Document revision date: 30 March 2001
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Compaq Advanced Server for OpenVMS
Server Installation and Configuration Guide


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1.5 About the Release Notes

The Advanced Server V7.3 for OpenVMS Release Notes document contains important information you should know before you install the product. Compaq recommends that you read the release notes before starting the installation.

1.5.1 How to Access the Release Notes Before Installation

If you want to print the release notes before the installation, do the following to extract the release notes to a text file:

1.5.2 How to Access the Release Notes After the Installation

If you want to see the release notes after the installation completes, you can read them on line or print the file from SYS$HELP:ASOVMS073.RELEASE_NOTES.

1.6 Using the Installation Checklist

Appendix A, Installation and Upgrade Checklist, provides an installation and configuration checklist. You can photocopy the checklist and use it to track the completion of the installation and configuration tasks described in this guide.

1.7 Requirements for Installing Advanced Server for OpenVMS Software

The following sections describe the hardware and software you need when you install Advanced Server for OpenVMS software.

1.7.1 Hardware Requirements

All Alpha processors supported by the OpenVMS Operating System V7.2-1 are also supported by the Advanced Server for OpenVMS. For the latest information on the hardware that the server supports, refer to the Software Product Description (SPD).

1.7.2 Software Requirements

To install Advanced Server for OpenVMS software successfully, you must have the following software properly installed and configured on your system:

1.7.3 Supported Client Software

Advanced Server for OpenVMS supports connections from the following types of clients:

1.7.4 Memory Requirements

The minimum amount of physical memory required to run the Advanced Server on OpenVMS Alpha systems is 64 MB.

1.8 Preinstallation Tasks

Use the checklist in Table 1-1 to complete the preinstallation tasks that are described later in this section.

Table 1-1 Preinstallation Checklist
[] 1. Check the part listing.
[] 2. Make sure that the network hardware is installed and connected.
[] 3. Log in to the SYSTEM account (or another account that has all privileges enabled to run the installation procedure).
[] 4. Make sure that the required software is installed.
[] 5. Start the OpenVMS Registry Server.
[] 6. Read the release notes.
[] 7. Check system parameters.
[] 8. Back up the system disks.
[] 9. Make sure that you have adequate disk space for installation.
[] 10. Check the queue manager.
[] 11. Check the time zone configuration.
[] 12. Make sure that DECnet or DECnet-Plus is running, if you are planning to use the DECnet transport.
[] 13. Make sure that TCP/IP is running, if you are planning to use the TCP/IP transport.
[] 14. Check for existing Compaq OpenVMS server images and files.
[] 15. Check the OpenVMS Cluster configuration, if you are installing the Advanced Server on a cluster.

Perform the following steps before you install Advanced Server for OpenVMS software.

Note

All the steps except the last apply to both standalone and cluster Advanced Servers. The last step delineates what needs to be done for installing the Advanced Server on a cluster.

1.8.1 Step 1: Check the Part Listing

The software part listing specifies the contents of the kit you receive. Check the contents of your kit against that information. If parts are missing or your kit is damaged, contact your Compaq representative.

1.8.2 Step 2: Check the Network Hardware

Advanced Server for OpenVMS runs on OpenVMS Alpha systems that meet the software requirements. The PC local area network (LAN) requires:

1.8.3 Step 3: Log In to the SYSTEM Account

Before you install Advanced Server for OpenVMS software, log in to the SYSTEM account, or another account that has all privileges enabled to run the installation procedure.

To log in to the SYSTEM account:

  1. At the user name prompt, enter SYSTEM:


    Username: SYSTEM 
    

  2. At the Password prompt, enter the password to the SYSTEM account. The password you enter is not displayed.

1.8.4 Step 4: Check the Required Software

Advanced Server for OpenVMS software requires:

1.8.5 Step 5: Start the OpenVMS Registry Server

The OpenVMS Registry is installed as part of the OpenVMS installation. To provide registry services, you must complete the following steps:

  1. Define the SYS$REGISTRY logical to point to the disk location where the Registry Server files will be stored.
    For example, to store the registry files on device DKA100: in directory [SYS$REGISTRY], enter the following command:


    $ DEFINE/SYSTEM SYS$REGISTRY DKA100:[SYS$REGISTRY] 
    

    In an OpenVMS Cluster, be sure to specify a disk and directory that is available to all cluster members.

