3Com Network Card 3C975 User Manual

RELEASE NOTE FOR THE  
3C975 ATMLINK 155 PCI  
NETWORK INTERFACE CARD  
A member of the 3Com family of ATMLink  
network interface cards  
Part No. 09-1180-003  
Published March 1998  
 
Introduction  
1
Introduction  
This release note documents additions and corrections  
to the ATMLink™ 155 PCI Network Interface Cards  
User Guide, part number 09-1038-000.  
Known problems with server hardware and with the  
Microsoft Windows NT and Novell NetWare network  
operating systems are addressed in separate sections.  
The term ELAN (emulated LAN) may be used to denote an  
LEC (LAN Emulation Client) in this release note. This is to  
maintain consistency with the ATMLink install program  
and ATMLink utility for Windows NT.  
General Considerations  
The following considerations apply to all models of the  
3C975 ATMLink NICs.  
The 3C975.LAN NetWare driver is now officially  
Novell-certified.  
The LAN driver for Microsoft NT is not yet  
Microsoft-certified for any version of Windows NT.  
Client Considerations  
When an end station communicating with an ATMLink NIC  
through an ATM switch or edge device physically disconnects  
from the network and physically reconnects with a changed  
ATM address, the end station can experience a delay of  
5 minutes in reestablishing communication with the  
ATMLink NIC while the NIC updates its LAN Emulation  
Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) table.  
Server Hardware Considerations  
Compaq ProLiant 5000 Computer  
To use the ATMLink NIC with the Compaq ProLiant 5000  
computer, upgrade the system ROM with ROMPaq SP2400,  
version 3.07 revision A or later, available from the  
string SP2400 to find it quickly.  
 
2
RELEASE NOTE FOR THE 3C975 ATMLINK 155 PCI NETWORK INTERFACE CARD  
Compaq ProLiant 1500 Computer  
A Compaq ProLiant 1500 computer running  
Windows NT 3.51 with one or multiple ATMLink NICs  
may hang under heavy loading if the system is not  
updated to the latest HAL, BIOS, and ECU from Compaq.  
The latest versions are available from the Compaq Web site  
WINNT/NTSSD.html.  
Tyan Computer Systems  
3Com has observed that in some Tyan servers, the  
first and last PCI slots share the same interrupt. Under  
Windows NT 3.51 with Service Pack 5 installed, a video  
card that occupies one of these slots cannot coexist with  
an ATMLink NIC occupying the other. Move the video card  
from the first or last PCI slot if you require either slot for an  
ATMLink NIC.  
ATM Switch Considerations  
Busy Switch Symptoms  
When you start or reboot the system, the ATMLink NIC  
driver may not join all of its associated ELANs. The ATMLink  
utility may report that the initialization failed or that the  
ELAN is down. These conditions can be caused by a busy  
ATM switch or improperly configured ELANs.  
An ATM switch can be busy in two ways:  
When a large number of ELANs are initialized at  
the same time, the ATMLink driver may time out before  
the ATM switch can fulfill all the ELAN service requests.  
A switch can run short of resources (such as VPI/VCI)  
needed to fulfill LEC service requests.  
If a switch lacks resources, it cannot establish a virtual  
circuit for the ELAN. This failure can occur when a large  
number of ELANs are configured for the server.  
Use the ATMLink utility to reset an individual ELAN  
if it is configured correctly but still does not become  
operational. Resetting an individual ELAN is a new  
feature in the version 1.5 release of the ATMLink utility.  
 
Corrections and Additions to the User Guide  
3
Bay NetWorks Centillion 100 ATMSpeed Switching Modules  
Do not change the ILMI VPI/VCI parameter in the  
ATMLink install program, because the Centillion switch  
accepts only the default value (VPI = 0, VCI =16).  
The ATMLink 155 PCI NICs Resilient Server Architecture  
(RSL) feature will not work properly with the  
Bay Networks Centillion 100 switch if the switch  
uses UNI signaling version 3.1.  
Madge Collage 740 Backbone ATM Switch  
The ATMLink 155 PCI NIC may have problems initializing  
with a Madge Collage 740 ATM switch running software  
version 1.1.7 or earlier. The latest version of the  
Madge Collage 740 switch code can be downloaded  
from the Madge Web site (www.madge.com).  
Cisco LightStream 1010 ATM Switch  
The NIC reset option in the ATMLink utility does not work  
reliably with the Cisco 1010 LightStream switch using  
UNI 3.1 signaling. The NIC resets, but the ELANs do  
not become operational.  
Corrections and Additions to the User Guide  
System Memory Requirement  
The memory requirement formulas on page 3-2 for  
Windows NT and on page 4-3 for Novell NetWare have  
been replaced by a single formula, as follows:  
The system memory requirement in megabytes of RAM is  
equal to:  
16 × (Frame Type) + [(No. of NICs Installed) ×  
(Max. No. of ELANs Among the NICs)]  
The Frame Type value is:  
2 when the maximum frame size = 1514  
3 when the maximum frame size = 4542  
4 when the maximum frame size = 9232  
 
