Following extract taken from
Documentation
HiPath 4000 Assistant V5
Configuration Management
Help
A31003-H3450-M102-05-76A9
How the Assistant database is synchronized with the switch database
This section explains the notification mechanism.
This mechanism keeps the Assistant database synchronized with the switch database when AMO commands are executed
(with anything other than the Assistant itself: direct AMO commands, AMO commands coming from
the HiPath Manager, etc.).
Operation of the Notification Mechanism
This is how the notification mechanism works (numbered steps refer to the following figure:
1. An AMO command is executed on the switch.
2. The switch updates its database.
3. The switch sends a notification to the Assistant, with the AMO command that was executed.
4. The Assistant puts the notification in its internal queue.
5. As soon as it can, it retrieves the notification from that queue.
This section is intended to provide clarification of functionality and interaction when AMOs and
HiPath 4000 Assistant are used at the same time for switch configuration.
Information is provided in the form of answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ). This section
is targeted at service personnel.
What happens if I use AMO commands to change the switch configuration, bypassing
the HiPath 4000 Assistant?
The switch notifies the Assistant that an AMO command (exactly which AMO command) was
executed. The Assistant retrieves the affected parts from the switch database and updates its
database.
To retrieve the affected parts, the Assistant executes AMO commands (EXECUPLO2, REG-
<AMO>, etc., depending on which AMO was executed). This notification process keeps the
switch and the Assistant databases in sync with each other. Refer to The Notification
Mechanism Assistant/Switch Database on page 16-20 for a technical explanation of the
notification mechanism.
How long does it take to update the Assistant database when an AMO command is
executed?
Anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes. The time to update the database depends on:
1. what was changed on the switch (for example, deleting a station takes longer to finish than
adding a firewall entry with AMO BDAT, because of all the possible side-effects of the
station in the groups, routing, dial plan, etc.);
2. what the Assistant is doing at the time. If it is processing a request from its users, it will first
finish that request, and then it will process the notification;
3. the switch configuration (processor speed, number of processors, amount of RAM, etc.).
What will the user see on the Assistant until the (Informix) database is updated?
The old data (before the AMO command was executed).
>Basic Usage Rule
If the customer does not have HiPath 4000 Manager, use the Assistant to make
configuration changes, not direct AMO commands.
If a customer has a network with HiPath 4000 Manager, then the Manager should be
the only tool used to configure the switches.
Does the Assistant notify the users after updating its database?
No. If, for example, the user is looking at the configuration of station 2300 using the Assistant,
and in the meantime someone changes the configuration of that station using AMO commands,
the Assistant will update its database, but it will not tell the user that the database has been
updated.
The user is now looking at old data. If the user decides to make changes to this old data and
save the changes, it will overwrite what has just changed on the switch. Note that this is no
different from having two Assistant users trying to work on the same station at the same time.
This should never happen. An object should be modified from one place at a time only.
Does the notification process affect the Assistant performance?
Yes. The Assistant is able to process one request at a time. While the Assistant is processing
an AMO notification, it will not be able to process requests coming from its own user interface.
In other words, a request coming from the Assistant user will have to wait until the notification
is processed. For the Assistant user, it looks like the Assistant is running slowly, when in fact
the Assistant is busy doing something else (the notification processing).
Does the notification process slow down the execution of direct AMO commands?
Yes. The switch can execute only one AMO command at a time. If the Assistant is executing
AMO commands to synchronize its database, AMO commands coming from other sources will
have to wait their turn.
What happens if I execute a lot of AMO commands in a short period of time, e.g., run an
AMO batch file?
There is a limited notification queue between the Assistant and the switch (it can hold up to 25
AMO commands in its default configuration). If that notification queue overflows because the
Assistant cannot keep up with the AMO commands, the Assistant will send a command to the
switch to stop the AMO notifications and will put its database in out-of-sync state. Notifications
will remain disabled until the next upload is executed from the Assistant (either a manual upload
or the nightly upload).
I have to execute a large AMO batch file to update a customer configuration. How should
I proceed?
Do not use the Assistant while the AMO batch file is running. If the AMO batch is large enough,
it will eventually overflow the notification queue (see What happens if I execute a lot of AMO
commands in a short period of time, e.g., run an AMO batch file? page 16-23).
This will stop the notification mechanism and put the Assistant database in out-of-sync state. If
you have to use the Assistant immediately after executing the AMO batch file, run an upload.
Otherwise, just wait for the nightly upload to do its job.
In the next morning the Assistant database should be synchronized with the switch database.
Is there any automatic mechanism to synchronize the Assistant database when it goes
out of sync?
Yes. Every night (at midnight, in the default configuration) the Assistant synchronizes its
database with the switch database. On a quiet system (with no activity between midnight and
the next morning), the Assistant database should always be in sync with the switch database
in the morning.
