SNA LAN Testing Configurations and Techniques

B. C. Gearhart
Applied Computer Technology

The SNA Development Test Facility ( SDTF^tm) may be used to test SNA LAN components in many different network configurations ranging from simple to complex. The diagrams below show various configurations where SDTF may be utilized to test SNA multiple PU LAN network components.

The following notation is used in the diagrams:

SDTF: SNA Development Test Facility
Converter: i.e. Bridge, Router, FRAD, Gateway, LLC converter, DLSw, etc
IUT: Implementation Under Test which has a single PU defined, i.e. 3270, 5250, or RJE

1. The configuration below shows SDTF's ability to communicate in a simple single MAC, single SAP environment.

2. The configuration below demonstrates SDTF's ability to communicate with multiple PUs using the same MAC address and multiple different SAP values.

3. The configuration below demonstrates SDTF's ability to communicate with multiple PUs using different MAC addresses and the same or different SAP values.

4. The configuration below demonstrates SDTF's ability to communicate with multiple PUs using both multiple MAC address and multiple SAP values.

5. The configuration below demonstrates SDTF's ability to communicate with multiple PUs using both multiple MAC addresses and multiple SAP values.

Note: Configurations 1 - 5, above, would be used by SNA 3x74/5250/RJE Emulation developers and end users for evaluating products on a single LAN.

6. The configuration below demonstrates SDTF's ability to communicate with multiple PUs using a convertor with one or more of the PUs are communicating through the convertor.

Configuration 6, above, would be used by SNA 3x74/5250/RJE Emulation developers and end users for evaluating products on a LAN running with an LLC converter.

7. The configuration below demonstrates SDTF's ability to communicate with multiple PUs when one or more of the PUs are located across a bridge.

8. The configuration below demonstrates SDTF's ability to communicate with multiple PUs when one or more of the PUs are communicating through an LLC convertor.

9. The configuration below demonstrates SDTF's ability to communicate with multiple PUs when one or more of the PUs are on a remote LAN which is connected by a complex networking configuration.

10. The configuration below demonstrates SDTF's ability to communicate with multiple PUs when one or more of the PUs are on a remote LAN which is connected by a complex networking configuration which includes an LLC convertor.

Note: Configurations 7 - 10 above, would be used by SNA 3x74/5250/RJE Emulation developers and end users for evaluating products on either a local and/or a remote LAN connected by bridge, router, FRAD, or DLSw devices. In diagrams 9 and 10 above, the ? represents any number of LANs which are connected by a bridge/router/FRAD/DLSw devices with any number of IUTs on each of those new LANs.

Note: Configurations 7 -10, above, would be used by Bridge, Router, FRAD, and DLSw developers and end users evaluating these products.

The converter devices in configurations 6 -10 may be a non-intrusive (ie: not affect the integrity or content of SNA data streams and have minimal performance degradation) SNA traffic passing device or a device which distributes SNA processing in a proprietary manner. DSPU (down stream PU) gateways and LLC converters are intended to be non-intrusive as are the Bridges, Routers, FRADs, and DLSw devices.

In order to validate the SNA operation and measure the performance of non-intrusive implementations, tests should be run with configurations 1 or 2 first. Then, the same tests should be run with the desired configurations 3-10. If the devices are truly non-intrusive they should have no impact on the run/pass/fail counts of SDTF SNA layer validation tests. The results of the SDTF performance test results should be evaluated for either no degradation or an acceptable level.

The following test libraries should be used for validation SNA and 3x74/5250/RJE functionality:

dlc, dlca/SDLC

pc/Path Control

tc/Transmission Control

sc/Session Control

dfc/Data Flow Control

ps/Presentation Services

snaa/SNA Multi-PU/LU Session Control

snams/SNA Management Services

eff74/3270 Error Free Flow

eff5250/5250 Error Free Flow

The following test libraries should be used for evaluation of 3x74/5250/RJE performance:

barts/Display Functions and Performance
lu2a/Advanced Display Functions and Performance
lu2b/Single LU performance/stress tests
lu2c/Multi-LU performance/stress tests
lu2c/Multi-PU Multi-LU performance/stress tests
lu2d/Large Screen, Large RU, EHLLAPI, Enhanced CUT Functions, WSF File Transfer
lu2e/Write Structure Field Functions and Performance
lu2f/Host Application Demos II
lu2g/3270 Data Compression
lu7/5250 Data Stream
lu7a/5250 Multi-LU
dspt/5250 Pass-Thru
edspt/5250 extended Pass-Thru
ehlliut/EHLLAPI programs which execute on the Implementation Under Test (IUT)