Updated: 11 December 1998

OpenVMS Version 7.2
New Features Manual

The DCM (Digital Cluster MIB) is a private Digital MIB (Management Information Base) that delivers management information about OpenVMS Cluster systems.

The Extensible Simple Network Management Protocol (eSNMP) makes it possible for network managers to manage many different types of devices across all network and vendor boundaries through the use of databases called MIBs (Management Information Bases). Essentially, information is exchanged between master agents and subagents, which are devices such as routers and servers on the network being managed, and managers, which are the devices on the network through which the management is done.

The DCM consists of two extensions, or subagents:

• System---Describes a management interface to cluster system information not defined by standard MIBs.
• Management---Describes instrumentation in the DIGITAL extension agent, including the ability to detect and monitor thresholds on integer variables.

The representation of the DCM within the standard Structure of Managed Information (SMI) framework is:

iso(1) org(3) dod(6) internet(1) private(4) enterprises(1) 36

OpenVMS Version 7.2 implements the DCM subagents. With the DCM subagents, you can remotely determine status information for an OpenVMS Cluster system, including the following:

• Cluster software version
• Status of the cluster software: installed, running, failed, and so forth
• Type of cluster that is running
• State change to reflect when a cluster member is added or deleted

To access the DCM subagents, you use the following software:

• DIGITAL's ServerWORKS Manager Version 3.0 or any MIB browser that has access to the DCM definitions.
• DIGITAL TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS Version 4.1 or later. The DCM subagents use the SNMP agent supplied with TCP/IP Services to communicate with SNMP clients.

The following sections describe the DCM subagents and explain how to set up your system to use them.

3.5.1 Overview of DCM Subagents

DCM subagents respond to SNMP requests for a DCM object---the data item that the network manager is concerned with, or a trap---information about a change of status. A subagent is responsible for reporting on and maintaining the data pertaining to these objects and traps.

The DCM subagents implement the objects listed in Table 3-1. Each object returns information relevant to an OpenVMS Cluster system and can be accessed by a network manager through ServerWORKS Manager.

Table 3-1 DCM Subagent Objects Implemented on OpenVMS

Object	Data Type	Access	Description
Cluster Information
svrCluSoftwareVendor	DisplayString	Read only	Cluster software vendor name. The current value is Digital.
svrCluSoftwareVersion	DisplayString	Read only	Cluster software version. This is the OpenVMS version string.
svrCluSoftwareStatus	ClusterStatus	Read only	The status of the cluster software. Possible values are running and not running.
svrCluClusterType	ClusterType	Read only	The type of cluster that is running. The current value is OpenVMS.
svrCluExtensionOID	Object Identifier	Read only	The authoritative identification for the MIB. If no such identifier exists, the value {0.0} is returned.
svrCluThisMember	Integer	Read only	Index into the member table (svrCluMemberTable) that corresponds to this node.
SMNP Traps
svrCluMemberAdded	Trap Packet	Read only	Generated when a cluster member is added.
svrCluMemberDeleted	Trap Packet	Read only	Generated when a cluster member is deleted.
Node-Specific Information
svrCluMemberIndex	Integer	Read only	A unique index for the entry. Values of svrCluMemberIndex must remain constant at least between reboots of the network management system on the managed node. Where possible, this value should reflect the system's native member identifier.
svrCluMemberName	DisplayString	Read only	The SCS node name of this cluster member. A zero-length value means the member's node name is unknown. This name may not necessarily resolve to an address.
svrCluMemberComment	DisplayString	Read only	This is the hardware name of the node, as returned by the $GETSYI system service.
svrCluMemberStatus	MemberStatus	Read only	Status of this member. Possible values are normal and removed.
svrCluMemberAddressIndex	Integer	Read only	The index for this address.
svrCluMemberAddress	IpAddress	Read only	An IP address of this cluster member. This address may not be reachable from nodes that are not configured into the cluster.

3.5.2 Setting Up the System to Use the DCM Subagents

For your convenience, the following files have example entries to start, run, and shut down the DCM subagents.

