Compaq ACMS Version 4.3 for OpenVMS
Release Notes


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Chapter 2
Installation Changes

This chapter describes changes to the installation process for ACMS Version 4.3.

2.1 General Installation Information

This kit requires that ACMS be shut down either before or automatically during the installation. (For installation in an OpenVMS Cluster, Compaq recommends that ACMS be stopped on all cluster nodes prior to installation.)

Install this kit with the VMSINSTAL utility by logging in to the SYSTEM account and typing a command in the following format at the DCL prompt, specifying the name of the kit ([kit_name]) and the location of the kit saveset ([saveset_location]):


$ @SYS$UPDATE:VMSINSTAL [kit_name] [saveset_location] 

Table 2-1 and Table 2-2 list the ACMS Version 4.3 kit names:

Table 2-1 Alpha Kits
Kit Name
Development ACMSDEVA_043
Run-time ACMSRTOA_043
Remote-access ACMSREMA_043

Table 2-2 VAX Kits
Kit Name
Development ACMSDEVV_043
Run-time ACMSRTOV_043
Remote-access ACMSREMV_043

After the installation completes, run SYS$STARTUP:ACMSTART.COM on all nodes prior to restarting ACMS.

This installation does not require a reboot.

2.2 CDD Version 6.x Support Restricted

Oracle CDD/Repository Version 6.1 is not supported by ACMS V4.x. An access violation occurs whenever ACMS attempts to access the dictionary.

Oracle CDD/Repository Version 6.1A is supported by ACMS V4.x.

2.3 ACMSTART.COM Installs DECC$SHR and ACMS$TRACE_SHR.EXE and Optionally Executes ACMS$MGMT_SETUP.COM

ACMSHR.EXE now links with the shared image ACMS$TRACE_SHR.EXE, which links with DECC$SHR.EXE. ACMSTART.COM has been modified to install both DECC$SHR.EXE and ACMS$TRACE_SHR.EXE. It is necessary to leave both of these images installed.

If the DECC$SHR image is not installed on the system, you get the following error when starting ACMS:


$ ACMS/START SYS
%DCL-W-ACTIMAGE, error activating image DECC$SHR 
    -CLI-E-IMGNAME, image file 
     $100$DUA253:[SYS4.SYSCOMMON.][SYSLIB]DECC$SHR.EXE;1 
    -SYSTEM-F-PRIVINSTALL, shareable images must be installed 
     to run privileged image

If ACMS$TRACE_SHR.EXE is not installed on the system, you get the following error when starting ACMS:


$ ACMS/START SYS
%DCL-W-ACTIMAGE, error activating image ACMS$TRACE_SHR.EXE
-CLI-E-IMGNAME, image file 
     $100$DUA253:[SYS4.SYSCOMMON.][SYSLIB]ACMS$TRACE_SHR.EXE 
    -SYSTEM-F-PRIVINSTALL, shareable images must be installed 
     to run privileged image

If the ACMS Remote Manager was configured (using SYS$STARTUP:ACMS_POST_INSTALL.COM), ACMSTART.COM will execute the procedure ACMS$MGMT_SETUP.COM. This procedure prepares the OpenVMS environment to run the ACMS Remote Manager. ACMS$MGMT_SETUP.COM is executed just before ACMS_SETUP.COM.

2.4 ACMS Version Identification File (ACMS_ECO_LEVEL.DAT)

Starting with the ACMS Version 4.0 ECO Kit 1 release, there is a file distributed with the kit called ACMS_ECO_LEVEL.DAT. This file is placed in the SYS$SYSTEM directory during the installation.

The file ACMS_ECO_LEVEL.DAT contains the version identifier for the ACMS release that is currently installed on the system. This file is distributed for all releases including full releases, which have an ECO level of 0. When reporting any problems with ACMS, refer to this file to determine the current ACMS version that is being used. The version in this file may be more current than the version numbers that appear throughout the ACMS system, especially when running with an ECO release.

2.5 Reinstall ACMS After OpenVMS Upgrades

When upgrading major versions of the OpenVMS Alpha operating system, it is necessary to reinstall ACMS. This applies when upgrading the OpenVMS Alpha operating system from Version 6.x to 7.x.

