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2.4.1 Network Operation Characteristics
Three server characteristics, namely CIRCUIT TIMER, KEEPALIVE TIMER,
and HEARTBEAT, affect the operation of the network. More details about
these characteristics appear in the LAT Network Manager's Guide.
CIRCUIT TIMER
The circuit timer value defines the interval in milliseconds (ms) between mes-
sages transmitted from the terminal server to a service node. Your choice of
the timer value affects the response time at the terminals attached to the
server and also the loading of the service nodes. You should coordinate it with
your network manager and the node system managers.
If
you choose a low value for CIRCUIT TIMER, the response tin1e for the ter-
minals is decreased, but the demand upon service nodes increases. A long inter-
val minimizes node loading, but extends user response time.
The default for CIRCUIT TIMER is 80 milliseconds. This is the value recom-
mended for interactive terminal use on timesharing systems. It should only be
changed after consulting with the network manager. To improve response time,
you can reduce the circuit timer value if your network has lightly loaded service
nodes.
If
the network and the service nodes are used very heavily, a longer
circuit timer value increases service node performance.
KEEPALIVE TIMER
The value you choose for KEEPALIVE TIMER is less critical for overall per-
formance than the circuit timer value. The KEEP ALIVE TIMER defines the
interval, in seconds, between messages in which no data is being transmitted.
The server sends status messages on the Ethernet at these intervals. Discuss
the KEEPALIVE TIMER choice with your network manager.
The default value for KEEP ALIVE TIMER is 20 seconds. This is recom-
mended for normal Ethernet environments. For a heavily loaded Ethernet, you
should consider using a value between 20 and the maximum of 180.
10
CHAPTER 2 SETTING UP THE MUXserver 100 AND ITS TERMINALS
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