• [TCPIP$SNMP]TCPIP$EXTENSION_MIB_STARTUP.COM. (This file is called by TCPIP$SNMP_STARTUP.COM.)
• [TCPIP$SNMP]TCPIP$EXTENSION_MIB_RUN.COM. (This file is called by TCPIP$SNMP_RUN.COM.)
• [TCPIP$SNMP]TCPIP$EXTENSION_MIB_SHUTDOWN.COM. (This file is called by TCPIP$SNMP_SHUTDOWN.COM.)

Search the files for SVRCLUSTER_MIB entries and edit them as needed. You must also remove the GOTO entries, which cause the command procedures to simply exit.

3.6 Ethernet and Fast Ethernet Support (Alpha Only)

OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2 provides run-time and boot support for the DE500-BA PCI Ethernet network interface card, which is capable of 10 or 100 Mb/s operation in half or full-duplex mode. OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2 also provides run-time and boot support for the DE500-FA PCI Fast Ethernet network interface card, which is capable of 100 Mb/s operation in half or full-duplex mode.

For more information about these adapters, see Section 4.1.

3.7 Extended File Specifications (Alpha Only)

Extended File Specifications is a feature of OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2 that allows the use of Windows-style file specifications. Extended File Specifications includes support for the following:

• The ODS-5 disk structure. ODS-5 is an extension to the existing ODS-2 disk structure, and adds the ability to use extended file names that can be more easily mapped between Windows and OpenVMS. ODS-5 expands the available character set and filename length to be consistent with Windows 95 and Windows NT, and sets the stage for future Unicode file name support through PATHWORKS.
• Deeper directories. Enhancements to RMS provide deep directory support on both ODS-2 and ODS-5 volumes.

Taken together, these components provide much greater flexibility for OpenVMS Alpha systems (using Advanced Server for OpenVMS 7.2, formerly known as PATHWORKS for OpenVMS), to store, manage, serve, and access files that have names similar to those in a Windows 95 or Windows NT environment.

This section provides an overview of the benefits, features, and support for Extended File Specifications, as well as changes in OpenVMS behavior that occur when using Extended File Specifications. Refer to OpenVMS Guide to Extended File Specifications for additional information on Extended File Specifications. Online help on Extended File Specifications is available by typing the following:

$ HELP Ext_File_Specs

3.7.1 Benefits of Extended File Specifications

The deep directories and extended file names supported by Extended File Specifications provide the following benefits:

• OpenVMS system managers can manage files with extended names and deep directories in the same manner as Windows NT users.
• Users of Advanced Server for OpenVMS 7.2 (formerly known as PATHWORKS for OpenVMS) have the ability to store longer file names and use deeper directory structures, which are more compatible with Windows 95 and Windows NT file names.
• Applications developers who are porting applications from other environments that have support for deep directories can use a parallel structure on OpenVMS.
• Longer file naming capabilities and Unicode support enables OpenVMS Version 7.2 to act as a DCOM server for Windows NT clients, and ODS-5 provides capabilities that make the OpenVMS and Windows NT environment more homogeneous for DCOM developers.
• Java applications on OpenVMS will comply with Java object naming standards.
• General OpenVMS users can make use of long file names, new character support, and the ability to have lowercase and mixed-case file names.

These benefits result from the features described in Section 3.7.2.

3.7.2 Features of Extended File Specifications

Extended File Specifications consists of two main features, the ODS-5 volume structure, and support for deep directories.

3.7.2.1 ODS-5 Volume Structure

OpenVMS Version 7.2 implements On-Disk Structure Level 5 (ODS-5). This structure provides the basis for creating and storing files with extended file names. You can choose whether or not to enable ODS-5 volumes on your OpenVMS Alpha systems. For more information about the structure of an ODS-5 disk, refer to the OpenVMS Guide to Extended File Specifications.

The ODS-5 volume structure allows the following features:

• Long file names
• More characters legal within file names
• Preservation of case within file names

Both ODS-2 and ODS-5 volume structures support deep nesting of directories, subject to the following limits:

• There can be up to 255 levels of directories.
• The name of each directory can be up to 236 8-bit or 117 16-bit characters long.

Complete file specifications longer than 255 bytes are abbreviated by RMS when presented to unmodified applications.

