VT100 Interface DO Commands

This chapter describes the context-sensitive DO commands. This chapter covers the following topics:

Using DO commands

DO command reference in alphabetic order

Using DO commands
DO command reference in alphabetic order

Using DO commands

The DO menu is a context-sensitive list of commands that appears when you press Ctrl-D. The commands in the DO menu vary, depending on the context in which you invoke it. For example, if you press Ctrl-D in a Connection profile, the DO menu looks similar to the following:

DO
>0=ESC
  1=Dial
  P=Password
  S=Save
  E=Termserv
  D=Diagnostics

To execute a DO command, press and release the DO key on the palmtop or the Ctrl-D on a VT-100 system, and then press and release the next key in the sequence (such as 1 to invoke the Dial command.) On a VT100 terminal, The PF1 function key is equivalent to Ctrl-D.

List of supported commands

Table 2-1 lists all the DO commands. The availability of a particular command depends on your location in the interface and your permission level.

Table 2-1. DO commands


Command	Description
Answer (DO 3)	Answer an incoming call.
Beg/End BERT (DO 7)	Begin/End a byte-error test.
Beg/End Rem LB (DO 6)	Begin/End a remote loopback.
Beg/End Rem Mgm (DO 8)	Begin/End remote management.
Close TELNET (DO C)	Close the current Telnet session.
Contract BW (DO 5)	Decrease bandwidth.
Diagnostics (DO D)	Access the diagnostic interface.
Dial (DO 1)	Dial the selected or current profile.
ESC (DO 0)	Abort and exit the DO menu.
Extend BW (DO 4)	Increase bandwidth.
Hang Up (DO 2)	Hang up from a call in progress.
Load (DO L)	Load parameter values into the current profile.
Menu Save (DO M) 8	Save the VT100 interface menu layout.
Resynchronize (DO R)	Resynchronize a call in progress.
Save (DO S)	Save parameter values in the specified profile.
Password (DO P) 9	Log into or out of the MAX.
Termmserv (DO E)	Access the terminal- server interface.
Toggle (DO T)	Toggle the palmtop controller.

Example of using DO commands to place and clear a call

To manually place a call, the Connection profile for that call must be open or selected in the list of profiles. To clear a call, you can either open the Connection profile for the active connection or tab over to the status window in which that connection is listed. (as described in Chapter 4, VT100 Interface Status Windows.)

To manually place a call:

Open the Connection profile for the destination you want to call.

Press Ctrl-D.

The DO menu appears:

DO
>0=ESC
  1=Dial
  P=Password
  S=Save
  E=Termserv
  D=Diagnostics

Press 1 (or select 1=Dial) to invoke the Dial command.
Watch the information in the Sessions status window. You should see the number being called, followed by a message that the network session is up.

To manually clear a call:

Open the Connection profile or tab over to the status window that displays information about the active session you want to clear.

Press Ctrl-D.

The DO menu for the active session appears. FOr example:

10-200 1234567890
DO
>0=ESC
  2=Hang Up
  P=Password
  S=Save
  E=Termserv
  D=Diagnostics

Press 2 (or select 2=Hang Up) to invoke the Hang Up command.

The status-window displays changes when the call has been terminated.

DO command reference in alphabetic order

This section describes the DO commands in detail. The commands are listed in alphabetic order.

Answer (DO 3)

The Answer (DO3) command answers an incoming call. You can apply the command only from a menu specific to a serial host port. You cannot answer a call if another call is currently using the port. The command applies when Answer=Terminal at the serial host port and an incoming call is ringing at that port. It is not available from the secondary serial host port of a dual-port pair.

Beg/End BERT (DO 7)

The DO Beg/End BERT command starts and stops a channel-by-channel Byte Error test (BERT). The test runs over the currently called circuits from end-to-end. It reports the total number of incorrect bytes errors found, and breaks the errors down according to DS0 channel. The results are displayed in the Session Err window.

