ROUTE

Purpose

Use at the server console on a token ring cabling system to pass frames (packets) from NetWare^® through IBM*-compatible source route bridges.

ROUTE enables the operating system to

Keep track of the source routing information in the frames

Configure the source routing information in the frames according to the parameters with which ROUTE is loaded
NOTE: You must load the token ring LAN driver before you load ROUTE.

ROUTE and most ROUTE parameters can also be configured using the INETCFG utility. See Configuring Source Route End Station Parameters with INETCFG.

Syntax

[LOAD] [path]ROUTE [BOARD=number] [NAME=board_name] [DEF|GBR|MBR] [TIME=number] [RSP=AR|NR] [CLEAR] | [REMOVE=number] [XTX=number] [UNLOAD [BOARD=number]]

Parameter	Use to
path	Specify the path to ROUTE.NLM if you moved it from the default directory.
BOARD=number	Specify the board you want to change parameters on or load ROUTE for. Replace number with the board number. If you don't specify a board number, the default is board number 1, or the board name specified in the NAME parameter. The system numbers the boards, using 1 for the first driver loaded. (Check the order in the autoexec.ncf file.)
NAME=board_name	Specify the board name.
DEF (Default)	Specify that all Unknown Unicast frames are to be sent as All Routes Broadcast frames. If DEF is specified, all frames with addresses not in the server's Source Routing table are forwarded as All Routes Broadcast frames. If DEF is not specified, all frames with addresses not in the server's Source Routing table are forwarded as Single Route Broadcast frames. If ROUTE is already loaded with the DEF parameter, reloading ROUTE with DEF sends all Unknown Unicast frames as All Routes Broadcast frames.
GBR (General Broadcast frames)	Specify that all General Broadcast frames are to be sent as All Routes Broadcast frames. If this parameter is not specified when ROUTE is loaded, all General Broadcast frames are broadcast as Single Route Broadcast frames. If ROUTE is already loaded with the GBR parameter, reloading ROUTE with GBR broadcasts all General Broadcast frames as All Routes Broadcast frames.
MBR (Multicast Broadcast frames)	Specify that all Multicast frames are to be sent as All Routes Broadcast frames. If the parameter is not specified when ROUTE is loaded, all Multicast frames are broadcast as Single Route Broadcast frames. If ROUTE is already loaded with the MBR parameter, reloading ROUTE with MBR broadcasts all Multicast frames as All Routes Broadcast frames.
TIME=number	Specify how often the Source Routing table should be updated. Replace number with a value from 3 to 255 seconds. The default is 10 seconds. This parameter forces the table to be updated with a new route if the route isn't used during the specified time. It enables ROUTE to determine alternate routes dynamically when an IBM bridge goes down.
RSP=value (Respond)	Specify how the server should respond to a broadcast request. Replace value with one of the following: NR: Specifies that all Broadcast Requests are to be responded to directly; a Broadcast Response isn't required. AR (the default): Specifies that all Broadcast Requests are to be responded to with an All Routes Broadcast frame.
CLEAR	Clear the Source Routing table. Use when an IBM bridge has gone down and an alternate route is available. CLEAR forces a dynamic rebuilding of the table by sending a default frame to each specific node in the network. Use CLEAR to completely clear the Source Routing table, or use REMOVE to clear only one node address from the Source Routing table.
REMOVE=number	Remove a specified node address from the server's Source Routing table. Replace number with a 12-digit (6-byte) hexadecimal number. If you enter fewer than nine digits, ROUTE prefixes the address with 4000 in hexadecimal. For example, REMOVE=2 becomes REMOVE=400000000002. Use REMOVE when a bridge has gone down. When you remove the node from the Source Routing table, you force the server to determine an alternate route.
XTX=number	Specify the number of times to transmit on a timed-out route, using the old route. Replace number with a value between 00 and 255 seconds. The default is 02 times.
UNLOAD [BOARD=number]	Use to remove source routing support for a specified board. If you don't specify a board number, the default is 1. Example: `LOAD ROUTE UNLOAD BOARD=2` Note: This parameter does not unload ROUTE.NLM, but disables source routing only for the board that you specify.

Using ROUTE

No parameters are required. However, you can load ROUTE a second time with a specified parameter to change the configuration.

Most of the parameters have default values that should work with simple configurations for IBM bridges.
If you have parallel IBM bridges, you can change some of the parameters to reduce traffic on some of the paths.

As frames pass through an IBM bridge, source routing information is added to the frame header at the Media Access Control (MAC) layer. The operating system's bridging is done above this layer.

ROUTE can be loaded reentrantly.

Configuring Source Route End Station Parameters with INETCFG

You can use INETCFG to load ROUTE and configure many source route end station parameters.

To use INETCFG, follow these steps.

Load INETCFG.

Select Internetwork Configuration > Boards to load a token-ring board.

Return to the Internetwork Configuration menu and use the Protocols option to enable Source Route End Station.

Return to the Internetwork Configuration menu and select Bindings.

A list of bindings appears.

Select an existing binding or press Insert to add a new binding.

A list of enabled protocols appears.

Select Source Route End Station.

A list of boards is displayed.

Select the token ring board you configured with the Boards option.

The Attach Source Route End Station to an Interface menu appears.

The Source Route End Station parameters are listed in the following table.

Table 3. Source Route End Station Parameters

Parameter	Use to
Interface Name (same as NAME=board_name command line parameter)	View the name of the interface to which the end station source router is bound. This field is read-only.
Frame Type	View or modify the source route end station list of frame types. Press Enter to see the list. Press Insert to select a frame type. Press Delete to remove a frame type.
Send Frames with Unknown Address (same as DEF [Default] command line parameter)	Specify the type of explorer frame the end station source router sends to an unknown node address. Options: Single Route Explorer Frame, All Routes Explorer Frame Default: Single Route Explorer Frame
Send Broadcast Frames (same as GBR command line parameter)	Specify the type of explorer frame the end station source router sends to a broadcast destination address. Options: Single Route Explorer Frame, All Routes Explorer Frame Default: Single Route Explorer Frame
Send Multicast Frames (same as MBR command line parameter)	Specify the type of explorer frame the end station source router sends to a multicast, group, or functional address. Options: Single Route Explorer Frame, All Routes Explorer Frame Default: Single Route Explorer Frame
Respond to Broadcast Request (same as RSP command line parameter)	Specify how the end station source router responds to a single route explorer frame. Options: Specifically Routed Frame, All Routes Explorer Frame Default: All Routes Explorer Frame
Route Update Interval (same as TIME=number command line parameter)	Specify the minimum delay in seconds before the end station source router updates the route for a given node. Range: 0 to 65,535 seconds (0=infinite) Default: 10

NOTE: To remove source route bridge support for the specified board, disable the binding.

Additional Information

Topic	See
INETCFG	INETCFG
Source routing and broadcast frames	IBM Token-Ring Network Architecture Reference