How to Configure and Troubleshoot an AIX ATM Switched Virtual Circuit


Contents

About this document
    Related documentation
Configuring switched virtual circuits
    ATM ARP server client configuration
    ATM ARP server configuration
    Determining the ATM address of an AIX ARP server
    Troubleshooting SVCs

About this document

This fax covers software requirements and configuration of ATM switched virtual circuits (SVC) on AIX 4.1.4, 4.1.5, 4.2.x, and 4.3.x.

Current adapters supported by IBM:

MCA Turboways 100 ATM adapter - AIX 4.1.4, 4.1.5, 4.2.x, and 4.3.x
MCA Turboways 155 ATM adapter - AIX 4.1.4, 4.1.5, 4.2.x, and 4.3.x
MCA Turboways 155 ATM UTP/STP adapter - AIX 4.1.5, 4.2.x, and 4.3.x
PCI Turboways 25 ATM UTP/STP adapter - AIX 4.1.5, 4.2.1 and 4.3.x
PCI Turboways 155 ATM adapter - AIX 4.2.1 and 4.3.x

ATM support at AIX version 4.x is installed via the following filesets provided on the base operating system install media:

MCA Turboways 155 ATM software (AIX 4.1.x, 4.2.x, and 4.3):
devices.mca.8f67.com
devices.mca.8f67.rte
devices.mca.8f67.ucode
devices.mca.8f67.diag.com
devices.mca.8f67.diag (4.1.5 and 4.2.x)
devices.common.IBM.atm.rte (4.2.x and 4.3.x)

MCA Turboways 155 ATM UTP/STP software (AIX 4.1.5, 4.2.x, and 4.3.x):
devices.mca.8f64.diag
devices.mca.8f64.rte
devices.common.IBM.atm.rte (4.2.x and 4.3.x)

MCA Turboways 100 ATM software:
devices.mca.8f7f.rte
devices.mca.8f7f.ucode
devices.mca.8f7f.com (This is a common software fileset for ATM adapters at AIX 4.1.4 and 4.1.5.)
devices.mca.8f7f.diag (4.1.5 and 4.2.x)
devices.common.IBM.atm.rte (4.2.x and 4.3.x)

PCI Turboways 155 ATM software (AIX 4.1.5, 4.2.1, and 4.3):
devices.pci.14107c00.com
devices.pci.14107c00.diag
devices.pci.14107c00.rte
devices.common.IBM.atm.rte (4.2.x and 4.3.x)

PCI Turboways 25 ATM software (AIX 4.1.5, 4.2.1, and 4.3):
devices.pci.14105300.com
devices.pci.14105300.diag
devices.pci.14105300.rte
devices.common.IBM.atm.rte (4.2.x)

IMPORTANT: ATM is not supported from AIX Version 4.1.1 through Version 4.1.3.

NOTE: At AIX levels 4.1.4 and 4.1.5, common ATM device driver software is contained in the devices.mca.8f7f.com fileset. This fileset needs to be at the latest level regardless of which ATM adapter (MCA or PCI) you have installed.

NOTE: At AIX 4.2.x and later, common ATM device driver software is contained in the fileset devices.common.IBM.atm.rte. As in AIX level 4.1.x, this fileset needs to be at the latest level for either PCI or MCA ATM adapters.

Related documentation

The product documentation library is also available:
http://www.rs6000.ibm.com/resource/aix_resource/Pubs/index.html


Configuring switched virtual circuits

To configure SVCs, you must have a switch and ARP server functionality. The ATM software can provide the functionality of an ARP server or ARP client. Most ATM switches can be configured as an ARP server as well. The most common scenario is that the ATM switch provides the ARP server function and the system is configured as an ARP server-client.

An ATM address is 20 bytes (40 hex digits) in length and listed in dotted decimal format. Following is an ATM address example:

	AC.3E.21.11.6F.3.AA.16.19.A0.3.D.12.33.D4.A2.CC.D.8.5
The leading zero digit can be dropped.

When configuring the system as an ARP server-client, it is necessary to know the ATM address of the ARP server. Usually you obtain this address from your network support or your ATM switch support administrator. It must be correct and entered correctly through SMIT as described subsequently. Otherwise, the system ATM client will not register with the ATM switch and ARP server.

ATM ARP server-client configuration

Use the SMIT fastpath mkinetat. Confirm or input the following settings:
   * INTERNET ADDRESS (dotted decimal)                  (1.1.1.1)
     Network MASK (hexadecimal or dotted decimal)       (255.255.255.0)
     Network Interface                                  (at0)
     Connection Type                                     svc_c
     ATM Server Address                   (20 byte ARPserver ATM address)
     Alternate Device                                   (atm0)
     Idle Timer                                         ()
   * ACTIVATE the Interface after Creating it?           yes
NOTE: Do not begin the ARP server address with an 0x designation.

