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Configuring Bundle Failover Between CTP Devices at the Same Site

To configure bundle failover between CTP devices at the same site that are connected by a Y cable, perform the tasks below. You can configure Y-cable redundancy for the bundle with either CTPView or CTP Menu. You can configure AutoSwitch only with CTPView.

Configuring Y-Cable Redundancy for the Bundle (CTPView)

A CTP series device provides two types of Y-cable redundancy.

  • Redundancy by using a hardware link that uses a special Y cable—A hardware link requires a special Y cable that connects the CTP devices and is supported only on serial ports. The functioning of a hardware link is similar to the default operation of the redundancy feature in CTPOS Release 6.5 and earlier. A hardware link is supported only on serial ports.

  • Redundancy by using a software link that does not depend on a signaling hardware like the Y cable—A software link does not require a special signaling hardware. Y-cable port pairs can maintain contact with each other by means of OAM packets instead of a hardware signaling path. Because of this, Y-cable redundancy is supported on both serial and T1E1 ports and on the 4WTO port of Multiservice Interface module (that is installed as a daughter card on the serial interface) with a special Y cable. Redundancy by means of a software link is supported on both serial and T1/E1 ports and on the 4WTO port of Multiservice Interface module (that is installed as a daughter card on the serial interface) on CTP150 and CTP2000 devices.

When you configure Y-cable redundancy that uses a hardware link, you can use different redundant port numbers if the devices are using the same port on the 100-pin connector. For example, a Y-cable 100-pin connector could be attached to ports 0-3 on the first CTP device, with the second connector attached to ports 8-11 on the second device. The redundant ports would be P0/P8, P1/P9, P2/P10 and P3/P11 on the first and second CTP devices, respectively.

Before you begin:

  • Log in to the CTPView software at least at the Net_Admin level.

  • Connect the CTPView server to the CTP device for which you want to configure bundles.

  • Disable the bundle before you modify the bundle options.

To configure Y-cable redundancy by using CTPView:

  1. In the side pane, select Bundle > Configuration.
  2. Run your mouse over the Display and Select an Existing Bundle bar.
  3. In the table of bundles, select the bundle that you want to modify.
  4. Under Port Options, place a check mark in the Advanced Options Show check box to display advanced parameters, and configure the parameters described in Table 1.

  5. Click Click to Submit Bundle AND Port Changes.
  6. Configure AutoSwitch settings for bundle failover. See Configuring Bundle Failover Between CTP Devices at Alternate Sites (CTPView).
Table 1: Y-Cable Settings in CTPView
Field Function Your Action

Redundancy Mode

Displays a list of supported redundancy modes. See Redundancy Features Overview for a list of supported Y-cable redundancy configuration settings.

Select one:

  • Disable—Y-cable redundancy is not enabled on this port.

  • eXclusive OR (XOR)—Redundancy is enabled. In this mode the Y cable is active only if the port is in RUNNING state and the serial port on the Y-cable link is not in RUNNING state. If both bundles are RUNNING, the Y cable remains inactive on both the ports.

  • ReVeRT (RVRT)—When you select this mode, a primary and a secondary path is enabled. The primary path drives the cable when its bundle is in RUNNING state, independent of the state of the secondary path. The secondary path is activated when the primary path is offline. Whenever the primary path comes back online, the path is switched back to the primary path.

  • NOnReVert (NORV)—When you select this mode, the circuit is not switched back to primary when the primary path comes back online after switching to secondary path. The circuit is switched to the primary path only when the secondary path fails.

  • Signal (SIG)—The primary path is activated only if the secondary CTS output is inactive. When CTS is active, secondary drives cable.

Primary/Secondary

Specifies the primary and backup bundles.

Configure a primary and a backup bundle. When the software link is enabled and link partners are specified, the software verifies that there is a matched primary and backup pair.

Pri/Sec Link Type

Specifies the link types for primary and back up bundle.

Select one.

  • H/W link—When enabled, the Y-cable redundancy is supported only on serial ports, and the link between ports is a hardware signaling connection over a special Y cable that uses the output to cable(TM) and the input from cable(RL) to communicate redundancy state between port pairs, by using keepalive pulses. Its operation is similar to the default operation of the redundancy feature in CTPOS Release 6.5 and earlier.

  • S/W link—Allows Y-cable port pairs to maintain contact with each other by means of OAM packets instead of using a hardware signaling path. The software link has the following advantages:

    • The software link does not require a special signaling hardware, which means that Y-cable redundancy is supported on both serial and T1E1 ports and on the 4WTO port of Multiservice Interface module (that is installed as a daughter card on the serial interface) with a special Y cable. Serial ports can get TM/RL signals for user applications.