When you select DO Beg/End BERT, the following events occur:

The local device sends a known data pattern over the network.
The responding end goes into a DS0-by-DS0 loopback mode of operation.
The signal at the remote end of the test is looped back at the application-MAX interface, rather than at the network-MAX interface.
By monitoring the data being received against the transmitted pattern, the local device counts the errors it receives on each individual DS0 channel.
If a single byte has two or more errors, it is recorded as a single error.

The call status letter T, for Test, appears in the upper right-hand corner of the display of both the local and the remote MAX unit to indicate that a BERT is in progress. To resume normal operation, end the BERT by selecting DO 7 or entering Ctrl-D 7.

Keep in mind the following additional information:

A BERT suspends any transfer of user data in either directions.
All commands that affect the call are disabled, except the command that ends the BERT.
You must be in a port-specific edit menu or status window to execute the DO Beg/End BERT command.
You can run the BERT in only one direction at a time. That is, only one side can be the requester.
To allow the MAX time to complete handshaking, you must wait at least 20 seconds between toggling the BERT on and off.
The DO Beg/End BERT command does not appear if you are not logged in with operational privileges.

Beg/End Rem LB (DO 6)

The DO Begin/End Rem LB command begins and ends a loopback at the serial host port at the remote end of the call.

To begin a remote loopback, select DO Beg/End Rem LB. The call status character L appears in the upper right-hand corner of the screen at both the local and the remote device. A remote loopback tests the entire connection from host interface to host interface. The following events occur:

The serial host interface of the local MAX begins the remote loopback test.
The data loops at the serial host interface of the remote MAX and comes back to the local MAX.

This loopback is also known as a remote data loopback, because the loopback occurs at the DTE/DCE interface. To end a remote loopback, select DO 6 or Ctrl-D 6. Unplugging the palmtop controller also terminates a remote loopback.

Keep in mind the following additional information:

A remote loopback disables data flow from the remote host, but the call remains online.
A remote loopback disables Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation (DBA).
Only switched and nailed-up channels active during the current call are looped back.
Drop-and-Insert channels are not looped back.
You must be in a port-specific edit menu or status window to use the DO Beg/End LB command.
To allow the MAX time to complete handshaking, you must wait at least 20 seconds between toggling the remote loopback on or off.
When the remote device is a not an Ascend inverse multiplexer, you cannot set up a remote loopback if the network connection occurs over an ISDN line and the Call profile includes any of the following settings:
- Call Type is set to 1 Chnl or 2 Chnl
- Call Type is set to AIM or BONDING and Call Mgm is set to Static or Mode 1.
If the remote device is an ISDN TA (Terminal Adapter), the MAX cannot usually perform a remote loopback. ISDN TAs cannot recognize the loopback signal. However, most switching Channel Service Units/Data Service Units (CSU/DSUs) recognize the remote loopback signal that the MAX sends, and remote loopbacks are usually possible with such equipment.
The MAX uses a proprietary loopback message when the AIM management subchannel is present (Call Mgm is set to Manual, Dynamic, or Delta in a Call profile).
The MAX uses the CCITT V.54 loopback pattern when no management subchannel is present (Call Type is set to 1 Chnl or 2 Chnl and Call Mgm=Static in a Call profile).
If the MAX fails to set up a remote loopback, it establishes a loopback at the local host interface that tried to establish the call.
The DO Beg/End LB command does not appear if you are not logged in with operational privileges.

Beg/End Rem Mgm (DO 8)

The DO Beg/End Rem Mgm command begins and ends remote management of the device at the remote end of an Ascend Inverse Multiplexing (AIM) call. When you enter the command, the VT100 interface displays the following message at the top of its screen:

REMOTE MANAGEMENT VIA port

where, port specifies the serial host port through which you are conducting remote management. To end an AIM remote management session, enter DO 8 or Ctrl-D 8. You cannot exit remote management from a port other than the port from which you began remote management. When the message at the top of the VT100 screen disappears, the screens associated with the local MAX appear.

Note: Ascend strongly recommends that you use only the VT100 interface to perform remote management. The palmtop controller provides no indication as to whether you are in remote management or local management.

