3 Additional FDDIXPress Information
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1. Introduction
These release notes describe FDDIXPress release 4.0.
FDDIXPress is a network interface controller (board and
software) providing FDDI connectivity for Silicon Graphicsr
workstations and servers.
Note: Packaged with this software is a separate sheet that
contains the Software License Agreement. This
software is provided to you solely under the terms
and conditions of the Software License Agreement.
Please take a few moments to review the Agreement.
For the IRIS Indigo, Indigo2, and CHALLENGE M workstations
and servers, FDDIXPress has two configurations of the FDDI
board: FDDIXPI and FDDIXPID. Each of these boards interfaces
to the system through one GIO Bus connector. The FDDIXPI
board allows one single-attachment FDDI connection to an
FDDI concentrator; the FDDIXPID board provides a dual-
attachment FDDI connection directly to the dual ring, or one
or two connections to FDDI concentrators. An Indigo or
Indigo2 workstation can accommodate one of these boards. A
CHALLENGE M server can accommodate one or two FDDIXPress
boards. When FDDIXPress is installed, the station can also
use its built-in Ethernet network interface, thus having two
(or three) network interfaces. FDDIXPress for IRIS Indigo,
Indigo2, and CHALLENGE M has been designed for customer
installation. All the necessary tools and instructions are
provided with the product.
The FDDIXPress board provides one dual-attachment connection
to the dual ring, or one or two connections to a
concentrator for the following platforms: POWER CHALLENGE,
CHALLENGE L, CHALLENGE XL, Onyx, IRIS POWER Series,
Professional Series, IRIS Crimson, and Personal IRIS
servers, workstations, and supercomputers. The FDDIXPress
board interfaces to these systems through one VMEbus
connector. POWER CHALLENGE, CHALLENGE L, CHALLENGE XL,
Onyx, IRIS Crimson, and IRIS POWER Series workstations and
servers can accommodate multiple FDDIXPress boards; the
exact number depends on the workstation or server specifics.
A Personal IRIS workstation can accommodate one FDDI board.
FDDIXPress for the VMEbus-option slot on all of the above-
mentioned platforms is designed for installation by
authorized service personnel only.
This document contains the following chapters:
1. Introduction
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2. Installation Information
3. Additional FDDIXPress Information
1.1 Release_Identification_Information
Following is the release identification information for
FDDIXPress:
2
Hardware FDDIXPress for Indigo and CHALLENGE M
Option FDDIXPress for IRIS Indigo
Product FDDIXPress for Personal IRIS 4D/30 and
4D/35
FDDIXPress for POWER CHALLENGE,
CHALLENGE L, CHALLENGE XL, Onyx,
IRIS Crimson, POWER Series,
Professional Series, and
Personal IRIS 4D/20 and /25
Software FDDIXPress for all platforms
Option
Product
Version 4.0
Product Codes CC6-FDDIXPI-1.0
(Indigo2 and CHALLENGE M: single-
attach only)
CC6-FDDIXPID-1.0
(Indigo2 and CHALLENGE M)
CC5-FDDIXPI-2.0 (IRIS Indigo: single-
attach only)
CC5-FDDIXPID-2.0 (IRIS Indigo)
CC4-FDDIXP-4.0 (POWER CHALLENGE,
CHALLENGE L, CHALLENGE XL, Onyx,
IRIS Crimson, POWER Series, and
Professional Series)
CC5-FDDIXP-3.1 (Personal IRIS-4D/20, 25)
CC5-FDDIXPM-3.1 (Personal IRIS-4D/30,
35)
SC4-FDDIXP-4.0 (all platforms: software
and manuals only)
1.2 Operating_System_Software_Requirements
Before installing FDDIXPress, verify that the operating
system (eoe1) is compatible. The versions command, as shown
below, can be used to determine the release. This release
of FDDIXPress requires the minimum operating system release
shown in the example below:
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% versions eoe1
I eoe1 date Execution Only Environment 1, 6.0
1.3 Hardware_Requirements
FDDIXPress software runs on any POWER CHALLENGE, CHALLENGE,
Onyx, IRIS POWER Series, Professional Series, IRIS Crimson,
Personal IRIS, Indigo2, or IRIS Indigo
workstation,supercomputer, or server. However, the
appropriate FDDI controller board must be installed and
connected to the FDDI ring.