  2. Start the Registry Server.
    Compaq recommends that you have the Registry Server started automatically with system startup. This ensures proper operation of any Advanced Server utilities that require the registry (such as PWRK$REGUTL and the Configuration Manager). To have the Registry Server started automatically at system startup, run the OpenVMS Registry Configuration utility (SYS$MANAGER:REG$CONFIG) and make sure the REG$TO_BE_STARTED logical is set to TRUE. For more information about starting the OpenVMS Registry Server, refer to the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual or the OpenVMS Connectivity Developer's Guide (included in the OpenVMS Documentation CD-ROM).
    If you need to start the Registry Server manually, enter the following command:


    $ @SYS$STARTUP:REG$STARTUP.COM 
    

For complete information about managing the OpenVMS Registry, refer to the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual or the OpenVMS Connectivity Developer's Guide (included in the OpenVMS Documentation CD-ROM).

1.8.6 Step 6: Print and Read the Release Notes

If you have not already read the release notes, you should do so before installing the software. If you choose to back up the system, as recommended in Section 1.8.8, Step 8: Back Up the System, you can read the release notes during the backup. For more information, see Section 1.5, About the Release Notes.

1.8.7 Step 7: Check System Parameters

Most systems have adequate system resources readily available to include the Advanced Server for OpenVMS software. However, make sure that the following OpenVMS system parameters are set properly. Make any necessary changes to the MODPARAMS.DAT file, then run AUTOGEN, and reboot your system. You can delay this reboot until the first reboot required for backing up your system disks (a backup is recommended in Section 1.8.8, Step 8: Back Up the System).

Make sure all other software that will be running on your system is indeed running. Note that if the PATHWORKS for OpenVMS (Advanced Server) or Advanced Server for OpenVMS is already running, your system is likely to have sufficient resources to support the new version of the Advanced Server for OpenVMS.

Note

If these parameters are not set properly, you cannot configure the server after you complete the installation procedure.

1.8.7.1 GBLPAGES Parameter

The Advanced Server for OpenVMS requires that the value of the GBLPAGES parameter be at least 7500 pages.

To ensure that your system has enough free global pages, do the following while the Advanced Server is not running:

  1. Enter the following:


    $ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT F$GETSYI("FREE_GBLPAGES") 
    

    The value of the FREE_GBLPAGES parameter is displayed. For example:


    143576 
    

  2. If the value is less than required, edit the system parameters file SYS$SYSTEM:MODPARAMS.DAT and add a line similar to the following:


    MIN_GBLPAGES = 7500 
    

1.8.7.2 GBLSECTIONS Parameter

The Advanced Server for OpenVMS requires that the value of the GBLSECTIONS parameter be at least 75.

If you are installing the standalone License Server only, the value must be at least 50.

To ensure that your system has enough free global sections, do the following while the Advanced Server is not running:

  1. Enter the following:


    $ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT F$GETSYI("FREE_GBLSECTS") 
    

    The value of the GBLSECTIONS parameter is displayed. For example:


    249 
    

  2. If the value is less than required, edit the system parameters file SYS$SYSTEM:MODPARAMS.DAT and add a line similar to the following:


    MIN_GBLSECTIONS = 75 
    

1.8.7.3 PROCSECTCNT Parameter

If you are going to install the Advanced Server, the value of the PROCSECTCNT parameter should be at least 40.

If you are installing the standalone License Server only, the value must be at least 32.

To ensure that the value of the system parameter PROCSECTCNT is adequate:

  1. Enter the following:


    $ WRITE SYS$OUTPUT F$GETSYI("PROCSECTCNT") 
    

    The value of the PROCSECTCNT parameter is displayed. For example:


    20 
    

  2. If the value is less than required, edit the system parameters file SYS$SYSTEM:MODPARAMS.DAT and add a line similar to the following:


    MIN_PROCSECTCNT = 40 
    

1.8.7.4 SCSNODE Parameter

The SCSNODE parameter must be defined as your system's computer name. If you are running DECnet, the SCSNODE name should be the same as the DECnet node name.

The SCSNODE parameter's preinstallation status affects what happens after you install, as follows:
If SCSNODE is... And you... Then the server...
Not defined Do not define it Does not start.
Already defined Do not define it Starts.
Not defined Define it Starts, but the OpenVMS system renames print and batch queues to include the new computer name. Therefore, you must requeue any existing print or batch jobs to the new queues. You may also have to rebuild the queue database. For information on these system management tasks, refer to the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual.

