Updated: 24 May 2001

DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS
Installation and Basic Configuration

The net$configure.com procedure creates an Export/Import file to register your node in the appropriate namespace. If your node is already registered, the decnet_register Export/Import file is not created.

7.6.1 Export/Import File Format

The decnet_register Export/Import file is a text file that has the following format where <synonym> is the node synonym name you selected during configuration:

sys$manager:decnet_register_import_file_<synonym>.TXT

7.6.2 Problems Registering a Node

. . . Updating nodes listed in SYS$MANAGER:DECNET_REGISTER_IMPORT_FILE_ELMER.TXT 1) local:.elmer Error - Node registration was unsuccessful Please correct any problems and re-register the node LOCAL:.elmer The specified node name is already in use as a synonym Used by node: LOCAL:.WABBIT.ELMER Synonym: elmer You can choose to stop processing this command, continue executing this command until completion or until the next error, or ignore further errors and continue to completion. Number of nodes registered: 0 Number of nodes modified: 0 Number of update failures: 1 %NET$CONFIGURE-E-COULDNOTREG, could not automatically register node in the LOCAL directory service ********************************************************************** WARNING This node could not be registered in one or more of the directory services you have chosen. When this procedure completes you or your network manager will have to manually register this node in the directory service(s) for which the error occurred. See the DECnet-Plus Installation and Configuration guide for more details, or contact your network manager. Once the problem has been rectified, you or your namespace manager can use the following decnet_register command(s) to register your node in the appropriate directory service(s): For the LOCAL directory service: DECNET_REGISTER IMPORT DIRECTORY LOCAL FILE - SYS$MANAGER:DECNET_REGISTER_IMPORT_FILE_ELMER.TXT Once the node has been successfully registered in the appropriate directory service(s), invoke option 2 of NET$CONFIGURE.COM (Change node name/namespace name) to complete the node's network configuration and startup. **********************************************************************

If net$configure.com cannot access the DECdns namespace you have selected, it is most likely because:

• The namespace is not available at the moment.
• Your node does not have proper access to the DECdns namespace.
• The namespace you are using is new and the directories have not been created yet.

When this happens, you will see the following message (this example uses ACME: as the namespace that is not accessible):

************************************************************************* WARNING NET$CONFIGURE.COM cannot access the ACME: namespace, either because the namespace is not available at the moment, your node does not have proper access to the namespace, or because the namespace you are using is new and the directories have not been created yet. Therefore, the decnet_register tool cannot attempt to look up or register your node into the ACME: namespace. When the problem is rectified, please use the decnet_register import file to register your node into the ACME: namespace. *************************************************************************

If you receive this message because the namespace you are using is new and the namespace directories have not been created yet, use the decnet_register manage command to invoke decnet_register_decdns.com (located in SYS$MANAGER:) to create the proper directories. For more details, refer to the DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Network Management guide.

If you see the preceding warning messages, net$configure will display another message indicating how you or your namespace manager can attempt node registration once the problem is resolved. For example:

********************************************************************** WARNING This node could not be registered in one or more of the directory services you have chosen. When this procedure completes you or your network manager will have to manually register this node in the directory service(s) for which the error occurred. See the DECnet-Plus Installation and Configuration guide for more details, or contact your network manager. Once the problem has been rectified, you or your namespace manager can use the following decnet_register command(s) to register your node in the appropriate directory service(s): For the DECdns directory service: DECNET_REGISTER IMPORT DIRECTORY DECDNS FILE - DECNET_REGISTER_IMPORT_FILE_ELMER.TXT For the LOCAL directory service: DECNET_REGISTER IMPORT DIRECTORY LOCAL FILE - DECNET_REGISTER_IMPORT_FILE_ELMER.TXT Once the node has been successfully registered in the appropriate directory service(s), invoke option 2 of NET$CONFIGURE.COM (Change node name/namespace name) to complete the node's network configuration and startup. **********************************************************************

You may see the previous messages if the following exists:

• You enter LOCAL for the primary directory service and DECDNS for the secondary directory service and,
• Your primary Local node full name does not have the proper access necessary to look up or register your secondary DECdns node full name.
  If this is the case, you or your namespace manager need to perform the following steps on the node that has the DECdns server in order for your primary Local node to obtain this access to the DECdns namespace:
  1. Make sure the .WorldRead_Group is created on the DECdns server node. If the .WorldRead_Group has not been created yet, use the decnet_register manage command to invoke decnet_register_decdns.com (located in sys$manager:) to create the .WorldRead_Group. For more details, refer to the DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Network Management guide.
  2. Once you or your namespace manager knows that the .WorldRead_Group has been created, invoke the DNS$CONTROL utility on the node with the DECdns server and enter the following commands:

