TOKEN-RING NETWORK 16/4 TRACE AND PERFORMANCE ADAPTERS Contents Announcement Letter Number 190-090 dated June 5, 1990 US - Last Revised on June 5, 1990 Brief Description of Announcement, Charges, and Availability The Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapter and Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapter/A are feature cards that can be installed in IBM personal computers and the Personal System/2 (R) (PS/2 (R)). These feature cards work with the Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Program to provide a real time view of the traffic on Token-Ring networks operating at 4 million bits per second (bps) or 16 million bps. Refer to Programming Announcement 290-284, dated June 5, 1990. This combination of hardware and software has facilities to analyze trace data, measure media usage and collect ring station traffic statistics. Using this data, the customer can get valuable information for use in debugging application software, capacity planning and network reconfiguration. Planned Availability Date: June 29, 1990 (R) Registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Customer Letter Section HIGHLIGHTS o System management of Token-Ring networks is enhanced with the visibility into the network provided by the combination of 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapters and 16/4 Trace and Performance Program. o The 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapters and 16/4 Trace and Performance Program provide utilization data that will enable customers to decide when to increase the ring speed from 4 million bps to 16 million bps. o The Token-Ring network administrator productivity is increased with the identical, easy-to-use, menu-driven interface to debug and troubleshoot ring segments running at 4 million bps or 16 million bps. o Customer investment is protected by allowing a machine to be utilized as a standard workstation when not being used for Trace or Performance tasks. DESCRIPTION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT The 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapters working in conjunction with the Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Program enable users to troubleshoot and debug software problems on a Token-Ring network segment. The trace function allows the operator to copy all information on the network. Therefore, when in trace mode of operation, the 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapters issue a special 'Trace Active Frame' to the LAN manager, which can either allow the tracing to continue or remove the tracing adapter from the network. This capability helps protect against unauthorized use of the trace function. The adapter captures the frames on the ring segment real time by station address and/or by frame type -- MAC, non-MAC, or ALL frames. The trace information can be written to a disk/diskette at the termination of the trace function. This function may be started by time of day, a unique customer defined pattern, or manually. The Trace Analysis facility can provide ring configuration and data base search by: o Protocol o Frame type o Station address. The protocols supported are: o SNA o SMB o Netbios o IEEE 802.2 (LLC Layer) o IEEE 802.5 (MAC Layer) o TCP/IP. The frames can be identified as information frames, MAC frames or customer data frames. The Ring Utilization component enables the user to measure and analyze traffic on the Token-Ring media for gathering usage statistics and capacity planning requirements. This function provides the 'average Token-Waiting Time' for the Token-Ring segment. Thresholds can be set and notification given when these thresholds have been exceeded. Frame and byte usage is provided for the following frame types: o Non-MAC frames o All frames o Customer data frames. The data is collected in memory and transferred to disk/diskette hourly. These utilization files are opened and closed automatically on a 24-hour basis and can run unattended for 10 days. This facility provides a dynamic histogram of the instantaneous bandwidth usage or average bandwidth usage over a period of two hours on a display. This function can be invoked by time of day or manually. The utilization data base or histogram may be printed or displayed at a later time, if desired. 'Load Connection Matrix' facility is a new function that can provide extensive data on the stations using the Token-Ring segment. Invoking this function creates a data base of files, one for each 24-hour period, or a part thereof, for a total of 10 days. These files can be analyzed to provide a number of reports. A report with the following information can be generated from each of these files: o 10 most active source stations o 10 most active destination stations o 10 most actively communicating pairs of stations. Another 'hourly activity' report can be generated to provide information on the most active to least active source or destination stations. This sorting can be done on the entire file or it can be done selectively for a maximum of 10 addresses. The time interval can be any number of hours within the total amount of time that the file was generated. This report provides information on the traffic for each hour within the requested time interval. Such detailed analysis of the traffic on the Token-Ring by station aids customers in making decisions on network reconfigurations or the need to add resources to the network for improved performance. GROWTH ENABLEMENT The Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Program will work with the 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapters at either 4 million bits per second (bps) or at 16 million bps ring speed. Utilization data from this combination can be used by the customer to develop a migration plan