Reconfiguring FastPaths for Pippin

URL: http://www.stanford.edu/group/networking/sysalert/atalk-update/

Current Status

What is Happening

On Monday, March 24th, 1997, Argus (36.56.0.151) will stop providing AppleTalk routing updates to the 300+ AppleTalk gateways at Stanford (i.e., the last update will be in the early hours of the morning on the 24th from data entered before 8PM on the 23rd). Starting March 24th, all AppleTalk gateways at Stanford will need to be reconfigured to use the new server, Pippin (171.64.7.90), which will begin sending reload directives in the early hours of the morning on Friday, March 28th.

This change is being made to improve performance and reliability on the external nameservers and to allow room for future improvements in AppleTalk administration. Note: contrary to earlier indications, we will not be using the "C's" for AppleTalk management; a single new server will be used instead.

To provide LNAs time to adjust, there will be no routing updates on the 25th, 26th, or 27th. FastPaths rebooted (by accident or design) on the 24th, 25th, 26th, or 27th will work regardless of which servers they are configured to use. "No routing updates" simply means that changes to AppleTalk entries in NetDB will not be reflected until the 28th.

Please apply the following changes to all FastPaths on your network any time on March 24th, 25th, or 26th. Please do not make these changes before 5AM on the 24th, because the new server will not be active yet. If you will be unable to do this, please contact your Networking Consultant or other support staff (for example, MedISG or LiNCS) now for personal instruction or to make other arrangements for updating your FastPaths.

Networking will run test scripts on the 26th and 27th to verify that FastPaths have been properly reconfigured, but due to the sheer number of AppleTalk gateways at Stanford, we must rely on your help.

Using Shiva Net Manager

Shiva Net Manager can access FastPaths either on your local network or on remote networks across the AppleTalk zones on SUNet. If your FastPath is in an unusually confused state, you might need to refer to the verbose FastPath configuration directions for information on FastPath Manager.

Both Shiva Net Manager and FastPath Manager are available on the Site Licensed server in the Stanford AppleTalk zone. Log on with your SUNetID username and password.

Illustrations show Shiva Net Manager version 2.4, which is recommended for use with FastPaths at Stanford. Shiva Net Manager 2.5 has additional features that you should ignore.

Updating Networks in Active Use

If your network includes older Macintoshes connected to SUNet through LocalTalk (PhoneNET) rather than the more common Ethernet, then the following procedure will break all TCP/IP connections in use on those machines (such as telnet sessions to Forsythe). To reestablish TCP/IP connectivity, those Macs will need to restart after the reconfiguration. If you have an odd custom configuration in which your Macs on Ethernet are getting IP addresses through the FastPath (never recommended or documented by Networking), then this also applies to you.

In most cases, though, reconfiguring a FastPath, provided that the restart completes successfully, will have no negative impact on Macs or other devices connected via Ethernet. It should not even interrupt network file copies in progress. However, things can go wrong, so we recommend notifying your users beforehand and making changes when your network is in light use (early morning in the dorms; late night in offices).

Procedure

  1. Start up Shiva Net Manager Manager.

  2. Select your AppleTalk zone from the scrolling list of zones and FastPath from the Device Types pane. Please do not select the FastPath in the Networking zone; it has been restarted more than enough recently, thank you very much.

  3. Double-Click on your FastPath to open the Configuration window. If it is not clear from the names shown in the AppleTalk Devices list which FastPath is yours, then please check its configured IP address against whois and set a meaningful net-visible name according to the verbose FastPath configuration directions from the LNA Guide.

  4. Click on Show Ethernet Configuration to expand those settings:

  5. Scroll down to the SNMP/Atalkatab configuration section.

  6. Now we've gotten to the point where we actually make the changes. Two things must change: the SNMP Host address and IP address of [TFTP] server must be that of Pippin, 171.64.7.90.

  7. While you're here, please set the SNMP contact/location information and increase the Retry parameter from the default of 3 to the preferred 5 minutes.

  8. From the FastPath menu, choose Set Configuration & "Go". The Configuration window will close, leaving you at the AppleTalk Devices window.

    NOTE:Shiva Net Manager version 2.5 does not have a Set & Go command. With version 2.5, you must do a Set, then restart the FastPath as below.

  9. Wait about 30 seconds for the FastPath to restart.

  10. Open the FastPath again as above and verify that the FastPath is in Running K-Star mode (below). If instead it says Downloader Mode or Unknown State, then your FastPath is confused. Close the configuration window, select Restart from the FastPath menu, wait 45 seconds, and check again.
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