PSCI Database cleanup

[Jeff Wolfe_1]

Can anyone tell me whrere the pcsi install infomation stored? When I do a product show history, it goes all the way back to Vms 6.2. I'd like to get rid of all entries except those related to the current VMS release. Doen anyone know how to clean it up?

[Martin P.J. Zinser · Accepted solution]

Hello,

AFAIK the information is stored in
sys$sytem:PCSI$ROOT.PCSI$DATABASE . How to
manipulate it is another question. Looking at
sys$update:PCSI$REGISTER_PRODUCT.COM it looks like creating a fake pcsi file might be the ticket (this procedure does the opposite from what you want). Didier might be able to shed more light on this.

Greetings, Martin

[Jeff Wolfe_1]

Thanks Martin! I guess I would need an UNregister command. That file looks nasty. I'm not gonna mess with it.

Jeff

[Willem Grooters]

I think there are environments where this information NEEDS to be kept (for auditing reasons). Also it could be valuable information for support (and yourself) in case of problems. Removal would not be a good idea in these cases.
Nevertheless, if your environment is less restrictive, you indeed need a cleanup facility. IMHO, it should be logged (in the PCSI database) that information has been deleted so you KNOW data is removed.
It would be an advantage to have filters on the SHOW command, to show certain products, /SINCE, /BEFORE, /TYPE=... to limit output. IFAIK this doesn't exist yet - so I would put this on the wishlist.

Willem

[Mike Naime]

This is exactly what I wanted to do also. I logged a support call with my Platinum support TAMS asking for the ability to remove old PCSI history. After some E-mails back and forth between us and the PCSI engineer, I was told NO! They want to be able to see if something from a previous version, or non-version specific was installed at some time in the past.

The workaround for the recent history that I was interested in was the following command.

PIPE PRODUCT SHOW HISTORY | TYPE SYS$INPUT /PAGE
Then Control-C after the first page.

While it was not what I really wanted, it did satisfy my desire to see the most recent version

Another workaround that listed in 132 colum mode was $ PRODUCT SHOW PRODUCT /FUL VMS

This should only list the current version and the patches for that version.

Good Luck, maybe your stick is bigger than ours was. :-)

[Willem Grooters]

Mike,

Beating with a lot of small sticks makes a lot of noise as well. If bigger sticks join in, even better.

I don't know how deaf HP is.

Willem

[Lokesh_2]

Hi,

Command $Produ sho history/SINCE= can be used to see the product registered after since date. For example

$ produ sho hist /since=1-may-2000/before=1-jun-2000
----------------------------------- ----------- ----------- --------------------
PRODUCT KIT TYPE OPERATION DATE AND TIME
----------------------------------- ----------- ----------- --------------------
DEC VAXVMS DNVOSIECO05 V7.1 Patch Install 22-MAY-2000 12:25:46
DEC VAXVMS DNVOSIECO05 V7.1 Patch Install 22-MAY-2000 12:21:19
----------------------------------- ----------- ----------- --------------------

2 items found


Thanks & regards,
Lokesh

[Veli Körkkö]

One can also something like

$ product show history *TCPIP*

----------------------------------- ----------- ----------- --------------------
PRODUCT KIT TYPE OPERATION DATE AND TIME
----------------------------------- ----------- ----------- --------------------
DEC AXPVMS TCPIP V5.4-15 Full LP Install 20-NOV-2003 16:35:22
DEC AXPVMS TCPIP T5.4-13L Full LP Remove 20-NOV-2003 16:35:22
DEC AXPVMS TCPIP T5.4-13L Full LP Install 10-OCT-2003 12:42:40
DEC AXPVMS TCPIP V5.3-18 Full LP Remove 10-OCT-2003 12:42:40
DEC AXPVMS TCPIP_ECO V5.3-182 Patch Remove 10-OCT-2003 12:42:40
DEC AXPVMS TCPIP_ECO V5.3-181 Patch Remove 10-OCT-2003 12:42:40
DEC AXPVMS TCPIP_SSH T5.3-6A Full LP Remove 10-OCT-2003 12:29:24
DEC AXPVMS TCPIP_SSH T5.3-6A Full LP Install 26-SEP-2003 14:23:24
DEC AXPVMS TCPIP_ECO V5.3-182 Patch Install 26-SEP-2003 12:06:30
DEC AXPVMS TCPIP_ECO V5.3-181 Patch Install 22-DEC-2002 13:32:13
DEC AXPVMS TCPIP V5.3-18 Full LP Install 16-DEC-2002 13:46:00
----------------------------------- ----------- ----------- --------------------

