Distribution
Running a TM-2000 demonstration
Installing the TM-2000 software
Version 9.1.2 of the TM-2000 requires version 9.1.x, version 9.0.x, or version 8.9.x as the standby TM-2000.
When running as the standby controller, TM-2000 version 9.1.2 can communicate with an active TM that is version 8.8.0 or 8.7.x, e.g. when updating the TM-2000 firmware.
Support for all features requires TrunkEdit version 1.7.0 or later.
Support for all features requires Trunk Supervisor version 1.8.0 or later.
(OOS = Out Of Service)The following are the minimum versions of Intercom Controller that are supported, and the minimum versions required for support of features added in recent releases:
Controller Type Minimum Version Larger Scroll Lists Ethernet IFB Tallies IFB-SL Tallies OOS Trunks Standard ADAM MC / ADAM-CS 9.16.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a ADAM Peripheral Controller (with DBX) 10.9.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a ADAM MCII-e 1.0.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a ADAM PeriphII-e (with DBX) 1.14.0 1.20.0 1.23.0 1.25.0 1.26.0 n/a ADAM MCII-e (with Tri-Bus support) 2.1.0 2.1.0 2.2.0 2.5.0 2.6.0 2.6.0 Cronus 0.3.0 1.5.0 1.6.0 1.9.0 2.0.0 n/a ZEUS-2 3.1.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a ZEUS-III 1.0.0 1.0.0 1.1.0 1.4.0 1.5.0 n/a CS9500 / CS9600 / CS9700 Not supported n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Version 9.1.2
It was possible for an RS-485 serial port to lock up, preventing the TM-2000 from communicating with an intercom on that port. It was necessary to "kick" the serial port (e.g. by changing the baud rate from 38.4K to 9600 baud and then back to 38.4K) in order to restore communications. Fixed.
If a trunk is allocated for a listen request, but the listen request is inactive because of wait-for-talk, if the trunk is then preempted and used as half of a cascade to satisfy another request, the listen request would be lost. Fixed.
Version 9.1.1
For an intercom configured to communicate with the TM-2000 via Ethernet, in rare circumstances it was possible for communications with that intercom to stall. (The communications link would typically be torn down and reeestablished within a few seconds.) Fixed.
Version 9.1.0
The Trunk Master now supports IFB-SL tallies across trunking. Support for IFB-SL tallies across trunking is similar to support for IFB tallies across trunking.
The TM-2000 now supports Trunk Supervisor connections via Ethernet.
Starting with TM-2000 v9.1.0 and TrunkEdit v1.7.0, whenever remote alphas (forwarded from an intercom to the Trunk Master) change, the new alphas are automatically forwarded to TrunkEdit.
TrunkEdit can now upload log files even when it is connected via Ethernet. (TrunkEdit now supports an additional configuration option, "Enable logging support". If multiple TrunkEdit sessions are used with a single Trunk Master, only one of them should have this option selected.)
The Trunk Master now supports taking trunks out of service. An intercom can tell the Trunk Master to remove trunks from service because they connect to ports that are unavailable (e.g. they are in a frame which is powered off). A trunk that is out of service is similar to being in maintenance mode; however, trunks are automatically restored to service when the ports become available (maintenance mode is not touched). TrunkEdit and Trunk Supervisor cannot be used to change the out-of-service condition.
Version 9.0.0
The Trunk Master now supports Intracom VCOM intercoms.
The Trunk Master now supports additional diagnostics for an intercom connected to another Trunk Master. Such diagnostics can be viewed on the Intercom Status, Intercom Definition, and Trunk Definition screens. If the Trunk Master detects that a trunk port on such an intercom is also defined as a trunk port on the other Trunk Master, it will automatically put the trunk in maintenance mode to prevent it from being used. The Trunk Master will prevent the trunk from being taken out of maintenance mode until the incorrect trunk definition is fixed.
The Trunk Master will also warn if a connected intercom has a connection to another Trunk Master, and the two Trunk Masters between them define more than 31 other intercoms (i.e., not counting the intercom connected to both Trunk Masters), since an intercom can access no more than 31 remote intercoms.