ATM ARP server configuration

To configure an AIX Version 4 system to be an ARP server, use the SMIT fastpath mkinetat:
   * INTERNET ADDRESS (dotted decimal)                  (1.1.1.1)
     Network MASK (hexadecimal or dotted decimal)       (255.255.255.0)
     Network Interface                                  (at0)
     Connection Type                                     svc_s
     ATM Server Address                                 ()
     Alternate Device                                   (atm0)
     Idle Timer                                         ()
   * ACTIVATE the Interface after Creating it?           yes
NOTES:

If you are configuring the system as an ARP server-client, set the Connection Type field to svc_c. If you are configuring the system as an ARP server, then set Connection Type to svc_s.

Multiple interfaces may be configured on one ATM adapter (that is, at0, at1, at2, and so on). Therefore, it is necessary to specify the interface designator (at0, at1, and so on) in the Network Interface field.

A unique network address must be assigned to each interface; otherwise, confusion in the routing table will exist. For example, you may not be able to ping or telnet out on one of the duplicated networks. AIX supports only network interfaces which have unique network addresses.

Due to the possibility of having multiple adapters in the system, the ATM physical device on which the atx interface is being created must be specified in the Alternate Device field.

When the system is an ARP server-client as stated above, the 20-byte ARP server ATM address must be entered in the ATM Server Address field. The ATM server address is blank when configuring the system as an ATM ARP server.

Determining the ATM address of an AIX ARP server client

After configuring the system as an ARP server-client, verify that registration with the ARP server has occurred by checking the ARP table for the presence of the local ATM address and the ARP server ATM address. When you execute arp -t atm -a the first line will appear as:
 at0(2.2.2.160)  47.0.5.80.ff.e1.0.0.0.f2.15.16.45.8.0.5a.99.a.cc.0
The second line will appear similar to the following:
 (2.2.2.125)  47.0.5.80.ff.e1.0.0.0.f2.15.16.45.8.0.5a.89.0.33.0
Note that the first 13 bytes are the same in both lines. These bytes are the switch prefix. The next six bytes in the first address (that is, 14 -19) should be the MAC address of the ATM adapter. If either line is all or mostly zeroes, then contact with the ARP server has failed. See the next section, "Troubleshooting SVCs", for additional tips.

Troubleshooting SVCs

  1. Check to make sure there is a proper connection to the ATM switch. This is usually indicated by a port light on the ATM switch. Look for wire fault errors in the error log by using the errpt |grep atm command to identify cable problems. If the SC connectors on your fiber cables are not keyed or connected with a plastic cover, try reversing the connectors on one end.

  2. Ensure that the ARP server ATM address has been entered correctly for the ARP client. Executing lsattr -El atx will show the ATM address.

  3. Many problems occur when the switch is incorrectly configured. If no one can ping on the switch and you have double-checked the configuration on AIX, please contact the switch administrator to verify the configuration.

  4. Running atmstat -d atm0
    Assuming there is a good physical connection to the ATM switch, the following command sequence will tell you if the ATM adapter and device driver are working.

    1. Execute atmstat -d atm0 > /tmp/atmstat.out and then wait 10 seconds.

    2. Execute the command again, this time appending it. Use >>.
      atmstat -d atm0 >> /tmp/atmstat.out
      
    3. Edit the file and check the following parameters in the Receive Statistics column: Packets and Cells received. These two parameters should show an increase in the second atmstat, which means the adapter and device driver are working.

      No increase in either parameter means the adapter is not able to receive ATM cells or there may be a problem with the atmsvcd--the ATM call manager daemon.

      If either number is not increasing, check to see if the atmsvcd daemons are running with the following command:

      ps -ef |grep atm
      
      The output should read:
      root 2816    1   0 12:08:57      -  0:00 /usr/sbin/atmsvcd
      root 3844 2816   0 12:08:57      -  0:02 /usr/sbin/atmsvcd
      
      For a single ATM adapter, two atmsvcd processes should exist. If no process exists, restart the daemon /usr/sbin/atmsvcd. If only one process is running, execute kill -9 <child pid> (the child pid in the example is 3844) and then restart the daemons. The addition of the second or additional ATM adapter in the system only adds one atmsvcd per adapter. Only the atm0 has two atmsvcd processes.

      If the atmsvcd daemons exist, then try rebooting if possible. The adapter or the device driver may be hung. If the reboot fails to free up the ATM, contact your AIX support center if necessary.

  5. The UNI version is defined at both the switch and the system client. The UNI version can be either 3.0 or 3.1. In addition, the system will set the UNI version to auto-detect. The ATM switch may not recognize or could be incompatible with the auto-detect function. Check the UNI version of the ATM adapter with the command lsattr -El atmx or via SMIT fastpath with smit chg_atm. Try changing it to the same fixed value as that of the ATM switch.

  6. Problems of intermittent communications loss or the inability to ping on reboot are often caused by defects or incompatibilities with non-IBM ATM switches. We suggest you upgrade to the latest fileset levels whenever possible. In the U.S., please call 1-800-CALLAIX to obtain these.



[ Doc Ref: 90605195514806     Publish Date: Jan. 31, 2001]