Mitel Voice Processing Solutions Instructions Manual

							r 
To set up and administer a MESA-Net Async network, you must understand the 
association between communication devices, hardware types, and links. 
Communication Devices are the modems, cables, and other hardware used to 
actually connect MESA-Net nodes, as discussed in Chapter 2. 
Hardware Types define the commands that MESA-Net must use to talk to the 
communications devices, such as Hayes commands for Hayes-compatible modems. 
Hardware types are explained in detail in this chapter. 
Links are configuration entities that associate hardware types with communication 
devices on a specific serial ports, thus allowing MESA-Net to use the correct 
commands with each device. You also set some other communication parameters 
during link configuration. This chapter explains links in detail and contains 
procedures for configuring links. 
in ardware 
MESA-Net software uses device drivers to talk to a variety of communication 
devices, such as modems and direct connections. Each of these device drivers is 
called a hardware type. Each hardware type defines originate actions, answer actions, 
disconnect actions, and a line drop signal specification. 
me* 
e Originate actions are used by originate links to initiate communications 
channels with other nodes. 
e Answer actions are used by answer links to accept calls from another node. 
Disconnect actions are used by both originate and answer links to 
terminate communications with another node. 
0 The line drop signal is the signal that the vocal device monitors to detect 
when a link goes down. 
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							Configurating MESA-Net Async Hardware and Links 
4-2 
You assign a hardware type to each link and to each remote node (see the Network 
Node Access Table in Chapter 5). When the MESA-Net software needs to reach a 
remote node, it looks up the hardware type assigned to that node and then looks for 
a link that has the same hardware type, as shown in Figure 4-I. 
NETWORK NODE ACCESS TABLE 
LINK INFORMATION 
Link 2 will be used to make calls to Chicago, because 
it is the first originate link with hardware type 2. 
5120mnet 
igure 4-1 Hardware Types, odes, and Links 
You can assign a hardware type to more than one link, provided that the links have 
the same rype of communication device. The Parallel Links optional feature requires 
that all links that are used in parallel to reach a remote node have the same hardware 
type. Because the MESA-Net software associates a hardware type with each remote 
node and not a specific link, it uses any link that has the right hardware type to reach 
a node. 
If your MESA-Net Async node has two different communications devices connected, 
you must define two hardware types.y(If both devices use the same command sets, 
you may only need one hardware type.) 
Figure 4-2 shows a node that uses two 
different hardware types, one for direct connection to a co-located node and another 
for dial-up connections to remote nodes.  
						

