Communicator e3000 MPE/iX Release 7.0 Express 1 (Software Release C.70.01) (30216-90328)

Chapter 3 45
New Networking
PCI WAN Sync MUX (Adapter Card and Driver)
PCI WAN Sync MUX (Adapter Card and Driver)
by Learning Products Team
Commercial Systems Division
The new class of HP e3000 systems has PCI-bus based hardware architecture. So new
drivers must be developed to support new PCI-based peripheral devices, including a new
WAN Sync MUX card.
The WAN Sync MUX product is a combination of hardware, firmware protocol modules
and the host driver with the following features:
• WAN connectivity solution for PCI-bus based HP e3000 systems
• IBM (SNA) connectivity solution for PCI-bus based HP e3000 systems.
• Same interface to LAN/WAN network stacks (e.g., NS TCP/IP) as exists on HP-PB
systems.
• Same interface to SNA network stacks (e.g., IMF, APPC, NRJE, etc.)
• Software component bundled with FOS and SUBSYS.
• PCIWAN Sync MUX add-on adapter card must be ordered separately.
• PCI equivalent to HP_PB PSI link product (A5563A)
The PCI WAN Sync MUX requires firmware downloads and has real on-board processor
and memory. The level-2 protocols (SDLC and LAPB) will be running on the card. This
simplifies the driver’s operations.
PCI WAN Sync MUX encompasses the new software driver and new add-on adapter card
that are required to provide WAN and IBM connectivity for the new system architecture. It
is a distinct and separate product from HP-PB PSI, which is incompatible with the new
architecture.
From a customer perspective, there is no major difference in how the networking
subsystems will operate compared to HP-PB HP e3000 systems. The change to the
underlying hardware architecture will be basically transparent. Customers currently
using NS, TCP/IP, and SNA products and applications will run their applications the same
as they do on HP-PB (using PSI hardware) systems, only they will now run over the PCI
WAN MUX LAPB and SDLC links respectively.
This approach is fundamental to the HP e3000 PCI design philosophy: the underlying
hardware/architecture changes should not impact upper layer software products or
customer applications, and should be essentially transparent.
NOTE Please note that, unlike PSI, Bi-Sync/RJE is not supported on Sync MUX.
The software component for the new PCI WAN Sync MUX link product will be bundled
into FOS (MPE/iX 7.0 and later) and SUBSYS. The customer needs to order the hardware
(Sync MUX adapter add-on card) and software (LAP-B or SDLC) separately for their
system. This is the same as HP-PB PSI.