1.4 Online_Release_Notes
After you install the online documentation for a product
(the relnotes subsystem), you can view the release notes on
your screen.
If you have a graphics system, select ``Release Notes'' from
the Tools submenu of the ToolChest. This displays the
grelnotes(1) graphical browser for the online release notes.
Refer to the grelnotes(1) man page for information on
options to this command.
If you have a nongraphics system, you can use the relnotes
command. Refer to the relnotes(1) man page for accessing the
online release notes.
Note: You can read the online release notes for most
products before installing the software. Refer to
the booklet in your CD-ROM case for more information.
1.5 Product_Release_Limitations
This release of FDDIXPress does not support loading the
miniroot over the FDDI ring; Silicon Graphics computers
cannot be booted over the FDDI ring. This limitation does
not affect loading the miniroot over an Ethernet network. A
system can boot (load the miniroot) over its Ethernet
network, and, thereafter, function with both Ethernet and
FDDI network connections.
Note: There are special configuration requirements for
booting over the network. See Section 2.4,
``Configuring a Diskless Station.''
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1.6 Product_Support
Silicon Graphics, Inc., provides a comprehensive product
support and maintenance program for its products. If you
are in the United States of America or Canada and would like
support for your Silicon Graphics-supported products,
contact the Technical Assistance Center at
1-800-800-4SGI.
If you are outside the U.S.A. or Canada, contact the Silicon
Graphics subsidiary or authorized distributor in your
country.
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2. Installation_Information
This chapter provides information about installing
FDDIXPress software. The information listed here is
product-specific; for general information about installing
software, refer to the IRIS Software Installation Guide.
The FDDIXPress product consists of a hardware component and
a software component. The hardware component is an FDDI
board; the software is on the CD-ROM. To install the
product, follow the procedures in the overview below. The
procedures must be followed in the order they are listed.
1. Install the software, using the instructions in this
document in Section 2.2, ``Installing FDDIXPress
Software.''
2. Configure the software, using the instructions in
section 2.3, ``Configuring the FDDIXPress Software.''
3. Install the board, using the board's installation
guide, or have an authorized field service engineer
install the board using the field service installation
instructions.
4. Configure your FDDI station's environment to be user-
friendly, using the instructions in the section
``Configuring the Environment for User-Friendliness
and Safety,'' in Chapter 2 of the FDDIXPress
Administration Guide.
5. Verify the FDDI connection, using the instructions in
the section ``Verifying the FDDI Connection,'' in
Chapter 2 of the FDDIXPress Administration Guide.
2.1 General_Installation_Information
This section contains general information about the
FDDIXPress software. This information is useful during
installation and configuration.
2.1.1 FDDI_Network_Interface_Names Each type of FDDIXPress
board has its own network interface software. During
development, each network interface is given a name. The
FDDI interface names that have been shipped with this
release are specified below:
xpi# for IRIS Indigo, Indigo2, and CHALLENGE M
platforms. (The first FDDIXPress board found is
assigned the name xpi0. The second board is
assigned the name xpi1. On Indigo2 and CHALLENGE M
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machines, the system searches for the FDDIXPress
boards in the GIO option slots in the following
order: top slot first, middle slot second, bottom
slot last.)
ipg# for VMEbus systems, including POWER CHALLENGE,
CHALLENGE L, CHALLENGE XL, POWER Series,
Professional Series, IRIS Crimson, and Personal
IRIS platforms. The board's jumper-configured unit
number determines the final number on the interface
name (for example, ipg0, ipg1, ipg2, etc.).
2.1.2 FDDIXPress_Subsystems Following is a description of
the FDDIXPress subsystems:
FDDIXPress.sw.FDDIXPress FDDIXPress software: driver,
utilities, SMT daemon, and
miscellaneous files.