The Trunk Master now supports IFB tallies across trunking. If intercoms X and Y, and the Trunk Master, all support IFB tallies across trunking, then panels in X with key assignments for IFBs in Y will display both in-use and busy tallies for those IFBs, and vice versa. Note: To avoid flooding the entire trunking system with IFB tallies, tally information is only forwarded for those IFBs for which the "remote tally" flag is enabled; the remote tally is disabled for all IFBs by default.Version 8.9.1
For intercoms connected to the Trunk Master via Ethernet, there could be an excessive delay before audio started passing, when a trunk was initally allocated. (Once the trunk was allocated, subsequent audio switching was fine.) Fixed. Note that this problem did not affect systems where all intercoms were connected to the TM serially.
The extended status information shown on the intercom configuration and status screens (e.g. "sending trunk allocation information for trunk nnn") was showing the wrong trunk number. Fixed.Version 8.9.0
The Trunk Master now supports intercom communications via Ethernet. On the Intercom Setup screen, the connection type for each intercom can be set to either Serial or Network; additional columns allow either 1 or 2 IP addresses to be configured. (For ADAM frames, the IP addresses are those of the active and standby controllers.) Similarly, AZedit must be used to configure the intercom with the matching communications parameters (specifying the IP addresses of the primary and backup Trunk Masters).
Version 8.8.1
Improved data security. The Trunk Master incorporates protocol enhancements to improve the integrity of its communications with intercoms, to ensure that the system of trunked intercoms is robust and stable.
When changing the COM port assigned to an intercom, the Trunk Master might start communicating with the intercom, and then lose communications after 30 seconds. (It was necessary to delete the COM port assignment, send the change to the TM, and then restore the COM port assignment.) Fixed.Version 8.8.0
The Trunk Master now supports larger scroll lists. Scroll lists of up to 1000 items are now forwarded between intercoms.Version 8.7.2
Intercom alphas are automatically saved to disk every 10 minutes, or if stop_tm is used to shut down the system. When the system is restarted, these alphas are automatically loaded if they were saved less than 20 minutes ago. (Note: In previous versions, this timeout was 15 minutes). In order to prevent the alphas from being automatically reloaded on start-up, use the commandstop_tm nosaveIf no direct trunks are available, the TM-2000 tries to tie two trunks together to satisfy a trunking request, creating a cascade through an intermediate intercom. In previous versions, the TM-2000 might try to create a cascade through an intercom which is not currently connected. Fixed. If the only available cascade paths are through intercoms which are not communicating, the caller will get a busy signal. If communications is then re-established to an intercom, the TM-2000 will then create a cascade through that intercom, if possible, to satisfy the request.
If a trunk test failed, and the trunk was left in maintenance mode, Trunk Supervisor could show an outstanding spurious request for the trunk. Fixed.
If a trunk that was in use was undefined or put into maintenance mode, and a request using that trunk was moved to a different trunk, Trunk Supervisor could show two separate requests: one on the new trunk, and a second queued request (implying that it is idle because of wait-for-talk). Fixed. Note that this problem could only occur if wait-for-talk is enabled.
If a matrix name was deleted, any inactive requests (queued because of wait-for-talk) were not deleted. Fixed.
If Clear Allocations deleted a stale request that was queued (wait-for-talk), it might not inform Trunk Supervisor of the change, so Trunk Supervisor would continue to show the request. Fixed.
Version 8.7.1
In some instances, Trunk Supervisor might not show a listen request that is inactive because of wait-for-talk. Fixed.
In some instances, two trunks could be cascaded together to satisfy a trunking request, but without passing audio. (The trunks might pass audio initially, but then stop passing audio after a few minutes.) Fixed.
As part of the installed software, added a script allowing the user to change the network parameters of the Trunk Master (computer name, IP address, netmask, etc.). It is now possible to change these parameters by logging on as 'root', shutting down the TM-2000 software, executing the commandsh /tm/chg_ip_addr.shand then rebooting.