For example, a user can create the following deeply nested directory:

$ CREATE/DIRECTORY [.a.b.c.d.e.f.g.h.i.j.k.l.m]

A user can create the following directory with a long name on an ODS-5 volume:

$ CREATE/DIRECTORY [.AVeryLongDirectoryNameWhichHasNothingToDoWithAnythingInParticular]

3.7.2.2.1 Directory Naming Syntax

On an ODS-5 volume, directory names conform to most of the same conventions as file names when using the ISO Latin-1 character set. Periods and special characters can be present in the directory name, but in some cases, they must be preceded by a circumflex (^) in order to be recognized as literal characters.

3.8 Fast Skip for SCSI Tape Drives

There is a new qualifier for the SET MAGTAPE command, /FAST_SKIP, that allows you to skip by file mark or by record. The options are PER_IO (default), ALWAYS, and NEVER.

To find out if your drive supports the fast skip option, use the SHOW DEVICE command.

For more information, refer to the OpenVMS DCL Dictionary: N--Z and online help.

3.9 FastTrack Web Server (Alpha Only)

Netscape FastTrack, a robust Web server for creating, building, publishing, and serving Web pages and applications, is now bundled at no additional cost with OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2. FastTrack's rich cross-platform environment supports building or deploying a variety of Web or database applications. Based on open Internet and intranet standards, FastTrack enables high-fidelity communication and information sharing within and beyond the organization. FastTrack Server offers a rich environment for building or deploying many types of web or database applications, while remaining extremely easy to use and manage.

FastTrack takes the cost and complexity out of building a Web site. Users can install FastTrack easily, get it up and running, and publish to it in a matter of minutes. With FastTrack's Web-based administration interface, users can manage a Web site from any desktop in the organization. With the push of a button, users can publish documents to the server.

FastTrack provides common user and group management across multiple servers by supporting LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) for directory access, enabling administrators to specify access rights to documents in a fine-grained manner. FastTrack delivers reliability in its core Web engine through optimized caching, advanced use of kernel threads, HTTP V1.1 support, and sophisticated memory management. FastTrack's security features restrict access to information stored on the server by the following:

• Supporting SSL (secure sockets layer) V3.0, the widely accepted Internet security standard that encrypts the information flow between the server and a Web client
• Supporting client authentication to restrict access to the server based on client certificates

Some of the features that distinguish FastTrack from Netscape Communications and Commerce servers include:

• Web engine based on the HTTP 1.1 standard
• Comprehensive management of users and groups, configurations, and access control
• Client authentication
• Flexible, fine-grained access controls on documents and directories
• Support for the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), so that users and groups can be centrally managed across an organization or even outside it
• Distributed administration that allows administrative privileges to be shared by multiple people or a subset of capabilities to be delegated
• An advanced platform for building crossware applications through its support of the latest versions of Java, JavaScript, LiveConnect, and the web application interface (WAI)
• Centralized certificate management

The benefits of using FastTrack for OpenVMS Alpha include:

• Provides a Web-based administration interface, making it easy to manage a site from anywhere in the organization
• Allows users to set up a Web server and publish documents quickly
• Supports industry standards HTTP V1.1 and SSL (secure sockets layer) V3 for encrypting information flow between the client and server
• Provides a web-based administration interface, making it easy to manage a site from anywhere in the organization
• Includes LDAP support for centralized user and group management
• Enables building and deployment of crossware applications with server-side Java and JavaScript

Netscape FastTrack Server for OpenVMS Alpha is included in the OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2 release and is licensed under the OpenVMS license, QL-MT1*. No additional license is required. Netscape FastTrack Version 3.03 for OpenVMS Alpha software, which runs on OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1 or later, is also available at no cost as a downloadable kit from the OpenVMS web site at:

http://www.openvms.digital.com

3.10 Fibre Channel Support (Alpha Only)

Fibre Channel is a new ANSI standard network and storage interconnect that offers many advantages over other interconnects. Its most important features are described in Table 3-2.

Table 3-2 Fibre Channel Features

Feature	Description
High-speed transmission	1.06 gigabits per second, full duplex, serial interconnect (can simultaneously transmit and receive 100 megabytes of data per second)
Choice of media	Initial OpenVMS support for fibre-optic media. Potential future support for copper media.
Long interconnect distances	Initial OpenVMS support for multi-mode fiber at 400 meters per link. Potential future support for 10 kilometer single-mode fiber links and 30 meter copper links.
Numerous topologies	Initial OpenVMS support for switched FC (highly scalable, multiple concurrent communications). Potential future support for arbitrated loop (maximum number of nodes fixed at 126, shared bandwidth, hardware relatively inexpensive), fabric of switches, mixed arbitrated loop and switches, and point-to-point

The initial OpenVMS implementation supports a single-switch topology, with multi-mode fiber-optic media, at distances up to 400 meters per link.