							Configurating MESA-Net Async Hardware and Links 
Seattle 
Series 6 Server 
i 
Dial-up Connections 
through Modems - 
Hardware Type 1 
Series 6 Server 
San Jose Node 1 
Hardware Type 2 San Jose Node 2  Series 6 Server 
-2 Hardware pes for Communications 
If your MESA-Net Async network plan includes dedicated links between nodes, you 
can use hardware types to make the network configuration easier to administer. You 
can create a hardware type to reach each remote node, and use the same hardware 
type numbers on every node. For example, you could define hardware type 1 on 
each node with the actions required to originate calls to Seattle, hardware type 2 with 
the actions required to originate calls to Houston, and so on. 
If a MESA-Net Async node uses more Than one direct connection, you must use a 
different hardware type for each one. If you assigned all of the direct connections to 
the same hardware type, the MESA-Net software would always try to use the first 
link that has that hardware type to reach all of the nodes, but that link is directly 
connected to only one node. Assigning a different hardware type to each direct 
connection and assigning each of those hardware types to a specific link provides the 
correct connection to each node. 
efault Hardware 
Pes 
MESA-Net Async software contains eleven default hardware types that are pre- 
programmed to support specific communications devices: 
Concord 296-2 modem 
Concord Dialaccess 296 modem 
ei 
Microcom QxN.32C modem 
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							Configurating MESA-Net Async Hardware and Links 
Tellabs 33 1 -D Xplexer 
Direct connection 
Telebit T2500NCTorld Blazer modem 
XyLoGiC AnneX Three 
HT Communications I?4004 DSU 
Voicetel NIB 
AT+T Paradyne 38 
1 O/3820 Plus (V.34) 
US Robotics Courier V.34 
To use one of these default hardware types, you simply assign a device number to the 
hardware type through the VoiceMemo Hardware Type Menu. You can assign up 
to seven device numbers on each MESA-Net node, each one associated with a 
specific communications device to originate and answer calls. For step-by-step 
instructions on assigning default hardware types, refer to Cl? 5732 in the procedural 
part of this chapter. 
(Do not get confused between the nine default hardware types and the seven assigned 
hardware types. The default hardware types are simply device drivers available for 
use. You choose to use one or more of the default hardware types, or one you 
modify or create yourself, by assigning it to one of the seven device numbers available 
on each module. ) 
edifying or Creating a Hardware Type 
If the communications equipment used at a site requires actions that are similar to 
one of the default hardware types, you will save time if you modify a default 
hardware type rather than create a new one. The originate actions, answer actions, 
disconnect actions, and line drop signals for each of the default hardware types are 
provided in Appendix A. By comparing the programming of the default hardware 
types with the programming required$or your communications equipment, you can 
select the best one to start with. 
If you do not want to modify an existing hardware type, you can create a new 
hardware type by defining all of the actions required for MESA-Net Async to work 
with a certain communications device. 
Note: Centigram only supports the use of the communications devices 
tested by Centigram and listed in this chapter. You may have 
unpredictable results if you use other hardware. 
. 
The worksheet in this chapter is designed to help you gather the information that 
you need to modify or create a hardware type. Instructions for modifying a default 
hardware type are described in Cl? 5733, and instructions for creating a new 
hardware type are described in CP 5734 in the procedural portion of this chapter. 
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							Configurating MESA-Net Async Hardware and Links 
To modify an existing hardware type or create a new hardware type to work with 
your communications equipment, you must have the manufacturer’s documentation 
that defines the protocols required for the equipment. You must also be familiar 
with the commands used by the MESA-Net hardware types, as described in the 
following sections. 
Originate actions are the steps that an originate link takes to connect with an answer 
link of another node on the network. Whenever a node originates a call, it performs 
the originate actions of the hardware pe associated with the destination node. The 
originate actions are usually comprised of modem commands, dial strings, and sleep 
timeouts. 
The originate actions usually include the step, “Send access code,” which instructs 
the originate link to send the dial string (phone number) of the destination node to 
the modem. This command allows you to use the same hardware type for all nodes 
that have the same communications equipment. For example, if a network consists 
of nodes that use the same type of dial-up modem, each link uses the same answer 
and disconnect actions, and the initial steps used to originate a call are identical. The 
single variable is the different telephone number to reach each remote node. If “send 
access code” is programmed as the appropriate step of the originate actions, every 
node can have the same hardware type; the telephone number of each destination 
node can be read from the node table when a call is made to that node. 
nswer actions 
Answer actions are used only by answer links. Answer actions leave the port assigned 
to the answer link waiting for the string of characters (usually “connect”) from the 
local device that indicates that another node wants to establish communications. 
The MESA-Net software then waits for a software message from the originating 
node. After messages queued for a no& have been sent and the systems have 
disconnected, the answer link performs the answer actions to reset the port to the 
wait state. 
Disconnect Actions are the steps that both the originate link and the answer link use 
to break off communications with another node. Disconnect actions are constructed 
using the same commands as originate and answer actions, listed in Table 4- 
1. 
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							Configurating MESA-Net Async Hardware and Links 
Action Valid Values 
set Signal Hi DTR (pin 20) 
set Signal Lo RTS (pin 8) Timeout Explanation 
n/a Set Signal Hi sets the voltage on either the 
DTR or RTS pin to +12V. Set Signal Lo sets 
the voltage on the specified pin to -12V. 
wait Signal Hi DTR (pin 20) O-255 Waits the specified amount of time to see + 12V 
Wait Signal Lo RTS (pin 8) seconds (Wait Signal Hi) or -12V (Wait Signal Lo) on 
CTS (pin 5) the specified pin before going on to the next 
DSR (pin ??) step in the action sequence. 
CD (pin ??) 
RING If Wait Signal Hi is set to RING, the modem 
waits to see ringing voltage. 
If the timeout is exceeded, the link sets DTR 
and RTS signals lo, then hi, to force a 
disconnect, and then restart the call actions 
sequence. 
If the timeout is set to 0, the link waits 
indefinitely for the signal. 
Sleep n/a l-255 Tells the link to pause for the specified timeout 
seconds period. This command is usually used to give 
the local device or the remote node time to 
respond to the previous action. 
Send String 1 - 15 Alphanumeric 
characters 

 (carriage return) 