FDDIXPress.man.FDDIXPress Manual pages for FDDIXPress
utilities and SMT daemon.
FDDIXPress.man.relnotes These release notes.
2.1.3 FDDIXPress_Subsystem_Disk_Space_Requirements This
section lists the FDDIXPress subsystems and their sizes.
All these subsystems are installed when you use the install
FDDIXPress and go commands of inst.
Note: The listed subsystem sizes are approximate. Refer to
the IRIS Software Installation Guide for information
on determining exact sizes.
Subsystem Name Subsystem Size
(512-byte blocks)
FDDIXPress.sw.FDDIXPress 1876
FDDIXPress.man.FDDIXPress 38
FDDIXPress.man.relnotes 46
2.1.4 Installation_Method All of the subsystems for
FDDIXPress can be installed using the IRIX installation
method. You do not need to use the miniroot, although you
may do so, if convenient as part of an operating system
upgrade.
Note: The FDDIXPress driver will not function until three
additional steps are completed: (1) the board is
installed, (2) the operating system is rebuilt, by
restarting the system or using the autoconfig
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command, and (3) the system is rebooted.
2.1.5 Configuration_Files The files listed below are used
by FDDIXPress software. Editing these files is not required
during initial installation and configuration of FDDIXPress,
but may be desirable at some point in time for customization
of the FDDI environment.
/usr/etc/fddi/smtd.confSMT daemon configuration file.
Experienced FDDI system administrators
may want to edit this file.
/usr/etc/fddi/smtd.mibManagement Information Base file.
This file should never be edited.
/usr/sysgen/master.d/if_ipgIPG driver configuration file.
File for enabling/disabling a number of
ipg driver flags.
/usr/sysgen/master.d/if_xpiXPI driver configuration file.
File for enabling/disabling a number of
xpi driver flags.
2.2 Installing_FDDIXPress_Software
This section describes how to install FDDIXPress software.
Before starting the installation, use the command below to
verify that FDDIXPress 4.0 is not already installed. For
example, FDDIXPress may have been installed at the same time
as the operating system.
% versions FDDIXPress
If the display indicates that FDDIXPress 4.0 is installed,
you can skip the software installation procedure and proceed
to the configuration. Otherwise, follow the instructions
below to install FDDIXPress 4.0.
2.2.1 Prerequisites Your system must be running IRIX
release 6.0. To verify the release your system is currently
running, use the command below:
% versions eoe1
I eoe1 date Execution Only Environment 1, 6.0
2.2.2 Preparing_for_Installation
1. Determine the installation method.
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There are four methods for installing the FDDIXPress
software: from a local peripheral device, from a
remote peripheral device, from a remote Ethernet boot
server (distribution directory), from a local
distribution directory. These methods are summarized
and explained in Chapter 4 of the IRIS Software
Installation Guide, where Table 4-1 provides an
excellent overview.
Note: ``Local'' refers to connecting the CD-ROM (or
tape) player directly to the target system (the
system onto which you are installing software).
``Remote'' refers to loading the software over
the target system's Ethernet network connection
using a CD-ROM (or tape) device connected to a
different Ethernet station.
In order to install FDDIXPress software from a remote
distribution directory, your system must be physically
connected to the Ethernet and it must have a
functioning Ethernet connection.
2. Locate the following items:
- For installation from a peripheral device, locate
the CD-ROM disk containing FDDIXPress software.
If you specially ordered another medium (for
example, tape), locate that item.
- For installation from a peripheral device, locate
a device to play (read) the CD-ROM or tape. This
device is not shipped with the FDDIXPress
product; it belongs to your site.
- For installation from a distribution directory,
determine the host name of the Ethernet station
and the path to the directory.
3. Set up the installation hardware.
- If you are using a local device, follow the
instructions in your system's owner's guide to
connect the peripheral device.
- If you are using a remote device, follow the
remote workstation or server's instructions for
attaching peripheral devices.