Figure 3-1 shows a logical view of a switched topology. The FC nodes are either Alpha hosts, or storage subsystems.

Figure 3-1 Switched Topology, Logical View

Each link from a node to the switch is a dedicated FC connection. The switch provides store-and-forward packet delivery between pairs of nodes. Concurrent communication between disjoint pairs of nodes is supported by the switch.

For more information about OpenVMS support for Fibre Channel, refer to Guidelines for OpenVMS Cluster Configurations.

3.11 Firmware Revision Checking (Alpha Only)

OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.2 provides enhanced firmware checking for systems during a boot operation. When you boot the OpenVMS Alpha operating system CD-ROM, the system automatically checks the version of console firmware (including PALcode) that is running on your computer. The system also provides more explicit information about how and when to upgrade the firmware. Previously, only the PALcode version was checked and the informational messages were less specific.

Note that once you install this version of the OpenVMS Alpha operating system, the firmware check (similar to the previous PALcode check) will occur each time you reboot the system.

3.12 InfoServer Service Listing: Improved Display and Service Selection

OpenVMS Version 7.2 offers system managers a quicker way to view and select services from a Compaq InfoServer. The service listings that are displayed during both a MOP boot and at run time (with the MCR ESS$LADCP SHOW SERVICES command) have been reorganized.

Prior to Version 7.2, service information was displayed in random order, such as shown in the following excerpt from an OpenVMS Version 7.1 MOP boot procedure:

. . . Servers found: 19 Service Name Format: Service Number Service Name Server Name Ethernet ID #1 X6FA_IMAGE VMS_DSS 08-00-2B-27-FC-0F #2 X6G7_KIT ALPHA_DSS 08-00-2B-28-17-A3 #3 CDDOC06JUL21 SUPER 08-00-2B-20-CD-07 Enter a Service Number or <CR> for more: . . .

With a maximum of four services per screen, this selection process often involved repeated scrolling to locate the correct services.

Now service information is grouped by server and displayed alphabetically, as shown by the following example taken from an OpenVMS Version 7.2 MOP boot procedure:

. . . Servers found:: 19 Services offered by node AJAX_TEST_SERVR, Address: 08-00-2B-2D-B8-32 # 2 VAXDOCSEP931 # 3 R6LBCK # 4 V71R01-03 # 5 CDDOC09NOV22 Services offered by node IMS$DSS1, Address: 08-00-2B-23-94-15 # 6 VXT_UPDATE Services offered by node PUB_08002EE0AF60, Address: 08-00-2B-B0-AF-60 # 1 FREEWAREV20 Services offered by node VMS$DSS1, Address: 08-00-2B-2C-D4-A6 # 7 VAXBINDEC969 # 8 CDBIN_01 # 9 CDBIN_02 . . .

The run-time service information is also grouped by server, as follows:

$ MC ESS$LADCP SHO SER Interrogating network for Disk services, please wait... Disk services offered by node AXX_150 (LAD V3.1, Address: 08-00-2B-26-A4-B5) Current Writes Service: Device: Rating: Connects: Allowed?: PCSI_MOTIF123 RZ57 65263 0 Yes VPWRK_LATEST RZ57 65272 0 Yes VPWRKV5D RZ57 65272 0 Yes APWRK_LATEST RZ57 65263 0 Yes VAXVMS061 RZ57 65263 0 Yes VMS060 RZ57 65272 0 Yes VMS054 RZ57 65272 0 Yes Disk services offered by node FPG90 (LAD V3.1, Address: AA-00-04-00-F3-FC) Current Writes Service: Device: Rating: Connects: Allowed?: RSM$FETCH_CSG20-VMS OpenVMS AXP 64 0 No RSM$FETCH_CSG20-AVMS OpenVMS AXP 64 0 No

This improved display format provides more service information per screen and enables system managers to monitor and select services more easily.

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