DOCUMENT ID:  1048-02

SYNOPSIS:     FAQs in the area of networks - IP interface

OS RELEASE:   2.x

PRODUCT:      Solaris

KEYWORDS:     FAQ network IP interface STREAMS


DESCRIPTION:

Frequently asked Questions on Solaris 2.x, in the area of networks - IP
interface


SOLUTION:

1) Is there documentation that describes the interface between IP and
   network drivers, namely, the SUN specific requirements not outlined in
   the DLPI Version 2 specification?

IP is a STREAMS module in Solaris 2.X.  Any module or driver interface
with IP should follow the STREAMS mechanism.  There are no specific
requirements for the interface between IP and network drivers. 


2) When an ifconfig device0 plumb is issued, the driver immediately
   receives a DL_INFO_REQ.  Exactly what is required in the DL_INFO_ACK
   from a Style 2 provider?

Please look at 'dl_info_ack_t' struct in /usr/include/sys/dlpi.h.


3) Is it possible for the driver to be a CLONE driver and also a DLPI
   Style 2 provider?

Yes.


4) If so, how do I map the minor number selected in the open routine to
   an instance prior to a DL_ATTACH_REQ? The technique of using the minor
   number to obtain the instance in the getinfo routine is not valid prior
   to the DL_ATTACH_REQ.  How do you suggest this be handled?

The 'DL_ATTACH_REQ' request is to assign a physical point of
attachment(PPA) to a stream.  The 'DL_ATTACH_REQ' request can be issued
any time after a file or stream being opened.  I don't think the
'DL_ATTACH_REQ' request has anything to do with assigning, retrieving or
mapping minor/instance number.  Of course, you can issue a
'DL_ATTACH_REQ' request for a file or stream with desired major/minor
number.  To the question of mapping minor number to instance, usually
the minor number(getminor(dev) is the instance number. 


5) In the examples a minor node is created each time the driver's attach
   routine is called.  How would a CLONE driver attach to multiple boards,
   that is, have multiple instances, and still only create one minor node?

For the CLONE driver, I don't know if it is possible to do that.  For
the non-CLONE driver, it is possible to use the bits information in a
particular minor number, for example 'FF', to map all other minor nodes. 


6)  Does Solaris 2.1 TCP/IP support Streams???

Yes, The TCP and IP are STREAMS modules in Solaris 2.1.  The command
'strconf < /dev/tcp' will show you the modules. 


7)  Does SunOS 4.x TCP/IP support Streams??

No.


8)  Does Solaris 2.1 ethernet drivers support LLI 2.0 interfaces???

Do you mean 'DLPI'(Data Link Provider interfaces) ? The Solaris 2.1
ethernet drivers, le and ie.  both support DLPI.  Please see man pages
of le and ie. 


9) Does Solaris 2.1 DLPI provide both connection oriented services and
   connection less services.  Also, is your DLPI Version 2.0, which
   includes multicast facilities. 

Yes and yes. Please see man page of 'dlpi'.


10) Is multicasting supported on SunOS 4.x? If not, how can the customer
    obtain this feature?

IP multicast is a standard supported feature in Solaris 2.x, but we
don't support it in SunOS 4.x.  If the customer wants to run an
unsupported IP multicast on his/her SunOS 4.x machines, it can be got
from public domain object distribution that Steve Deering, the inventor
of IP multicast, distributes.  This is available via anonymous FTP from
gregorio.stanford.edu in the file vmtp-ip/ipmulti- sunos41x.tar.Z. 


DATE APPROVED: 10/10/95