- For installation from a distribution directory,
verify that FDDIXPress has been loaded onto the
station. A section of the IRIS Software
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Installation Guide provides instructions on
preparing distribution directories.
2.2.3 Installing_the_Software Use the IRIX installation
method to install the FDDIXPress software. Step-by-step
instructions are provided below.
Note: More detailed explanations about the IRIX
installation method are located in the IRIS Software
Installation Guide. Section 4.7.6 may be especially
useful. If you are not sure how to use inst, Chapter
5 in the IRIS Software Installation Guide provides
details.
1. In a shell window, become superuser:
% su
Password: thepassword
#
2. Invoke the inst utility with the command below:
# inst
{the inst menu appears}
Inst>
3. When the inst prompt appears (Inst>), use the from
command to indicate the location of FDDIXPress
software. Table 10-2 in the IRIS Software
Installation Guide summarizes the entries for this
command.
The command below can be used when the location is a
local CD-ROM:
Inst> from /CDROM/dist
4. When you are ready to install FDDIXPress, use the
command below to prepare for installation:
Inst> install FDDIXPress
5. Then use the command below to install the software:
Inst> go
6. When the installation completes successfully, quit:
Inst> quit
7. Follow the steps in Section 2.3, ``Configuring the
FDDIXPress Software.''
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2.3 Configuring_the_FDDIXPress_Software
This section describes the quickest, easiest method to
configure a new FDDI network connection for the scenarios in
the bulleted list below. If your system has a configuration
that is not covered, follow the instructions in the
FDDIXPress Administration Guide.
It is highly recommended that the FDDIXPress configuration
procedure be done before installing the FDDIXPress board. If
you install the board and restart the system without
configuring the FDDIXPress software, the FDDI connection
will not function when the system comes up. If the system
also has an Ethernet connection, the Ethernet will not
function either.
Note: The instructions in this section assume that the
system already has (or has had) a functional Ethernet
connection. If this is not the case, follow the
instructions in the Personal System Administration
Guide or the Advanced Site and Server Administration
Guide to configure the system for networking (giving
it a host name, IP address, etc.).
This section is divided into three configuration scenarios.
Select the one that is appropriate.
o FDDI as the primary network interface with Ethernet as
the secondary.
This configuration is recommended for stations with two
network connections and a disk.
o FDDI as the secondary network interface with Ethernet
as the primary.
This configuration is recommended for a diskless
workstation.
o FDDI as the only network connection.
Note: The procedures described in the following sections
configure a basic non-personalized FDDI network
connection. If you need or want to configure site-
specific items, follow the instructions in Chapter 2
of the FDDIXPress Administration Guide, either now
(instead of the instructions provided here) or after
you have used the instructions here to get the system
up and running.
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2.3.0.1 Configuring FDDI as Primary and Ethernet as
Secondary This section provides instructions to set up your
system so the FDDI connection serves as the primary network
interface and Ethernet is the secondary network interface.
This configuration is the easiest to do and provides the
best performance.
Note: If your site uses an NIS service, the changes to the
/etc/hosts file described in this section must also
be made to the hosts database on the NIS server.
1. If you are not superuser, type su to become superuser
(root):
% su
Password: thepassword
#
2. Determine your station's host name:
# hostname
3. Use your favorite editor to open the /etc/hosts file.
To open the file with jot, use the line below:
# /usr/sbin/jot /etc/hosts
4. Find the line with your station's host name.
5. Copy this line. Paste the copy below the original.
6. Return to the original line. Change the address
(digits on the left) to the IP address for the FDDI
network. This line configures your station's FDDI
network interface. Do not change the host name.
Note: IP addresses are usually assigned by a site's
network administrator (who has obtained the
addresses from the Network Information Center).
The network portion of the IP address for each
local area network must be unique; you cannot
use the same network address for your system's
Ethernet and FDDI connections. For further
information, see the section on choosing an IP
address in the IRIX Advanced Site and Server
Administration Guide.
7. Go to the new line. Change each instance of your
station's hostname to ``gate-hostname''. This line
configures your station's Ethernet network interface.
