Verify Install Kits

[Aaron Lewis_1]

Last night I ran in to an issue with a couple of patches. I first tried setting the correct record length with set file/attrib, but that did not work. It took a couple of attempts to FTP them over correctly, and I still had to use set file before they would install. My question is, how can I tell if an install kit is in the correct format, before I attempt to do the install. It would be much nicer to validate the files at 1pm, then to try to figure out what's wrong at 1am.

[Volker Halle · Accepted solution]

Aaron,

for .PCSI kits, try PRODUCT EXTRACT RELEASE_NOTES product-name/SOURCE=dev:

For VMSINSTAL kits a BACK/LIS savesetname.A/SAVE should do.

Volker.

[Aaron Lewis_1]

Thanks Volker, I have 3 more systems to update and I did not want to use the same trial & error, error, error process I used last night.

[John Gillings]

Aaron,

Note that as of OpenVMS V8.3, you will be able to use "Secure Delivery" to validate downloaded patch kits. Although the intention is to protect from deliberate tampering for security purposes, it will also detect accidental damage resulting from transmission errors.

All future kits released on ITRC should contain patch manifests.

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â ¢ OpenVMS V8.3 and Secure Delivery

OpenVMS V8.3 will include Secure Delivery capability allowing shipment of digitally signed patch kits. OpenVMS Secure Delivery automatically ensures that software installed on OpenVMS was not tampered with prior to installation. When run, V8.3 ZIPEXE package will expand into two files - the digitally signed PCSI$COMPRESSED installable kit and the PCSI$COMPRESSED_ESW patch manifest or digital signature file. Both files will expand into the same directory and must be present in the same directory at installation time for patch validation to occur. When the patch kit is installed, PCSI will check for the existence of a manifest for any kits that are being installed. If no manifest is found, PCSI will issue a warning and ask if you want to proceed. If a manifest is found but does not match the kit, the installation will be aborted. The PCSI database will contain an indication as to whether a kit used Secure Delivery on installation.

For additional information on Secure Delivery and PCSI, refer to section "5.2 CDSA for OpenVMS and Secure Delivery" in the "HP OpenVMS Version 8.3 New Features and Documentation Overview"