It is not necessary to reinstall ACMS on OpenVMS VAX systems that have been upgraded from OpenVMS VAX Version 6.x to 7.x.

2.6 Programming Examples on ACMS Kit

The Remote Manager programming examples shipped with the ACMS kit require that the file SYS$COMMON:[SYSHLP.EXAMPLES.ACMSMGMT]ACMSMGMT.OLB be copied to SYS$LIBRARY.

To compile and link the Remote Manager programming examples, execute the following command procedure:


$ @SYS$COMMON:[SYSHLP.EXAMPLES.ACMSMGMT]ACMS$MGMT_EXAMPLES_BUILD.COM 

In the file SYS$COMMON:[SYSHLP.EXAMPLES.ACMSMGMT]ACMS$MGMT_EXAMPLES.C, remove the following sentence from the section called How to build this program:

In addition, you must have access to object module acms$mgmt_get_creds.obj, which is installed in the ACMS$MGMT_EXAMPLES directory.

In the file SYS$COMMON:[SYSHLP.EXAMPLES.ACMSMGMT]ACMS$MGMT_EXAMPLES.C, item 4, change the following LINK command comment:


****  $ LINK ACMS$MGMT_EXAMPLES,ACMS$MGMT_GET_CREDS,ACMSMGMT_RPC_CLNT, 
             ACMSMGMT_RPC_XDR,SYS$INPUT/OPT 
****  SYS$SHARE:UCX$RPCXDR_SHR/SHARE 
****  SYS$SHARE:DECC$SHR/SHARE 

to:


****  $ LINK ACMS$MGMT_EXAMPLES,ACMSMGMT_RPC_CLNT,ACMSMGMT_RPC_XDR,SYS$INPUT/OPT 
****  SYS$LIBRARY:ACMSMGMT.OLB/LIB 
****  SYS$SHARE:UCX$RPCXDR_SHR/SHARE 
****  SYS$SHARE:DECC$SHR/SHARE 

2.7 Minimum Disk Space Needed for Installation

The Compaq ACMS Version 4.3 for OpenVMS installation procedure incorrectly calculates the minimum disk space required to install the ACMS Development Kit.

Before attempting to install the ACMS Development Kit, ensure that your system has at least 44,000 blocks of disk space available. If you have insufficient disk space, the installation will fail.


Chapter 3
Corrected Problems

This chapter describes the software problems that have been corrected in ACMS Version 4.3.

3.1 Unlimited ENQLM Value Allowed

An unlimited ENQLM value is now allowed on OpenVMS Version 7.1 VAX and Alpha. Setting ENQLM to its maximum value of 32767 in AUTHORIZE automatically sets ENQLM to the new maximum of 16776959 allowed in OpenVMS Version 7.x.

3.2 Determination of ENQLM Value

On OpenVMS VAX Version 7.1, the value of ENQLM is now set from the higher of either the PQL limit or the AUTHORIZE limit.

3.3 Priority of ACMS EXC and Server Processes Now Set Correctly

The base priority of ACMS EXC and server processes is now taken from the application user's SYSUAF.DAT authorization record.

3.4 Shutdown Delay Corrected

On OpenVMS Alpha Verison 7.1, a 10- to 20-second delay when shutting down the ACMS ACC process or exiting from an agent has been corrected.

3.5 ADU LINK Command Access Violation (ACCVIO) Corrected

A potential problem that may cause an access violation (ACCVIO) when linking very large applications with the ADU LINK command has been corrected.

3.6 Infinite Process Loop Corrected

A potential infinite process loop resulting from an access violation (ACCVIO) or a reserved operand fault (ROPRAND) for processes linked with ACMSHR has been corrected.

3.7 ACMS_SWL Image Replaced

On OpenVMS Alpha systems, the ACMS_SWL process sometimes aborted with an ACCVIO when a large number of errors occurred at the same time. The ACMS_SWL image, file SWLPROC.EXE, has been replaced to improve operation.