    • Software or OAM link packets can check link partners and identify configuration errors. They can also differentiate between dead and alive states.

IP Address

Specifies an IP address for the other port of the redundant primary and backup pair.

Specify an IP address.

Card Number

Specifies a card number for the other port of the redundant primary and backup pair.

Specify a card number in the range 0 through 6.

Port Number

Specifies a port number for the other port of the redundant primary and backup pair.

Specify a port number in the range 0 through 23.

Fast switch

Allows fast switching in case of a failover. This feature is supported only on serial ports.

Fast switch is supported only in Hot standby in Revert redundancy mode and is valid only for a hardware link.

Select ENABLED or DISABLED.

Configuring Y-Cable Redundancy for the Bundle (CTP Menu)

A CTP series device provides two types of Y-cable redundancy.

  • Redundancy by using a hardware link that uses a special Y cable—A hardware link requires a special Y cable that connects the CTP devices and is supported only on serial ports. The functioning of a hardware link is similar to the default operation of the redundancy feature in CTPOS Release 6.5 and earlier. A hardware link is supported only on serial ports.

  • Redundancy by using a software link that does not depend on a signaling hardware like the Y cable—A software link does not require a special signaling hardware. Y-cable port pairs can maintain contact with each other by means of OAM packets instead of a hardware signaling path. Because of this, Y-cable redundancy is supported on both serial and T1E1 ports and on the 4WTO port of Multiservice Interface module (that is installed as a daughter card on the serial interface) with a special Y cable. Redundancy by means of a software link is supported on both serial and T1/E1 ports and on the 4WTO port of Multiservice Interface module (that is installed as a daughter card on the serial interface) on CTP150 and CTP2000 devices.

When you configure Y-cable redundancy that uses a hardware link, you can use different redundant port numbers if the devices are using the same port on the 100-pin connector. For example, a Y cable 100-pin connector could be attached to ports 0-3 on the first CTP device, with the second connector attached to ports 8-11 on the second device. The redundant ports would be P0/P8, P1/P9, P2/P10 and P3/P11 on the first and second CTP devices, respectively.

Before you begin:

  • Disable the bundle before you modify the bundle options.

To configure Y-cable redundancy for CTP bundles by using the CTP Menu:

  1. From the Main Menu, select 1) Bundle Operations.
  2. Select 1) CTP.
  3. Select a bundle from the list.

    If you select an active bundle, you are prompted to disable the bundle before configuring it.

  4. Select 3) Port Config.
  5. Select 4) Advanced Options > 19) Redundancy Options > 1) Redundancy Mode and configure configure the options as described in Table 2.
  6. Configure AutoSwitch settings for bundle failover. See Configuring Bundle Failover Between CTP Devices at Alternate Sites (CTPView).
Table 2: Y-Cable Settings in the CTP Menu
Field Function Your Action

Redundancy Mode

Displays a list of supported redundancy modes. See Redundancy Features Overview for a list of supported Y-cable redundancy configuration settings.

Select one:

  • Disable—Y-cable redundancy is not enabled on this port.

  • eXclusive OR (XOR)—Redundancy is enabled. In this mode the Y cable is active only if the port is in RUNNING state and the serial port on the Y-cable link is not in RUNNING state. If both bundles are RUNNING, the Y cable remains inactive on both the ports.

  • ReVeRT (RVRT)—When you select this mode, a primary and a secondary path is enabled. The primary path drives the cable when its bundle is in RUNNING state, independent of the state of the secondary path. The secondary path is activated when the primary path is offline. Whenever the primary path comes back online, the path is switched back to the primary path.

  • NOnReVert (NORV)—When you select this mode, the circuit is not switched back to primary when the primary path comes back online after switching to secondary path. The circuit is switched to the primary path only when the secondary path fails.

  • Signal (SIG)—The primary path is activated only if the secondary CTS output is inactive. When CTS is active, secondary drives cable.

Pri/Sec Link Type

Specifies the link types for primary and back up bundle.

Select one.

  • H/W link—When enabled, the Y-cable redundancy is supported only on serial ports, and the link between ports is a hardware signaling connection over a special Y cable that uses the output to cable (TM) and the input from cable (RL) to communicate redundancy state between port pairs, by using keepalive pulses. Its operation is similar to the default operation of the redundancy feature in CTPOS Release 6.5 and earlier.

