NAME

atinfo − print the host’s AppleTalk net, node and bridge numbers

SYNOPSIS

atinfo

DESCRIPTION

Atinfo prints the UNIX host’s current AppleTalk net, node and bridge numbers. 
 
For the purposes of AppleTalk, a strand of ether cable constitutes one net of the AppleTalk internet. Each AppleTalk net has a unique 16-bit net number. On each net are nodes, each with its own unique 8-bit node number. In this implementation of AppleTalk, a node corresponds to a machine or workstation. The net number is dictated by the AppleTalk bridge(s). The Kinetics FastPath is, among other things, an AppleTalk bridge. If there is no working bridge on a net, the net number defaults to zero.

Once every ten seconds, each bridge spontaneously transmits an RTMP data packet, that contains that bridge’s net and node numbers.  When this happens, all the nodes on that net update their stored net and bridge values accordingly.  Node numbers are dynamically assigned at boot time. 

The bridge number is the node number of the bridge.  All long distance traffic (destined for some other net) is sent to the bridge node for forwarding.  On a net with more than one bridge, the bridge number cycles through the set of bridge node numbers once every 10 seconds.  Repeated calls to atinfo would show the bridge number constantly in flux.  In this case, the stream of traffic originating on the ethernet is frequently re-routed. 

DIAGNOSTICS

TP 30 Couldn’t get info.  The GetATNodeInfo(3) library call fails.

SEE ALSO

GetATNodeInfo(3) atservers(8) topspeek(8)
Inside AppleTalk

Sun Release 4.0  —  Last change: 3 November 1987