



                        Citrix Winview
                        Application Notes

                        Cubix Fault Tolerant (FT) Subsystems

                        This application note is for
                        informational use only and Citrix
                        makes no representations or
                        warranties with respect to the
                        contents or use of this document or
                        of any of third-party products
                        discussed within.


January 9,1995

Citrix Systems
210 University Drive
Suite 700
Coral Springs, FL 33071
(305) 755-0559
FAX (305) 341-6880


Overview:
---------

        This application note facilitates the configuration of the Cubix
Fault Tolerant (FT) Subsystems with Citrix "WinView for Networks". The
Cubix FT Subsystem provides a compact, easy to manage Server bay which can
be used to centralize the WinView for Networks into one location.

	The Cubix FT Subsystem tested at Citrix was capable of supporting
up to 4 Pentium 60 MHz (BC 5055) or 4 486DX4 100 MHz (BC 4045) processor 
boards per rack unit. According to the documentation provided, a Cubix rack 
can hold up to four such units and can be installed in one Cubix rack, 
allowing up to 16 WinView for Networks servers in one rack.

Disclaimer:
-----------

        The scenarios described in this document have been tested by Citrix
Systems.  Other variations to the scenarios described in this document may
work, however they have not specifically been tested by Citrix.  In order
to recreate the configurations, you should use the specified revision
levels of all software products described in this document and stay within
the bounds of the features and functions described in this document.

        Please note that this application note is a living document and
will be modified as new information and versions of the software described
herein become availiable.  Make sure you have the latest version of this
document before you begin.  The latest version is always available in the
Citrix Forum on Compuserve.

Requirements:
-------------

	Hardware:
		Cubix FT Subsystem rack unit(s) with:
		        BC 4045 (486DX4 100 Mhz) processor boards, and/or
	                BC 5055 (pentium 60 Mhz) processor boards

	Software:
		WinView for Networks 2.3 or higher

Setup:
------

	The normal WinView installation procedure should be followed as 
per the WinView for Networks Installation Manual. However, please note the 
Console Configuration issues listed below before beginning the installation 
procedure.

Console Configuration Issues:
-----------------------------

1) Video mode

Description: When each processor boots, only one of them can be
the 'active' processor. For the BC 4045 and BC 5055 integrated video,
booting in the backgound will cause the video mode recognition performed
by the video BIOS to fail. This causes the video in the 'background' to
appear either in inverse, or possibly monochrome modes. In addition to the 
console, remote DOS sessions will also see monochrome modes, even if the 
client machine has color capability.

Solution: Boot each processor separately, keeping the session in the
foreground during the Video BIOS checking. In the case of the first power
up boot, flip through the 'sessions', running the BIOS setup by hitting
the 'Del' key. Then one at a time, exit the BIOS and allow the processor to
boot normally.

2) Shared PS/2 mouse 

Description: This is an issue inherent with the Cubix MUX session switching
capability being incompatible with WinView for Networks. Only the
foreground booted session may use the mouse AND, in order for the mouse
behavior to remain consistent, the 'session' must remain in the foreground,
limiting the usefullness of sharing the mouse.

Solution: In this situation, there are two solutions. The first solution is
to not load the mouse on the console at all. In this case, applications
that use the mouse can be used from remote workstations. If using a mouse
from the console is required, then upon installation, choose 'Serial
Mouse', and select 'COM1:' as the port. For this solution, it is required
to plug in a serial mouse into every processor board that requires a mouse.

3) Network cards not working

Description: The driver provided for OS/2 ODI on the 'BC Series 10-Base T
Drivers' diskette is called PCNTNW.OS2. For testing in house, this driver
did not function correctly. Upon attempting to load the driver, there would
be an error, and no Network subsystems would load correctly.

Solution: In the WinView for Networks version 2.3, there is no option fot
the Cubix network integrated cards. However, choosing the Compaq 'Netflex-L
Ethernet' driver will use the PCNTNW.SYS driver shipped with WinView for
Networks. Choose this option. In future releases, there will be two options
in the installation for Cubix BC 4045 and Cubix BC 5055 Integrated 10-Base
T cards.
	In the case of the BC 5055 card, there are no NET.CFG settings 
required. In WinView for Networks 2.3, this card should boot and
function right away when using the driver described above.
	However, in the case of the BC 4045 card, you will need to have 
both the INT and PORT lines in the NET.CFG defined. By default the BC 4045 
uses INT 5, PORT 300. Be sure to add the NET.CFG settings after 
installation to ensure proper functioning.
	To determine the INT and PORT settings on your BC 4045 card, boot
the processor from a DOS boot diskette, and run the EECFG.EXE program found
on the 'BC Series 10-Base T Drivers' diskette as provided by Cubix. For
instructions, see page 3 of Appendix B in the BC Series Processor Boards
Installation Guide.
	

4) Floppy drive access

Description: This is not really a description of a problem as much as it a
description of an inherent limitation of 'sharing' a floppy drive between
multiple CPUs. It is important that the MUX session switching between CPUs
is NOT performed while floppy drive access is taking place. Doing so can
cause incorrect and inconsistent floppy drive functionality.

Solution: While doing disk copies, or while performing software
installation, or any access to the shared A: drive, DO NOT switch between
CPU sessions until the floppy drive operations are complete.