Modified installation scripts to calculate the network number and broadcast address, rather than requiring them to be entered by the user.
Version 8.7.0
Added support for SNMP.
The totals for the Trunk Summary screen did not necessarily correspond with status reported on the Trunk Definitions screen. For example, a trunk which was fixed at both ends was marked as "in use" on the Trunk Definitions screen, but counted as "allocated" on the Trunk Summary screen. Fixed.
Version 8.6.1
Trunk Allocation timeout can now be specified in either minutes or seconds.
Disabled various network services (e.g. fingerd, identd) to eliminate certain potential vulnerabilities.
Version 8.6.0
Added support for IFB Special List across trunking.
Modified so that, if the system is shut down and restarted, the TM-2000 remembers which trunks were in maintenance mode, and restores them to that state.
Intercom alphas are now saved to file when the system is shut down normally (by logging on and executing /tm/stop_tm ). If the system is restarted within 15 minutes, the intercom alphas are pre-loaded from this file, reducing the amount of time it takes for the intercoms to come up to date. The alphas are not saved to file if stop_tm is not used to shut down Trunking (e.g. by just using Control-Alt-Del to reboot the computer), or if the nosave argument is passed to stop_tm .
Support use of a default Ethernet gateway (e.g. when communicating with TrunkEdit). When the TM-2000 software is first installed, it prompts for the IP address of an (optional) default gateway; however, the default gateway is only utilized in v8.6.0 and later.
Eliminated licensing requirement.
Added a 20-second delay on start-up before the TM-2000 will go active. Certain Ethernet switches can take up to 20 seconds to negotiate the link parameters and start forwarding packets. Without this delay, and with such a switch, the TM-2000 could start up (standby), fail to detect its partner, and immediately go active, even if its partner was already up and running as the active.
Version 8.5.0
Added support for Unicode alphas. These allow Japanese and Chinese characters to be displayed on the KP-812K and KP-808K keypanels.
Added support for licensing the TM-2000 via USB dongles, as an alternative to using license files.
Version 8.4.1a
Added support for Ethernet adapters based on the Intel 815E chipset..Note that this release is an update to the operating system only; the TM-2000 application itself is unchanged. Hence, the TM-2000 will still report as version 8.4.1 (e.g. in TrunkEdit, from Diagnostics / Trunk Master Version).Version 8.4.1
If a forked trunk (one with multiple assignments on it) is undefined or put into maintenance mode, the active requests are moved to another request. However, in certain instances, spurious requests could also be created on the new trunk. Fixed.Version 8.4.0
Added support for enhanced special lists (currently used only in J5 systems). A trunk can be allocated with a special list assignment at each end.Version 8.3.1
Fixed problem in active/standby communications. (Problem exists in versions 8.2.1 and 8.3.0.)Version 8.3.0
Added licensingVersion 8.2.1
Allow TIF dialing across intercoms.Made the disk handling more robust in the event of a power failure.Version 8.2.0
Increased number of intercoms that can be trunked together from 21 to 31.Support intercoms that handle keypanels with different alpha sizes simultaneously.Support Katakana alphas. (TrunkEdit can be used to define Katakana characters for intercom names and group descriptions. The Trunk Master will also forward Katakana alphas from one intercom to another transparently.)Significantly improved active/standby communications.Automatically detect "half links", i.e. when the TM can receive data from an intercom but not send anything to it. In this case, the intercom is not marked as communicating, and TrunkEdit will show the description string "Being polled, replies being lost". Note that a "half link" will not be detected until proper communications has first been established. (It will detect a communications circuit that is established, and then fails in one direction. It will also detect the failure if communications is lost, and then only half the circuit is working when the circuit is subsequently restored.)Version 8.1.0
Support for TrunkEdit communications via Ethernet (UDP/IP) has been added.The first ACCES RS-485 serial port can now be used for either VDP communications or communications with an intercom. This is an option which is selected when the TM-2000 software is installed from the CD.If the alpha for port 1 of an intercom changed, the TM would tell other intercoms that that alpha had been restricted, rather than making it available. It would then not be available for scrolling or assignment. Also, the alphas for several other low-numbered ports could also be restricted. Fixed.Version 8.0.1
