Changing DECNET Node ID

[Music]

I recently had to change the Phase-IV compatible address (xx.yyy) on an Alpha system running DECNet-Plus (VMS 7.3-2). I used net$configure to do so and, after about five tries and manually playing around with NCL it "sort of" worked.

If I look via NCL the new address is there. If I access the machine from another VMS server it works. But... if I do a "$ show net" command it shows the old decnet address. I have no idea where it is getting the old address or how to change it.

Any help would be appreciated.

Bobby

[Ian Miller.]

there is a command file in sys$manager called as part of the system startup which registers network products. I wonder if you need to run that again?

[Daniel Fernandez Illan]

Bobby
For me, the best option to change or define DECnet addres on DECNET phase V is:
Include node on data file using DECNET_REGISTER and after modify addres of router editing the file NET$ROUTING_STARTUP.NCL, modifying the routing phase IV address.
Good luck
Saludos.
Daniel.

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Thanks for the replies. The odd thing is that the NCL script settings are correct and the host node is properly registered in the LOCAL name space (decnet_register). I do not use any other name resolving service. I've searched the entire system drive looking for the old address in ANY file and cannot find it so it's not in a text file anywhere--at least not in the xx.yyy or "xx && yyy" form.

Everything works fine now and the system is recognized with the new address by both itself and all other nodes. As far as I can tell, only "show net" gives the old address but I sure would like to know where it is getting it.

Thanks again,
Bobby

[Veli Körkkö · Accepted solution]

Have a look onto SET NETWORK command and see also command proc

SYS$COMMON:[SYS$STARTUP]SYS$NET_SERVICES_DECNET.COM

as it is actually used to populate the info that

$ SHOW NETWORK

reports.

_veli

[Music]

That was it! Thanks Veli... I needed that.

Correct syntax for fix:

$ SET NET/ADDRESS=xx.yyy/UPDATE DECNET

Bobby

[Volker Halle]

Veli,

nice solution.

This also shows that 'just try to reboot' would also have worked, but tells us, that there is also a 'VMS-way' to solve this ;-)

Volker.

[Music]

The comment about a reboot fixing it raised a flag. A complete reboot did not previously fix the problem and doing so afterwards caused the system to revert to the old address.

I looked at sys$net_services_decnet.com and found that the DECNet address was being reverse-calculated from the system id paramenter (scssystemid). After searching some more I found that this parameter is statically defined in the MODPARAMS.DAT file. This parameter, scssystemid, is calculated using the xx.yyy DECNet address as (xx * 1024 + yyy)--e.g., 10.100 translates to a scssystemid = 10340.

I recalculated the new scssystemid from the new DECNet address and put it in MODPARAMS.DAT followed by AUTOGEN with reboot. That fixed it. The system now boots with the correct data. Crazy at it seems to me...

Bobby

[Ian Miller.]

the requirement that the DECnet address and the SCSSYSTEMID match has been around for a long time (V5.5 ?). I thought there was a message during boot indicating this. The Queue manager can be upset about this.