     $ mcr dns$control DNS> add group <ns>:.worldread_group member local:.*... DNS> add clear <ns>:.<ch_name> access <ns>:.worldread_group as group for r,t

     
     where <ns> is the DECdns namespace name to which you want your LOCAL node to have access and <ch_name> is the clearinghouse name of the DECdns namespace you are using.

These commands will give your primary Local full name the proper access it needs to look up information regarding the secondary DECdns full name you have chosen.

Part III contains the following appendixes:

• Appendix A --- Overview of the POLYCENTER Software Installation Utility
• Appendix B --- Installing DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS from an InfoServer
• Appendix C --- System Files Loaded During Installation

The POLYCENTER Software Installation utility replaces VMSINSTAL as the method of installing layered products for OpenVMS such as the OSI applications for DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS, and X.25 for OpenVMS Alpha. It allows you to install several software products with a single command.

Additional details for using the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility to install, manage, and remove software products on your system are provided in the OpenVMS System Management Utilities Reference Manual.

A.1 DCL Help with POLYCENTER

To obtain DCL Help for POLYCENTER, type the DCL command help product, followed by the name of a POLYCENTER Software Installation utility command (for example: help product install).

A.1.1 DCL Command Summary

Table A-1 DCL PRODUCT Commands and Qualifiers

PRODUCT Command	Qualifiers
CONFIGURE Creates a product configuration file (PCF) for one or more products in reference format. Optionally, uses the values in an existing PCF to create the new PCF.	/CONFIGURATION /HELP /LOG /OUTPUT
COPY Manipulates a product distribution. You can use copy to create a sequential copy from a reference copy, a reference copy from a sequential copy, or to create a copy without changing the format.	/DESTINATION /FORMAT /HELP /LOG /OUTPUT /OWNER_UIC /SOURCE
EXTRACT RELEASE_NOTES Accesses the release notes for the selected product or group of products.	/DISPLAY /LOG /OUTPUT /SOURCE
FIND Looks at the distribution media and reports on the products it finds there.	/LOG /OUTPUT /SOURCE
INSTALL Installs one or more software products on your system.	/CONFIGURATION /DESTINATION /HELP /LOG /OUTPUT /PURGE /REMARK /SOURCE /TEST /WORK
RECONFIGURE Changes the active configuration choices for a product.	/CONFIGURATION /HELP /LOG /OUTPUT /REMARK /SOURCE
REGISTER PROCESSOR Adds a processor in a computing facility. Used primarily within a DCL command procedure during system startup.	/BASE_SYSTEM /BOOTSTRAP /DESTINATION /GLOBAL /HELP /LOG /OPERATING /OUTPUT /REMARK
REGISTER PRODUCT Registers a product in the product database.	/DESTINATION /HELP /LOG /OUTPUT /REMARK /SOURCE
REGISTER VOLUME For a volume containing installed products, records a change in volume label in the product database.	/HELP /LOG /OUTPUT
REMOVE Removes a software product from your system and the product database.	/HELP /LOG /OUTPUT /REMARK /WORK
SHOW FILE Displays information about files created during a software product installation.	/BRIEF /DEVICE /DIRECTORY /FULL /PRODUCT
SHOW HISTORY Displays a log of actions, users, and remarks that apply to a particular product.	/ACTION /BEFORE /BRIEF /FULL /REMARK /SINCE /STATE /USER
SHOW PRODUCT Displays information about the products installed on your system.	/ACTION /BEFORE /BRIEF /DEVICE /DIRECTORY /FILE /FULL /LINK /PATCHED /SINCE /SOFTWARE /STATE /STATUS /USER
UNREGISTER PROCESSOR Removes a processor from a computing facility. Used primarily within a DCL command procedure during system startup.	/HELP /LOG /OUTPUT /PURGE /REMARK

A.2 Creating and Using a Product Configuration File

Some software products require you to make a set of choices when you install the product. For example, if you are installing a tool that checks spelling, you might choose which languages you want to include. When you use the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility, you can configure a product in one of three ways:

• By responding to questions asked during the installation procedure
• By modifying your choices after you install a product
• By creating a product configuration file (PCF) before you install the product

By saving your answers in a PCF and using the file for subsequent installations, you can reduce or eliminate the questions asked when you install a product. You can also create multiple PCFs for each product. This allows you to customize software installations for unique hardware situations or for different usage patterns within a group.