When booting off the installation CD, a new option prints out PCI information, allowing the user to determine the ordering of the PCI slots, and determining if there is a possible interrupt conflict.When the computer is booted, it now displays a prompt, allowing the user to select whether or not to run the TM-2000 software. If no response is entered, the TM-2000 software is automatically started after a time-out of 5 seconds.Changes to the TrunkEdit / Trunk Supervisor baud rate are automatically saved. If the TM-2000 is shut down and restarted, the baud rates are restored to their previous values.The TM-2000 release notes have been put on the installation CD.DAO has been put on the installation CD. (It is not needed for the TM-2000; but it may be needed for a computer running the Trunk Supervisor, depending on what other software has been installed.)Active/standby communications have been improved.The TM-2000 now works properly (in stand-alone mode) if no usable Ethernet card is found.Support for a VDP controller has been added. The VDP controller connects to the first ACCES serial port.When logging on, the computer no longer displays a "No mail" notification.smbpasswd would complain about 2 missing files. Fixed.It was possible for the TM-2000 to get into a mode in which it had all the trunk definitions, but the Trunk Status screen would show no trunks. Fixed.Version 8.0.0
Initial version.
SNMP
The TM-2000 now supports SNMP versions 1, 2c, and 3.
For SNMPv1 and SNMPv2c, the TM-2000 is configured with the following default community strings:
These community strings can be viewed and modified with TrunkEdit (v1.4.0 or later).
- public (read-only)
- Intercom (read-write)
SNMPv3 supports security levels noAuthNoPriv and authNoPriv; however, security level authPriv (i.e. message encryption) is not supported. SNMP is initially configured with the following users:
- initial_none (password "initial_none") (no authentication)
- initial_auth (password "initial_auth") (MD5 authentication, no privacy)
The usmUserTable can be manipulated via SNMPv3 to clone these entries as required to create new users.
The Telex-TM-MIB implemented by the TM-2000 can be obtained from Telex.
Software Organization
The TM-2000 Trunk Master consists of a PC running a Linux kernel with real-time extensions. The TM-2000 software consists of some kernel load modules (i.e. they can be dynamically loaded and unloaded; when loaded, they become part of Linux), in cooperation with some executable programs.All of the TM-2000 software is installed in the /tm directory. (Unlike DOS and Windows, Linux uses the forward slash, "/", as a directory separator.) There are some other files in other directories which are customized, e.g. to automatically start the TM-2000 software when the system is rebooted.
Please note that, although this document describes some of the configuration files under Linux, and includes a section on useful Linux tricks, it should not normally be necessary to log on to the TM-2000 computer and do anything from Linux. Configuration of the TM-2000 is done by running the TM-2000 software (which automatically happens when the computer is booted) and then running TrunkEdit on another computer which is connected via Ethernet or a serial port to the TM-2000 computer.
Hardware Requirements
Serial PortsThe TM-2000 requires the standard COM1 and COM2 devices. (These are referred to as /dev/ttyS0 and /dev/ttyS1, respectively, in Linux.) COM1 is used for TrunkEdit; COM2 is used for the Trunk Supervisor.
In order to communicate with intercoms, one or more serial cards must be installed. The cards to be used are PCI-COM485/8 cards, from ACCES I/O Products Inc. The TM-2000 will run without any ACCES cards being installed; however, it will not be able to be connected to any intercoms.
PCI slots each have a unique number. The first 8 serial ports are on the ACCES card in the lowest-numbered slot; the next 8 serial ports are on the serial card in the next-highest slot, etc. (The cards do not have to be in adjacent slots. If 2 cards are installed, they will provide serial ports numbered 1 through 16, whether they are adjacent or not.) Unfortunately, the numbering of PCI slots varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. However, it is usually possible to determine in which order the slots are numbered from the PCI information printed out by the BIOS when the computer is booted. This information can also be determined by booting off the TM-2000 installation disk and selecting option 3 ("List PCI devices and check for interrupt conflicts").