 (carriage return/line 
feed) 
\o Escape n/a Tells the MESA-Net software to send a string 
over the link. When specifying the string to 
send, you can to create a new string, or reuse 
any string that you created previously. 
Send Access 
Code n/a n/a 8 This is an originate action only. It instructs the 
originate link to read the string associated with 
the destination node from the Network Node 
table and send it over the link. 
Table 4-l riginate, Answer, and Disconnect 
Line Drop Signal 
The Line Drop Signal tells the MESA-Net software what pin voltage to monitor to 
determine if a connection has broken. For example, if the line drop signal is CD 
(carrier detect), and the signal on pin 8 drops to -12V, the MESA-Net software 
knows that the link on the remote node has disconnected. The link responds by 
performing the disconnect actions. If the answer link was involved in the call, it 
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							Configurating MESA-Net Async Hardware and Links 
executes its answer actions after the disconnect actions in order to reset the modem 
for the next call. 
The signals the MESA-Net software can monitor for line drop are: 
e DTR (Data Terminal Ready) 
0 
RTS (Request to Send) 
4 
BREAK 
0 
CTS (clear to send) 
DSR (Data Set Ready) 
RI Nng) 
8 
CD (Carrier Detect) 
Select the signal that can be used by the equipment at the site. 
rksheet 
Fill in the Hardware Types Worksheet to gather all of the information that you need 
to modify an existing hardware type or create a new one. The sample worksheet 
below is filled out as an example. A blank worksheet is at the end of this chapter. 
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							Configurating MESA-Net Async Hardware and Links 
Device Number Nome 
Originate Actions 
Command String Timeout 
1 Send strina 
 
2 Sleep 3 seconds 
3 Flush device 
4 Sleep 2 seconds 
5 Send access code 
6 Sleep 2 seconds 
7 Read strina connected 20 seconds 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
Answer Actions 
Command 
1 Send strina 
2 Sleep 
3 Flush device 
4 W strina 
5 
String Timeout 

 
3 seconds 
connected 0 seconds 
Disconnect Call Actions 
Command Parameter Timeout 
1 Set sianal hi BREAK 
2 Sleep 2 seconds 
3 Set simal lo BREAK 
4 Send strjna 
QQQ 
5 Sleep 2 seconds 
6 
Line Drop Signal (circle one) 
DTR RTS BREAK CTS 
DSR RING a 
Fig&e 4-2 Sample 
orksheet 
orksheet Definitions 
Device Number: The device number, 1-7, to be assigned to a hardware type. 
MESA-Net software recognizes a hardware type by its device number. Enter a 
number that has not previously been assigned to a hardware type. 
Name: A descriptive name for the hardware type. 
Originate Actions: Originate actions are the steps that an originate link takes to 
connect with an answer link of another node on the network. Valid actions are listed 
in Table 4- 
1. 
Answer Action: The commands that an answer link uses to tell the attached 
communication device to answer a call. 
Valid actions are listed in Table 
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							Configurating MESA-Net Async Hardware and Links 
Disconnect CaII Action: The commands that both the originate link and the answer 
link use to break off communications with another node. Valid actions are listed in 
Table 4- 1. 
Line Drop Signal: The electrical signal (pin) of the serial connection that the local 
device monitors to determine if the link is still up. 
After installing MESA-Net Async, Multiple Links, or Parallel Links and assigning 
hardware types, you must create and configure the links for your Centigram server 
(local node). You create and configure the links with the server on line (with the 
exception of changing the answer or originate link assignments, described in this 
chapter) by using the Link Type Menu. You must configure the following 
parameters for your MESA-Net links: 
e Communications parameters (determines baud rate, parity, data bits, stop 
bits, and flow control) 
e Failure counts (determines when a communications channel has too many 
transmission errors) 
Nenvork hardware type (assigns a hardware type by device number) 
e Serial port (assigns a dedicated serial port to each link) 
0 Timeout parameters (determines when to stop communications with 
d another Centigram server) 
-“s. 
ote: Many of these parameters have default settings (specified in the 
following sections). If you want to accept the defaults, the only 
parameters that you must set are the serial port and the hardware 
VPe- 
The configuration changes take effect when the first call is made (in the case of 
originate links) or answered (in the case of answer links). 
You can modify the parameter settings or get a report of the current settings at any 
time, as described in this chapter. 
nfigurin o~~~nications meters 
This section provides information on the following communications parameters: 
baud rate, data bits, stop bits, parity, and flow control. For step-by-step instructions 
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