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Re: Is there a way to rename disk device names on Alpha's running Openvms?

 
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Maddog1
Advisor

Is there a way to rename disk device names on Alpha's running Openvms?

We have an Alpha running Openvms in the far east which has the following internal disk devices configured once booted.

DKA0:

DKC0:

DKC100:

and so on

 

I have another Alpha which is connected to an EVA 4400 which when the disks are presented it configures the disk device names as follows:

DGA17:

DGA18:

and so on

 

Does anyone know if there is a way to rename or force the names of the devices so they replicate the names in the far east? IE DGA17: is renamed to DKA0:?

7 REPLIES 7
abrsvc
Respected Contributor

Re: Is there a way to rename disk device names on Alpha's running Openvms?

Rather than attempting to rename the devices (which is not possible), focus on using logical names that are not tied to specific hardware.

 

As an example:  Define/system/exec D0 DKC0:

 

With the above statement executed during startup, D0 is the same as DKC0.  Using this as the starting point, you can now set up the locical name definition in the startup files for each system and refer to D0 rather than either of the actual hardware device names.  This is the beauty of OpenVMS logical names. 

 

Going further, you can use "concealed devices" which can further hide hardware (and directories).  I'll leave that portion of the discussion for a later time.

 

Dan

Maddog1
Advisor

Re: Is there a way to rename disk device names on Alpha's running Openvms?

Thanks for the response.

We do use logical names here, but unfortunatly, they have the actual device name hard-coded into most of the command files and data files, so I was looking at an easy way to get round amending all the occurrences within these files.

 

If it is not possible to rename the actual devices, I will have to write something to amend the command files and go through the data files manually.

 

Thanks for the response. 

Ian Miller.
Honored Contributor
Solution

Re: Is there a way to rename disk device names on Alpha's running Openvms?

In SYLOGICALS.COM

$ Define/system/exec DKA0 _$1$DGA12:

 

etc

 

or edit command files to replace the device names with logical names.

 

____________________
Purely Personal Opinion
abrsvc
Respected Contributor

Re: Is there a way to rename disk device names on Alpha's running Openvms?

As Ian pointed out, using the "_" will work.  Keep in mond, that this will further complicate things in the future.  Having been through a similar exercise recently, your time is better spent removing all device specific references once and for all.  In the code I just revised, there were up to 6 logical name translations to get from initial name to final device, all because of similar "patches" as you are describing.  Spending a little time simplified all of the procedures.

 

Dan

Maddog1
Advisor

Re: Is there a way to rename disk device names on Alpha's running Openvms?

I was going to speak to them about changing these occurrences before the refresh to meet the best practice we follow.

Thanks for the advice

Hoff
Honored Contributor

Re: Is there a way to rename disk device names on Alpha's running Openvms?

Careful...

 

Prior to VAX/VMS V4.0, the leading _ underscore notation on a device specification bypassed the logical name translation. 

 

With V4.0 and later, the leading _ doesn't bypass a logical name translation.   It's translated, and if the translation fails, gets stripped off and used.  To remap the _ddcu specification to a translation, simply define the logical name with the leading _ present, and the reference will be redirected to the translation.

 

_veli
Occasional Contributor

Re: Is there a way to rename disk device names on Alpha's running Openvms?

If you have volume shadowing license you can in a sense. Because with shadowing you can have e.q.

 

$ mount/sys dsa1:/shadow=$3$dkc0: usr urs

 

on one system and on another

 

$ mount/sys dsa1:/shadow=$1$dga17: usr usr

 

This was your users and apps would see consistent DSAnnn device names whatever the actual

underlying hw names.

 

Downside is very small added overhead on io layer and possibly hefty pricetag on license.

PLus side would be ability to actually shadow disks and move onto larger disks on the fly (depending on your VMS version) as after V7.3-2 VMS supports dissimilar device shadowing etc nice feafures.

 

_veli