If a VDP (VTR Delegate Panel) controller is to be used, it must be connected to the first serial port on the first ACCES card; otherwise this serial port can be used for intercom communications. The selection of whether or not to enable VDP operation is made when the software is installed from the CD.
The TM-2000 supports the use of a single Ethernet adapter. This is used for active/standby communications, and also for TrunkEdit communications via Ethernet. If TrunkEdit via Ethernet is to be used, the computers must be connected by a switch or hub; otherwise, a single Category-5 cross-over cable can be used between the active and standby computers.
The following Ethernet adapters are supported:
Note that there are many Ethernet adapter cards that are listed as being supported by Linux. However, in order to support any other cards, the Linux kernel that is included with the TM-2000 software must first be rebuilt to add support for those cards. In other words, if you install an Ethernet card other than one from the above list, it won't work without modifications to the software, even if the card is listed as being supported by Linux.
- 3COM 3c501/3/5/9, 3c529, 3c579, 3c59x, and 3c9xx
- Intel EtherExpressPro/100
- Intel 815E chipset (e.g. Intel 82801)
- National Semiconductor DP8381x
- NetGear FA-311
- AMD PCnet32 PCI
The PCI architecture is designed to allow multiple PCI cards to share an interrupt line. The TM-2000 software allows multiple ACCES cards to share an interrupt. However, an interrupt line which is used by an ACCES card MUST NOT be shared with another device. (It is possible for the same interrupt line to be assigned to an ACCES card and to another PCI device which doesn't actually generate interrupts - for example, a VGA controller. In this case, the system should be okay.)
When a computer is booted from the TM-2000 installation CD, one of the options is "List PCI devices and check for interrupt conflicts". If this option is selected, a list of all PCI devices which use interrupts will be printed. The device/slot number is also printed, which can be used to identify how the PCI slots are numbered. Note that the lowest-numbered slot may be something other than 0 or 1.
Distribution
The TM-2000 software is distributed on a CD-ROM. This CD is bootable. If a computer is rebooted with this CD in the drive, the CD will boot Linux, and then prompt for what to do next:
- Run the TM-2000 as a demonstration
- Install Linux and the TM-2000 software on the hard drive
- List PCI devices and check for interrupt conflicts (see previous section)
Running a TM-2000 Demonstration
If the option to run the TM-2000 in demo mode is selected, the TM-2000 software is run off the CD-ROM. The hard disk is not touched in this case. The computer is configured with a name of demo_tm and an IP address of 10.201.202.203. It runs in stand-alone mode (i.e. it will not run in an active/standby configuration with another TM-2000 computer).The only file systems used in this configuration are the CD-ROM (which is read-only) and a RAM disk (which disappears if the computer is shut down or restarted). In this mode, it is possible to restart by simply hitting the reset button; however, it is better to shut down the computer, either by hitting Control-Alt-Del (which will shut down and reboot the computer), or by logging on as root and then executing the command "shutdown -h now". If a "shutdown" command is executed, the computer will print out a number of messages, and then eventually display "Power down.", when it is safe to cycle power.
Installing the TM-2000 Software
When the option to install the software is selected, the computer will prompt for various pieces of information. There are defaults for most of the options.The first question addresses whether the computer is to be part of an active/standby configuration. There are 3 choices. The following choices are available:
In addition, the following parameters are set by default:
- Stand-alone operation. This option sets the computer name to tm_solo; the IP address to 10.201.202.203; and no standby computer.
- Active/standby operation, active by default. This sets the computer name to tm1; the IP address to 10.201.202.204; and the active/standby "partner" to tm2 / 10.201.202.205.
- Active/standby operation, standby by default. This sets the computer name to tm2; the IP address to 10.201.202.205; and the active/standby "partner" to tm1 / 10.201.202.204.
After selecting the configuration, you have the ability to change the computer name or any of the networking parameters, if needed. See the section on networking information for more details.