11 items found

This was done on VMS V7.3-1 system.

PROD SHOW HIST seems to have following qualifiers:
/BASE_SYSTEM /BEFORE /FULL /OPERATION /PRODUCER /REMOTE /SINCE /USER /VERSION


_veli

[Mike Naime]

Lokesh:

Being the basically lazy sysadmin that most of us are, we do not want to have to scroll back through 400-500 lines of history Or type 4-5 commands to find the information that is at the top of the list.

While I am aware of the /since qualifier (And several others that where offered as workarounds), I do not remember on what date 80+ (and growing) different OS packs where last patched/upgraded. That is part of the problem! By the time that I find the date among the garbage, I have already found the information that I was looking for in the first place.

While you could probaly remember dates with a handfull of systems that you personally maintained, I cannot remember the dates that 3 of us last upgraded 80+ systems.

[Malcolm Wade]

Maybe engineering could add a /PAGE qualifier to the PRODUCT SHOW HIST command?

Malcolm

[Willem Grooters]

Mike,

Isn't it part of your problem that you have to scan this information on so many machines?

Apart for the /PAGE option (Malcolm, I support the idea) it would be handy if the PCSI database could be accessed clusterwide. I mean: from one node, you should be able to access, with one command, all PCSI databases in that cluster. Or consolidate all node-based PCSI-databases to one clusterwide database, but this makes it virtually impossible to take a machine out...

Willem

[Martin P.J. Zinser]

Hi colleages,

I thought I should contribute something constructive for a change. Attached is a little Perl program that will generate a listing of all currently installed products (as per product show hist). All products/patches that have been removed are skipped.

Usage: perl pcsi_inst.pl
--> Executes a product show hist and parses it directly
perl pcsi_inst.pl -f
--> Parse output of a prior product show hist that has been saved to a file.

Obviously any bells and whistels could be added. If you post what you need I might even do it ;-)

Greetings, Martin

P.S. Craig, do you think this is suitable for posting to vmsperl ?

[Mike Naime]

Willem:

We have a combination of 2-node production clusters, and standalone non-prods. The PROD clusters have a common SAN based OS disk. A common PCSI is already there. At this date we have mainly 7.3 and 7.3-1 systems. We will start the 7.3-2 Upgrades campain in June or July after it is certified with our Application.

Yes, While pulling information from all of those different sources can be scripted, it is a very time consuming process to verify that your system has patches xxx already applied, or what patches are still needed for that version of VMS. Especially if you have to wade through the listing looking for the top of the listing for the next system.

We keep a spreadsheet. but every so often, you have to go out and verify the data.

I already know that I am adding at least 40 more OS packs in the next year. and I think that another 60-80 is a more realistic number based on the current growth pattern. So, probably by this time next year I am looking at 150+ unique OS packs that I must maintain.

So, the problem only gets worse. Not better.

:-)

Mike

[Martin P.J. Zinser]

Hello Mike,

doing something like that by yourself does not sound like a very good idea, actually to avoid such things is one of the reasons why we do have computers ;-)

Seriously, after your post I expanded my script posted earlier a bit. It takes now also a "reference" file with all the products/patches that should be on a system and reports all the missing and also add-on entries that are on a system.

The script (with short documentation and example input files) can be found at

http://zinser.no-ip.info/common/vms/sw/notes/pcsi_inst.zip

Again, there are many other possible improvements, feedback is welcome ;-)

Greetings, Martin