Allow SNARAS to Use a Fully Qualified LU Name in Phone Number (163072)

SYMPTOMS

When configuring SNA Server 2.11 to support an SNARAS connection on a computer running Windows NT Server 3.51, a Remote Access Service (RAS) phone book entry must be configured to specify the "phone number" of the remote system. The phone number must be specified in the following format:

However, SNARAS does not support the following format:

For example, assume the following APPC LU/LU/mode partnership is defined in SNA Server:

   Local APPC LU:
      LU alias name = SNARASLU
      Network name  = APPN
      LU name = BRANCH1

   Remote APPC LU:
      LU alias name = BOSTON
      Network name  = APPN
      LU name       = BRANCH5

   Mode name:  #INTER

Then the RAS phone book entry for the SNARAS connection would be configured as the following:

phone number: BOSTON #INTER

The following phone book entry is also now supported:

phone number: APPN.BRANCH5 #INTER

NOTE: The fully qualified LU name is identified by the period (.) that separates the remote network name and the remote APPN LU name. This forms the fully qualified remote APPC LU name.

RESOLUTION

An SNA Server 2.11 update to SNARAS that supports the ability to specify the fully qualified Remote APPC LU name in the phone number entry is now available.

The updated SNA Server 2.11 modules are Snaras.dll and Rassna.dll.

SNA Server 3.0 already supports either format (the LU alias or the fully qualified LU name). Also, because SNA Server 3.0 supports the dynamic creation of remote APPC LUs (by enabling the "Supports Dynamic Remote APPC LU Definition" option on the connection), it is not necessary to manually create a remote APPC LU for each remote SNARAS destination, as it is under SNA Server 2.11. When configuring the SNARAS phone book entry to use a fully qualified remote APPC LU name, SNA Server 3.0 dynamically creates this remote APPC LU when SNARAS attempts to start the connection.

NOTE: The Windows NT Server 3.51 Remote Access Service (RAS) doesn't allow the user to override the configured SNARAS phone number using the RASDIAL command. For example, the following command does not work:

rasdial BOSTON /phone:"NEWYORK #INTER"

Using Windows NT Server 4.0, it is now possible to override the phone number for the SNARAS connection.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft SNA Server version 2.11 and 2.11 Service Pack 1. A supported fix is now available, but is not fully regression-tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Unless you are severely impacted by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact Microsoft Technical Support for more information.

Allow SNARAS to Use a Fully Qualified LU Name in Phone Number (163072)

SYMPTOMS

CAUSE

RESOLUTION

STATUS