- Domain or workgroup name: WORKGROUP. This is significant only if you want to be able to access the TM-2000's hard disk from a Windows machine (e.g. to update the software).
- Network mask: 255.0.0.0 . This value may need to be changed if the TM-2000 is connected to an existing network.
- Gateway address: None.
The software next prompts for whether the TM-2000 will be used with VTR Delegate Panels. This affects whether the first ACCES serial port is available as an intercom connection or not. Most installations will not need VDPs.
Next, the software attempts to determine the hard disk drive size and partition information. You have a choice, of either controlling how the hard disk is partitioned, or of letting the software generate default partitions. If the default partitioning is chosen, 2 partitions will be generated: one of 5 MB (containing the files essential for booting) and one of 250 MB.
Once the partitions have been selected, the partitions will be formatted, and the software installed on the hard disk drive.
Once this is complete, a tm_demo login: prompt will be displayed. When the computer is next rebooted (and the CD-ROM removed from the drive), the computer should automatically boot off the hard drive and start the TM-2000 software.
Updating the TM-2000 Software
In order to update the TM-2000, the following files are required:These must be copied to a CD.
- update_tm.sh
- one or more update files, typically with a name such as to_v880.tgz
To perform the update:
- Log on to the console as the user root . (A password may have been set for this user when the software was initially installed.) You should get a line or two of information, followed by a prompt. This will be similar to
root@tm1 ~ #- Shut down the TM-2000, by executing the command
/tm/stop_tm allYou should get several lines of output (not necessarily in this order) such asnvconfig: exitingfollowed by another command prompt.
Trunk Master: exiting
LAN interface: exiting
- Put the CD containing update_tm.sh and the update file in the CD drive. Enter the following commands:
mount /cdYou should then get the following lines:
sh /cd/update.shExtracting new files...Finally, you should get the prompt:
Updating existing files...Update complete. You must now reboot the computer in order to
re-start the TM-2000.- Enter the following command:
umount /cdRemove the CD from the drive.
- Reboot the computer. You can either use the DOS reboot sequence (Control-Alt-Delete), or you can enter the command
shutdown -r now
Login Names
When the TM-2000 software is installed, there are 3 login names that are set up: root, guest, and tm_admin. root and guest are configured without a password; tm_admin is configured with a password of KermitFrog .The password for any login name can be changed by logging on with that name and entering the passwd command. In addition, root can set the password for any login name by executing passwd guest (for example).
The root login is used for administrative functions. This user name has full permission to do anything. It is possible to delete critical files that prevent the system from booting, for example.
The guest login should be used for normal logins, e.g. to check system logs or look at the system configuration.
The tm_admin login has been set up for TM-2000 maintenance functions, such as installing new versions of the software. This user has been configured with full access to the /tm directory, where the TM-2000 program files are stored.
The TM-2000 system is also configured so that /tm can be accessed from Windows machines. In this case, /tm should be mapped to a network drive, using the login name tm_admin with a password of KermitFrog . This password can be changed, independent of the login password, via the smbpasswd command.
Shutting Down and Restarting
The simplest method to shut down and restart the TM-2000 is to reboot the computer - see the section on useful Linux tricks.In some cases, it may be necessary to shut down the TM-2000 software, but still leaving the computer running (e.g. to update the TM-2000 software). This can be done by logging on as root and executing the following command:
/tm/stop_tm allThe TM-2000 can be restarted by either rebooting the computer, or by executing the command/tm/run_tmAlternatively, you can execute the command/tm/run_tm solowhich starts the TM-2000 software running, but in a stand-alone mode (the computer starts up as active, and does not try to communicate with another TM-2000 over Ethernet).
Baud Rates
The TM-2000 defaults to 38,400 baud for both TrunkEdit and the Trunk Supervisor. These baud rates can be changed by logging in as root and executing either or both of the following commands:/tm/set_baud edit 9600These settings are saved to disk. If the TM-2000 is stopped and restarted, the baud rates will be restored automatically./tm/set_baud supv 9600
The baud rates for communications with the various intercoms are defined from the Intercom Setup screen in TrunkEdit.
