topic Re: DECNET over IP in Operating System - OpenVMS

DECNET over IP

The Brit — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:56:25 GMT

I have recently installed DECNet Phase V in order to run DECNet over IP. The system is a BL860c blade, with OpenVMS 8.3-1H1, and TCPIP services. The instalation and configuration went ok (I think) and when I look at the configuration, option 4 (configure transports) I see,

> OSI Transport: Configured
> Maximum number of logical links: 200
> Maximum Transmit and Receive Window: 20
> Maximum Receive Buffers: 4000
> OSI applications over TCP/IP: Enabled
> DECnet applications over TCP/IP: Enabled
> DECnet/OSI over TCP/IP interface(s): ALL

So it appears that DECNet over IP is enabled.

For this blade, the

DECNet V Name is OESTST,
Synonym is OESTST (I dont quite understand 'synonym' in this context)
DECNet IV address is 1.31
DNS Name is OESTST-TAB
IP Address is nn.mm.5.121

I have a second, identically configured blade, the only difference being that it is on a different subnet.

Blade 2
DECNet V Name is TABTST,
Synonym is TABTST
DECNet IV address is 1.30
DNS Name is TABTST
IP Address is nn.mm.141.251

Blade 1 nn.mm.5.121, Blade 2 is on nn.mm.141.251. (mask is 255.255.255.0) I am able to "TELNET" between the blades using host names defined in the DNS, or IP addresses, with out any problems.

I CAN do a DECNet "set host", from blade 1 to blade 2 using using IP address of Blade 2, but not the decnet or dns name. When I try to set host to blade2 using decnet or DNS name, it seems to be interpreted as "set host 0", i.e. it offers a login back to Blade 1.

The same is true for the reverse, i.e. I CAN do a DECNet "set host", from blade 2 to blade1 using using IP address of Blade 1, but not the decnet or dns name.
One difference is that if I try using the DECnet name, or DNS name, then the session just hangs, (and I get calls from our helpdesk that the DNS name server is hanging.

I think that since the "set host " is working, then DECNet over TCPIP is enabled, and working.
I think that my problem is that I must have a problem in the way that the nodes were registered, or in how the name/directory services were configured.

On Blade 1:
Directory Service: Local name file

Node name: LOCAL:.OESTST
Phase IV synonym: OESTST
Node address: 49::00-01:AA-00-04-00-1F-04:20 (1.31)

Node name: LOCAL:.TABTST
Phase IV synonym: TABTST
Node address: 49::00-01:AA-00-04-00-1E-04:20 (1.30)

Number of nodes reported on: 2

On Blade 2
Directory Service: Local name file

Node name: LOCAL:.OESTST
Phase IV synonym: OESTST
Node address: 49::00-01:AA-00-04-00-1F-04:20 (1.31)

Node name: LOCAL:.TABTST
Phase IV synonym: TABTST
Node address: 49::00-01:AA-00-04-00-1E-04:20 (1.30)
Node address: 49::00-01:AA-00-04-00-1E-04:21 (1.30)

Number of nodes reported on: 2

If anyone can offer me any guidance from here,I would appreciate it.

DAve.

Re: DECNET over IP

Joseph Huber_1 — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:12:07 GMT

One obvious missing item is the address tower with the :21 at the end on all but the last TABTST entry.
This is the TP4 or decnet-over-tcpip entry.
Use decnet_register menu entry 2, and specify TP4 for the address tower.

This should solve the problem of not working with the DNS name.

But then, there seems to be a general problem with the Bind server on the site because it "hangs" when using the name. Does it also "hang" if You do a TCPIP SHOW HOST name ?

Re: DECNET over IP

The Brit — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:38:55 GMT

Thanks for your reply Joseph,
I followed your instructions and it now looks like;

Blate1
Directory Service: Local name file

Node name: LOCAL:.OESTST
Phase IV synonym: OESTST
Node address: 49::00-01:AA-00-04-00-1F-04:20 (1.31)
Node address: 49::00-01:AA-00-04-00-1F-04:21 (1.31)

Node name: LOCAL:.TABTST
Phase IV synonym: TABTST
Node address: 49::00-01:AA-00-04-00-03-04:20 (1.3)
Node address: 49::00-01:AA-00-04-00-03-04:21 (1.3)

Number of nodes reported on: 2

& Blade2
Directory Service: Local name file

Node name: LOCAL:.OESTST
Phase IV synonym: OESTST
Node address: 49::00-01:AA-00-04-00-1F-04:20 (1.31)
Node address: 49::00-01:AA-00-04-00-1F-04:21 (1.31)

Node name: LOCAL:.TABTST
Phase IV synonym: TABTST
Node address: 49::00-01:AA-00-04-00-1E-04:20 (1.30)
Node address: 49::00-01:AA-00-04-00-1E-04:21 (1.30)

Number of nodes reported on: 2

This made no difference, HOWEVER, I did just notice that both node OESTST and TABTST have ended up with the what appears to be the same Node Hardware address, i.e. between the "::" and the ":". This is probably because Blade1 was built from a clone of the Blade2 system disk.

Is there a way to flush Blade1 clean, (of DECNet information), and then reconfigure it??

Also, I have only configured the "naming" information for "Local", and I have placed the host names and IP addresses into the Local Host Table, under TCPIP services.

Dave

Dave

Dave

Re: DECNET over IP

The Brit — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:54:44 GMT

Sorry for the red herring. Just noticed that the addresses are not the same.

...1f-04 v ...ie-04

Dave

Re: DECNET over IP

Joseph Huber_1 — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:50:37 GMT

No, to use TCPIP domain names (also the ones from TCPIP host local file), DOMAIN must be in the naming information, specify LOCAL,DOMAIN in the configuration menu.

