From:	SMTP%"CLAYTON@radium.xrt.upenn.edu"  1-NOV-1994 11:48:41.23
To:	EVERHART
CC:	
Subj:	WARNING - Errors within SYS$Manager:SySecurity.Com CAN = disaster..

From: "Clayton, Paul D." <CLAYTON@radium.xrt.upenn.edu>
X-Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: WARNING - Errors within SYS$Manager:SySecurity.Com CAN = disaster..
Message-Id: <941031231520.22c00529@radium.xrt.upenn.edu>
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 1994 23:15:20 -0500 (EST)
Organization: Info-Vax<==>Comp.Os.Vms Gateway
X-Gateway-Source-Info: Mailing List
Lines: 45
To: Info-VAX@Mvb.Saic.Com


Hello all..

Just wanted to alert you to a potential disaster for sites/systems that have 
'real workinging code' in their SYS$MANAGER:SYSECURITY.COM procedure. 

This procedure is called PRIOR to starting the Audit_Server process in the 
boot sequence. Within this procedure, the typical stuff might be to truncate 
the audit journal file(s) to reclaim space, save them off, rename them, or 
some such work. 

UNLESS the Audit_Server process is started within this procedure, there can be 
NO SET AUDIT commands within the procedure as the mailbox needed to deal with 
the server is not created as yet and things get real sticky. Go search the ITS 
databases if you do not believe.

Anyway, what has not been found to date, and which exists in VMS through 6.1, 
QARd under 6.2, is that IF the LAST executed statement of this procedure 
returns anything OTHER then success, the audit Audit_Server process will NOT 
be started on the node!

This could have serious repercussions to the stability of the node in terms of 
its long term use and survival.

The current recommendation, from me, is to put some silly statement like:

	$set_success = %x1		!let DCL insure $STATUS is SUCCESS

as the LAST line executed prior to the end of SYSECURITY.COM.

Since the procedure that calls this one is in SYS$STARTUP:, it should not be 
modified to put the more correct, $SET NOON, command within it as it is liable 
to be editted or replaced by Digital.

Beware...

pdc

Paul D. Clayton 
Address - CLAYTON@RADIUM.XRT.UPENN.EDU		(USA)

Disclaimer:  All thoughts and statements here are my own and NOT those of my 
employer, and are also not based on, or contain, restricted information.