Note: Do not change the IP address on the new line
(representing the Ethernet connection.)
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For example, if you were creating entries for a
station with a host name of mickey residing in the
domain disney.com, you would now have the following
two lines in the /etc/hosts file, where each x can be
one to three digits:
x.x.x.x mickey.disney.commickey#FDDI primary
x.x.x.x gate-mickey.disney.comgate-mickey#Ether secondary
8. Save and close the file.
9. The system is now ready to have its FDDIXPress board
installed. Either follow the instructions in the
FDDIXPress board's installation guide to install the
board, or have an authorized field service engineer
install the board using the field service installation
instructions.
Note: If the board is already installed, restart the
system, rebuild the operating system by
answering yes when prompted, then restart the
system a second time.
2.3.0.2 Configuring FDDI as Secondary and Ethernet as
Primary This section provides instructions to configure
your system so the FDDI connection serves as the secondary
network interface and Ethernet is the primary one. This
configuration is recommended for diskless workstations.
When FDDI is the secondary interface, the system does not
make the most efficient use of the FDDI connection. For
workstations with disks, it is recommended that the FDDI
network interface be configured as the primary interface.
1. If you are not superuser, become superuser (root):
% su
Password: thepassword
#
2. Determine your station's host name.
# hostname
3. Use your favorite editor to open the /etc/hosts file.
To open the file with jot, use the command below:
# /usr/sbin/jot /etc/hosts
4. Find the line with your station's host name. This line
configures your station's Ethernet network interface.
5. Copy this line. Paste the copy below the original.
This new line configures your station's FDDI network
interface.
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6. On the new line, change each instance of your
station's hostname to ``fddi-hostname''.
7. On the same line, change the address (digits on the
left) to the FDDI IP address.
Note: IP addresses are usually assigned by a site's
network administrator (who has obtained the
addresses from the Network Information Center).
The network portion of the IP address for each
local area network must be unique; you cannot
use the same network address for your system's
Ethernet and FDDI connections. For further
information, see the section on choosing an IP
address in the IRIX Advanced Site and Server
Administration Guide.
For example, if you were creating entries for a
station with a host name of minnie residing in the
domain disney.com, you would have the following two
lines in the /etc/hosts file, where each x can be one
to three digits:
x.x.x.x minnie.disney.comminnie#Ether primary
x.x.x.x fddi-minnie.disney.comfddi-minnie#FDDI secondary
8. Save and close the file.
9. Open the /etc/config/netif.options file. To open the
file with jot, use the command line below:
# /usr/sbin/jot /etc/config/netif.options
10. Find the line below:
: if1name=
11. Change the line to one of the following entries.
Notice that the colon and leading space must be
removed, and the name of the Ethernet interface must
be the name of the interface currently installed on
the station (for example, ec0 is the built-in Ethernet
interface for Indigo2, IRIS Indigo, and Personal IRIS
workstations).
if1name=ec0
or
if1name=Ethernetinterface
12. Find the line below:
: if2name=
13. Edit the line to match one of the following lines.
Notice that the colon and leading space must be
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removed, and the name of the FDDI interface must be
correct for the platform (for example, xpi0 for
Indigo2 and IRIS Indigo workstations).
if2name=xpi0
or
if2name=ipg0
14. Find the line below:
: if2addr=gate-$HOSTNAME
15. Edit the line to read as follows. Notice that the
colon and leading space must be removed.
if2addr=fddi-$HOSTNAME
16. Save and close the file.
17. The system is now ready to have its FDDIXPress board
installed. Either follow the instructions in the
board's installation guide to install the board, or
have an authorized field service engineer install the
board, using the field service installation
instructions.
Note: If the board is already installed, restart the
system, rebuild the operating system by
answering yes when prompted, then restart the
system a second time.
2.3.0.3 Configuring_FDDI_as_the_Only_Network_Interface
This section provides instructions to set up your system
with one network connection, an FDDI connection.
1. If you are not superuser, use the command below to
become superuser (root).
