Smart II Software: selecting interfaces

TechNote

Number:06607-01
Date:April 1994

Smart II Software: selecting interfaces

This TechNote helps you to choose the Smart II Software interfaces and protocols appropriate to your network software. For information about installing and configuring the interfaces and protocols, see TechNote 06608.

1 Introduction

The Smart II Software consists of an executable file called SMART.EXE and a selection of interface modules, each identifiable by the .SMT extension. The software is configurable from a single script file called a SMART.CFG file. For flexibility, you can use the SMART.CFG file in combination with a NET.CFG file. Alternatively, you can use the command line by itself.

The Smart II Software uses the processing resources on your Smart 16/4 Ringnode to reduce DOS memory usage and improve network performance. We particularly recommend it for workstations that require combinations of interfaces. It is fully compatible with the IBM LAN Support program, and you can load it into upper memory.

Your choice of interfaces depends upon the network software you are using, and on the amount of memory on your Ringnode. Once you have chosen the interfaces you need, see TechNote 06608 for information about how to install them.

2 Functionality of the Smart II Software

The tables below summarize the functionality of the Smart II Software and show the equivalent IBM or Novell software for each component.

Madge Smart II Software files   Functionality                        Equivalent IBM LAN Support Program files

SMART.EXE and LLC.SMT           Interrupt Arbitrator LLC Interface   DXMA0MOD.SYS DXMC0MOD.SYS

SMART.EXE and NETB.SMT          NetBIOS Interface                    DXMT0MOD

Madge Smart II Software files   Functionality         Equivalent Novell files

SMART.EXE and IPX.SMT           IPX Interface         IPX.COM
 
SMART.EXE and ODI.SMT           ODI Interface         ODI Interface

SMART.EXE and TCP.SMT	        TCP/IP Interfaces     TCPIP.EXE 
              IP.SMT
              UDP.SMT

NOVAPI.SMT                      Host interface

SMART.EXE and RARPD.SMT         Reverse ARP program   RARPD.EXE

3 The Smart II Software interface and protocol modules

The Smart II Software interfaces are provided by the following modules:

IPX.SMT: Provides IPX and SPX interfaces suitable for all NetWare applications (for example, the NETX program). It replaces NetWare's IPX.COM program.
LLC.SMT: Provides an IBM-compatible LLC interface suitable for communication between workstations and IBM host computers. The Interrupt Arbitrator is automatically enabled when you use this module.
NETB.SMT: Provides a NetBIOS interface using IBM-compatible NetBEUI protocols.
ODI.SMT: Provides an ODI interface supporting multiple protocols such as Novell's TCP/IP. You can configure ODI.SMT from the NET.CFG file (see TechNote 06608). If you are using the Smart TCP/IP modules to support LAN WorkPlace for DOS, you do not need to run them on top of ODI.

The following modules provide TCP/IP protocol support:

Note

You cannot load or configure the TCP/IP modules from the command line.

NOVAPI.SMT: Provides a host-interface to enable Novell's LAN WorkPlace for DOS applications to access the Smart TCP/IP modules. If you do not enable statistics, it uses less than 2.5kbytes of DOS memory.
TCP.SMT: Provides the TCP protocol using no DOS memory. The applications it supports include FTP, TELNET, and Finger.
IP.SMT: Provides IP, ICMP, ARP and RARP protocols. If you are using Smart TCP/IP this module is always necessary. If you require support only for PING, do not install any other TCP/IP modules.
UDP.SMT: Provides the UDP protocol using no DOS memory. The applications it supports include TFTP, Domain Name Service, and SNMP network management software.
RARPD.SMT: Provides a Reverse ARP server program using no DOS memory. It replaces Novell's RARPD.EXE program. For more information, see TechNote 06617.

4 Selecting interfaces

The table below summarizes the interfaces you can use. To decide upon the best interface or interfaces for your environment, use this table in conjunction with the installation manual for your network software.

Network software                    Smart II Software interfaces 
                                    for DOS workstations

Microsoft LAN Manager version 2.x   NetBIOS
IBM LAN Server version 3.x          NetBIOS
IBM LAN Server version 2.x or 1.3   NetBIOS
IBM Communications Manager          LLC
IBM PC/3270 over LLC                LLC
IBM PC/3270 over NetBIOS            NetBIOS
IBM PC/3270 over IPX                IPX
Attachmate Extra! over LLC          LLC
Attachmate Extra! over IPX          IPX
Artisoft Lantastic                  NetBIOS
IBM PC LAN                          NetBIOS
Banyan VINES                        LLC
Novell NetWare                      IPX or ODI
Novell NetWare for SAA              IPX or ODI
Novell Personal NetWare             IPX or ODI
Novell LAN WorkPlace for DOS        TCP/IP or ODI
FTP PC/TCP                          LLC or ODI
Wollongong Pathway Access TCP/IP    LLC or ODI
IBM TCP/IP                          LLC
Microsoft Windows for Workgroups    NetBIOS or ODI
Wall Data Rumba                     IPX
IBM AS/400 PC Support Program       LLC

The Smart II Software is designed to optimize DOS memory usage so that you can run larger programs or more TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) programs.

