$Id: README,v 1.5 1999/06/03 15:32:40 trockij Exp $
$Name: a3com-0-2-3 $

Introduction
------------

A3Com is a set of Perl 5 modules which allow manipulation of 3Com
SuperStack II 3900/9300 and CoreBuilder 3500 LAN switches. Currently
there are modules which can use either the SNMP or telnet interface to:

    -dump the ARP tables
    -dump bridge tables
    -search switches for a MAC address, IP address, or hostname
    -change admin passwords in batch mode
    -save and restore switch configurations via SNMP
    -upload new firmware via SNMP (batch mode)
    -and collect per-port ethernet details like current
     autonegotiation mode and duplex settings
    -keep global caches of ARP and bridge tables for fast searches
    -keep global ARP history as a merged ARP database from

A3Com requires:

    -the Perl Expect, available from CPAN
    -the UCD SNMP libraries, http://www.ece.ucdavis.edu/ucd-snmp/
    -Joe Marzot's SNMP-1.8 Perl 5 module, available from CPAN
	and ftp://ftp.corpeast.baynetworks.com/netman/snmp/perl5/SNMP.tar.gz

You switches must be configured to have "inifinte" screen height in
order for some of the routines to collect their data. Log in as "adm"
and type the following:

Select menu option: sys screen 0 y
Do you want this to be the new default screen height (n,y) [y]: 


Availability
------------

See http://www.kernel.org/software/A3Com/ for details. The software
is available from ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/software/admin/A3Com/

Please try a mirror of kernel.org, http://www.kernel.org/mirrors.html.


Installation
------------

perl Makefile.PL
make
make install

Create /usr/local/etc/a3com.conf with this line in it:

GLOBALCACHEDIR = /whatever-path-you-choose/a3com-globalcache

Substitute "whatever-path-you-choose" with a path of your choice.
Be sure that /whatever-path-you-choose/a3com-globalcache exists.


Examples
--------

In the tools/ directory are the following:

3cft
    Perform file transfer with a switch. This means save/restore a
    config, or upload new firmware.

3cbatch-backup
    Backup switch configs in batch mode.

3cinfo
    Report info on a list of 3com devices. Returns product model,
    serial number, hardware revision, software revision, the system ID,
    and the name of the device

3creset
    Reboots a device.

3cvlan
    Extracts VLAN information from a list of switches, suitable for
    making disaster-recovery hardcopies of your configurations.

3cpasswd
    Change read/write/admin passwords of switches in batch mode.

btdump
    This dumps bridge tables for a list of switches, or searches for the
    port where a particular IP address, hostname, or MAC address is seen.
    This makes use of the global ARP cache, which must be updated using
    "3cglobalcache -a".

3cglobalcache
    Maintains global caches for ARP, bridge tables, and ARP historical
    database. Run this from cron (with the proper args) every so often
    to update the global caches.


Documentation
-------------

Someone needs to write it. Your best bet is to look in the tools directory
for examples.


Future Plans
------------

I'm currently working on the historical storage of ARP data (including
conflicts and changes), and the historical tracking of bridge table
port/MAC mappings.

Good luck.

Questions and bug reports to:


Jim Trocki 
Computer System and Network Engineer
Transmeta Corporation
Santa Clara, CA