% su
Password: thepassword
#
2. Determine your station's host name, using the command
below:
# hostname
3. Use your favorite editor to open the /etc/hosts file.
To open the file with jot, use the command below:
# /usr/sbin/jot /etc/hosts
4. Find the line with your station's host name.
5. Change the address (digits on the left) to the IP
address for the FDDI network.
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For example, if you were making an entry for a station
with a host name of mickey residing in the domain
disney.com with an FDDI IP address of 187.8.27.6, you
would have created the following line in the
/etc/hosts file:
187.8.27.6 mickey.disney.commickey#FDDI
6. Save and close the file.
7. The system is now ready to have its FDDIXPress board
installed. Either follow the instructions in the
board's installation guide to install the board, or
have an authorized field service engineer install the
board, using the field service installation
instructions.
Note: If the board is already installed, restart the
system, rebuild the operating system by
answering yes when prompted, then restart the
system a second time.
2.4 Configuring_a_Diskless_Station
A diskless FDDI station must be configured in accord with
the guidelines in this section.
1. The station must have either two network interfaces
(an Ethernet from which to boot and an FDDI) or a
local CD-ROM player from which to boot and an FDDI
interface. The remaining text and guidelines apply
only to stations that boot over an Ethernet.
A diskless workstation (client) must boot (from its
server) over its Ethernet connection, hence, the
diskless station must have both Ethernet and FDDI
connections, if it wants to use resources on an FDDI
network. Use the command below to display the
station's network interfaces, then verify that one of
the IP addresses in the display is for an Ethernet and
one is for an FDDI local area network:
% /usr/etc/netstat -in
2. The netaddr value in NVRAM must be an Ethernet IP
address.
The station's PROM must use the Ethernet connection
for booting over the network. To verify that the
system's PROM can access the Ethernet, use the
commands below. The output from netaddr and the inet
value must match.
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% /etc/nvram netaddr
xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
% /usr/etc/ifconfig Ethernetinterface
. . .
inet xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx . . .
3. Ethernet must be configured as the primary network
interface.
Once the PROM has loaded the miniroot (bootstrap
kernel) from the boot server, control is passed to the
miniroot. At this point, the diskless client is known
to the boot server by the IP address in the NVRAM. If
this address were to change at this point, the server
would become confused and the boot process would not
complete. The best and easiest way to prevent this
from happening is to configure Ethernet (and build the
miniroot with Ethernet) as the primary network
interface.
To verify that Ethernet is configured as the primary
network interface and FDDI is the secondary, use the
commands below, where Ethernetinterface is ec0, enp0,
et0, or another Ethernet interface and FDDIinterface
is ipg# or xpi#:
# /bin/grep if1name /etc/config/netif.options
...
if1name=Ethernetinterface
# /bin/grep if2name /etc/config/netif.options
...
if2name=FDDIinterface
Note: Once the miniroot is in control, the booting
procedure is completed using NFSr over the network
interface that the station's route daemon indicates
is the shortest path to the boot server. If you want
booting to complete over the FDDI network, use a
route command in a configuration file to force the
route daemon (routed) to believe that the shortest
route to the boot server is over the FDDI network
interface. See the man pages for routed(1M) and
route(1M) for details.
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3. Additional_FDDIXPress_Information
This chapter contains information about changes and bug
fixes for FDDIXPress between releases 3.4 and 4.0, and known
problems in the current release.
3.1 Changes_and_Additions
o FDDIXPress has been enhanced to run in 64-bit mode for
IRIX 6.0.
3.2 Known_Software_Problems_and_Workarounds
Release 4.0 has the following performance problems:
o On an unstable ring with a lot of ``claims'' and
``beacons,'' frame error ratio and uncopied error ratio
are bogus.
o The smtping -s command does not support packet data
sizes greater than 1385 bytes. Attempts to generate
packets with data between 1386 and 4436 bytes cause two
error messages: Error building packet and Can't get
response from daemon. (The creation of ICMP ECHO
packets with data larger than 4436 bytes results in
packets that exceed the FDDI MTU, causing the message
packet size too large.)