Re: DECNET over IP

The Brit — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:19:07 GMT

Hi again Joseph,

Here is the situation. I have a VMS Node
SCSNode = OESTST
DNS Host name OESTST-TAB

In DECNET I have it set up as
NodeName = oestst-tab
Synonym = oestst

I have 2 DNS servers
tab-dns1.myplace.com
glc-dns2.myplace.com

My second node is
SCSNODE = TABTST
DNS Host Name = TABTST

In DECNET it is set up as
NodeName = tabtst
Synonym = tabtst

-----------------------------
I would primarily like the DNS servers to provide the name resolution. However the
DNS host names are currently set up in the local tables on each node.

how should I set up the naming information?

i.e. "local,domain" or "domain", and how would I format the entries???

Dave.

Re: DECNET over IP

Jim_McKinney — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:32:08 GMT

I don't know your "answer" here but will offer this. You say that your hosts are defined in host tables and not registered in a DNS. DECnet over IP is documented to use DNS. Host tables are not DNS and unless HP's TCPIP services "help you out" by searching the host tables after a failed DNS lookup for this particular application your host names won't resolve.

I'd look to getting your VMS hosts registered in the DNS and then re-trying this exercise (but others may know better and will hopefully comment on this).

Re: DECNET over IP

The Brit — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:15:29 GMT

Jim,
The nodes are actually defined in the DNS Servers, I just happen to also have them defined in the Local host table. I was getting myself confused by thinking that the Local Tablespace was related to the Local Host Table, which I understand now, it is not.

Dave.

Re: DECNET over IP

The Brit — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:55:15 GMT

Picking around various forums and websites, I end up with the following thoughts about how to get this running.

Given that

SCSNODE = TABTST
DNS Host Name = TABTST
DNS Server Name = TAB-DNS1.myplace.com

I think that the following sequence should get me going;

1. @net$configure.
2. Select option 2 (Change naming information)
3. * Enter the directory services to use on the system [LOCAL] :
local,domain
4. * Enter the full name for directory service LOCAL
[LOCAL:.TABTST] :
5. * Enter the fully qualified host name for DNS/BIND :
tab-dns1.myplace.com
6. * What is the synonym name for this node? [TABTST] :

will this do the job?? And does this have to be set up on both
originator and destination in order to work??

Also, once this is set up, should it work immediately, or do I have to
wait, or flush cache, or anything?

thanks

Dave

Re: DECNET over IP

Jim_McKinney — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:19:01 GMT

I haven't had to do this in quite a while, but my recipe from my old notes is something like this:

$ @SYS$MANAGER:NET$CONFIGURE ADVANCED
Copyright Compaq Computer Corporation 2000. All rights reserved.

DecNet-Plus for OpenVMS ADVANCED network configuration procedure

This procedure will help you create or modify the management scripts needed to operate DecNet on this machine. You may receive help about most questions by answering with a question mark '?'.

* Do you want to continue? [YES] :
Configuration last run by SYSTEM on 18-MAR-2002 09:20:38.47

The following cluster common NCL script files have been modified since being created by this procedure:

SYS$COMMON:[SYSMGR]NET$MOP_CLIENT_STARTUP.NCL;

Configuration Options for Node

[0] Exit this procedure
[1] Perform an entire configuration
[2] Change naming information
[3] Configure Devices on this machine
[4] Configure Transports
[5] Configure Timezone Differential Factor
[6] Configure Event Dispatcher
[7] Configure Application database
[8] Configure MOP Client database
[9] Configure Cluster Alias
[10] Replace MOP Client configuration
[11] Configure satellite nodes
[12] Configure cluster script locations

* Which configuration option to perform? [1] : 2 Change naming information
* Enter the directory services to use on the system [LOCAL] : LOCAL,DOMAIN
* Enter the full name for directory service LOCAL [LOCAL:.] :
* Enter the fully qualified host name for DNS/BIND : ..COM
* What is the synonym name for this node? [] :
* Naming cache timeout value? [30-00:00:00] :
* Session Control Address Update Interval ? [10] :
* Naming cache checkpoint interval? [08:00:00] :

*** See summary of the new configuration and be returned to the menu**

* Which configuration option to perform? [0] : 4 Configure Transports
* Configure the NSP Transport? [YES] :

***You will see the following output***

Answer YES to the next question if you wish to change the current NSP transport configuration:

Maximum number of logical links: 200
Maximum Transmit and Receive Window: 20
Maximum Receive Buffers: 4000
Flow Control Policy: Segment Flow Control

***These questions may be in a different order on your system. In any case, respond as indicated below***

* Do you want to replace the existing NSP transport script? [NO] :
* Configure the OSI Transport? [NO] : YES
* Maximum number of logical links ? [200] :
* Maximum Transmit and Receive Window ? [20] :
* Maximum Receive Buffers ? [4000] :
* Run OSI Applications over TCP/IP ? [YES] :
* Run DecNet over TCP/IP ? [YES] :
* Is this system operating in a multi-protocol network? [YES] :
* Username for OSI loopback test application to use? [SYSTEST] :
* Do you want to create additional OSI templates? [NO] :
* Do you want to generate NCL configuration scripts? [YES] :

* Which configuration option to perform? [0] :

Re: DECNET over IP

Volker Halle — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:27:28 GMT

The following answer is incorrect:

>5. * Enter the fully qualified host name >for DNS/BIND :
>tab-dns1.myplace.com

It should have been: tabtst.myplace.com

NET$CONFIGURE is asking you for the (fully qualified) DNS node name or the LOCAL node.

Volker.