4
RELEASE NOTE FOR THE 3C975 ATMLINK 155 PCI NETWORK INTERFACE CARD  
The No. of NICs Installed is the total number of ATMLink  
NICs installed in the system.  
The Max. No. of ELANs Among the NICs is the number of  
ELANs on the ATMLink NIC that has the most ELANs.  
Round up the result to the first integral multiple of 16.  
When NICs with different maximum frame size values are  
installed, use the larger value.  
Novell NetWare Considerations  
ELAN Routing  
Routing among ELANs is supported in configurations  
where only one ELAN is configured per installed NIC.  
SMP Servers  
NetWare SMP servers support the Resilient Server Link (RSL)  
feature only if the active and the standby NICs in an  
RSL relationship share the same interrupt. NIC interrupts  
on servers can usually be assigned by using the  
EISA Configuration Utility (ECU) or the System  
Configuration Utility (SCU) shipped with the system.  
The NetWare operating system configures each ELAN and  
standby NIC on a NetWare SMP server as a separate device.  
NetWare allows 16 devices to share the same interrupt.  
Example 1:  
In an RSL configuration on an SMP server with one active  
NIC with one standby NIC, the active NIC can have a  
maximum of 15 ELANs.  
Example 2:  
In an RSL configuration on an SMP server with one standby  
NIC assigned to two active NICs, 15 ELANs can be divided  
between the active NICs.  
Example 3:  
In an RSL configuration on an SMP server with two standby  
NICs assigned to one active NIC, the active NIC can have  
only 14 ELANs.  
 
Novell NetWare Considerations  
5
Novell INETCFG Utility  
The Novell INETCFG utility views each ELAN as Ethernet  
even if the linktype parameter has been set to token ring.  
An LDI file (3975.LDI) that allows token ring ELANs to be  
configured correctly with the INETCFG utility is available on  
the 3Com Bulletin Board Service (3Com BBS), FTP server,  
and the 3Com World Wide Web site support index for  
the latest adapter files (www.3com.com).  
Client 32  
Novell IntranetWare Client 32 is not supported by the  
ATMLink 155 PCI NIC at this time.  
Minimum Packet Receive Buffers  
If the following error message appears when the drivers  
are loading:  
Layer manager failed init sequence  
increase the minimum number of receive buffers or the  
system memory.  
The optimum number of minimum packet receive buffers is:  
75 × Number of ATMLink NICs in the system  
See the README.TXT files located on ATMDisk diskette #2  
for more details on setting the NetWare Minimum Packet  
Receive Buffers parameter in the NetWare STARTUP.NCF file.  
Sample AUTOEXEC.NCF files are available on ATMDisk  
diskette #2 as well as on the 3Com Bulletin Board Service  
(3Com BBS), FTP server, and the 3Com World Wide Web  
site (www.3com.com).  
Configuring TCP/IP with the NetWare Install Utility  
When using the ATMLink install utility for NetWare to  
configure TCP/IP on an LEC, perform the following steps in  
the specified order:  
1 Set the link type (user guide step 7, page 4-15).  
2 Set the TCP/IP parameters (user guide steps 2 and 3,  
page 4-13).  
 
6
RELEASE NOTE FOR THE 3C975 ATMLINK 155 PCI NETWORK INTERFACE CARD  
3 Set the frame type (user guide step 4, page 4-14).  
4 Set the remaining LEC configuration parameters.  
Whenever the link type is changed, the IP information and  
the frame type information must be reentered.  
Token Ring Keywords for NetWare  
In Table 4-2 on page 4-24 of the user guide, the token ring  
parameters for the keyword Frame should be spelled as  
token-ring_SNAP and token-ring.  
NetWare ATMLink Utility  
Version 1.5 of the ATMLink Utility can reset individual  
ELANs as well as the entire ATMLink 155 PCI NIC.  
NetWare 3.12  
When more than one ATMLink NIC is installed, or when more  
than one frame type is used with a single ATMLink NIC, the  
following prompt appears when the drivers are loading:  
Do you want to add another frame type for a  
previously loaded board?  
Perform one of the following steps:  
Type nif:  
The frame type is specified on the indicated load line  
with the Frame keyword.  
The frame type is not specified on the indicated load  
line and you are using the default Ethernet_802.2  
frame type.  
Type yand add the appropriate frame type.  
3Com recommends that you include the Frame  
keyword on every load line, and always answer nto the  
prompt. See Table 4-2 on page 4-24 of the user guide  
for further information on NetWare keywords.  
 
