HP OpenVMS Systems Documentation

HP OpenVMS Version 8.2 Release Notes

This chapter contains information that applies to system maintenance and management, performance management, and networking.

For information about new features included in this version of the software, refer to the HP OpenVMS Version 8.2 New Features and Documentation Overview.

4.1 Recovering from System Hangs or Crashes (I64 Only)

V8.2

If your system hangs and you want to force a crash, press Ctrl/P from the console. The method of forcing a crash dump varies depending on whether XDELTA is loaded.

If XDELTA is loaded, pressing Ctrl/P causes the system to enter XDELTA. The system displays the instruction pointer and the current instruction. You can force a crash from XDELTA by entering ;C, as shown in the following example:

$

Console Brk at 8068AD40

8068AD40!       add      r16 = r24, r16 ;;  (New IPL = 3)

;C

If XDELTA is not loaded, pressing Ctrl/P causes the system to respond with the prompt "Crash? (Y/N)". Entering Y causes the system to crash. Entering any other character has no effect on the system.

4.2 AUTHORIZE: New Quotas for the DEFAULT and SYSTEM Account

V8.2

The quotas associated with the DEFAULT and SYSTEM account have been updated. These updated quotas will be seen only on fresh installations of OpenVMS or on the creation of a new SYSUAF data file. Existing SYSUAF data files will not be updated.

The updates to the DEFAULT account are as follows:

The updates to the SYSTEM account are the same as the DEFAULT account with the exception of the following two quotas:

For upgraded systems with existing SYSUAF files, the system manager might want to update the DEFAULT and SYSTEM account quotas to these new values.

4.3 AUTOGEN: New Behavior with NEWPARAMS.DAT Files

V7.3-2

AUTOGEN no longer allows layered product kits to provide NEWPARAMS.DAT records that do not include a product name. The most commonly used products that previously did not adhere to this rule are DECwindows and DECnet-Plus. You must install new versions of both products when you install OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.3-2 or later. (See Section 1.9.8.)

AUTOGEN looks for files named SYS$SYSTEM:NEWPARAMS.DAT;*, which contain SYSGEN parameter modifications specifying the consumption of system resources by layered products. A software installation kit may provide a NEWPARAMS.DAT file instead of telling the system manager to modify MODPARAMS.DAT to accommodate the requirements of the software being installed. For more information, refer to the AUTOGEN chapter in the HP OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual.

4.4 Backup Utility: Behavior Change

V8.2

A restore of a physical backup no longer requires the output disk to have the same geometry (tracks, cylinders). The restore works as long as the output has the same or larger capacity.

BACKUP/IMAGE is supported for I64 system disks. The image of an I64 system disk can be saved and restored on either an Alpha or an I64 system.

4.5 DECdtm/XA with Oracle® 8i and 9i (Alpha Only)

V7.3-2

When you are using DECdtm/XA to coordinate transactions with the Oracle® 8i/9i XA Compliant Resource Manager (RM), do not use the dynamic registration XA switch (xaoswd). Version 9.0.1.0.0 of the Oracle shareable library that supports dynamic registration does not work. Always use the static registration XA switch (xaosw) to bind the Oracle RM to the DECdtm/XA Veneer.

The DECdtm/XA V2.1 Gateway now has clusterwide transaction recovery support. Transactions from applications that use a clusterwide DECdtm Gateway Domain Log can now be recovered from any single-node failure. Gateway servers running on the remaining cluster nodes can initiate the transaction recovery process on behalf of the failed node.

4.6 Device Unit Number Maximum Increased

V8.2

In the past, OpenVMS would never create more than 10,000 cloned device units, and unit numbers would wrap after 9999. This had become a limitation for some devices, such as mailboxes or TCP/IP sockets.

Starting with OpenVMS Version 7.3-2, OpenVMS will create up to 32,767 devices if the DEV$V_NNM bit is clear in UCB$L_DEVCHAR2 and if bit 2 is clear in the DEVICE_NAMING system parameter. This does not require any device driver change. However, programs and command procedures that are coded to assume a maximum device number of 9999 may need to be modified.

4.7 ECP Data Collector and Performance Analyzer V5.5 (Alpha Only)

V8.2

Version 5.5 is the recommended version of the Enterprise Capacity and Performance (ECP) Analyzer for OpenVMS Alpha Version 8.2. Version 5.5 is backward compatible with OpenVMS Version 6.2 and higher.

The Performance Data Collector (TDC) Version 2.1 replaces the ECP Collector on OpenVMS Version 8.2. ECP Analyzer can analyze collection files created by TDC Version 2.1 and later.

The ECP Analyzer is currently not supported on OpenVMS I64.