from 4 million bps to 16 million bps. The user interface of the software is identical when used on Token-Ring networks operating at 4 million bps or at 16 million bps. USER PRODUCTIVITY The following ease-of-use aids are an integral part of the 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapters: o New menu-driven pop-up windows o Enhanced online help o User set-up parameters are automatically saved and restored when the functions are invoked o Now allows use of LAN Manager's synonyms instead of the complex 12-character adapter addresses o Software switchable between 4 million bps and 16 million bps in the Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapter/A. INVESTMENT PROTECTION When not being used in the Trace and Performance mode, the 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapters function as standard adapters and the workstation can be used for normal customer work. The Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Program can be used on any properly configured existing machine with either the Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapter or Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapter/A installed. PUBLICATIONS A Guide to Operations is shipped with the Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapter. Installation and testing instructions are shipped with the Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapter/A. The IBM LOCAL AREA NETWORK TECHNICAL REFERENCE (SC30-3383, P/N 25F7688) publication is available. To order, contact your IBM representative. SLSS is not available for this publication; it is available by direct order only. EDUCATION SUPPORT Refer to the Local Area Network curriculum for information on classes relative to the Token-Ring Local Area Network. A description of these self-study and classroom courses is contained in the CATALOG OF IBM EDUCATION (G320-1244). Call IBM Telemarketing Operations at 1-800-426-2468 for schedules, enrollments and orders for self-study courses. SCHEDULE The planned availability date is June 29, 1990. TECHNICAL INFORMATION SPECIFIED OPERATING ENVIRONMENT MACHINE REQUIREMENTS: The Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapter is designed to operate in the following machine types: o 5170 (except AT (R)/370) o 8525 o 8530 (R) Registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. The Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapter/A is designed to operate in the following machine types: o 8550 o 8555 o 8560 o 8565 o 8570 o 8573 o 8580 Each of the above machines must have 640KB memory, monochrome or color display, one floppy diskette drive and one hard drive. A printer is optional. PROGRAMMING REQUIREMENTS: IBM DOS Version 3.30, or greater. COMPATIBILITY: The Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapter and Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapter/A are not compatible with the Token-Ring Network Trace and Performance Program (96X5763). These adapters may be used as standard adapters. LIMITATIONS: In multi-ring environments, one machine in each ring must have a Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapter or a Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapter/A installed and be available to run the Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Program, if simultaneous tracing or utilization measurement if required on multiple segments. PLANNING INFORMATION CABLE ORDERS: A customer supplied attachment cable is required by this feature to attach to the Token-Ring Network. The Token-Ring Network Adapter Cable, previously announced, is available from IBM. PROBLEM DETERMINATION: The 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapters contain self-test diagnostics that are executed during system power-on and checkout. If it fails, it can be replaced on-site or at an exchange center. PACKAGING PRODUCT SHIPMENT GROUP Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Adapter Card Performance Guide to Operations Adapter Diagnostic Diskette Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Adapter Card Performance Installation Instructions Adapter/A Diagnostic Diskette SECURITY, AUDITABILITY AND CONTROL Whenever the trace function is invoked, the Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance adapters will automatically transmit a special frame indicating the activation of the trace function to the LAN Manager (83X9100 or 28F8215). If the LAN Manager is set to permit tracing, the tracing task will continue. On completion, the LAN Manager will log end of trace also. If tracing is not allowed, the LAN Manager will remove the adapter from the ring. This function cannot be disabled by the Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Program. Any traced data will be destroyed by the IBM Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Program, if the adapter is removed by the LAN Manager. If LAN Manager is not managing the Token-Ring Network, the user may wish to physically secure the machine that has the trace adapter installed. User management is responsible for evaluation, selection and implementation of security features, administrative procedures and appropriate controls in application systems and communications facilities. TERMS AND CONDITIONS WARRANTY PERIOD: One year. FIELD INSTALLABLE FEATURE: Yes. CUSTOMER SETUP: Yes. All terms and conditions are the same as those applicable to the IBM machines listed below that have the 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapters installed: 5170 (except AT/370) 8565 8520 8570 8530 8573 8550 8580 8560 CHARGES -- FEATURES FEATURE PART PURCHASE DESCRIPTION NUMBER NUMBER PRICE Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapter 5121 74F5121 $ 1,220 Token-Ring Network 16/4 Trace and Performance Adapter/A 5130 74F5130 1,220