How to automate UTC$TIME_SETUP?

[Sherri Lyon]

We support 300+ VMS nodes, many of which are in the process of being upgraded to VMS 7.3-1. After the upgrade the procedure, utc$configure_tdf, no longer works and points us to utc$time_setup to reset the timezone_differential logical. The problem with using the "new" and "improved" (not!) procedure is that it does not allow (nor take) command line input. In fact, it requires that it be run interactively! This is not possible, nor feasible, for us to log into all 300+ nodes and run an interactive command procedure to reset a logical. Has anyone successfully automated this "new" procedure? Or, is there another, supported way to change this logical at time change? Our systems communicate with a variety of other systems so they use UTC internally, but UTC time will be off by an hour if this logical is not correct. So, this logical must be correct soon after time change. Please help!

[Martin P.J. Zinser]

Hello,

well essentially the procedure does create the following files:

SYS$SYSTEM:SYS$TIMEZONE_SRC.DAT
SYS$STARTUP:DTSS$UTC_STARTUP.COM
SYS$SYSTEM:SYS$TIMEZONE.DAT

So you should be able with getting away by copying the files to the nodes and reboot (else you would need to write a small DCL procedure to refresh the logicals).

Greetings, Martin

[Willem Grooters]

Just a hint:

If you require all 300+ nodes to have the same time, I wonder why not using DTSS (if you use Decnet) or NTP (if you use TCPIP). AFAIK these should do the job - automatically.

[Kjell Carlsson]

Hi

You can use command line input with utc$time_setup. If you enter the following command:
@sys$manager:utc$time_setup "" tdf 60 -60

the tdf will be set to 60 minutes and the current time decremented one hour.

Kjell

[Stanley F Quayle]

And you can use SYSMAN to run the suggested command on all 300 nodes automatically. If they're in a cluster, you can just do:

$ MCR SYSMAN
SET ENV/CLUSTER
DO @ ...whatever...

and take a coffee break.

[Martin P.J. Zinser]

Stanley, you are aware that a 300+ node cluster is not supported ;-)

[Sherri Lyon]

Thanks so much for all the replies. I have been on VC and didn't get to them until today. I guess I need to give more info. We don't have TCP/IP on most machines and most of them have an application-driven mechanism for setting (and synching) the local clock. So, we have a completely separate process for changing the time from changing the timezone_differential logical.
Is there a way for the command line
"@sys$manager:utc$time_setup "" tdf 60 -60" to NOT set the system time? Again, I appreciate all of the replies and I will be monitoring the answers (I will provide points, too. I just need to understand the process).

[Sherri Lyon]

OK. I got it! Thanks so much, Kjell! If I use the command with 0 for the last parameter, it doesn't change the time.

Now, how do I change the points to give Kjell a "magical answer"? I'm sorry about not understanding the point process yet, but I'll get the hang of it. I guess I just spend too much time with my head buried in code! ;)

[Martin P.J. Zinser]

Hi Sherri,

thanks for your consideration. If Kjell hangs around he can just post another answer and you can score this accordingly. Glad your problem is solved.

Greetings, Martin

(P.S. Zero points here please)

[Kjell Carlsson · Accepted solution]

Hi Sherri

I'm glad my example could help you.

Greetings Kjell