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Planning for Network 21 Stage 3
Frequently Asked Questions

Table of Contents

General FAQs:
 
Stage 3 Cutover Process

Network 21 Consultants
NAMs
Stage 3 Survey to be sent February - March 1998

Technical FAQs:

Client Hardware

LocalTalk with FastPath or Gatorbox
Changes to Network Software (device/packet drivers)
VLAN & IP Subnets
IP Addresses
DHCP & BOOTP
DNS Sub-Domains

Stage 3 Cutover Process

FAQ: When planning for Network 21 Stage 3 cutover, how much time should our department budget for the various tasks?

The following table lists some of the known departmental tasks and responsibilities, with an approximate time estimate for each: Complete Stage 3 Survey  1 hour  Order Hardware and Software (if necessary)  2 - 6 hours  Install/Verify Parts and Software (if necessary)  1 - 3 weeks  Cutover by Implementation Teams  15 minutes per workstation 
TASKS  ESTIMATED DURATION 

FAQ: What are the responsibilities of I.T. regarding the cutover process? 

As part of the Stage 3 cutover process, I.T. will provide monthly Network 21 Information Sessions, Network 21 Consultants to answer questions, cutover notification, and cutover schedules, At cutover time Cutover Implementation Teams are responsible for cutover of electronic ports and testing final connectivity.

FAQ: What are the responsibilities of the department regarding the cutover process?

Departments are responsible for completing the Stage 3 Survey to verify NAMs for cutover and determine the needed VLANs for their departments. The Stage 3 survey schedule is located here. Departments are also responsible for ordering, installing, and testing any new equipment required for client hardware. Departments are responsible for the configuration of their hardware and software during the cutover window.

Network 21 Consultants

FAQ: Who can I contact with questions about Network 21 and cutover? 

The Network 21 Consultant list has been changed for the Stage 3 Cutover Process. The Network 21 Consultants can be found at Network 21 Consultants. As always Technology Support Program members may also consult their Information Technology Representative (ITR) for information.

Call 4-NW21 [4-6921] for answers to questions related to Network 21 cutover, referral to appropriate resources, and/or advice on technical options for problem resolution.

Post your questions to the net21info@ucdavis.edu e-mail list. Responses will also be posted to this list. To subscribe to the list, send an e-mail message to listproc@ucdavis.edu. Leave the subject line blank, and in the first line of your message, type the following: subscribe net21info <yourfirstname> <yourlastname>

NAMs


FAQ: What is a NAM? 

A NAM, or Network Access Module, consists of the wall plate and jack that provide telephone and network connectivity.

Stage 3 Survey to be sent February - March 1998


FAQ: Why do we have to complete the Stage 3 Survey? 

The Stage 3 Survey provides departments the opportunity to verify their NAM inventory and determine what VLANs will be needed by the department. The Stage 3 Survey will be sent to departments in February through March of 1998 and must be completed by area-specific deadlines. VLAN survey information is now online.

FAQ: Why does I.T. want all this information? 

The requested information will allow I.T. to:

Client Hardware

FAQ: What does my department need to know about client hardware issues and Network 21? 

Your department will need to ensure that all desktop computers and network devices will be 10BASE-T-ready at Network 21 cutover time. 

FAQ: What are the transceiver types for Network 21 Cutover? 

AAUI to 10BASE-T Ethernet (Macintosh):

The Macintosh Apple Attachment Unit Interface (AAUI) ethernet adapter port is built in on newer Macintoshes and PowerBooks. The AAUI port is a small D-shaped connector; on the Macintosh, the port is labeled with an icon that looks similar to this: <...>.

If you have an AAUI port, you will use a transceiver to connect the D-shaped AAUI port to your LAN wiring.

Use an AAUI to 10BASE-T ethernet adapter to connect an AAUI port to the Network 21 infrastructure. The transceiver plugs into your Macintosh AAUI port at one end and a 10BASE-T cable at the other end. 

AUI to 10BASE-T Ethernet (PC, UNIX, printers, Macintosh and more):

AUI to 10BASE-T transceivers are common and inexpensive. If it is impractical/impossible to replace the internal NIC in your device, you can use a transceiver to convert your AUI connector to a 10BASE-T connector.

Note: Some devices (e.g., Sun Sparc) require a slim-line model transceiver for proper connection.

BNC to 10BASE-T Ethernet: 

Thinnet to 10BASE-T microrepeaters are not inexpensive. It is typically more, cost effective to replace the NIC in your device than to use a Thinnet to 10BASE-T microrepeater. Many cards with Thinnet connectors also have an AUI connector. If you decide to use a transceiver instead of purchasing a new NIC, use an AU to 10BASE-T transceiver.