Microsoft Windows NT 3.51 and 4.0 Considerations  
7
Microsoft Windows NT 3.51 and 4.0 Considerations  
Microsoft Windows NT WINS and Domain Controller Services  
The WINS and Domain Controller services do not work  
in an environment with more than one ELAN. Contact  
Microsoft for current status on multiple ELAN support for  
these Windows NT services.  
DHCP Service  
The Windows NT 3.51 DHCP service can assign up to  
14 client IP addresses. If the total number of configured  
ELANs and other DHCP clients on the network exceeds 14,  
3Com suggests that you manually assign TCP/IP addresses  
to ELANs using IP services.  
Services Fail to Start  
Some services may fail to start in a server configured with a  
large number of ELANs. The services that fail to start can be  
started manually from the Control Panel/Services application.  
Same ELAN on Different NICs  
Configuring the same ELAN on two different NICs in the  
system is not supported. The Windows NT Workstation  
Service may not start if the same ELAN is configured on  
two different ATMLink NICs in a Windows NT system.  
Windows NT Diagnostics  
A Windows NT 3.51 server with three or more installed  
ATMLink 155 PCI NICs may hang when you use the native  
Windows NT Diagnostics application to view the ATMLink  
NIC resources.  
Install Program Displays Disabled ELANs as Enabled  
ELANs can be disabled using the ATMLink install program  
or the Control Panel/Network/Bindings. ELANs disabled  
through Network/Bindings appear to be enabled in the  
ATMLink install program, and ELANs disabled using the  
ATMLink install program appear to be enabled in the  
Network/Bindings display.  
 
8
RELEASE NOTE FOR THE 3C975 ATMLINK 155 PCI NETWORK INTERFACE CARD  
Slow Responses with a Large Number of ELANs  
System reboot may take more than 5 minutes if 64 ELANs  
are configured.  
SNMP Trap  
Version 1.5 of the ATMLink 155 PCI NIC Windows NT driver  
provides SNMP traps for three critical events:  
ELAN Up  
ELAN Down  
Resilient Server Link (RSL) failover  
Additional information on these SNMP traps can be found  
in the ATMLink MIB file on ATMDisk diskette #1.  
Windows NT ATMLink Utility  
Version 1.5 of the ATMLink utility can reset individual  
ELANs as well as the entire ATMLink 155 PCI NIC.  
The ATMLink 1.5 version of the Windows NT ATMLink utility  
includes a Trace Buffer function. This function helps 3Com  
Technical Support and engineering troubleshoot problems.  
Total Number of ELANs Supported for the AppleTalk Protocol  
At this time, a total of eight ELANs is supported for the  
AppleTalk protocol.  
Regulatory Statements  
The 3C975-F and 3C975-UTP ATMLink 155 PCI NICs are  
both FCC Class B-certified. FCC compliance statements for  
the 3C975-F NIC are in the ATMLink 155 PCI Network  
Interface Cards User Guide.  
 
Regulatory Statements  
9
FCC Class B Statement  
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the  
following two conditions:  
1
2
This device may not cause harmful interference, and  
This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may  
cause undesired operation.  
WARNING: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits  
for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules, and the Canadian  
Department of Communications Equipment Standards entitled, “Digital Apparatus,”  
ICES-003.These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful  
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can  
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the  
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,  
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If  
this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,  
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is  
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following  
measures:  
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.  
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.  
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from the one which  
the receiver is connected to.  
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.  
The user may find the following booklet prepared by the Federal Communications  
Commission helpful:  
The Interference Handbook  
This booklet is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.  
20402. Stock No. 004-000-00345-4.  
NOTE: In order to maintain compliance with the limits of a Class B digital device,  
3Com requires that you use quality interface cables when connecting to this device.  
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by 3Com could void the user’s  
authority to operate this equipment. Refer to the manual for specifications on  
cabling types.  
FCC Declaration of Conformity  
We declare under our sole responsibility that the  
Model:  
Description:  
3C975-UTP  
ATMLink 155 PCI NIC  
to which this declaration relates, is in conformity with the following standards or  
other normative documents:  
ANSI C63.4-1992 Methods of Measurement  
Federal Communications Commission 47 CFR Part 15, subpart B  
15.107 (e) Class B Conducted Limits  
15.109 (g) Class B Radiated Emissions Limits  
3Com Corporation, 5400 Bayfront Plaza, P.O. Box 58145, Santa Clara, CA  
95052-8145  
 
 

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