Keep in mind the following additional information:

During an AIM call, remote management adds 20 Kbps to the 0.2% overhead of the call, and to that small extent reduces the bandwidth provided to serial host devices using the connection.
The DO Beg/End Rem Mgm command is available for connections with the Call profile's Call Type parameter set to FT1-AIM, FT1-B&O, or AIM (but not with Call Mgm set to Static).
An error message of Remote Mgmt Denied indicates that you have tried to control a MAX that is not configured to allow remote management. You cannot remotely manage a device for which Remote Mgmt=No in the System profile.
You cannot begin remote management if you do not have a call on line to the remote device. Furthermore, you must select the DO Beg/End Rem Mgm command from a menu specific to that call.
The DO Beg/End Rem Mgm command does not appear if you are not logged in with operational privileges.

Close Telnet (DO C)

The DO Close Telnet command closes the current Telnet session. You must be running a Telnet session from the MAX unit's terminal-server interface.

Contract BW (DO 5)

The DO Contract BW command decreases the bandwidth by the amount specified in the Dec Ch Count parameter of the current Call profile. If the specified amount is not available, the MAX removes the maximum number of channels possible without clearing the call.

Keep in mind the following additional information:

The DO Contract BW command is available only from a menu specific to an online call with at least two channels.
The command is available for inverse-multiplexed calls using switched circuits.
The command does not appear if you are not logged in with operational privileges.

Diagnostics (DO D)

The DO D command invokes diagnostics mode. The user must have sufficient privileges in the active Security profile. In diagnostics mode, the VT100 interface displays a command-line prompt:

Use the Help Ascend command to display a list of diagnostic commands:

> help ascend

To exit diagnostics mode and return to the VT100 interface, enter the Quit command:

> quit

Dial (DO 1)

The DO Dial command dials a selected Call or Connection profile. Before you dial a Call profile, the selector (>) must be in one of the following positions:

In front of a Call profile in the Directory menu
At any parameter within a Call profile
In front of or within any port-specific menu, but not at any specific Call profile. (Because the current Call profile contains the parameters of the last call made from a port, this option redials that call.)

Dial automatically executes a DO Load to load the selected profile. It overwrites the current Call profile, including any Call profile parameters you might have edited. However, edited parameters are not overwritten if the current Call profile is protected by Security profiles.

Before you bring a specific session online, the cursor must be in front of the associated Connection profile in the Connections menu.

Keep in mind the following additional information:

Dial is not available when the link is busy.
You cannot place a call from the secondary port of a dual-port pair.
The DO Dial command does not appear if you are not logged in with operational privileges.
You cannot dial if you have not selected the correct profile, if Dial # does not appear in the profile, or if no IP address is set for the profile when IP routing is enabled.

Esc (DO 0)

The DO ESC command exits the DO menu.

Extend BW (DO 4)

The DO Extend BW command increases the bandwidth by the amount specified in the Inc Ch Count parameter of the current Call profile. If the specified amount is not available, the MAX adds the maximum number of channels available to the call.

You must apply this command from a menu specific to an online serial host port. This command is available only from connections whose bandwidth can be incremented.

Keep in mind the following additional information:

The DO Extend BW command is available for AIM and BONDING calls using switched circuits, but is not available for MP+ or MP calls.
The DO Extend BW command does not appear if you are not logged in with operational privileges.

Hang Up (DO 2)

The DO Hang up command ends an online call. Either the caller or the receiver can terminate at any time.

Keep in mind the following additional information:

The DO Hangup command works only from the caller end of an Nailed/MPP connection (when Call Type=Nailed/MPP in a Call profile).
You must be in a menu specific to an online serial host port or session to use this command.
The DO Hangup command does not appear if you are not logged in with operational privileges.