3.8 ACMS_SWL No Longer Aborts When it Runs Out of Disk Space

Prior to ACMS Version 4.3, ACMS_SWL aborted if the disk on which the SWL.LOG file resides ran out of disk space. In ACMS Version 4.3, ACMS_SWL stops writing SWL entries when it runs out of space. To restart the writing of the error entries, free up the space on the disk where SWL.LOG currently resides, or define the logical ACMS$SWL_LOG (DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXEC) to another disk. Use the command MCR SWLUP RENEW to redirect the output to the new location.


Chapter 4
Known Problems

This chapter lists the known problems in ACMS Version 4.3.

4.1 Application May Abort with %SYSTEM-F-BADPARAM Error

The startup of an application may abort with a %SYSTEM-F-BADPARAM error. This could be a result of a high MAXPROCESSCNT parameter value. The ACMS EXC is attempting to create a termination mailbox that will hold a message from every potential process on the system. The formula that ACMS EXC uses is 84 * MAXPROCESSCNT, with an upper limit of 60000 bytes.

The workaround is to reduce the MAXPROCESSCNT parameter to a value less than 714.

4.2 Incorrect Queue Order with RMS Journaling

When RMS journaling is enabled on an ACMS queue file, elements may be dequeued out of order of insertion. This is due to the way the ACMS$DEQUEUE_TASK service uses the RMS RRL (Ignore Read Lock, RAB$V_RRL bit in the RAB$L_ROP field) to find the next queue element. The queuing service will always attempt to return a queue element or a QUE EMPTY error.

When there are multiple threads in a queue file, there is no guarantee of the order in which queue elements will be dequeued.

4.3 ADU LINK Aborts with %STR-F-INSVIRMEM or %SYSTEM-F-ACCVIO Error

Linking with a large number of tasks may cause the ADU LINK command to abort with one of the following error messages:


%STR-F-INSVIRMEM, insufficient virtual memory 

or


%SYSTEM-F-ACCVIO, access violation 

This error may be the result of the PGFLQUO parameter being set too low. To fix the problem, increase the size of the PGFLQUO parameter.

4.4 ACMS SWL Process May be Deleted

Under certain circumstances, the ACMS_SWL process causes an access violation and the process is deleted. This causes ACMS processes that are trying to write information to the Software Event Logger (SWL) log to hang in RWMBX state.

A workaround for this problem is to run the following command procedure as a batch job. This command procedure is not available on your system; you will need to copy it from this document. This batch file monitors the ACMS_SWL every minute (timing can be changed), and restarts the process if it is missing. The batch job should be queued to run under the SYSTEM account (from which SWLPROC is first run).


$ !*************************************************************** 
$ begin: 
$ idx = "" 
$ 
$ 
$ loop: 
$ 
$ new_id = f$pid(idx) 
$ if new_id .eqs. "" then goto restart_swl 
$ full_name = f$getjpi(new_id,"PRCNAM") 
$ if full_name .eqs. "ACMS_SWL" 
$ then 
$    write sys$output "SWL is running, PID is ''new_id'" 
$    wait 00:01:00.00   ! wait 1 minute 
$    goto begin 
$ endif 
$ goto loop 
$ 
$ restart_swl: 
$ write sys$output "Restarting SWL" 
$ gosub start_swl 
$ exit 
$!*************************************************************** 
$START_SWL: 
$ RUN sys$system:SWLPROC - 
    /PRIV=(SYSNAM,SYSPRV,WORLD,OPER,GRPNAM,GROUP)- 
    /PROC=ACMS_SWL- 
    /QUEUE=20- 
    /UIC=[1,4]- 
    /PAGE_FILE=15360- 
    /PRIORITY=8- 
    /DUMP - 
    /OUTPUT=SYS$MANAGER:ACMSSWL.LOG 
$ RETURN 
$!*************************************************************** 

4.5 EXC Process Can Disappear without Writing Error to SWL or ATR Logs

If the BYTLM quota is set too low, the ACMS EXC process can disappear without recording an error in either the SWL or Audit Trail Report (ATR) log file and without producing a process dump file. The SWL log shows the following error message, from the ACC process, indicating that the EXC process terminated:


%ACMSACC-E-APPLTERM, EXC process for application <application-name> 
terminated 
-Unknown message - error code 00000000 

However, the EXC process does not log an error to the SWL log to provide additional details of the failure.

