switch User Guide, it states that the Catalyst 1600 can use IEEE spanning-tree algorithm. The Catalyst 1600 does not support the IEEE spanning-tree algorithm.
TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager uses the SNMP MIB counters IfInOctets and IfOutOctets to calculate the total number of bytes transmitted by the Catalyst 1600. The MIB defines that these are 32-bit counters. The serial management protocol uses a 48-bit counter for the Bytes Transmitted field. The result is that values for the number of bytes transmitted are truncated when they exceed 4296 million in Catalyst 1600 Manager, or 256 trillion when displayed by a terminal emulator.
When you manage the Catalyst 1600 using the serial interface, and enter the show bridge status command to obtain the spanning-tree bridge ID, only the MAC address portion of the spanning-tree bridge ID is displayed. The complete spanning-tree bridge ID consists of the MAC address portion and the spanning-tree root priority.
To obtain the spanning-tree root priority, enter the show bridge characteristics command.
In certain situations, Token Ring network adapter cards generate aborted frames. A node transmits an aborted frame when it experiences a brief or permanent internal error that interrupts the transmission of the frame. For example, a Token Ring network adapter that operates at a slow bus speed may cause bus timing problems that result in aborted frames. Aborted frames are not visible on the ring.
If the Catalyst 1600 receives aborted frames, it generates a frame with a CRC error on the output port. This is reported as a line error on the ring that is attached to the output port.
If you detect a high frequency of line errors, identify the node that is generating aborted frames.
If beaconing occurs on a port that is configured for concentrator interface mode, no alert is sent to the network management software. No alert is generated for a beaconing recovered state.
When you click on the Print button to print information in the Catalyst 1600 Manager table or Alert Manager table, the information may be wider than the width of the page.
To make sure the table information fits onto the page, save the information in ASCII text, Lotus 1-2-3, or dBASE III format and open the file using a word processor or spreadsheet application.
In the Table Column Configuration dialog box, which allows you to configure the columns in the Catalyst 1600 Manager table or Alert Manager table, you cannot use keystrokes. Use the mouse to configure the table instead.
When ports in concentrator interface mode are connected to a device after the bridge test, the Catalyst 1600 may pass the bridge test although another Catalyst 1600 with an identical bridge number exists on the network.
When a port in concentrator interface mode is not connected to a device, a single station message indicates that it is the only node on the ring, and it passes the bridge test. If a wiring concentrator such as a Controlled Access Unit (CAU), that is already connected to another Catalyst 1600, is subsequently connected to the port that is in concentrator interface mode, the result is two parallel Catalyst 1600 devices with identical bridge numbers. The spanning tree continues to operate correctly despite the duplicate bridge condition.
To correct the problem:
Step 1 Disable source routing on the Catalyst 1600.
Step 2 Enable source routing on the Catalyst 1600.
The bridge test runs, and fails with a duplicate bridge message.
When you use TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager to manage a Catalyst 1600, it is possible to disable the Token Ring switch port that connects the management station to the Catalyst 1600. No warning message is displayed by TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager. Disabling the management connection prevents further management of the Catalyst 1600 from the management station.
To resume management with TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager, either connect to the serial interface and enable the port using the enable port interface command, or erase the stored configuration by holding the Reset button and releasing it when the LCD displays the appropriate message.
 | Caution Erasing the stored configuration returns all Catalyst 1600 parameters and the Catalyst 1600 password to the factory default values. |
When there are parallel paths from the management station to a Catalyst 1600, and you use TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager to download to a device, Catalyst 1600 Manager may time out and fail to download code. If Catalyst 1600 Manager times out, the Catalyst 1600 loader program waits for new code from the management station.
While the loader program is running, Catalyst 1600 Manager displays the warning "TV14355: Can't send request; Ringswitch needs new code." You can download code successfully to the Catalyst 1600 when the loader program is running.
For information about downloading code to Catalyst 1600s, see the section "Downloading Code to the Catalyst 1600" in Chapter 3, "Managing Devices" in the TrueView Catalyst 1600 Manager User Guide.
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