4.8 EDIT/FDL: Fixing Recommended Bucket Size

V7.3

Prior to OpenVMS Version 7.3, when running EDIT/FDL, the calculated bucket sizes were always rounded up to the closest disk-cluster boundary, with a maximum bucket size of 63. This could cause problems when the disk-cluster size was large, but the "natural" bucket size for the file was small, because the bucket size was rounded up to a much larger value than required. Larger bucket sizes increase record and bucket lock contention, and can seriously impact performance.

OpenVMS Version 7.3 or higher modifies the algorithms for calculating the recommended bucket size to suggest a more reasonable size when the disk cluster is large.

4.9 EFI$CP Utility: Use Not Recommended

V8.2

The OpenVMS EFI$CP utility is presently considered undocumented and unsupported. HP recommends against use of this utility in OpenVMS Version 8.2. Certain privileged operations within this utility could render OpenVMS I64 unbootable.

4.10 EFI Tools: VMS_SHOW DUMP_DEV Errors (I64 Only)

V8.2

When a DUMP_DEV list is set by using the OpenVMS I64 Boot Manager utility (BOOT_OPTIONS.COM), and you then use the EFI utility to display the DUMP_DEV EFI NVRAM variables from the EFI shell, VMS_SHOW.EFI displays "Error: Unknown Device" for each DUMP_DEV entry. To display the DUMP_DEV list, use the OpenVMS I64 Boot Manager utility. This problem will be fixed in the next release.

4.11 Error Log Viewer (ELV) Utility: TRANSLATE/PAGE Command

V7.3-2

If a message is signaled while you are viewing a report using the /PAGE qualifier with the TRANSLATE command, the display might become corrupted. The workaround for this problem is to refresh the display using Ctrl/W.

If you press Ctrl/Z immediately after a message is signaled, the program abruptly terminates. The workaround for this problem is to scroll past the signaled message before pressing Ctrl/Z.

4.12 External Authentication

This section contains release notes pertaining to external authentication. External authentication is an optional feature introduced in OpenVMS Version 7.1 that enables OpenVMS systems to authenticate designated users with their external user IDs and passwords. For detailed information about using external authentication, refer to the HP OpenVMS Guide to System Security. Also see Section 2.14.1 for a release note related to external authentication.

4.12.1 I64 External Authentication Support

V8.2

The Advanced Server for OpenVMS V7.3A ECO4 (and later) product kit contains standalone external authentication software for I64 systems in an OpenVMS cluster.

If you want to enable NT LAN Manager external authentication on OpenVMS Cluster member nodes running I64, you must copy the I64 standalone external authentication images from an Alpha system on which the Advanced Server is installed to the I64 member node, and complete the setup as described in the Advanced Server kit release notes.

4.12.2 SET PASSWORD Behavior Within a DECterm Terminal Session

V7.2

A DECterm terminal session does not have access to the external user name used for login and must prompt for one during SET PASSWORD operations. The external user name defaults to the process's OpenVMS user name. If the default is not appropriate (that is, if the external user name and mapped OpenVMS user name are different), you must enter the correct external user name.

The following example shows a SET PASSWORD operation initiated by a user with the external user name JOHN_DOE. The mapped OpenVMS user name is JOHNDOE and is the default used by the SET PASSWORD operation. In this case, the default is incorrect and the actual external user name was specified by the user.

$ set password
External user name not known; Specify one (Y/N)[Y]? Y
External user name [JOHNDOE]: JOHN_DOE
Old password:
New password:
Verification:
%SET-I-SNDEXTAUTH, Sending password request to external authenticator
%SET-I-TRYPWDSYNCH, Attempting password synchronization
$

V7.1

In the LAN Manager domain, a user cannot log in once a password expires.

PC users receive notification of impending external user password expiration and can change passwords before they expire. However, when a user logs in from an OpenVMS workstation using external authentication, the login process cannot determine whether the external password is about to expire. Therefore, sites that enforce password expiration and whose users do not primarily use PCs can choose not to use external authentication for workstation users.

4.13 INITIALIZE Command Changes

V8.2

The default behavior of the INITIALIZE command has changed as follows:

• In previous OpenVMS versions, the /ERASE qualifier would both set the ERASE_ON_DELETE volume characteristic and perform an initial data security erase (DSE) of the volume. Starting with Version 8.2, users can independently select one or both of these actions by specifying either or both of the following new keywords with /ERASE:

  /ERASE=INIT	Performs a DSE erase.
  /ERASE=DELETE	Sets the ERASE_ON_DELETE flag on the volume.

  
  The default behavior of /ERASE with no keywords remains the same as in previous releases. (That is, /ERASE is equivalent to /ERASE=(INIT,DELETE).)
• The default behavior of INITIALIZE when /CLUSTER_SIZE is not specified has changed. For both ODS-2 and ODS-5, when no specific size is set, the default cluster size is now a minimum of 16. (Previously it was 3.) Also, when a cluster size is computed, the value is rounded up to the next multiple of 16. There is no behavior change when a value is specified for /CLUSTER_SIZE.

