DECnet and PSI System Managers and Operators Guide Apr86

This document is a "System Manager's and Operator's Guide" for TOPS-10 DECnet-10 Version 4.0 and PSI Version 1.0, published in April 1986 by Digital Equipment Corporation.

Key information includes:

• Purpose: Describes the operation, control, and monitoring functions for DECnet-10 and PSI products on DECsystem-1090/1091/1095 computers running TOPS-10 V7.03. These products provide communication interfaces to DIGITAL's corporate network (DECnet) and Public Packet Switching Networks (PPSNs).
• Supersedes: This manual combines and supersedes previous guides for TOPS-10 DECnet-10 (AA-L413A-TB) and TOPS-10 PSI (AA-CK83A-TB).
• New Features (Version 4.0): Includes support for Ethernet device NIA20 (multi-access connections), Phase III compatibility, AREA and MODULE entities, Phase IV routing nodes and Ethernet non-routing nodes, area routing, new upline dump/downline load procedures, and multiple FAL streams.
• Audience: Aimed at DECnet-10/PSI-10 System Managers and users with system privileges involved in network management and operations. Assumes experience with TOPS-10 and computer networks, but not necessarily DECnet.

• Organization: Divided into two parts:

  • Part I (Introduction): Covers system overview, Digital Network Architecture (DNA) layered structure, and basic network concepts.
  • Part II (DECnet Operation): Details running DECnet-10 (startup, restart, controlling node/circuit/line state, monitoring activity, host services, testing, node identification, Ethernet addresses, data link control, remote file access), Network Control Program (NCP) commands (OPR, NML, NML Network Management Layer), and Network Management Packet Switching Interface (X.25-specific commands, MODULE entity).

• Appendices: Summarize DECnet parameters (A), counters (B), network-related messages (C), X.29 configuration file (D), bibliography (E), DECnet line devices (F), and a glossary (G).

• Software/Hardware: Runs on KL10-based or KS10-based systems. KL10 systems use a DN20 communications front end (Phase III node) and can connect to Phase IV nodes via Ethernet. KS10 systems support Phase IV directly. A single KL10 can support up to three DN20s, but only one PSI Gateway per system.
• NCP Commands: The Network Control Program (NCP) is the primary interface for operators and managers to control and monitor the network. It supports various commands for setting/clearing parameters, loading/dumping nodes, performing loopback tests, and managing entities (Node, Circuit, Line, Logging, Module, Area).