$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