For another change to the INITIALIZE command, see Section 4.17. For detailed information about the INITIALIZE command, see online help or the HP OpenVMS DCL Dictionary.

4.14 INSTALL Utility

V8.2

Previously, programs linked with /TRACEBACK could not be installed using the /RESIDENT qualifier. This restriction has been removed. INSTALL now accepts the /RESIDENT qualifier on programs linked with /TRACEBACK, provided the program is installed without any privileges.

4.15 Lock Manager

The following notes pertain to the OpenVMS Distributed Lock Manager.

4.15.1 Lock Value Block Extended

V8.2

On Alpha and I64 systems, the lock value block has been extended from 16 to 64 bytes. To learn how to take advantage of this increase, refer to the following resources:

• HP OpenVMS System Services Reference Manual: See descriptions of $DEQ, $ENQ, and $GETLKI.
• HP OpenVMS Programming Concepts Manual: See information about mixed-version operation and interoperability.
• HP OpenVMS System Analysis Tools Manual: See the description of the SHOW RESOURCES display.

While use of this feature by applications is optional, the size of the RSB$ data structure defining each lock resource is increased by 48 bytes even when the feature is not being used.

4.15.2 Fast Lock Remastering and PE1

V7.3

The Lock Manager has a feature called lock remastering. A lock remaster is the process of moving the lock mastership of a resource tree to another node in the cluster. The node that masters a lock tree can process local locking requests much faster because communication is not required with another node in the cluster. Having a lock tree reside on the node doing the most locking operations can improve overall system performance.

Prior to OpenVMS Version 7.3, lock remastering resulted in all nodes sending one message per local lock to the new master. For a very large lock tree, it could require a substantial amount of time to perform the lock remastering operation. During the operation, all application locking to the lock tree is stalled.

Starting with OpenVMS Version 7.3, sending lock data to the new master is done with very large transfers. This is a much more efficient process and results in moving a lock tree from 3 to 20 times faster.

Only nodes running Version 7.3 or higher can use large transfers for lock remastering. Remastering between OpenVMS Version 7.3 or higher nodes and prior version nodes still requires sending a single message per lock.

If you currently use the PE1 system parameter to limit the size of lock trees that can be remastered, HP recommends that you either try increasing the value to allow large lock trees to move or try setting the value to zero (0) to allow any size lock tree to move.

4.16 Logical Disk (LD) Utility: Problem Fixed

V7.3-2

In previous versions of OpenVMS, the Logical Disk (LD) utility could bypass the cache for the container file. If RMS was used to read or write to the container file, RMS would have stale data if the LD utility was used to connect to the file and subsequently to the logical disk being written.

This problem occurred mainly when the LD utility was used to create disk images to be burned onto a CD-ROM.

This problem has been fixed and you no longer need to use the following DCL command to turn caching off for any file that will be used as a container file for the LD utility:

$ SET FILE/CACHING_ATTRIBUTE=NO_CACHING CONTAINER_FILE.DSK.

V8.2

Starting with OpenVMS Version 8.2, the DCL command INITIALIZE has a new /GPT qualifier that is activated by default on I64 systems to create a new system file called GPT.SYS. This new GPT.SYS file contains the OpenVMS bootblock information. (GPT stands for global unique identifier partition table.)

On Alpha systems, /NOGPT is the default. For details about the INITIALIZE command, consult online help or the HP OpenVMS DCL Dictionary.

When GPT.SYS is present, the volume logical block layout of the volume is different from how it has been on pre-Version 8.2 Alpha systems. GPT.SYS maps the first and last logical blocks on the volume (that is, LBN 0 and LBN MAXBLOCK-1 [based on the value of the F$GETDVI item code MAXBLOCK]) into two segments with a minimum size of 34 blocks each. For example, on a volume with /CLUSTER_SIZE=8, the map area output might look as follows:

DUMP/HEADER/BLOCK=COUNT=0 [000000]GPT.SYS
     :
     .
     Map area
            Retrieval pointers
                     Count:      40    LBN:          0
                     Count:      40    LBN:   71132920

If you plan to run existing programs on OpenVMS I64 or on an Alpha system with a GPT.SYS file, you should modify the first block (VBN 1) maps in any programs that assume the first block of an [000000]INDEXF.SYS file maps to LBN 0; with GPT.SYS, VBN 1 might no longer map the boot block. You may not need to change programs that make no association between LBN 0 and VBN 1 of INDEXF.SYS and that always use the VBN layout of INDEXF.SYS, but you should examine them to be certain.

The VBN layout of INDEXF.SYS is currently documented in Section 1.2.1 of the Guide to OpenVMS File Applications and in Section 2.5.1 of VMS File System Internals by Kirby McCoy (ISBN 1-55558-056-4, 1990).

For other changes to the INITIALIZE command, refer to Section 4.13. For full details about INITIALIZE, see online help or the HP OpenVMS DCL Dictionary.