DECServer 200 gone bad

[Donald McCue]

Hi!

I have a DECServer 200 that's going bad on my system. In order to change out the bad DECServer for a good one. What do I need to do? I know that once I remove the bad one and plug the new one in I will have to connect to the DECServer at the local prompt and set the port configurations on the DECServer. What do I have to do on the Alpha? This LATCP business is not my strong suit. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance,

Donald

[Antoniov.]

Hi Donald,
I can help you a part because I don't know model 200.
I answer as is a general terminal server.
Configuration port may be using command language of decserver; do not exists unique command language. Type help for furthemore information.
Some decserver requires loading O.S. from a server. Ususally this file is callen MNENG*.SYS and it found in MOM$LOAD: other decserver have integrated O.S.
On your system the circuit have service enable to do this. Using same model you should have already all ok.
When you have connected decserver in network with cable you can configure using port 1 (that's console).
You can access to console via decnet too. To work in this mode type (using a privileged user:
NCP CONNECT VIA line PHYS ADDR xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx
where line is id of line (can use NCP SHO KN LINE) and xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx is the MAC address printed on case of decserver.
This command tell you decserver is correctly connected to network.
Some decserver display # (sharp symbol): in this case you have type ACCESS and press return key.
Configuration is hard to explain: too many parameters are to do this work. If is possibile, connect to console of old decserver and sho previous configuration (usually command is SHOW PORT).

HTH
Antoniov

[Antoniov.]

Hi Donald, see also:
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/wizard/wiz_4388.html
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/support/askkcs/hpcg/215_0_70686799_3419106.html
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/wizard/wiz_1104.html
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/wizard/wiz_7664.html

and the most important:
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/info/SP2753/SP2753PF.PDF

Bye Antoniov

[Donald McCue]

Antoniov,

Hi! Thanks for your notes. This will help immensely. The only question I have now is what do I have to do on the Alpha to make sure it knows about the DECServer? Somewhere the MAC of DECServer has to be entered into the Alpha using some LATCP commands, right? What are those commands?

Thanks again,

Donald

[Antoniov.]

HI Donald,
the only command you need in LATCP are port creation. Usually theese command are store in SYS$MANAGER:LAT$SYSTARTUP.COM; reading this file you can known while port are outgoing port (used usually by printer queue). Incoming port are not to be configured in OpenVms neither in DecServer.
MAC is not used in VMS. Sometimes you can create a virtual node in NCP with MAC to access console of Decserver if you haven't a Decserver Software Management.

HTH
Antoniov

[Donald McCue]

Antoniov,

Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it!

Donald

[Art Wiens]

You have to ensure that at least one of your systems is setup to download the DS's O/S image in the event of a powerfail on the DS. This is done in NCP. (I'm assuming if you have DS200's you're probably running Decnet IV ;-)
(The following is a DS251, so the image/dump filenames are different) The Decserver needs to be defined:
$ mcr ncp
NCP>show node ssb251 char

Node Volatile Characteristics as of 17-JUL-2003 09:54:56

Remote node = 10.153 (SSB251)
Service circuit = ISA-0
Hardware address = 08-00-2B-2B-A9-FC
Load file = SYS$COMMON:[DECSERVER]DP0601ENG.SYS
Dump file = SYS$COMMON:[DECSERVER]DP2SSB251.DMP

And make sure the "Service Circuit" listed is enabled for such service:

NCP>show circ isa-0 char

Circuit Volatile Characteristics as of 17-JUL-2003 09:55:07

Circuit = ISA-0

State = on
Service = enabled ******
Designated router = 14.1 (SESA)
Cost = 4
Maximum routers allowed = 33
Router priority = 64
Hello timer = 15
Type = Ethernet
Adjacent node = 10.6 (COMRTR)
Listen timer = 45

NCP>

If you need to change the Service characteristic of the circuit, you'll have to stop it to change it ie. Decnet will be down while you do that. Also remember to both SET and DEFINE commands to make changes to both VOLATILE and PERMANENT Decnet databases.

HTH,
Art

[Kelly Stewart_1]

Donald,

It sounds like your Alpha can already talk to the "bad" server, so you don't need to do anything to the Alpha. All you really need to do (in addition to setting up the ports) is set the server name of the replacement to be the same as the bad server. To do this, use the command "DEFINE SERVER NAME". This is a privileged command, so before entering it, you must enter "SET PRIV", then the system password. If you don't know the system password, try "system". If that doesn't work, hold the red "S1" pushbutton in while cycling the power - this will set everything, including the system password *and* the port setups, back to factory defaults (so you may want to do this first). Note that the HELP command will *not* show the SET SERVER command until you have become a privileged user. Also, to make your setup changes permanent, use DEFINE instead of SET, and when you're done setting up the ports, LOGOUT each one - that will make the new setup current.

Good luck,
Kelly

[Donald McCue]

Art,

Hi! Thanks for the information on the DEC Net process there and what it does for downline loading the DECServers. When we were using the old VAXes, 8650's and 8300 series machines, that's the way the DECServers were handled. Now that all of those older machines have been retired and replaced with Alphas, none of these new Alphas have configured anything at all in DEC Net for the DECServers. Obviously since the DECServers have worked flawlessly through thick and thin since the new Alphas have arrived, there hasn't been a need to research this business with the DECServers before. My question is, though, if loading this node name and other information into DEC Net is not required to operate the DECServers, what advantage is it? What is the drawback for not doing it?

Thanks,

Donald

[Pim van Velzen]

Depending on how the DECserver is (to be) used and how the system is already setup, you might have to do/configure anything or nothing on your OpenVMS-system when the DECserver is replaced.

I see three different areas.

-downline load. The DECserver requests to be downloaded with a specific (named) image. When that happens to be on the system and MOP is setup accordingly, it just provides it and the server loads.
When the system has multiple Ethernet-circuits or is not configured properly, you might have to change something.
Apparently the download worked fine in your situation ...

-management / remote console

When you define a DECnet-node and include it's hardware address and the MOP Ethernet circuit, the advantage is that you can use the remote console of the DECserver with the command '$ncp conn node '. Without definition you will have to use the command '$ ncp connect node via physical address ', which is much more complex and error prone; also you don't have to remember or lookup the hardware address.


3. Host Initiated connects (e.g. printers connect to DSV-ports).

If you are using HIC (using LTAx-ports), their definition in LATCP (LATCP> show port ) contains a LAT-node and LAT-port.
You will have to make the necessary definitions (Server Name and Port Name) in the DECserver-configuration, to make them match with the LATCP-setting or vv..

Hope this helps.

[Art Wiens]

If "thick and thin" includes the power being interrupted to the Decserver, one of your VMS nodes on the local lan is set up to service MOP (downline load) requests. Unless my memory fails me, DS200's can't store their image locally and must load it from a servicing node..."someone" is handling it.

Art