Installing a Multishelf System

This chapter covers the following topics:

Introduction

Setting the rotary switch on each shelf

Plugging in the multishelf cables

Designating master and slave shelf controllers

Resetting the shelves and checking the status lights

Introduction

In a MAX TNT multishelf system, you can connect and configure multiple MAX TNT units to act a single logical unit. When you configure a MAX TNT as multishelf system, you configure one of the shelf controllers as a master shelf controller and the others as slaves. The master shelf controller is responsible for maintaining the routing tables and for managing each of the slot cards in the system. The slave controllers simply forward messages between the slot cards and the master shelf controller. (With the current release of system software, if the master shelf goes down, so does the entire multishelf system.)

This section explains each of the following general steps required to configure a multishelf system:

Make sure that the rotary switch on each system is set to a unique number.
Plug in the multishelf cables.
Designate master and slave shelf controllers.
Reset each shelf and check the multishelf lights.

You must be running software version 1.3A or later to configure a multishelf system. For information about loading system software, refer to MAX TNT Adminstration Guide.

Setting the rotary switch on each shelf

You must set the rotary switch on each shelf to a number between 1 and 9, which must be unique within the MAX TNT multishelf system. The numbers you set do not have to be sequential.

Figure 4-1. Setting the rotary switch to a unique number

Caution: Do not select zero as the shelf number. If a shelf is set to zero, it does not work.

Plugging in the multishelf cables

You must use the cable provided by Ascend (part number 2510-0290-xxx, where xxx represents digits subject to change) to connect the multishelf ports in a multishelf system. The multishelf ports are located at the far left of the shelf-controller, as shown in Figure 4-2.

Figure 4-2. Multishelf ports

Figure 4-3 shows the correct way to connect the multishelf cables.

Figure 4-3. Cabling a multishelf system

The cables must always connect downlink to uplink and vice versa, as shown in Figure 4-4.

Figure 4-4. Connecting the multishelf ports

Designating master and slave shelf controllers

Multishelf systems require that you designate a single shelf as the master and the rest as slaves. The Master-Shelf-Controller parameter specifies the shelf number designated as master for the multishelf system. This is the number you set on the master shelf's rotary switch (as shown in Figure 4-1 on page 4-2). All shelves must agree about which shelf is the master.

The Master-Shelf-Controller parameter is not applicable in a profile in which Shelf-Controller-Type is set to master. You set this parameter for slave shelves only.

For example, for a three-shelf system in which the master shelf rotary switch is set to 3, configure the System profile for shelf 3 as follows:

admin> read system
SYSTEM read
admin> set shelf-controller-type = master
admin> write
SYSTEM written

And configure the System profile for each slave shelf as follows:

admin> read system
SYSTEM read
admin> set shelf-controller-type = slave
admin> set master-shelf-controller = 3
admin> write
SYSTEM written

Resetting the shelves and checking the status lights

After configuring the master and slave shelf controllers, reset each shelf in the multishelf system by entering the reset command for each shelf in the system:

admin> reset

During a reset, the MAX TNT clears active connections and runs its Power-On Self Test (POST), just as it would if the unit were power-cycled.

When the shelves come up again, the multishelf LED should be lit.

Figure 4-5. Multishelf lights

Table 4-1 describes the multishelf status lights. For a complete description of the MAX TNT status lights, see Understanding the shelf-controller backpanel
Table 4-1. Multishelf lights

Lights

Description

2

Green. On for any functioning shelf in a multishelf system, whether it is configured as master or slave.

4

Yellow. This is the multishelf alarm light. If the master shelf goes down (if, for example, the multishelf cable is removed), this light goes on after about nine seconds on each slave shelf. Note that on the master shelf, this alarm light does not go on.

13

Green. On when there is Ethernet activity between MAX TNT shelves.

.

Where to go next

Depending on which slot cards you have purchased, proceed to the appropriate chapters to install and configure the slot cards.

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Copyright © 1997, Ascend Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.