Configuring the TCP/IP interfaces for OptiConnect
There are two ways to configure the TCP/IP interfaces for OptiConnect.
In the first configuration, the OptiConnect bus is viewed similar to a local area network (LAN) and has a single subnet address. Each *OPC interface is assigned a unique IP address within the subnet, thus defining the host's connection to that subnet. Here is an example of this configuration:
System A: ADDTCPIFC INTNETADR('10.1.1.1') LIND(*OPC) SUBNETMASK('255.255.255.0') System B: ADDTCPIFC INTNETADR('10.1.1.2') LIND(*OPC) SUBNETMASK('255.255.255.0') System C: ADDTCPIFC INTNETADR('10.1.1.3') LIND(*OPC) SUBNETMASK('255.255.255.0')In the second configuration, you use the associated local interface parameter (local-interface). Using this method, you can configure the OptiConnect interfaces as part of existing local subnets to which the system is attached by other local interfaces (for example, token ring or Ethernet interfaces). Each OptiConnect interface defines an endpoint of a point-to-point OptiConnect connection between two systems. The existing local interface is then specified as the associated local interface for the OptiConnect interface. Here is an example of this configuration:
System A: ADDTCPIFC INTNETADR('9.1.1.1') LIND(TRNLINE) SUBNETMASK('255.255.255.0') ADDTCPIFC INTNETADR('9.1.1.2') LIND(*OPC) SUBNETMASK('255.255.255.255') LCLIFC(9.1.1.1) ADDTCPIFC INTNETADR('9.1.1.3') LIND(*OPC) SUBNETMASK('255.255.255.255') LCLIFC(9.1.1.1) System B: ADDTCPIFC INTNETADR('9.1.1.2') LIND(TRNLINE) SUBNETMASK('255.255.255.0') ADDTCPIFC INTNETADR('9.1.1.1') LIND(*OPC) SUBNETMASK('255.255.255.255') LCLIFC(9.1.1.2) ADDTCPIFC INTNETADR('9.1.1.3') LIND(*OPC) SUBNETMASK('255.255.255.255') LCLIFC(9.1.1.2) System C: ADDTCPIFC INTNETADR('9.1.1.3') LIND(TRNLINE) SUBNETMASK('255.255.255.0') ADDTCPIFC INTNETADR('9.1.1.1') LIND(*OPC) SUBNETMASK('255.255.255.255') LCLIFC(9.1.1.3) ADDTCPIFC INTNETADR('9.1.1.2') LIND(*OPC) SUBNETMASK('255.255.255.255') LCLIFC(9.1.1.3)To use the associated local interface, configure an interface on each system, and both interfaces must be active. Based on the preceding example, the following lines represent a point-to-point configuration from System B to System C:
ADDTCPIFC INTNETADR('9.1.1.3') LIND(*OPC) SUBNETMASK('255.255.255.255') LCLIFC(9.1.1.2) ADDTCPIFC INTNETADR('9.1.1.2') LIND(*OPC) SUBNETMASK('255.255.255.255') LCLIFC(9.1.1.3)The advantage of the associated local interface technique is that there is no need to define new subnets for the OptiConnect bus. Subsequently, no external route tables need to be updated to provide connectivity between the OptiConnect interfaces and the rest of the TCP/IP network. Moreover, if one of the OptiConnect paths goes inactive, packets are automatically routed over the backup interface, for example, the TRNLINE in the second example. One disadvantage of this type of configuration is that an interface must be defined for every destination on the OptiConnect bus.
Parent topic:
Configuring TCP/IP over OptiConnectRelated reference
Add TCP/IP Interface (ADDTCPIFC) command