Overview of IBM Networking

SNA FRAS

Management service point support in FRAS allows the SNA network management application, NetView, to manage Cisco routers over the Frame Relay network as if it were an SNA downstream PU.

FRAS provides dial backup over RSRB in case the Frame Relay network is down. While the backup Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is being used, the Frame Relay connection is tried periodically. As soon as the Frame Relay network is up, it will be used.

This section contains a brief overview of SNA FRAS which is described in the following topics:

RFC 1490 Routed Format for LLC2 (BNN), page 224

RFC 1490 Bridged Format for LLC2 (BAN), page 225

RFC 1490 Routed Format for LLC2 (BNN)

RFC 1490 specifies a standard method of encapsulating multiprotocol traffic with data link (Level 2 of the OSI model) framing. The encapsulation for SNA data is specified in the FRF.3 Agreement.

The Frame Relay encapsulation method is based on the RFC 1490 frame format for “user-defined” protocols using Q.933 NLPID, as illustrated in Figure 98.

Figure 98 Frame Relay Encapsulation Based on RFC 1490

DLCI

Control

NLPID

L2

L3

DSAP

Control

F

 

Q.922

0x30

Q.933

Protocol ID

Protocol ID

SSAP

 

C

51911

address

 

0x08

0x4c (802.2) 0x08

 

 

 

S

 

 

 

 

 

Note The protocol ID for SNA subarea FID4 is 0x81. The protocol ID for SNA subarea FID2 is 0x82. The protocol ID for APPN FID2 is 0x83.

FRAS allows the router acting as a FRAD to take advantage of the SNA BNN support for Frame Relay provided by ACF/NCP 7.1 and OS/400 V2R3. Downstream PU 2.0 and PU 2.1 devices can be attached to the router through SDLC, Token Ring, or Ethernet links. The router acting as a FRAD is connected to the Network Control Program (NCP) or AS/400 through a public or private Frame Relay network, as illustrated in Figure 99.

Figure 99 SNA BNN Support for Frame Relay

Frame Relay

NCP

SDLC

Token

Ring

S3218

The frame format that communicates across the Frame Relay BNN link is defined in RFC 1490 for routed SNA traffic. From the perspective of the SNA host (for example an NCP or AS/400), the Frame Relay connection is defined as a switched resource similar to a Token Ring BNN link. Because the frame format does not include link addresses to allow the NCP to distinguish among SNA devices on the same

 

Cisco IOS Bridging and IBM Networking Configuration Guide

BC-224

78-11737-02

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Image 24
IBM BC-201 manual RFC 1490 Routed Format for LLC2 BNN, BC-224