To check whether the system parameter SCSNODE is defined as your system's computer name, enter the following commands at the system prompt:


$ SCSNODE = F$GETSYI("SCSNODE") 
$ SHOW SYMBOL SCSNODE 

As a result, one of the following occurs:

If SCSNODE is not defined, edit the file SYS$SYSTEM:MODPARAMS.DAT and define the parameter. For example, if your system's computer name is SPEEDY, edit the file so that it contains the following line:


SCSNODE = "SPEEDY" 

If you edit the file SYS$SYSTEM:MODPARAMS.DAT, you must run the OpenVMS command procedure AUTOGEN and reboot the system either now or at some time before configuring the server. For example:


$ @SYS$UPDATE:AUTOGEN GETDATA REBOOT NOFEEDBACK 

For more information about using the AUTOGEN utility, refer to the OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual.

1.8.8 Step 8: Back Up the System

To safeguard against the loss of valuable data, Compaq recommends that you back up all disks on your system (or at least the system disk) before you install any layered product.

To do a system backup, use the OpenVMS BACKUP command. For information about the BACKUP command, refer to the OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual.

1.8.9 Step 9: Check Disk Space Requirements

To determine the number of disk blocks required for your installation, refer to the Advanced Server V7.3 for OpenVMS Release Notes. To check the number of free blocks on the system disk, enter:


$ SHOW DEVICE SYS$SYSDEVICE 

The OpenVMS system displays information about the system disk, including the number of free blocks. For example:


 
Device     Device     Error    Volume    Free  Trans Mnt 
 Name      Status     Count     Label   Blocks Count Cnt 
DUA0:      Mounted        0    AXP072   724856   280   1 

1.8.10 Step 10: Check the Queue Manager

It is not necessary to have the queue manager running during installation, but it must be running when you configure the server. You can enter the SHOW QUEUE/MANAGER command to check whether the queue manager is running:


$ SHOW QUEUE/MANAGER 

If the queue manager is running, the OpenVMS system displays a message similar to the following:


Queue manager SYS$QUEUE_MANAGER, running, on SPEEDY:: 

If the queue manager is not running, you can use the following command to start it:


$ START/QUEUE/MANAGER 

For more information about the OpenVMS DCL commands, refer to the OpenVMS DCL Dictionary.

1.8.11 Step 11: Check Time Zone and TDF

The Advanced Server's internal time management uses Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). To synchronize with a common time format among computers in different time zones, the OpenVMS Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) system services may be used. The Advanced Server system implements default date/time support using the UTC standard. UTC is similar to GMT. Under the UTC time standard, zero hours occurs when the Greenwich Meridian is at midnight. Unlike local time, which can go backward and forward depending on daylight savings time, UTC always increases.

Local times can be up to 12 hours behind GMT or 13 hours ahead of it.

Because UTC is independent of time zones, you can use UTC around the world; for example, it is 2:00 UTC at the same moment in Paris as well as in Tokyo. You can examine data that is time-stamped with UTC values in Paris and Tokyo without complicated conversions to deal with local time zones.

To properly represent the time in your local server environment:

  1. Determine the time differential factor (TDF) for your system, which associates each local time zone with UTC.
    The TDF is the difference between your local system time and the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The difference is expressed in hours and minutes. The TDF changes each time your local system time undergoes a change, such as when it changes from daylight savings time to standard time; the UTC, on the other hand, does not change.
    The Americas have negative offsets from UTC, while Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia have positive offsets. For example, the TDF for New York, Eastern Standard Time, is -5:00. The TDF for eastern Australia is +10:00. The TDF for a region that observes daylight savings is typically +1:00 from the standard time for the region. For example, the TDF for New York during daylight savings time is -4:00. To determine the TDF for your system, refer to the map included in the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual.
  2. Set the time zone and time differential factor (TDF) settings on your system by running the OpenVMS command procedure UTC$TIME_SETUP.COM. (This command procedure defines the time-related logicals needed by the Advanced Server.) From the SYSTEM account, enter the following command to begin the procedure:


    $ @SYS$MANAGER:UTC$TIME_SETUP.COM 
    

    The procedure asks you which time parameters you want to configure. If your system resides in an area that observes daylight savings time, the system time and TDF must be modified appropriately when daylight savings starts and ends. To have these modifications done automatically twice a year, you can use the SYS$EXAMPLES:DAYLIGHT_SAVINGS.COM command procedure.
    When you elect to change the time zone or TDF setting, or both, the changes are also made clusterwide if your server participates in an OpenVMS Cluster.
    If you change any time zone information, you must restart the server for the time to be properly represented.

For more information on running the command procedure and resetting the time zone and TDF, refer to the OpenVMS System Manager's Manual.


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