topic Re: DTSS too few servers message in Operating System - OpenVMS

DTSS too few servers message

Antoniov. — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 04:26:36 GMT

After upgraded decnet from IV to V I see on console periodically a message like:
DTSS too few servers detected

Reading documentation I understand system can't try a datatime server.
How I can solve?
May I set this server as DTSS server?
May I set old server (with decnet IV) as clerk?

Every help will be appreciated.
Antonio Vigliotti

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Uwe Zessin — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 04:33:49 GMT

I never needed a DTSS, so I put this in SYSTARTUP_VMS:

$ run SYS$SYSTEM:NCL
DISABLE DTSS
DELETE DTSS
EXIT
$

It is possible that you can prevent the start of DTSS through a logical name these days, but I haven't seen a Ph IV system for some time now.

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Ian Miller. — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 04:38:00 GMT

Each dtss clerk (client) is looking for servers to sync with. You can see how many its looking for with
MCR NCL SHOW DTSS SERVERS REQUIRED.
Its usually 3. It looks on the local lan. If you do have some DTSS servers elsewhere you can added them to SYS$MANAGER:DTSS$CONFIG.DAT as "Global DECNET DOMAIN:.a.b.c"

You can reduce the servers required although 3 is best. You can setup DECnet/Plus system as a server. You can turn off DTSS and use NTP. It depends on your setup.

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Bojan Nemec — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 04:39:12 GMT

Antonio,

Setting this server as a DTSS server will not solve yours problem. It needs almost 3 time servers to work properly. So Uves solution will be better (I use the same when DECnet V is needed, I like much more IV)

Bojan

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Wim Van den Wyngaert — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 04:46:03 GMT

Antonio,

The message normally includes "Number detected" and "Number required". If you only did an upgrade, the configured number required probably changed. Compare with another node (mc ncl sho dts ser req).

If number detected is zero, you might have network problems.

Wim

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Antoniov. — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 04:51:27 GMT

Hi,
If I understand DTSS give distribution of time server across network.
Used Uwe's command to avoid message.

may I set this as DTSS server?

Antonio Vigliotti

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Ian Miller. — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 05:32:36 GMT

DTSS is a way of syncronising time amonst distributed systems. You can set your system to be a DTSS server. However by default systems are looking for three servers so this probably won't stop the message. By disabling DTSS you can stop the message but then should use someother form of time syncronisation. You can permenantly disable DTSS by renaming/removing SYS$MANAGER:NET$DTSS*.NCL

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Wim Van den Wyngaert — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 06:25:07 GMT

Uwes command disables DTSS completely.
Check *dts*.ncl in sys$manager to adjust the config (empty it when needed). But are you using dtss on your site or not ?

Wim

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Jan van den Ende — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 06:34:52 GMT

Antonio,

Uwe's solution DOES stop the repeating messages, after maybe a few between starting it and stopping it again.

The way to PREVENT it from starting is a SYSTEM_WIDE, logical name NET$DISABLE_DTSS, with any TRUE value.

Define this logical sufficiently EARLY in the bootstrap, ie, in NET$LOGICALS.COM

As the name suggests, this disables DTSS startup.

--- This becomes especially vital if NTP will be used, as is becoming ever more the case in environments where NOT all systems are running DECnet :-(

Jan

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Antoniov. — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 07:22:47 GMT

Ian, Wim,
found NET$DTSS_CLERK_STARTUP.NCL so I guess my system start as clerk. Reading into it I saw syntax to I tried issue follow command:
$ MC NCL CREATE DTSS TYPE SERVER
System answered me:
%NCL-E-CMLSENDFAILED, error sending command request
-CML-E-EMAAPROB, error returned from VMS EMA agent
-NCL-E-ENTCLSNOTSUPP, entity class not supported

Jan,
not system logical found; I've only NET$LOGICALS.TEMPLATE in my system.

I never used DTSS service (because I never used Decnet V); now in my mind, using this service I can set one host as time server; isn't true?
Because I want understand how this work, I prefer set this one as unique time server (vms V7.3-2, decnet V) while old server (vms V6.2, decnet IV) become client (clerk).
If old server cannot work as client, I'm avaiable to install decnet V on it.
I'm convinced unique time server is secure but I will understand how this work and I will practise decnet V.

Thank you
Antonio Vigliotti

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Uwe Zessin — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 07:28:05 GMT

Antonio,
before you try out the DTSS server, I suggest you check your DECnet license. I _think_ you need a full function (DVNETRTG or DVNETEXT) license for this.

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Jan van den Ende — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 07:38:37 GMT

Antonio

not system logical found; I've only NET$LOGICALS.TEMPLATE in my system

That file is exactly what the name suggests: a template with a lot of DECnet steering logicals.

If you want/need ANY network function to be somewhat other than the default, THEN you copy the .TEMPLATE to .COM, and make the adjustment.
Most functions are already there, just commented out.
DTSS disable you will have to add yourself.

And yes, DECnet V (or Plus, as I think is today's name) has A LOT of functionality, with A LOT of not-so-easy syntax. It allows for A LOT of 'fun'.

Success
Jan

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Antoniov. — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 07:55:16 GMT

Uwe,
thank you for warning.
I received from HP a lot of license (time limited) as software development, so I'm learning about some new software (as Decnet V). On new server I've installed both licenses. I prefer leave old server as is (because it's production server) while new server is only for testing.

Jan,
I'm reading NET$LOGICALS.TEMPLATE to understand something about DTSS.

Tahnk you.

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Mohamed K Ahmed — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 07:57:40 GMT

Antonio,

This is a known issue and to eliminate these messages you can add this line to your systartup_vms.com file

$ mcr ncl block event dispatcher outbound stream local_stream global filter ((Node, DTSS), Too Few Servers Detected)

HTH

Mohamed

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Wim Van den Wyngaert — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 08:00:01 GMT

Mohamed,

That isn't a solution. It simply removes the message but the software is still detecting it.

Wim

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Mohamed K Ahmed — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 08:05:04 GMT

Wim,
I didn't say it is a solution, I said "to eliminate this message"

If I can just find the document that talks about this I will post a solution, I know I have it somewhere...

Mohamed

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Ian Miller. — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 08:05:59 GMT

See also NET$EVENT_LOCAL.TEMPLATE

Often now its a IP only network so disable DTSS has described and config NTP instead.

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Mohamed K Ahmed — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 08:20:22 GMT

This comes from the OpenVMS Ask the Wizard section on the hp.com website

You have apparently chosen DECdtss and DECnet-Plus while upgrading, and you do not
have any DECdtss time servers configured.

You can configure a DECdtss time server per the DECdtss documentation, you can disable reporting these messages, you can disable DECdtss, or you can downgrade to DECnet Phase IV.

To disable DECdtss on the local node, use the commands:

$ run sys$system:ncl
ncl> disable dtss
ncl> delete dtss

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Uwe Zessin — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 08:34:08 GMT

Well, Mohammed, I thought I suggested that a few hours ago...

Re: DTSS too few servers message

Mohamed K Ahmed — Mon, 13 Sep 2004 08:44:22 GMT

Please disregard my last posting, here is what I meant:

This comes from the OpenVMS Ask the Wizard section on the hp.com website

You have apparently chosen DECdtss and DECnet-Plus while upgrading, and you do not
have any DECdtss time servers configured.

You can configure a DECdtss time server per the DECdtss documentation, you can disable reporting these messages, you can disable DECdtss, or you can downgrade to DECnet Phase IV.

To disable DECdtss on the local node, use the commands that Uwe mentioned a few hours ago !!