topic how to resolve the autogen issue? in Operating System - OpenVMS

how to resolve the autogen issue?

Lionel Liu — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 12:50:12 GMT

Hello

we noticed somebody manually change system parameter by sysgen.

We are going to add memory, we need to run autogen, if we run autogen, would those manually changed parameter overwrited
by autogen?

Thanks
Lionel

Re: how to resolve the autogen issue?

Duncan Morris — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 13:12:15 GMT

Hi Lionel,

if the changed parameters belong to the class of parameters "autogen", then yes running autogen will overwrite them.

If you require to keep the specific parameters, you should enter them into MODPARAMS.DAT.

Depending upon the particular parameters which have been changed, you will probably want to use MIN_xxxx or ADD_xxxx values in MODPARAMS (i.e. GBLSECTIONS, NPAGEDYN), although fixed values may be more appropriate for some (i.e. SCSSYSTEMID).

You can check the autogen changes before implementing them, by listing the active parameters and the new autogened current parameters and then listing the differences.

I use something like:-

SYSGEN> USE ACTIVE
SYSGEN> SET/OUT=A.LIS
SYSGEN> SHOW/ALL
SYSGEN> SHOW/SPEC
SYSGEN> USE CURRENT
SYSGEN> SET/OUT=C.LIS
SYSGEN> SHOW/ALL
SYSGEN> SHOW/SPEC
SYSGEN> EXIT

$ DIFF/PAR/PAG A.LIS C.LIS

Regards,

Duncan

Re: how to resolve the autogen issue?

Andy Bustamante — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 13:15:02 GMT

Hello,

>>> if we run autogen, would those manually changed parameter overwrited
by autogen?

That's a firm and definate "Maybe." It depends on the parameter, default settings whether or not feedback applies and if another default value is included in modparams.dat.

To preserve system parameter changes, edit sys$system:modparams.dat. This file is used as input to autogen GETDATA phase and allows you to override automatic settings. You can use the MIN_ or MAX_ prefix to set a range. Make sure to run autogen from the GETDATA (or earlier) phase to get the input from modparams.dat used.

You can run autogen to TESTFILES and review agen$params.report for changes. If someone has been making changes with sysgen, this will show the changes autogen would make. If your system hasn't been tuned with autogen lately and sysgen has been used for changes, this may require multiple passes of autogen before finally rebooting the system.

You should also save a copy of your parameter file (vaxvmssys.par or alphavmssys.par) before starting any changes to create a baseline for recovery.

Andy

Re: how to resolve the autogen issue?

Jan van den Ende — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 13:19:49 GMT

Lionel,

Yeah, alas, these things happen.

The safest thing to do now involves some work. Blame it on the above-mentioned "somebody".

Locate the manually changed settings, and add them to MODPARAMS.DAT as
MIN_ =
Fire up AUTOGEN with SAVPARAMS as start-phase and SETPARAMS as endphase, using the FEEDBACK option.
_VERY CAREFULLY_ work trough AGEN$REPORT.
Anything reported there, you should be able to explain, and find acceptable. (in case of doubt, HERE is a good place to get clarification).

If satisfied, run AUTOGEN with REBOOT.
Add the extra memory, and run AUTOGEN again.
After a "typical" perios of typical load (a week is typical for many operations, ie, those that have weekdays-weekend days variability) run AUTOGEN again. Repeat regularly until little change occurs anymore. After that, DO run to generate AGEN$REPORTS occasionally.

hth

Proost.

Have one on me.

jpe

Re: how to resolve the autogen issue?

Hoff — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 13:35:32 GMT

Climb into SYSGEN and SET/OUTPUT and SHOW/ALL and SHOW/SPECIAL the parameters out into a text parameter listings file.

Grab a copy of SETPARAMS.DAT from the same system.

Massage both with a little DCL and mayhap a manual edit to clean up the headers and footers to ease the DCL effort slightly, and then aim SORT at both.

Hunt for differences.

Then enable security auditing for parameter changes, if it is not already enabled. (If it is, go take a look at any changes.)

Also look at which users have privileges, and make a determination of which of these users should not have privileges, and which require a discussion of expected behavior. While this list can be targeted based on security auditing, I'd tend to opt for a general discussion among all local privileged users. And at a general review of which users really need privileges, and why.

Others here have discussed the AUTOGEN and MODPARAMS.DAT sequencing and considerations.

Stephen Hoffman
HoffmanLabs

Re: how to resolve the autogen issue?

Hoff — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 13:54:21 GMT

>> Climb into SYSGEN and SET/OUTPUT and SHOW/ALL and SHOW/SPECIAL the parameters out into a text parameter listings file. <<

Ooops. Forgot the USE ACTIVE command.

Re: how to resolve the autogen issue?

Lionel Liu — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:21:11 GMT

Thanks all of you very much , your help are really appreciated.

Lionel

Re: how to resolve the autogen issue?

Jan van den Ende — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 07:01:51 GMT

Lionel,

from your Forum Profile:

I have assigned points to 61 of 85 responses to my questions.

Except for the current, all threads with unrated answers date from 2005.

Maybe you can find some time to do some assigning?

http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/helptips.do?#33

Mind, I do NOT say you necessarily need to give lots of points. It is fully up to _YOU_ to decide how many. If you consider an answer is not deserving any points, you can also assign 0 ( = zero ) points, and then that answer will no longer be counted as unassigned.
Consider, that every poster took at least the trouble of posting for you!

To easily find your streams with unassigned points, click your own name somewhere.
This will bring up your profile.
Near the bottom of that page, under the caption "My Question(s)" you will find "questions or topics with unassigned points " Clicking that will give all, and only, your questions that still have unassigned postings.
If you have closed some of those streams, you must "Reopen" them to "Submit points". (After which you can "Close" again)

Do not forget to explicitly activate "Submit points", or your effort gets lost again!!

Thanks on behalf of your Forum colleagues.

PS. - nothing personal in this. I try to post it to everyone with this kind of assignment ratio in this forum. If you have received a posting like this before - please do not take offence - none is intended!

PPS. - Zero points for this.

Proost.

Have one on me.

jpe

Re: how to resolve the autogen issue?

Robert Gezelter — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 07:24:58 GMT

Lionel,

Before making changes to MODPARAMS.DAT, please review the appropriate documentation. In particular, I draw your attention to the ADD_ and MIN_ parameters. Careful use of these options will reduce future aggravation.

In addition to all of the well-founded comments by my colleagues, please remember to insert comments into the MODPARAMS.DAT file to document the reasons for the changes in the parameters.

The next time that you, or one of your colleagues needs to make changes, they will be thankful.

Re: how to resolve the autogen issue?

Lionel Liu — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 10:04:44 GMT

Thanks Jan for reminding me to put points to each reply, some time, I did put points for each apply, but later they are lost, reason could be i didn't click submit points button.

I also follow up your direction, make them up for those replies I didn't assign points.

I do apologize for those people who help me. I believe it wouldn't happen again

Have a good one.

Lionel