Contents:
Why use TruPort?
TruPort allows serial ports on the EasyServer II to appear as native
serial ports on a Unix system.
TruPort allows complete control over ports. Applications can modify
port settings, and standard system utilities can configure peripherals
like printers and modems.
TruPort is used where extended serial port functionality is required.
(i.e. high baud rates supported, "autocts" hardware flow control locking,
port flushes and resets, port statistics).
Configuring Ports using
TruPort
TruPort must be installed - see Section
2: TruPort Installation.
Accessing the ports to be configured
Step 1.
Run easyadm. The network is searched for installed servers.
A list of found servers is displayed in the TruPort window.
Where there is a slow network, the search can take up to several
minutes - see Section 4 - Troubleshooting
for more detail.
Step 2.
Using the Select menu option, select the EasyServer. The Panel
Configuration screen is displayed:
Options on this screen include:
- Select - allows you to select a port to be configured.
Use this option if setting up a port for the first time.
- View - allows you to view information relating to Labels,
Port Status, Input and Output.
- Utilities - allows you to Copy and Remove the current port
configuration. Also to Enable, Disable, Flush, Reset the currently
selected port, and to refresh the required telnet listeners on a
server if it has been reset (NVRAM erased).
- Analyse - allows you to run Monitor and Loopback tests.
If running loopback diags you can expect to see all the status lights
'Asserted' for ports that are looped-back and functioning correctly.
To see a legend for the "Asserted" lights, press <F3> during
the loopback test.
The next section outlines how to configure selected ports.
Configuring Selected
Ports
Note:
TruPort requires v6.1.0 or higher firmware. See Section
5 for details on installing the current firmware version.
Step 3.
Use Select to nominate and configure individual ports. Ports
can be configured to be a Terminal, Printer, Modem, UUCP link, Session,
* Attached printer, * or Other serial device.
* = currently not supported.
Note:
Since port 1 doubles as a console port, it is recommended that it
not be configured for any device that would be adversely affected
by receiving console messages. For example, each time the server is
rebooted, a log is printed to port 1. Typically, configure a terminal
on port 1.
Configure the ports to the appropriate type, referring if necessary
to the sections below.
Step 4.
When ready, press <Enter> in all fields until the screen is accepted.
Return to the top-level screen by choosing 'Quit', or by pressing
<ESC> repeatedly.
Note:
<F1> displays context sensitive help, and
<F3> displays valid input values on selected fields.
<ESC> aborts the screen and returns to the next higher function/menu
level.
Miscellaneous additional functions available via the menu on the
Panel Configuration screen include:
- Modify port - change current values.
- Remove port - deletes all current parameters.
- Wiring diagram - displays the most appropriate wiring for
this port, given the device configuration.
- Options - allows the driver specific parameters to be changed
for a device.
- Analyze - monitor or run loopback diagnostics on the currently
selected port.
See Section 3: Other TruPort Functions
for more detail on these functions.
Configuring an 'other'
Port
'Other' is a raw device under Unix. Standard Unix system tools like
Sysadmsh may then be used to configure Unix devices. These ports have
none of the characteristics of associated with specific port types like
terminal, printer, modem.
Configuring a Terminal
Port
Terminal type - terminal type or terminal emulation to be
used on this port. Press <F3> for list of easyadm supported types
or enter your own type.
Port label - allows administrators to assign an easily remembered
name to a port. The view option can be used to display port labels.
This option is useful for tracking who is using which port.
Port status - a port must be
enabled before it can be used.
Cycling baud rates - if auto-bauding
is enabled, the port can support any baud rate in the list of available
baud rates. You can change the baud rate by pressing the <BREAK>
key a number of times until the login message appears on the top screen.
Starting, from the selected baud rate, each subsequent <BREAK>
selects the next lower baud rate from the list. After the last baud
rate in the list has been tried, the next <BREAK> will select the
first from the list.
Hotkey (only for Sessions) - key sequence used to switch between
sessions on a port. There are three ways to define hotkey sequences:
- Specify the actual Hotkey code for the sequence in decimal, octal
or hex. eg. \d10 or \012 or \x0a.
- Press the Hotkey sequence required. eg. for <Ctrl-O>, press
the <Ctrl> and <O> keys together.
- Type the Hotkey sequence in key notation. eg. to use <Ctrl-O>
type '^O' at the prompt.
Baud rate - the speed of transmission in bits per second. Usually
either 9600 or 19200 baud. Cables running higher baud rates are more
susceptible to electrical interference than lower baud rates.
Data bits - the size of a character
(in bits). Data size can be 5, 6, 7 or 8 bits. Most applications expect
the size of a character to be either 7 or 8 bits.
Stop bits - the number of bits to be used to mark the end of a transmitted
character. (usually 1. 2 is rarely used.)
Parity - the method of parity checking to be used during transmission
to determine whether a character has been transmitted correctly. Parity
may be EVEN, ODD, or NONE. The parity of the device and the port it
is connected to must be the same.
Handshaking - is handshaking to be controlled by software,
Hardware, a combination of hardware and software, or no handshaking
control at all.
Configuring a Printer
Port
Printer type - Unix system printers are available to all users
on a Unix system. To make a Unix system printer, specify it's name
and the name of the interface script required to filter its input.
Non-Unix printers are accessible only by their device name and may
not be available to general Unix system users. Press <F3> for a
list of types.
Label - allows administrators to assign an easily remembered name
to a port. The view option can be used to display port labels. This
option is useful for tracking who is using which port.
Printer Name - the name used to refer to a UNIX system printer.
The name can be any valid UNIX file name and is used in a UNIX lp
command to specify a destination for a printer job. Use short meaningful
names for printers (ie., "adm" for the administration printer).
Printer Interface - the interface file, written as a UNIX shell script,
performs administrative tasks and filtering of text passed to a UNIX
system printer.
Default Printer - the UNIX system printer to which all print jobs
with an unspecified destination are sent.
Details of Port Status, Baud Rate, Data Bits, Stop Bits, Parity,
and Handshaking are given in an earlier section 'Configuring
a Terminal Port'.
Configuring a Modem Port
Link Type - modems can be configured to make outgoing calls only,
accept incoming calls only, or do both.
Label - allows administrators to assign an easily remembered name
to a port. The view option can be used to display port labels. This
option is useful for tracking who is using which port.
Terminal Type - terminal type or terminal emulation to be
used on this port. Press <F3> for list of types.
Details of Port Status, Cycling Baud Rates, Data Bits, Baud Rate,
Stop Bits, Parity, and Handshaking are given in an earlier section
'Configuring a Terminal Port'.
Configuring a UUCP Link
Link Type - modems can be configured to make outgoing calls only,
accept incoming calls only, or do both.
Label - allows administrators to assign an easily remembered name
to a port. The view option can be used to display port labels. This
option is useful for tracking who is using which port.
Connection Type - either 'modem' or 'direct'. Select Modem
if the port is connected to a modem. Select Direct if the port is
connected to another machine by a cable.
Details of Port Status, Cycling Baud Rates, Data Bits, Labels, Baud
Rate, Stop Bits, Parity, and Handshaking are given in an earlier section
'Configuring a Terminal Port'.
Note:
'Session' and 'Attached printer' port types are not supported.
