Software Product Description GCE Deletion Protection System (DPS) Description: The GCE Deletion Protection System is designed to provide protection against accidental deletion of file types chosen by the site, and to allow files to be routed by the system to backup media before they are finally removed from the system. This is accomplished by an add-in to the VMS file system so that security holes are not introduced by the system's action. The user interface is an UNDELETE command which permits one or more files to be restored to their original locations provided it is issued within the site-chosen time window after the undesired deletion took place. In addition, an EXPUNGE command is provided which allows files to be deleted at once, irretrievably, where space for such is required. Provision for automatic safe-storing of files prior to final deletion is present also in DPS. DPS is implemented as a VMS file system add-in which functions by intercepting the DELETE operation and allowing the file to be deleted to be copied or renamed to a "wastebasket" holding area pending final action, and to be disposed of by a disposal agent. The supplied agent will allow a site script to save the files if this is desired, and then finally deletes any files which have been deleted more than some number N seconds ago. If the UNDELETE command is given, the file(s) undeleted are replaced in their original sites. The supplied system can also be configured to rename files to a wastebasket area or to copy them directly, for undeletion by systems people only. (These options are faster than the site command file option.) DPS can be configured to omit certain file types from deletion protection (for example, *.LIS* or *.MAP* could be omitted), to include only certain files in the protected sets, or both. This can reduce the overhead of saving files which are likely to be easily recreated, or tailor the system for such actions as saving all mail files (by selecting *.MAI for inclusion). In addition, DPS monitors free space on disks, and when a file create or extend would cause space exhaustion, DPS runs a site script. By setting this script to perform final deletions, DPS can be run in a purely automatic mode in which deleted files are saved as long as possible, but never less than some minimum period (e.g., 5 or 10 minutes). DPS files can be stored in any location accessible to VMS. If they are renamed, they must reside on the same disk they came from. Otherwise they can be stored in any desired place. DPS is installed and configured using a screen oriented configuration utility to set it up, and basically runs unattended once installed. Supported Hardware and Software: DPS runs on any VMS Vax or Alpha/AXP platform. On Vax it supports VMS 5.5 or later. On AXP it supports VMS 6.1 or later. Internally, DPS uses only published and supported internal VMS interfaces, and thus is independent of which file system is in use. However, its use with third party file systems such as NFS client systems is untested and should be tested before a site commits to using it heavily. DPS is available for 45 day trial use licenses or can be licensed permanently. DPS is required on every node of a cluster using it, or its benefits will not be available on nodes not having the software running. Apart from this, there are no problems with having DPS available on only part of a VMS cluster. Deletion Protection System General Cybernetic Engineering Glenn C. Everhart 18 Colburn Lane Hollis, NH 03049 603 465 9517 (Fax: 603 465 9518) Everhart@GCE.Com (Everhart@gce.mv.com)