Contents:
Using Menus
The Communications Server menu function allows user-specific menus
to be defined by the Administrator. The user does not then need to know
the command language. As a consequence, the user is restricted to a
limited command set.
Administrators can create menus with up to ten
items. Each menu is identified by a given name. A port can then be configured
to use a specified menu as its dedicated or preferred service.
The following topics are outlined in this section:
- Defining Menus
- Activating Menus
- Setting Menus
- Dedicating Menus
- Display Menu after Authentification
Defining Menus
The following is an example of defining a menu:
Local 1>> DEFINE MENU servers ITEM 1 LABEL "Login to server1"
Local 1>> DEFINE MENU servers ITEM 1 COMMAND "telnet server1"
Local 1>> DEFINE MENU servers ITEM 2 LABEL "Login to server2"
Local 1>> DEFINE MENU servers ITEM 2 COMMAND "telnet server2"
Local 1>> DEFINE MENU servers ITEM 3 LABEL "Switch to PPP mode"
Local 1>> DEFINE MENU servers ITEM 3 COMMAND "connect PPP"
Activating Menus
Menus may activated from the command line (or
a menu command):
Local 1>> CONNECT MENU servers
The CONNECT MENU command may itself be used as a menu action to create
sub-menus.
A port may be set up to run a menu as a dedicated service:
Local 1>> DEFINE PORT p DEDICATED MENU servers
A port also may be set up to run a default menu
after a user logs-in:
Local 1>> DEFINE PORT p PREFERRED MENU servers AUTOCONNECT ENABLED
Setting Menus
Once a menu is defined, it can be set using the
SET MENU command as shown below:
SET MENU servers ITEM 1 LABEL "Login to Server 1" COMMAND "telnet server1"
SET MENU servers ITEM 2 LABEL "Login to Server 2" COMMAND "telnet server2"
SET MENU servers ITEM 3 LABEL "Switch to PPP mode" COMMAND "connect
PPP"
Note: Both a LABEL and a COMMAND must be specified for each
item before that menu item will function. The command syntax allows
LABEL and COMMAND to be entered in the same line, as shown above, or
in separate lines if desired.
The resulting menu would appear as follows:
Choose a command from this menu:
1. Login to Server 1
2. Login to Server 2
3. Switch to PPP mode
Enter menu choice or `q' to quit:
When the menu is activated the item-number and
label are displayed on screen for each item, as shown above. When the
user selects an item, the COMMAND for that item is executed. The command
is commonly telnet or similar command, however any command can be specified,
including a chained sub-menu.
Dedicating Menus
A dedicated or preferred menu will be displayed
either immediately after login, or without needing to login. For example:
change port 2 dedicated menu localhosts
will cause a menu to be run without requiring login.
Display Menu After Authentication
A menu may be configured to display only after
the user is authenticated. For example:
change port 2 preferred menu localhosts autoconnect enabled
will cause a menu to be displayed after a user
is authenticated.
The Operational
and Permanent Databases
The Communications Server maintains two databases:
the operational database and the permanent database. The operational
database is used to store the current operating parameters, and the
permanent database is used to store long-term operating parameters.
Parameters in the operational database are reset to the contents of
the Communications Server's permanent database when the server is reset
with the REBOOT command or power is lost. In contrast, parameters in
the permanent database remain unchanged if the server is reset with
the REBOOT command or power is lost.
Note: The contents of both databases are reset to the
factory default values if the reset button at the back of the Communications
Server is pressed.
You can use the SET, DEFINE, or CHANGE commands to change the operating
parameters. SET commands affect the operational database only, and DEFINE
commands affect the permanent database only. CHANGE commands affect
both databases.
The SET, DEFINE, and CHANGE commands work differently
for port settings than they do for other settings. SET commands take
effect immediately, but are lost when the port is logged out or power
is lost. DEFINE commands don't take effect until the port is logged
out. And CHANGE commands take effect immediately. DEFINE and CHANGE
commands are saved even if the port is logged out or power is lost.
Enabling Privileged Mode
Enable privileged mode to access the complete
command set and make changes to the permanent database.
The default privileged password is system.
The following example shows how to enable privileged mode.
Local 1> SET PRIVILEGED
Privilege password: SYSTEM
Local 1>>
Note: The system password doesn't echo to the screen.
Notice that a second angle bracket (>) is added
to the local prompt to remind you that you are operating in privileged
mode.
You should change the default privileged password
immediately. Substitute a new password as shown in the following example.
Local 1>> CHANGE SERVER PRIVILEGED PASSWORD
Enter new password: newpassword
Verify: newpassword
Local 1>>
Where newpassword is the new Communications
Server privileged password.
Note: The newpassword doesn't echo to the screen.
To disable privileged mode, type:
Local 1>> SET NOPRIVILEGED
Local 1>
Notice that the second angle bracket (>) disappears
to show you that you are operating in non-privileged mode.
Changing Prompts
The default prompt on all serial ports is '%N
%p>%P '. The %N is replaced by the communication Server's name,
or Local if there is no name assigned to the server. The %p is
replaced by the current serial port number. The %P signifies privileged
mode by appending an angle bracket (>) to the prompt. If you haven't
previously changed the default prompt or server name, on port 1 the
default prompt appears as Local 1> on your terminal screen.
You can change the default prompt with two commands:
CHANGE SERVER PROMPT and CHANGE PORT PROMPT.
The CHANGE SERVER PROMPT command requires privileged
access. This command allows you to change the default prompts on all
ports to any 1- to 16-character ASCII string.
Non-privileged users can change the default
prompt on the current port using the CHANGE PORT PROMPT command.
This command also overrides any prompt changes made by a privileged
user using the CHANGE SERVER PROMPT command. In privileged mode,
you can use the CHANGE PORT PROMPT command to change all or specified
prompts. Refer to the EasyServer
II Command Reference Manual for more information about the CHANGE
PORT PROMPT command.
The table below shows how to use the CHANGE
SERVER PROMPT command with special characters to change the default
prompts.
Table 3-1 Changing Prompts *
* The examples shown in this table assume that you are using
port 1 and have not previously changed the default prompt of the Communications
Server.
Refer to the EasyServer II Command
Reference Manual for more information about the CHANGE SERVER PROMPT
or CHANGE PORT PROMPT commands.
Broadcasting Messages
The BROADCAST command allows users to send and receive messages at
their ports. BROADCAST is enabled by default. If you want to make sure
users receive important server messages, such as shutdown notifications,
instruct them not to disable BROADCAST. To disable broadcast messages,
type:
Local 1>> CHANGE SERVER BROADCAST DISABLED
You can also disable broadcast message on specific
ports. The following example shows how to disable broadcast messages
on port 4.
Local 1>> CHANGE PORT 4 BROADCAST DISABLED
Refer to the BROADCAST, SET/DEFINE/CHANGE PORT BROADCAST, and SET/DEFINE/CHANGE
SERVER
BROADCAST commands in the EasyServer
II Command Reference Manual.
Using SNMP
The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
allows a TCP/IP node to query other nodes, such as communication servers,
hosts, gateways, and routers, for network statistics and errors.
This information is valuable for network management and troubleshooting.
For more information, refer to the online help
tutorial for information about how to set up the Communications Server
as an SNMP agent, add communities, and monitor SNMP counters and statistics.
You can use the following SNMP commands:
- CLEAR/PURGE SNMP COMMUNITY
- SET/DEFINE/CHANGE SNMP
- SHOW/LIST MONITOR SNMP
- ZERO COUNTERS SNMP
Refer to the EasyServer
II Command Reference Manual for SNMP command syntax and parameters.
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