Ciena 6500

The first TL1 platform rConfig supported, and the one its terminology comes from. Read the overview and setup first; this page is only what a 6500 does differently.

connect:
  protocol: tl1
  tl1Vendor: ciena        # the default, so an older template that omits it still works
  tl1Gateway: "on"

Templates: ciena/, SSH and telnet.

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Neighbour discovery

A 6500 answers RTRV-NE-LIST with one quoted record per remote NE:

"SHELF-1::SID=\"RNE-LIMERICK\",NENAME=\"RNE-LIMERICK\",GNE=NO,GNEIPADDR=,INETADDR=10.0.254.3,COST=30,NETYPE=00011600"

RTRV-NODES reports the same set under different field names (TID=, REMOTESHELF, IPADDR, MEMBER, SITEID). rConfig reads either, so a template can use whichever verb a given release answers by setting tl1NeighbourCmd.

Two fields are used beyond the TID:

• INETADDR is the RNE’s own management address, so discovered RNEs show their own IP rather than the gateway’s.
• GNE=YES marks a neighbour that is itself a gateway.

Note

Before rConfig 8.4.0 the neighbour command defaulted to RTRV-NBR:ALL, which no 6500 answers: that verb and its payload format came from rConfig’s own simulator rather than from hardware. A template still naming it gets RTRV-NE-LIST substituted, with a warning in the activity log. This is the only value of tl1NeighbourCmd rConfig overrides; anything else you set is sent verbatim. Update the template when you see the warning.

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Password quoting

A 6500 rejects a complex password sent bare in ACT-USER, which is why rConfig quotes TL1 passwords. It now does so on every platform, so this is history rather than something to configure. It also keeps a password containing :, the TL1 field separator, from mis-framing the command.

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Routed replies are verifiable

A 6500 echoes the addressed TID in the response header:

   RNE-LIMERICK 26-06-07 11:43:08
M  100 COMPLD

So rConfig can confirm a routed reply came from the RNE rather than from the gateway answering as itself. A mismatch fails that collection. Not every platform allows this check; see the Infinera page.

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Verbs

RTRV-EQPT::ALL:100;        # shelf and equipment inventory
RTRV-ALM-ALL::ALL:101;     # active alarms
RTRV-COND-ALL::ALL:102;    # standing conditions
RTRV-SW-VER:::103;         # software version
RTRV-SYS:::104;            # system / shelf info

Prompt: <. Leave the device’s Main Prompt blank and rConfig uses it.

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Related: Infinera DTN-X · Cisco ONS 15454 · Troubleshooting