This behavior occurs when the system runs out of BYTLM quota. To correct this problem, raise the system's BYTLM quota and reboot the system.

To find a suitable higher value for the BYTLM quota, try doubling the current value. If there is still a problem when using the resulting value, monitor the system as you try different lower BYTLM values until you can find a suitable value.

Monitoring the BYTLM value may not be a straightforward process. The DCL command ANALYZE/SYSTEM can report a BYTLM value that is lower than the value set during SYSGEN. Processes can appear to have a lower allocation of buffered I/O pool (BYTLM) than originally defined for the process, and the allocation can appear to vary.

An article in the remedial kit describes how BYTLM is set and reported by OpenVMS. For more details about the BYTLM quota and the accounting of BYTLM, refer to the article, identified in the remedial kit as follows:


Copyright (c) Digital Equipment Corporation 1996.  All rights reserved. 
 
PRODUCT:    OpenVMS VAX, All Versions 
            OpenVMS Alpha, All Versions 
 
COMPONENT:  Memory Management 
 
SOURCE:     Digital Equipment Corporation 
 
QUESTION: 
 
 Why do processes appear to have a lower allocation of buffered 
 I/O pool, BYTLM, than originally defined for the process and why 
 does the allocation seem to vary? 

4.6 Free Server Count Not Decremented in Remote Manager

If the minimum number of servers for an application is nonzero and a STOP/ID is done on an ACMS server process, the Remote Manager incorrectly reports the number of free servers. The free server count is not decremented for the server process being stopped.

The number of free servers will be one more than there actually is.

4.7 Hard Coded Restriction of 4095 Application Starts During an ACMS Invocation

ACMS allows only 4095 application starts during an ACMS invocation. This restriction is hard coded. There is a check in the ACMS Central Controller (ACC) (ACCPACKAGES.LIS) for the package ID to be less than or the same as 4095. This is also used as part of the process name for the Application Execution Controller (EXC). The name is ACMS01EXCxxx000, where xxx is between 0 and FFF (hexadecimal).

4.8 ACMS Task Debugger May Display Incorrect Information on OpenVMS Version 7.x

On OpenVMS VAX and OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1, the debugger was changed so that it cached the data. When an EXAMINE command was issued, the cached data was displayed.

In the ACMS environment, there are multiple subprocesses. Each subprocess has its own copy of the debugger, and each copy has the ability to deposit or examine memory. Because of this, the debugger in one subprocess does not know that the memory has been changed by another subprocess and, therefore, displays the incorrect data from cache.

4.9 ACMS May Fail to Start with %SYSTEM-F-NOSUCHNODE Error

If ACMS is used in a mixed-network environment (Compaq DECnet Phase IV for OpenVMS and Compaq DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS), an ACMS Phase IV DECdtm transaction will fail with a '%SYSTEM-F-NOSUCHNODE, remote node is unknown' error message when it attempts to add the transaction from the DECnet-Plus system.

This problem is a result of the translation of the logical name SYS$DECDTM_NODE_NAME on the DECnet-Plus system. ACMS translates this logical name and returns it to the Phase IV system, which is unable to use the long name.

The workaround is to redefine this logical name to its Phase IV equivalent.

4.10 Disabling Id and Config Classes Using CLASS=*

It is possible to add a collection record with class of * and a collection state of DISABLED. If the record includes either an entity type or entity name, it overrides the defaults for Id and Config class for that entity.

The applicable processes always populate the Id and Config classes when they start, but subsequent changes to the Config class are not updated.