Documentation
HiPath 4000 Assistant V5
Configuration Management
Help
A31003-H3450-M102-05-76A9
How the Assistant database is synchronized with the switch database
This section explains the notification mechanism.
This mechanism keeps the Assistant database synchronized with the switch database when AMO commands are executed
(with anything other than the Assistant itself: direct AMO commands, AMO commands coming from
the HiPath Manager, etc.).
Operation of the Notification Mechanism
This is how the notification mechanism works (numbered steps refer to the following figure:
1. An AMO command is executed on the switch.
2. The switch updates its database.
3. The switch sends a notification to the Assistant, with the AMO command that was executed.
4. The Assistant puts the notification in its internal queue.
5. As soon as it can, it retrieves the notification from that queue.
This section is intended to provide clarification of functionality and interaction when AMOs and
HiPath 4000 Assistant are used at the same time for switch configuration.
Information is provided in the form of answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ). This section
is targeted at service personnel.
What happens if I use AMO commands to change the switch configuration, bypassing
the HiPath 4000 Assistant?
The switch notifies the Assistant that an AMO command (exactly which AMO command) was
executed. The Assistant retrieves the affected parts from the switch database and updates its
database.
To retrieve the affected parts, the Assistant executes AMO commands (EXECUPLO2, REG-
<AMO>, etc., depending on which AMO was executed). This notification process keeps the
switch and the Assistant databases in sync with each other. Refer to The Notification
Mechanism Assistant/Switch Database on page 16-20 for a technical explanation of the
notification mechanism.
How long does it take to update the Assistant database when an AMO command is
executed?
Anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes. The time to update the database depends on:
1. what was changed on the switch (for example, deleting a station takes longer to finish than
adding a firewall entry with AMO BDAT, because of all the possible side-effects of the
station in the groups, routing, dial plan, etc.);
2. what the Assistant is doing at the time. If it is processing a request from its users, it will first
finish that request, and then it will process the notification;
3. the switch configuration (processor speed, number of processors, amount of RAM, etc.).
What will the user see on the Assistant until the (Informix) database is updated?
The old data (before the AMO command was executed).
>Basic Usage Rule
If the customer does not have HiPath 4000 Manager, use the Assistant to make
configuration changes, not direct AMO commands.
If a customer has a network with HiPath 4000 Manager, then the Manager should be
the only tool used to configure the switches.
Does the Assistant notify the users after updating its database?
No. If, for example, the user is looking at the configuration of station 2300 using the Assistant,
and in the meantime someone changes the configuration of that station using AMO commands,
the Assistant will update its database, but it will not tell the user that the database has been
updated.
The user is now looking at old data. If the user decides to make changes to this old data and
save the changes, it will overwrite what has just changed on the switch. Note that this is no
different from having two Assistant users trying to work on the same station at the same time.
This should never happen. An object should be modified from one place at a time only.
Does the notification process affect the Assistant performance?
Yes. The Assistant is able to process one request at a time. While the Assistant is processing
an AMO notification, it will not be able to process requests coming from its own user interface.
In other words, a request coming from the Assistant user will have to wait until the notification
is processed. For the Assistant user, it looks like the Assistant is running slowly, when in fact
the Assistant is busy doing something else (the notification processing).
Does the notification process slow down the execution of direct AMO commands?
Yes. The switch can execute only one AMO command at a time. If the Assistant is executing
AMO commands to synchronize its database, AMO commands coming from other sources will
have to wait their turn.
What happens if I execute a lot of AMO commands in a short period of time, e.g., run an
AMO batch file?
There is a limited notification queue between the Assistant and the switch (it can hold up to 25
AMO commands in its default configuration). If that notification queue overflows because the
Assistant cannot keep up with the AMO commands, the Assistant will send a command to the
switch to stop the AMO notifications and will put its database in out-of-sync state. Notifications
will remain disabled until the next upload is executed from the Assistant (either a manual upload
or the nightly upload).
I have to execute a large AMO batch file to update a customer configuration. How should
I proceed?
Do not use the Assistant while the AMO batch file is running. If the AMO batch is large enough,
it will eventually overflow the notification queue (see What happens if I execute a lot of AMO
commands in a short period of time, e.g., run an AMO batch file? page 16-23).
This will stop the notification mechanism and put the Assistant database in out-of-sync state. If
you have to use the Assistant immediately after executing the AMO batch file, run an upload.
Otherwise, just wait for the nightly upload to do its job.
In the next morning the Assistant database should be synchronized with the switch database.
Is there any automatic mechanism to synchronize the Assistant database when it goes
out of sync?
Yes. Every night (at midnight, in the default configuration) the Assistant synchronizes its
database with the switch database. On a quiet system (with no activity between midnight and
the next morning), the Assistant database should always be in sync with the switch database
in the morning.