SCSI to 10BASE-T Ethernet (Macintosh): 

PowerBooks and some other Macintoshes often come equipped with a built-in SCSI port. (The SCSI port has a diamond-shaped icon that looks like a diamond with a slot through one corner). Use a SCSI to 10BASE-T ethernet transceiver on PowerBooks without an AAUI port. Use a SCSI to 10BASE-T ethernet transceiver for a Macintosh that does not have an AAUI port when it is impractical to install an internal NIC. When you use a SCSI to 10BASE-T ethernet adapter to connect a SCSI port to the Network 21 infrastructure, the transceiver plugs into your Macintosh SCSI port at one end and a 10BASE-T cable at the other end. Some SCSI to ethernet adapters are powered through the SCSI port; some SCSI to ethernet adapters have a separate supply that must beplugged into a wall socket or surge suppresser, strip.

Note: Some SCSI to ethernet transceivers allow you to daisy chain your SCSI devices; this means that the SCSI to ethernet transceiver does not prevent you from using the SCSI port for other SCSI devices. 

FAQ: We are a Macintosh based department. Which is best, the AAUI port, an internal NIC, or a SCSI transceiver? 

If possible, it is best to use the built-in AAUI port for your ethernet connection. Some recent models of PowerMac come with both an AAUI and 10BASE-T connector. In this case, use the 10BASE-T connector instead of an AAUI transceiver (you will need a 10BASE-T cable in either case).

If your Macintosh does not have an AAUI port, you may be able to install an internal NIC. Many Macintoshes have NuBus, Comm Slot or other expansion slots that be used for an internal NIC. If it is impractical to install a NIC in a NuBus slot, you can use a SCSI to ethernet transceiver.

LocalTalk with FastPath or Gatorbox


FAQ: Local Talk networks with FastPath or GatorBox: Convert to ethernet or continue with LocalTalk? 

A LocalTalk network uses a FastPath or GatorBox to gateway from LocalTalk to ethernet and UCDNet. The FastPath or GatorBox can manage one or more AppleTalk zones and performs multiple functions: Although the FastPath/GatorBox solution is acceptable under the Network 21 infrastructure, we strongly recommend that all new purchases of Macintoshes and Apple printers include an ethernet port on the device. We recommend that all Macintoshes and LocalTalk printers be converted to ethernet when appropriate and practical (e.g., it may make more sense to wait for the replacement of a Mac SE workstation than to install an ethernet NIC.)

Changes to Network Software (device/packet drivers)


FAQ: Regarding DOS/Windows device driver and packet driver software, what changes are required? 

Network software (e.g., Windows for Workgroups, Netware, Trumpet Winsock) uses a device driver (also called a packet driver) to control a NIC. If you replace the NIC in your PC, you may also need to replace the device driver used by your network software. Most NICs include a diskette with device drivers for the common network software.

Note: If you use a transceiver instead of replacing the NIC, you do not need to update the software device driver.

VLAN & IP Subnets


FAQ: Given that each VLAN will be its own IP subnet, how small or large a VLAN will I.T. be assigning? Can faculty have their own VLAN with 4-8 Macintoshes for research labs? 

 We haven't anticipated placing hard and fast limits on sizes of VLANs. We would approach the issue from a pragmatic perspective. We do expect that 32 would be a popular size, as would 64 and 128. While some might find 256 to be adequate, broadcasts from a VLAN of that size are likely to become an issue. Very small subnets, 16 and under, tend to be wasteful of address space, as do very large ones (256 and above). We will attempt to limit the number of subnets assigned at the extreme ends of the scale.

IP Addresses


FAQ: When will we have our new IP Addresses? 

The Network Design must be completed. The IP Addresses are issued as a range of addresses for your devices. You will be notified by letter which includes a document known as a 'cutsheet' that will list your range of IP addresses and NAMs.

DHCP & BOOTP


FAQ: Will I still be able to set a Macintosh's IP/Subnet/Gateway via BOOTP? Will changing IP addresses change DNS addresses also? Will I be able to use DHCP to set DNS information? 

DHCP and BOOTP both will work with the new network.

DNS Sub-Domains


FAQ: Given that we will be reorganizing our entire IP structure, we would like to establish a separate DNS sub-domain for our department (i.e., mydepartname.ucdavis.edu). While we could do this now, would it be better to wait until Network 21? What will be the procedure for doing this once the Network 21 infrastructure is in place? 

There is currently no policy to prevent this, and I.T. doesn't anticipate there being one in the future. HOWEVER, establishing a separate DNS sub-domain places a large responsibility on the departmental LAN administrator and drastically increases reliability requirements of the departmental server. All of I.T.'s DNS servers are in hardened environments with all sorts of redundancy and sparing, UPS power, air conditioning, and security. There are departmental DNS servers now, and they are in similar environments. The departments that do currently have them have had the environments and operations support to assure adequate reliability.

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Administration by: Webmaster - Editing corrections to: Clare Homan 
Last modified 10/28/98