Customized Files
This section lists those files which are customized when the TM-2000 software is installed, along with a brief description of what changes are made. This would allow the user to change IP addresses, for example, without having to re-install the software. Note that, if any of these files is changed, the computer may need to be rebooted for the changes to take effect.The files in /boot contain files which are used in the initial booting of Linux. The file /etc/lilo.conf contains information about which hard disk partition contains the main file system; the command lilo reads this file and builds the file /boot/System.map which is used during the boot process.
- /etc/HOSTNAME - The computer's name
- /etc/hosts - A mapping between computer names and IP addresses
- /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1 - Ethernet configuration values (IP address, network mask, etc.)
- /etc/smb.conf - Configuration file used by Samba (which allows access to the file system from a Windows machine). The only customization in this file is a line of the form "workgroup = WORKGROUP", which defines the Windows workgroup or domain in which the TM-2000 computer appears.
- /tm/run_tm - A shell script (similar to a batch file) which is executed to start up the TM-2000 software. It contains definitions for the computer's name, as well as the name of the alternate TM-2000 computer (if running in an active/standby configuration).
The file /etc/fstab lists, amongst other things, which hard disk partitions are used, and where they are mounted.
A script file is available to assist in changing the network parameters of the TM-2000. Please contact your local Telex System Support Engineer if you need this.
Networking Information
This section provides some background information on assigning IP addresses to computers.The TM-2000 computers use Ethernet to communicate with each other when running in an active/standby configuration. They also support Ethernet communications with TrunkEdit.
Each computer on a network must have a unique IP address. The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) has reserved the following three blocks of the IP address space for private networks (i.e. ones not directly connected to the Internet):
10.0.0.0 through 10.255.255.255Hence, many companies' private intranets use one of the above three blocks of addresses; and their connection to the Internet goes through a firewall which translates the IP addresses.172.16.0.0 through 172.31.255.255
192.168.0.0 through 192.168.255.255
If the TM-2000 computers are going to be used on a private network with no other devices, there should be no need to change the default IP addresses that the TM-2000 uses. However, if they are going to be connected to an existing network, the default IP addresses may not be suitable. The local network administrator should be consulted to obtain the proper IP addresses, network mask, etc. The previous section describes which files need to be changed in order to change the network configuration without reinstalling the TM-2000 software.
Useful Linux Tricks
On the computer console, Shift-Page Up and Shift-Page Down can be used to scroll through the last 6 or so screenfuls of text. Each keystroke scrolls forward or back by half a screenful.The TM-2000 is configured with 2 virtual consoles. Normally, everything is done on the first virtual console. However, Alt-F2 can be used to switch to a second virtual console (the first time you do this, you will be at another login prompt); Alt-F1 can be used to switch back to the first virtual console. This can be useful if you are logged in and doing something, and you want to quickly look something up, without disturbing your first session.
The computer can be rebooted by typing Control-Alt-Del. You do not have to be logged in to do this. Alternatively, if you are logged in as root, you can type the command "shutdown -r now". To halt the computer, rather than reboot it, type the command "shutdown -h now", and wait for the "Power down." message to appear.
If you are logged in, you can log out by typing the command "exit", or by pressing Control-D.
If the computer is restarted without shutting it down properly (e.g. there is a power failure), the computer will automatically run fsck ("file system check", similar to DOS's chkdsk). However, this will normally only take a few seconds, since there is not that much data stored on the hard disk.
There are lots of Linux resources on the Internet. For example:
http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/DOS-Win-to-Linux-HOWTO-2.html provides a table listing a number of DOS commands and their Linux equivalents. (This is section 2 in a larger document - click the "contents" link on this page to see the rest of the document.)
http://www.linux.org/lessons/ provides an on-line "course" giving the fundamentals of Linux.
(Please note that it is not necessary to become a Linux expert. Once the TM-2000 software is installed, it should not be necessary to log on to Linux, except to perform certain functions such as updating the software. The links listed above are provided for the convenience of those who are interested in learning more about Linux.)