Table 4%1. Initial Factory Settings Contained in NOVRAM

Item

Description of Factory Setting

 

 

Station Address

67byte value, unique to each card. For example,

 

08–00–09–xx–xx–xx" hex, where •xx xx xx" are labeled on

 

the NOVRAM.

 

 

Download Server Station Address

The Broadcast address: FF–FF–FF–FF–FF–FFhex

 

(see •Finding Link File Directories")

 

 

Receive Packet Filter

Set to •0", node will receive Individual Station Address packets

 

only. (See Table 472)

 

 

Retry Limit

Set to •15". On transmission failure, the node will reattempt

 

transmission up to 15 times.

 

 

Save Bad Packets Flag

Set to •0". The node will discard bad packets received.

 

 

Trace Mode Flag

Set to •0". The node will not trace (echo to driver) packets that

 

failed transmission.

 

 

During card initialization, such as after card power"up and reset, information stored in NOVRAM is copied to card RAM where it is subsequently used as required.

Through the driver, Node Manager software can be used to modify RAM or NOVRAM data. For example, it can modify the Station Address and Download Server Station Address in RAM only (•temporary" configuration change), or in RAM and NOVRAM (•permanent" configuration change). Also, it can configure Multicast Addresses in RAM.

See the Read Link Configuration (RC) and Set Link Configuration (SC) commands for more information on node (including card RAM and NOVRAM) configuration.

Driver's Copy

When the driver initializes, it obtains a copy of card RAM data, including the Station Address and Download Server Station Address. If changes are made, such as a new Station Address or Multicast Addresses are written to the card, the driver updates its copy. Thus, at any time, the driver •knows" essential card configuration parameters.

As long as system memory remains intact and there are no failures, the card will maintain its latest configuration. For example, suppose a card's Station Address was altered in RAM only. On card reset and initialization, RAM contents are lost, and the Station Address configured in NOVRAM will be written to RAM. The driver will overwrite the RAM's Station Address with the altered value. (This feature of the driver is especially useful during powerfail for those systems that have battery back"up installed.)

4%12 Node Manager Operations