Load (DO L)

The DO Load command loads a saved or edited profile and overwrites the values of the current profile. For example, suppose you have saved a profile named Memphis in the Directory location 21-102 and your screen currently displays the following lines:

21-100 Directory
    21-1 Factory
    21-101 Tucson
  >21-102 Memphis

If you execute DO Load, the following display:

Load profile...?
    0=Esc (Don't load)
    1=Load profile 102

If you choose the first option by pressing 0 (zero), the MAX aborts the load operation. If you choose the second option by pressing 1, the following status window appears:

Status #116
    profile loaded
    as current profile

The Directory menu shows the results of the load operation:

21-100 Directory
    21-1** Memphis
    21-101 Tucson
  >21-102 Memphis

The DO Load command is not available if you are not logged in with operational privileges. For more information, see the Operations parameter in the MAX Reference Guide.

Menu Save (DO M)

The DO Menu Save command saves the entire current VT100 interface layout. The current layout replaces the default layout.

Keep in mind the following additional information:

The DO Menu Save command appears only if the cursor is in front of the Sys Config menu.
The command always places Sys Config in the default Edit display. (To change the default Edit display, you must configure the Edit parameter in the System profile after using the DO Menu Save command.)
Menu Save does not apply to palmtop controllers, nor does it apply when your VT100 is plugged into an RPM or palmtop port.

Password (DO P)

The DO Password command enables you to log into the MAX.

During login, you select and activate a Security profile. The Security profile remains active until you log out or replace it by activating a different Security profile, or until the MAX automatically logs you out. The MAX can have several simultaneous user sessions and, therefore, several simultaneous Security profiles.

To log into the MAX, use the DO P command. You can log in or log out from any menu. Whenever you select the DO P command, a list of Security profiles appears. Select the desired profile with the Enter or Right Arrow key, and enter its corresponding password when prompted. If you enter the correct password for the profile, the security of the MAX is reset to the Security profile you have selected.

If you select the first Security profile, Default, simply press Enter or Return when prompted for a password. The password for this profile is always null.

If you are operating the MAX locally and you want to secure the MAX against the next user, use the DO P command and select the first profile, Default. Typically, the Default profile has been edited to disable all operations you wish to secure.

The MAX logs you out to the Default profile if any one of the following situations occurs:

You end a console session.
You exceed the time set by the Idle Logout parameter in the System profile.
You are connected to a palmtop control port and you disconnect your terminal.
Auto Logout=Yes in the System profile and you are connected to the VT100 control port.

A single Security profile can be used simultaneously by any number of users. If both you and another user enter the same password, you both get the same Security profile and can perform the same operations. If each of you uses a different password to log in, each of you gets a separate Security profile with separate lists of privileges.

If you edit a Security profile, the changes do not affect anyone who is logged in and using that profile. However, the next time someone logs in and uses that profile, security for the user will be limited according to the changes you have made.

Resynchronize (DO R)

The DO Resynchronize command causes the MAX to resynchronize a call in progress between serial hosts by performing a handshake with the remote end. A handshake is an exchange of data over the management subchannel. It verifies that the transmission is reliable on both ends of the call.

Keep in mind the following additional information:

You must be in a serial host port edit menu or status window to use this command.
Resynchronize is not available for all call management types specified by the Call Mgm parameter in the Call profile.
Resynchronize is not available when the host port is idle or when the host port is the secondary port of a dual-port pair.
Resynchronize does not appear if you are not logged in with operational privileges.

Save (DO S)

The DO Save command saves the current parameter values in a specified profile.

Keep in mind the following additional information:

If a profile is protected by a Security profile, you might not be able to overwrite it.
Save does not appear if you are not logged in with operational privileges.

For more information, see the Operations parameter in the MAX Reference Guide.

Termserv (DO E)

The DO Termserv command invokes the terminal-server command-line interface. The user must have sufficient privileges in the active Security profile. In terminal-server mode, the VT100 interface displays a command-line prompt. By default the prompt is:

ascend%

Enter the Help command to display a list of terminal-server commands:

ascend% help

For examples that use terminal-server commands, see the MAX Reference Guide. To exit terminal-server mode and return to the VT100 interface, enter the Quit command:

ascend% quit

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Command

Description

Dial (DO 1)