Link state in OpenVMS 7.3-2

[Fredrik.eriksson]

Hi,

I'm just wondering if the 7.3-2 version has something like 8.3-1?

In 8.3-1 I know you can get link state from a device via lancp (mc lancp show dev 'dev' /char).

This command works fine and all in 7.3-2 but doesn't show link state.

I've tried to figure out if there some way to find it using f$getdvi lexical but the only thing I seem to find on google (not in help!) is LAN_LINK_UP which generates a not found error.

Best regards
Fredrik Eriksson

[Kris Clippeleyr]

Fredrik,
Don't know about F$GETDVI, but MC LANCP definitely shows the link state under V7.3-2.
See attachment.
Kris (aka Qkcl)

[Volker Halle]

Fredrik,

whether LANCP SHOW DEV/CHAR or LANCP SHOW DEV/INT shows the desired information on V7.3-2, may also depend on your VMS732_LAN-V0x00 patches installed and on the type of network card in use.

Volker.

[Fredrik.eriksson]

None of the above shows me the information I'm looking for... Check the attachment :)

I do have to say thou that these system has not been well cared for in quite a while so basically there is not patches to anything except for the upgrade to 7.3-2 (And the client does not want to touch these since they're supposed to be out of service within 6 months).

Best regards
Fredrik Eriksson

[Volker Halle]

which attachment ?

Volker.

[Volker Halle]

Fredrik,

$ ANAL/SYS
SDA> LAN INT

may also show the link state - again possibly depending on LAN driver patch level and network card used.

Volker.

[Fredrik.eriksson]

Sry, My posting last time got interrupted.. here's the attachment.

Best regards
Fredrik Eriksson

[Kris Clippeleyr · Accepted solution]

Fredrik,
As Volker indicated, the MC LANCP SHOW DEV /CHAR command can show the "link state" on 7.3-2; but it depends on the type of network card and the patches.
For a DE500 it isn't shown, but for a DEGXA it is (both are known to VMS as EWA0; although not on the same system).
For an "i82559" on a reasonably patched system, the link state is shown; it is not on one of our systems that's legging behind in patches.
Regards,
Kris (aka Qkcl)

[Volker Halle]

Frederik,

I've found a V7.3-2 system with DE500-BA, which is actually showing the Link state in LANCP SHOW DEV/INT EWB

The driver version shown is x-111 from 3-AUG-2005 (SYS$EWDRIVER_DE500BA) from VMS732_LAN-V0400.

By applying at least that patch level (including in various VMS732_UPDATE-Vnn00 kits starting with -V0500), you could be sure, that the Link State would be shown.

Volker.

[Ian Miller.]

Fredrik,
do explain to your client that no changes means no improvements.
I have seen this often as the system that will be gone in a few months is still there years later.

[Fredrik.eriksson]

Ian, They're well aware of the fact that it means no improvement. They just feel that everything is working well just the way it is.

The mayor issue is that they have a homemade application that noone knows how it really works. It's been in development from -95 until around 2008 and then the only programmer went into retirement.

They do not want to change anything because they do not want to take the risk involved if something breaks.

Currently my job is only to keep them alive and kicking until it's time to dismantle them... which has been a project here for about 1½ years already.

A note on topic anyway.
They do have DE500 cards in the machines and since they're not upgraded I guess I can close this thread since it's a too low patch level thing.

Best regards
Fredrik Eriksson

[Robert Brooks_1]

dvi$_lan_link_up should be available in V7.3-2 with some not-so-recent UPDATE kit.

The work was originally done in V8.3 and backported to V7.3-2 and forward. The relevant DCL and SYS patch kits (which would be in an UPDATE kit) would be needed to use the f$getdvi variant.

That said, the DE500 cards come in three different flavours -- the -AA, -XA, and -BA.

I don't think the -AA supports the needed information to return anything useful for LAN_LINK_UP. I'm pretty sure this is documented in the system services manual.

In fact, there is the item code LAN_LINK_STATE_VALID, which should be used
***BEFORE*** you use LAN_LINK_STATE_UP.

Again, please see the documentation -- I don't want to repeat here what I wrote in the documentation.

-- Rob (who added all the LAN_* item codes some time ago)

[Robert Brooks_1]

I don't think the -AA supports the needed information to return anything useful for LAN_LINK_UP. I'm pretty sure this is documented in the system services manual.

--

I was wrong; it's the -XA that doesn't support
link status. As I said, please check the documentation for sys$getdvi, where you'll get correct and more detailed information on this
stuff.

-- Rob