ECOCHRAN.JUL 
 
WHAT YOUR MOTHER NEVER TOLD YOU ABOUT INSTALLING AN IBM 
3745:  PART 3 
by E. ROSS COCHRAN 
 
Mr. Cochran has been involved in communications for over 12 
years.   
 
Now that your 3745 purchase justification, preinstallation, 
and installation activities are complete, you can begin your 
day-to-day 3745 adventures.  These adventures fall into 
three categories:  MOSS, other 3745 hardware, and dealings 
with IBM in general. 
 
The first adventure is the MOSS console.  The first thing 
you notice is the greater number of Box Error Records (BERs) 
logged compared to the 3725 MOSS.  The number of BERs 
appears frightening at first; however, they can all be 
explained.  The 3745 is more sensitive to how lines are 
coded in the NCP and/or EP gen compared to how they are 
really run.  This is very true on EP lines; if a line is a 
true dial-up line, then it must be coded as dial=yes in the 
PEP gen.  The line may work as a dial-up line with dial=no 
coded, but the 3745 will generate a BER.  As these type of 
BERs are researched, you can get the total number of BERs 
down to a manageable level.  However, as sensitive as the 
3745 is, it may be difficult to get the number of BERs down 
to zero.  You may also notice that EP lines tend to cause 
more MOSS BERs than NCP lines, while NCP lines tend to cause 
more Netview messages rather than MOSS messages.   
 
As the number of BERs logged grows, you will notice that the 
BERs are numbered up to 999.  After the 999th BER the 
numbering automatically begins again with number one.  Once 
that happens you would surmise that you would always have 
999 BERs logged in your BER file.  Well, that is not the 
case -- you will have less than 999.  Only a certain amount 
of memory (of the 3745) is allocated to MOSS BERs so, you 
will definitely have less than 999 BERs.  In other words, 
you may have BERs 249 to 566 in your BER file.  The exact 
number depends on how much each BER takes in memory (each 
type of BER takes up different amounts).  This is a good 
fact to know up front, because you will at first think you 
always have access to the last 999 BERs.   
 
The 3745 MOSS also differs from the 3725 MOSS in that the 
3725 used to have a displayable and printable graphic 
configuration file.  It was more or less a picture of the 
different kinds of LICs and where they were located.  This 
3725 MOSS feature was real handy for visualizing the 3725 
ports and figuring out things like LIC weights.  It was 
downloadable through VTAM, so you could tell which ports 
were used on a box without having to go stick your head in 
the box (this was a great feature on remote 3725s).  The 
3745 no longer has that feature.   
 
Remote Support Facility (RSF) allows IBM support to dial a 
3745 MOSS console for downloading fixes and just general 
poking around.  There can be problems with the MOSS console 
trying to answer a dial-in request when MOSS is already 
logged on.  The dial-in call is suppose to just keep ringing 
without MOSS trying to answer.  However, there are times 
when the MOSS will try and answer the call.  The call is 
never completed, but the MOSS console will log a RSF failure 
error.  If you do not want to bother with any dial-up 
problems, you can power off the RSF modem and only power it 
up when IBM is expected/requested to dial-in.   
 
The second day-to-day adventure is the 3745 hardware itself.  
In general, the hardware is the best part about the 3745.  
However, one particular area of interest is the 3745 comm 
cables.  The comm cables are the ones from the 3745 to the 
modems.  The first thing you will notice is that these 
cables are not made by IBM, they come from a third party.  
So if there are any problems with the cables, IBM has to go 
back to the vendor.  (They also may not arrive at the same 
time your box arrives.)  You may wonder why you should be 
concerned about the comm cables, but there can be problems 
with them.  As the cables are laid to a modem rack, the lock 
washers holding in the install screws have a tendency to 
fall out.  If the underside of your computer room floor is 
like many others, it is very hard to locate the fallen lock 
washers.   
 
The other end of these same cables, the end in the 3745, 
have some interesting points also.  The 3745 side of the 
cables now "clip" on, instead of the traditional screw down.  
It is very imperative that the cables clip on very securely.  
They may appear to be clipped down, but they still will clip 
on further.  Outside of the mentioned concerns with the comm 
cables and the MOSS console, the remaining 3745 hardware is 
very stable as most major IBM hardware tends to be.   
 
The last day-to-day adventures are the interactions with 
IBM.  From the very beginning, IBM is very helpful to make 
the IBM 3745 work in your shop.  Overall, the interactions 
with IBM only become shaky when there appears to be a 
hardware/software problem.  Since the 3745 is relatively 
new, there is not the average high level of support 
available throughout IBM.  So, a problem which borders on 
hardware or software will tend to get many folks involved 
for a resolution.  To complicate a hardware/software type of 
problem further, the added layer of microcode confusion can 
be a real challenge.  Since it is possible to involve 
several areas of IBM support, it is imperative your IBM SE 
is kept highly involved during any sort of problem in this 
area.  The SE can act as a mediator or coordinator when the 
many different areas of support become involved.  With a 
good attitude on your part and a helpful IBM SE, any IBM 
3745 problem can be attacked and resolved quickly.  With 
this kind of attitude and outlook, the IBM 3745 will be a 
FEP that you and IBM can hang your hat on. 
 
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