The Previous Chapter
The previous chapter provided a detailed description of the Physical Layer and included:
Module basics.
Port types.
Signal naming conventions.
Electrical signaling and copper cable.
Link Layer to Physical Layer interface.
Transmit logic functions.
Receiver logic functions.
Link training.
Physical Layer error handling.
Repeaters.
Performance counters.
It concluded the part of the book that focused on the Link and Physical Layers (i.e., Part 5).
This Chapter
This chapter provides a detailed description of the Subnet Management Interface (SMI). It includes:
Purpose of the SMI (QP0).
The SMI on a CA and a router.
The SMI on switches.
Detailed switch handling of SMPs.
Detailed CA or router handling of SMPs.
SM accessing an attribute in its local device.
SM can reside in a switch.
SMI is a privileged resource.
SMI only communicates with other SMIs.
The port states in which SMPs can be sent and received.
SMPs never leave the subnet.
Setting up an HCA port's SMI.
How the SM sends a message and handles a response.
An SMP's source and destination.
The SMI and the Q_Key.
The SMI and partitions.
Additional reference material.
The Next Chapter
The next chapter provides a detailed description of the various types of management datagrams (MADs) and includes:
Definition of a MAD.
Software times the return of a MAD's response.
Basic MAD contents.
SMP MADs.
GMP MADs.
Traps.
Event subscription and event forwarding.
The Notice queue.