  • S/W link—Allows Y-cable port pairs to maintain contact with each other by means of OAM packets instead of using a hardware signaling path. The software link has the following advantages:

    • The software link does not require a special signaling hardware, which means that Y-cable redundancy is supported on both serial and T1E1 ports and on the 4WTO port of Multiservice Interface module (that is installed as a daughter card on the serial interface) with a special Y cable. Serial ports can get TM/RL signals for user applications.

    • Software or OAM link packets can check link partners and identify configuration errors. They can also differentiate between dead and alive states.

Primary/Secondary

Specifies the primary and backup bundles.

Configure a primary and a backup bundle. When the software link is enabled and link partners are specified, the software verifies that there is a matched primary and backup pair.

Other Port on Y

Specifies information about the other port of the redundant primary and backup pair.

Specify the following parameters:

  • Enter IP address—Specify an IP address.

  • Enter card number—Specify a card number in the range 0 through 6.

  • Enter port number—Specify a port number in the range 0 through 23.

Fast switch

Allows fast switching in case of a failover. This feature is supported only on serial ports with hardware links.

Fast switch is supported only in Hot standby in Revert redundancy mode and is valid only for a hardware link.

Select y or n.

AutoSwitch for Bundle Failover (CTPView)

This topic describes how to configure AutoSwitch for bundle failover. You can configure the AutoSwitch feature only with CTPView.

Before you begin:

  • Log in to the CTPView software at least at the Net_Admin level.

  • Connect the CTPView server to the CTP device for which you want to configure this feature.

To configure AutoSwitch by using CTPView:

  1. In the side pane, select System > Configuration.
  2. Set the AutoSwitch Daemon parameter to Enabled.
  3. Click Autoswitch.
  4. (Optional) You can update the network interface device (NID) information for all CTP devices that are reachable in the network. To do so, click Update NID info in the Remote Host Settings row.
  5. Configure the Check Period [all functions] parameter under AutoSwitch Ethernet Failover Settings as well as the parameters under AutoSwitch Bundle Failover Settings as described in Table 3, and click Submit Settings.
Table 3: AutoSwitch Parameter Settings in CTPView
Field Function Your Action

Check Period [all functions]

This parameter is under the AutoSwitch Ethernet Failover Settings configuration in CTPView.

Specifies the time between the checking of ports to determine the circuit status.

The combination of the switch count value and the check period value determines the rate of the switchover.

Select the number of seconds.

We recommend that you configure the Switch Count and Check Period to values that prevent the circuit from switching in the event of a short transient outage.

Status

Specifies whether the AutoSwitch feature is enabled or disabled on the bundle.

Select one:

  • Disabled—AutoSwitch is disabled for this bundle.

  • Enabled—AutoSwitch is enabled for this bundle.

Switch Count

Specifies how many consecutive checks are required without a circuit being established before the circuit is switched over to an alternate circuit.

The combination of the switch count value and the check period value determines the rate of the switchover.

Select the number of checks.

We recommend that you configure the Switch Count and Check Period to values that prevent the circuit from switching in the event of a short transient outage.

AutoSwitch Primary

Specifies the CTP device that is used as the primary device to fail over to. Also specifies the circuit ID and interface that are used on the device.

To specify the primary device:

  1. Click the box under AutoSwitch Primary, and select a group.

    A list of CTP devices within the group appears.

  2. Select a CTP device.

    A list of the circuit IDs configured on the CTP device appears.

  3. Select a circuit ID.

    A list of interfaces configured with the circuit ID appears.

  4. Select an interface.

AutoSwitch Secondary

Specifies the CTP device that is used as the secondary device to fail over to. Also specifies the circuit ID and interface that are used on the device.

To specify the secondary device:

  1. Click the box under AutoSwitch Primary, and select a group.

    A list of CTP devices within the group appears.

  2. Select a CTP device.

    A list of the circuit IDs configured on the CTP device appears.

  3. Select a circuit ID.

    A list of interfaces configured with the circuit ID appears.

  4. Select an interface.

Secondary Revert

Specifies whether or not the CTP device periodically checks the connectivity to the AutoSwitch primary device after a switchover to the secondary device.

Select one:

  • Disabled—The CTP device does not check the connectivity to the primary device.

  • Enabled—The CTP device checks the connectivity to the primary CTP device after a switchover. If the primary device becomes available, the CTP device reconnects to the primary CTP device.

See Also

Related Documentation