Possible combinations of drivers

If your Smart 16/4 Ringnode has 512kbytes or 256kbytes of on-board memory, you can download the modules you require in the following combinations:

Up to four modules (excluding the TCP/IP modules).
All (or a selection) of the TCP/IP modules plus one other interface.

If your Smart 16/4 Ringnode has 128kbytes of on-board memory, you can download the modules you require in the following alternative combinations:

Up to two modules (excluding the TCP/IP modules).
All (or a selection) of the TCP/IP modules.

Note

To find out how much RAM your Ringnode has, run the diagnostics program.

Recommended combinations of drivers

To optimize DOS memory usage for Ringnodes with:

128kbytes of RAM, which need support for one protocol in addition to TCP/IP, use the Smart II Software in conjunction with Novell's TCP/IP driver, as indicated in the second of the two tables below. LSL.COM, TCPIP.EXE, and IPXODI.COM are Novell files.
128kbytes of RAM, which need support for more than two (non-TCP/IP) protocols, use the Smart II Software in conjunction with the drivers indicated in the first of the two tables below. LSL.COM, LANSUP.COM, and IPXODI.COM are Novell files.
128kbytes of RAM, which need support for one or two (non-TCP/IP) protocols, use the Smart II Software to provide the interfaces you require. If you want to enable an ODI interface, load Novell's LSL.COM first.
512kbytes or 256kbytes of RAM, use the Smart II Software to provide the interfaces you require. If you want to enable an ODI interface, load Novell's LSL.COM first.

Note

Download only the protocols you know that you need to support.

IPX   NetBIOS   LLC   ODI   Drivers for 128kbyte Ringnodes that need to 
                            support more than two protocols

O     O         O     X     LSL.COM
                            Smart NETB and LLC
                            LANSUP.COM
                            IPXODI.COM

O     O         X     O     LSL.COM
                            Smart NETB and
                            IPXODI.COM

O     X         O     O     LSL.COM
                            Smart NETB and LLC
                            LANSUP.COM

O     O         O     O     LSL.COM
                            Smart NETB and LLC
                            LANSUP.COM
                            IPXODI.COM

Drivers for 128kbyte Ringnodes that need to support more than two protocols

TCP/IP   IPX   NetBIOS   LLC   ODI   Drivers for 128kbyte Ringnodes that need to 
                                     support another protocol in addition to TCP/IP

O        O     X         X     X     LSL.COM
                                     Smart IPX and ODI
                                     TCPIP.EXE

O        X     O         X     X     LSL.COM
                                     Smart NETB and ODI
                                     TCPIP.EXE

O        X     X         O     X     LSL.COM
                                     Smart LLC and ODI
                                     TCPIP.EXE

O        X     X         X     O     LSL.COM
                                     Smart ODI
                                     TCPIP.EXE

Drivers for 128kbyte Ringnodes that need to support another protocol in addition to TCP/IP

6 Optimizing speed of performance

If you do not need to minimize DOS memory usage, you may be able to achieve faster performance by using combinations of Madge Fastmac drivers, and drivers produced by other manufacturers. The table below gives some alternatives to the Smart II Software based on the Madge Fastmac technology.

LSL.COM, IPXODI.COM and TCPIP.EXE are Novell files. NETBEUI.DOS and MSDLC.DOS are Microsoft files. DXMA0MOD.SYS, DXME0MOD.SYS, and DXMJ0MOD.SYS are IBM files (they must come from LAPS version 1.31 or later).

Interface   Drivers you require to           Notes
            optimize speed of performance

ODI         MADGEODI.COM                     This is a faster alternative to Smart ODI.

IPX         MADGEODI.COM                     If you are running Windows or any memory management
            IPXODI.COM                       software, or if you are using the Smart 16/4 MC32 
                                             Ringnode, this is a faster alternative to Smart IPX
                                             or Smart ODI. 
                                             
NETB        SMARTND.DOS                      These combinations of drivers are alternatives
            NETBEUI.DOS                      to Smart NetBIOS. They may give higher speeds in 
            or:                              some configurations.
            SMARTND.DOS
            DXMA0MOD.SYS
            DXMJ0MOD.SYS	 

LLC         SMARTND.DOS                      These combinations of drivers are alternatives to
            MSDLC.DOS                        Smart LLC. They may give higher speeds in some 
            or:                              configurations.
            SMARTND.DOS
            DXMA0MOD.SYS
            DXME0MOD.SYS

TCP/IP      LSL.COM                          This combination of drivers is an alternative to 
            MADGEODI.COM                     the Smart TCP/IP suite. It may give higher speeds
            TCPIP.EXE                        of performance in some configurations.

Some alternative drivers you can use to optimize performance

For more information about MADGEODI.COM, see TechNote 06701.