Understanding InfoServer Functions

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HP OpenVMS System Manager's Manual, Volume 2:...

Managing InfoServer Systems

Understanding LASTport Protocols

Understanding InfoServer Functions

The InfoServer system is a high-performance virtual device server. It can make available, or serve, compact discs, read/write disks, magneto-optical (MO) devices, and tapes to client systems on the local area network (LAN). Systems running InfoServer Client software can connect to the virtual devices and use them as though they are locally attached devices.

Unlike a file server, the InfoServer system does not impose a file system on the virtual devices that it serves. For example, the InfoServer system can serve a disk with any type of on-disk file structure. The client system interprets the on-disk structure and uses its own native file system to access data. Multiple on-disk structures can be served by and accessed on a single InfoServer system at the same time.

The InfoServer system can perform the following functions:

Serve compact discs

The InfoServer system serves compact discs automatically, using a disc's volume label as the service name when the server is booted or when a disc is inserted into an InfoServer drive. You do not have to perform any management action. Client systems simply bind to and mount the disc under its volume label.

The InfoServer system can automatically serve to OpenVMS clients compact discs that are in ODS-2 format. High Sierra and ISO-9660 compact discs and other media types can be served manually through the InfoServer management interface.

Serve Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) tapes

Using service names, the InfoServer system can serve SCSI tape devices to the network. Client systems can connect to these tape devices and use them as though they were locally attached devices.

Serve read/write disk partitions

A partition is a logical subset of an InfoServer read/write disk. A single disk can be subdivided into several partitions, each of which can be served to the network independently. To remote client systems, these partitions appear to be whole disks. For example, a client system using InfoServer Client for OpenVMS software can access the partitions and use them as though they are local hard disks.

Act as an initial load system for OpenVMS systems

The InfoServer system can downline load the primary bootstrap program to OpenVMS systems by responding to Maintenance Operation Protocol (MOP) requests. The server can locate MOP downline load files on the OpenVMS software distribution compact disc and copy them into temporary MOP partitions on an InfoServer-formatted read/write disk.

The initial system load (ISL) bootstrap program connects back to the software distribution compact disc and boots Standalone Backup. The Backup utility is then used to copy the OpenVMS operating system save sets from the compact disc to a read/write disk attached to the system. All subsequent OpenVMS boots are done from the local read/write disk.

Downline load other products

You can use the InfoServer system to load any Ethernet product by file name; that is, the server does not require a Network Control Program (NCP) database entry to locate the requested file. For example, X terminal clients use the InfoServer system to downline load their system software. You can create a special MOP partition and copy the desired file to that partition. The server additionally supports downline loading of services by Ethernet address. Each InfoServer system can handle up to 100 simultaneous downline loads more efficiently than host-based downline loaders, which must start processes to assist in the load.

InfoServer System Serving Clients shows the relationship of the InfoServer system to several possible client systems. In this figure, two compact discs and two hard disks connected to the server appear to the client systems as local devices. The VAX system and the RISC workstation might be using one or two of the compact discs for software distribution and online documentation, while the PC might be referencing a disk partition on the InfoServer system. The X terminal boots from the InfoServer system and uses InfoServer disks for page, font, and customization files.

Figure 1 InfoServer System Serving Clients

You can connect the InfoServer system to your Ethernet LAN and turn on the system. After the server is initialized, or bootstrapped, the server software automatically serves to client systems the device media connected to it. If you insert a compact disc into a server drive, the server detects this new device and automatically serves it to client systems by using the volume label as the service name.

The server bootstraps from its internal read/write device, on which the InfoServer software is preinstalled. InfoServer software updates are distributed on compact discs. As these new releases become available, you can install the software onto the internal device for subsequent booting. To update InfoServer software from the compact disc, follow these steps:

Insert the disc in a compact disc drive attached to the InfoServer system.

Move the InfoServer software to the internal read/write device. At the InfoServer prompt, enter a command in the following format, where n is the drive number:

On the InfoServer 100 or InfoServer 150 system:
```
	InfoServer> UPDATE SYSTEM DKn:
```
On the InfoServer 1000 system:
```
	InfoServer> UPDATE SYSTEM DKn: FLASH
```
The next time you boot the InfoServer system, it runs the updated software.

You can use the Software Products Library (formerly known as ConDIST) to update InfoServer software. After you log in to the InfoServer system, perform the following steps:

Insert the disk containing the [INFOSERVxxx] directory tree in a compact disk drive attached to the InfoServer system.

At the InfoServer> prompt, enter a command in the following format, where n is the drive number:
- On the InfoServer 100 or InfoServer 150 system, enter a command in the following format: UPDATE SYSTEM DKn:
- On the InfoServer 1000 system, enter a command in the following format: UPDATE SYSTEM DKn: FLASH
These commands move the InfoServer software to the internal read/write device. The next time you boot the InfoServer system, it runs the updated software. Note that you can also boot the server from the Software Products Library disk.

You might want to customize server features. You can control InfoServer functions by logging in to the server and entering server commands, described in detail in the InfoServer System Operations Guide .

Automatic Service Policies for Multiple Servers

The InfoServer system automatically serves its locally connected devices to clients when the server is first powered on or when a removable device (for example, a compact disc) is inserted into a drive. The server reads the volume label of each device and uses the label as the name of the service offered to clients.

You can disable the automatic service feature by using the InfoServer command SET SERVER AUTOMOUNT.

If multiple servers offer the same services, the client uses a rating scheme to select the appropriate service. Refer to the CREATE SERVICE command description in the InfoServer System Operations Guide for more information.

When you remove a compact disc from a server drive, the InfoServer system ends all client connections to the associated service. The InfoServer system also stops offering the associated service to client systems.

High-Availability Feature to Reduce Service Interruptions

The InfoServer system provides a high-availability feature that is especially beneficial for OpenVMS clients. If the server ends a service connection for some reason (for example, the server reboots, or you remove a compact disc), the OpenVMS client enters mount verification for that volume. If the same service is offered by another InfoServer system on the LAN, the client automatically connects to that service.

For example, suppose you have two identical copies of the OpenVMS Online Documentation compact disc in drives on two different servers. If one server or drive fails, a new connection is established to the duplicate disc on the other server. File operations continue as normal, and users experience almost no service disruption.

Support for X Terminal Clients

X terminal clients use the InfoServer system to download their system software, provide font services, save configuration information, and page memory to and from InfoServer disks. For example, system files for HP's VXT 2000 windowing terminals can be installed from compact disc on the InfoServer system. Once installed, these files are downline loaded on demand to each terminal when it is powered on.

The terminals can dynamically allocate partitions on an InfoServer disk as needed. For example, when a user requests that terminal customizations be saved, the InfoServer system automatically creates a disk partition to hold the information and creates a network service name for that partition. Once customization information is saved, the user can recall the information at any time.

VXT 2000 terminals that are InfoServer clients can also be virtual memory machines. Such terminals can page sections of main memory to and from InfoServer disks as required. Because a VXT client has no local disk, it uses InfoServer disks as page disks. When main memory is paged out to disk, the VXT client requests the InfoServer system to create a partition. This partition is then automatically extended as needed. Partitions and their network service names are created dynamically, without requiring user action.

By default, the InfoServer disk DK1, which is the internal disk that ships with each InfoServer 150 system, is enabled to allow VXT 2000 clients to allocate partitions remotely. Other disks can also be enabled through the use of InfoServer commands.

Understanding LASTport Protocols