Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!mordor!sri-spam!ames!hao!gatech!hubcap!ncrcae!ncr-sd!ncrlnk!fenix!dspoon
From: dspoon@fenix.Atlanta.NCR.COM (David B. Witherspoon)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Token Ring Psychology
Message-ID: <302@fenix.Atlanta.NCR.COM>
Date: 29 Feb 88 16:04:30 GMT
Organization: NCR Systems Engineering - Retail / Atlanta
Lines: 30
Keywords: Token Ring Errors Recovery

Recently we added several hundred feet of cable to our Token Ring LAN. Since
then, we have been noticing MANY problems with the server software (vendor
intentionally not mentioned) which seem to coincide with ring errors. 

My question is:

	What is the general "psychology" of a TR LAN in terms of ring errors
        recovery? 

Unfortunately, we were not monitoring the ring status continually until we
started having problems, so I don't know if the ring errors have increased
since the new cabling was installed (which would seem to indicate a H/W bug)
or not (which would seem to indicate a S/W bug). 

The ring occasionally will suffer a "Ring Error", which is always followed by
a "Ring Recovered", the time between the two being around 20 seconds. The
server software appears to be intolerant of such conditions and various
problems ensue, usually requiring rebooting of the server(s).

The questions restated is:

	Is a TR LAN designed to suffer and deal with (recover from) various
        kinds of ring errors, from which the S/W should be able to recover?

If there is a good source of info on T/R LAN debugging and/or any popular S/W
tools, I'd appreciate that info as well. Thanks in advance!!

-------------------------------David Witherspoon-------------------------------
D.Witherspoon@Atlanta.NCR.COM         | "Facts all come with points of view
NCR Sys Engineering-Retail/Atlanta    |  Facts don't do what I want them to"
MY OPINIONS...ALL MINE!!!             |               - Talking Heads