If you create a PCF as a separate operation, rather than as part of the installation procedure, you can determine how your choices are recorded in the PCF. You have the following options:

• Save your answer.
  You can specify that your response to an installation question (rather than the current default value) be stored in the PCF.
• Use your answer only once.
  You can answer a question without recording your answer in the PCF. This is useful for responding to questions that are specific to a single system (such as a DECnet-Plus node name) or installation (such as a time setting).
• Defer a question so that it is asked again during a future installation.
  For example, you might want an installer to verify that a particular response is still valid for the systems on which each installation is being performed.
• Prevent a question from being asked again.
  If you do not defer a question when you create a PCF, the default response recorded in the PCF is used during future installations. The installer is not prompted for the information. This reduces the length and complexity of the actual installation procedure.

The following are valid responses to questions asked during an installation:

• Enter your own value and press Return.
• Press Return to accept a default value.
• Press the defer key F17 or ~D to ask the same question during future installations.
• Press F18 or ~W if you do not want to record the answer as the default value in the PCF.
• Press the noexpand key F19 to accept default values for a subset of options.

To get help on using the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility script, at the DCL prompt type the following command:

$ help product

A.3 Verifying Pre-installation Tasks

The POLYCENTER Software Installation utility verifies that any or all of the following are true, depending on your product:

• You are logged in to a privileged account.
  It is good practice to install software from the system manager's account with your default device and directory set to SYS$UPDATE.
• Quotas, system parameters, disk space (and memory) are adequate for installation.
  The POLYCENTER Software Installation utility checks for the quota values specified in Chapter 1. If it does not find sufficient disk space, the installation procedure provides the following options:
  • You can restart the installation and specify another disk to use as an alternate working device for the temporary working directory.
  • You can terminate the installation and then create more disk space on the system disk. The OpenVMS VAX Upgrade and Installation Manual, and OpenVMS Alpha Upgrade and Installation Manual describe how to use tailoring utilities so you can delete files and create more disk space.
  
  If you lack sufficient free disk space for installation or have no other disk to use as an alternate working device, the installation procedure terminates.
• The minimum version of the OpenVMS operating system supported by this release is installed.

When the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility detects a problem in any of these areas, it asks if you want to continue the installation. If you want to continue, type YES. If you want to stop the installation, press Return.

A.4 Resolving Conflicts

The POLYCENTER Software Installation utility resolves some conflicts automatically. For other types of conflicts, the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility provides feedback on the nature of the conflict, letting you decide how you want to proceed.

For example, if the wrong version of DECnet-Plus is installed, the Software Integrator prompts you to install the required version.

Similarly, if the correct version of OpenVMS is installed and you elect not to use the default values when installing X.25, the Software Integrator warns you that you will need to use the RECONFIGURE option if you want to change the version of OpenVMS to be used.

A.5 Determining Installation Progress

As an installation procedure progresses, the system displays a percentage to indicate how much of the installation has been completed. For example:

Percent Done: 0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...80%...90%...100% The following product has been installed: DEC AXPVMS DECNET_OSI V7.1

Or, as another example:

Percent Done: 0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...80%...90%...100% The following product has been installed: DEC VAXVMS DECNET_OSI V7.1

If you started the installation using the /LOG qualifier, the system displays details of the installation.

A.6 Possible Installation Errors

If the installation procedure fails for any reason, an error message appears. For example, if the installation of X.25 fails, the following message appears:

%POLYCENTER Software Installation UtilityINSTAL-E-INSFAIL, The ... installation of X.25 for OpenVMS Alpha Version 1.0 has failed.

An error can occur during the installation if one or more of the following conditions exist:

• The operating system version is incorrect.
• The prerequisite software version is incorrect.
• Quotas necessary for successful installation are inadequate.
• Process quotas required by the POLYCENTER Software Installation utility are inadequate (see Chapter 1).
• The OpenVMS Help library is currently in use.

If the installation fails, you must restart the installation procedure.

Copyright © Compaq Computer Corporation 1998. All rights reserved. Legal

6496PRO_006.HTML