The following example demonstrates this behavior:


SPARKS> ACMSMGR SHOW COLL 
 
ACMS Remote Management -- Command line utility 
 
ACMS V4.3 Entity/Collection Table Display       Time: 29-SEP-1999 11:51:34.04 
 
 Node         Wt 
Entity 
Collect  Collect 
                 Type     Entity 
Name                                                  Class    State 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 SPARKS           2        *                           id      enabled 
 SPARKS           2        *                         config    enabled 
 
SPARKS> ACMSMGR SHOW PROC 
 
ACMS Remote Management -- Command line utility 
 
ACMS v4.3 Process Table Display                 Time: 29-SEP-1999 11:51:38.27 
 
 Server 
Entity 
     Collection States 
                                 Process Name -or- 
                                 Application.[server_name, 
 Node         Type     PID       task_group_name]          Id  Cfg RT  POOL 
 ------------ -------- -------- ---------------------------------------------- 
 SPARKS       acc      202037E0  ACMS01ACC001000            1   1   0   0 
 SPARKS       tsc      202037E2  ACMS01TSC001000            1   1   0   0 
 SPARKS       qti      20203566  ACMS01QTI001000            1   1   0   0 
 SPARKS       cp       20203663  ACMS01CP001000             1   1   0   0 
 SPARKS       cp       20203564  ACMS01CP002000             1   1   0   0 
 SPARKS       cp       20203565  ACMS01CP003000             1   1   0   0 
 
SPARKS> ACMSMGR ADD COLL/ENT=EXC/CLASS=*/COLL_S=DISABLED 
 
ACMS Remote Management -- Command line utility 
Call to add collection on server SPARKS was executed 
%ACMSMGMT-S-SUCCESS, Operation completed 
SPARKS> ACMSMGR SHOW COLL 
 
ACMS Remote Management -- Command line utility 
 
ACMS V4.3 Entity/Collection Table Display       Time: 29-SEP-1999 11:52:27.70 
 
 Node         Wt 
Entity 
Collect  Collect 
                 Type     Entity 
Name                                                  Class    State 
 ------------ -- -------------------------------------------------------- 
 SPARKS       2   *         *                          id      enabled 
 SPARKS       2   *         *                          config  enabled 
 SPARKS       3  exc        *                           *      disabled 
 
SPARKS> ACMSMGR START EXC/APPL=TAPP 
 
ACMS Remote Management -- Command line utility 
Call to start ACMS application tapp on server SPARKS was executed 
%ACMSMGMT-S-SUCCESS, Operation completed 
SPARKS> ACMSMGR SHOW PROC 
 
 
ACMS Remote Management -- Command line utility 
 
ACMS V4.3 Process Table Display             Time: 29-SEP-1999 11:54:40.82 
 
 Server 
Entity 
     Collection States 
                                 Process Name -or- 
                                 Application.[server_name, 
Node          Type      PID      task_group_name]         Id  Cfg RT  POOL 
 ------------ -------- -------- ------------------------------------------- 
 SPARKS       acc      202037E0  ACMS01ACC001000           1   1   0   0 
 SPARKS       tsc      202037E2  ACMS01TSC001000           1   1   0   0 
 SPARKS       qti      20203566  ACMS01QTI001000           1   1   0   0 
 SPARKS       cp       20203663  ACMS01CP001000            1   1   0   0 
 SPARKS       cp       20203564  ACMS01CP002000            1   1   0   0 
 SPARKS       cp       20203565  ACMS01CP003000            1   1   0   0 
 SPARKS       exc      20201668  ACMS01EXC002000           0   0   0   0 
 SPARKS       server             TAPP.TSERVER              1   1   0   0 
 SPARKS       group              TAPP.T_GROUP              1   1   0   0 

4.11 ACMSCFG Access Violation

ACMSCFG causes an access violation with the following syntax:


NODE> ACMSCFG SET PARAM/RPC_STACKSIZE = 10 

If the spaces are removed (/rpc_stack_size=10), the command works.

This problem exists for all parameters specified in this command only. The following is an example of the access violation.


%ACMSMGMT-E-BAD_VALUE, Invalid qualifier, cannot interpret value rpc_stacksize 
%SYSTEM-F-ACCVIO, access violation, reason mask=00, virtual address=00000000, 
PC=000DDE0C, PSL=0BC00000 
%TRACE-F-TRACEBACK, symbolic stack dump follows 
module name     routine name                     line       rel PC    abs PC 
 
                                                           000DDE0C  000DDE0C 
MGMTCONFIG_CMD  parse_args                      19710      000000D5  0000A1DD 
MGMTCONFIG_CMD  update_param_rec                21903      0000007A  0000F2A6 
MGMTCONFIG_CMD  main                            18640      000008E4  000079E4 


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