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If you are upgrading RDF from a previous version, you need to reboot your system after the updated version of RDF is installed. Each Alpha Server and each Alpha Client needs to be rebooted because device drivers are non-reloadable on the Alpha.
The RDALLOCATE and RDDEALLOCATE procedures use the RDEV_CONTROL_* image. In order to execute this image you must have the following privileges: NETMBX, TMPMBX |
3.1 Command Overview---Tape Devices
Remote tape devices can be allocated (RDALLOCATE) or deallocated
(RDDEALLOCATE) by any CLIENT node. A given client node can allocate up
to sixteen (16) remote devices at once. The allocated remote tape
devices can be located anywhere on a DECNET based network or on an
OpenVMS cluster.
3.1.1 OpenVMS CLIENT Nodes
A Remote Device Facility OpenVMS CLIENT uses two procedures:
$ @tti_rdev:RDALLOCATE node_name::device [logical_name] $ @tti_rdev:RDDEALLOCATE logical_name |
Where node_name is the name of the node that the tape device is locally attached to (the SERVER node).
Where device is the name of the tape device on the server node.
Where logical_name (an optional parameter) is the name to be used when accessing the remote tape device. If no logical_name is given, a logical name in the form TAPEnn is created.
A successful RDALLOCATE displays a message giving the name of the assigned logical. This logical should be used as the device name for all RDF tape device operations.
The assigned logical points to an RDEVxx device. The RDEVxx device is used by RDF to access the remote tape device across the network.
Once a device has been RDALLOCATED, it can only be used by the process that did the RDALLOCATE. The RDDEALLOCATE command must be issued to again make the device available to all SERVER and CLIENT nodes.
$ @tti_rdev:rddeallocate tape01
|
For tape devices, if the device is mounted when the RDDEALLOCATE command is issued, RDDEALLOCATE performs an explicit DISMOUNT/UNLOAD on the device. This causes the tape to be unloaded.
To prevent tape unloading, you must issue a DISMOUNT/NOUNLOAD before RDDEALLOCATING the tape device.
$ dismount/nounload tape01
$ @tti_rdev:rddeallocate tape01
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A Remote Device Facility Ultrix CLIENT uses two commands:
% rtallocate node_name::device [logical_name] % rtdeallocate logical_name |
Where node_name is the name of the node that the tape device is locally attached to (the SERVER node).
Where device is the name of the tape device on the server node.
Where logical_name (an optional parameter) is the name to be used when accessing the remote device. If no logical_name is given, a logical name in the form /dev/tapenn is created.
A successful RTALLOCATE displays a message giving the name of the assigned logical. This logical should be used as the tape device name for all RDF tape operations.
The assigned logical points to an RDEVxx device. The RDEVxx device is used by RDF to access the remote tape device across the network.
By default, RDF rewinds the tape after an Ultrix tape operation. If you do not want the tape to rewind, use the optional norewind parameter in the RTALLOCATE command.
% rtallocate node_name::device [logical_name] [norewind] % rtallocate zeus::mua0: mytape norewind RTF - Remote Tape Facility (Version 3.0) - Rtallocate Procedure Copyright (c) 1990, 1996 Touch Technologies, Inc. Allocating... Allocated zeus::mua0 at /dev/mytape (unit number 1) % |
Remote disk devices can be allocated (RDALLOCATE) or deallocated (RDDEALLOCATE) by any OpenVMS CLIENT node. A given client node can allocate up to sixteen (16) remote devices at once. The allocated remote disk devices can be located anywhere on a DECNET based network or on an OpenVMS cluster.
A Remote Device Facility OpenVMS CLIENT uses two procedures:
$ @tti_rdev:RDALLOCATE node_name::device [logical_name] $ @tti_rdev:RDDEALLOCATE logical_name |
Where node_name is the name of the node that the disk device is locally attached to (the SERVER node).
Where device is the name of the disk device on the server node.
Where logical_name (an optional parameter) is the name to be used when accessing the remote disk device. If no logical_name is given, a logical name in the form DISKnn is created.
A successful RDALLOCATE mounts the remote disk device and displays a message giving the name of the assigned logical. This logical should be used as the device name for all RDF disk device operations.
The assigned logical points to an RDEVxx device. The RDEVxx device is used by RDF to access the remote disk device across the network.
Once a device has been RDALLOCATED, it can only be used by the process that did the RDALLOCATE. The RDDEALLOCATE command must be issued to again make the device available to all SERVER and CLIENT nodes.
$ @tti_rdev:rddeallocate disk01
|
Privileges required to RDALLOCATE remote disks system-wide are: NETMBX, TMPMBX, SYSNAM, SYSPRV |
To make a remote disk device available to all users on a CLIENT node for read access only, use the /SYSTEM qualifier:
$ @tti_rdev:rdallocate node::device/system [logical_name]
|
To make a remote disk device available to all users on a CLIENT node for read/write access, use the /WRITE/SYSTEM qualifiers:
$ @tti_rdev:rdallocate node::device/write/system [logical_name]
|
Any RDALLOCATE request to write, whether it be /WRITE, /WRITE/SYSTEM or /WRITE/EXCLUSIVE, will be refused if the remote disk is not in an "online" state. To be in an "online" state, the remote disk must NOT be mounted anywhere on the local machine or cluster. |
If you specify system-wide mount on the client, and you provide the optional logical name, the RDCLIENT uses the logical you specify to point to the remote disk in the system-wide logical name table.
$ @tti_rdev:rdallocate jr::jr$dka300/system jrsys
RDEV - VMS Remote Device Facility (Version V4.n) - RDallocate Procedure
Copyright (c) 1990-2000 by Touch Technologies, Inc.
Device JR::JR$DKA300 ALLOCATED, use JRSYS to reference it
$
|
If you specify system-wide mount on the client, and you DO NOT specify a logical name, the RDCLIENT creates the system-wide logical name in the form of RDEV_DISK_servernode_volumelabel AND provides a logical of DISKnn in your logical name table.
$ @tti_rdev:rdallocate jr::jr$dka300/system
RDEV - VMS Remote Device Facility (Version V4.n) - RDallocate Procedure
Copyright (c) 1990-2000 Touch Technologies, Inc.
Device JR::JR$DKA300 ALLOCATED, use RDEV_DISK_JR_JRSYS to reference it
|
To RDDEALLOCATE remote disk devices that have been RDALLOCATED /SYSTEM, use the DISMOUNT command. The disk device is RDDEALLOCATED automatically.
$ @tti_rdev:rdallocate jr::jr$dka300/system jrsys
RDEV - VMS Remote Device Facility (Version V4.n) - RDallocate Procedure
Copyright (c) 1990-2000 Touch Technologies, Inc.
Device JR::JR$DKA300 ALLOCATED, use JRSYS to reference it
$ dismount jrsys
|
Remote disk devices can be RDALLOCATED with WRITE access by using the /WRITE/EXCLUSIVE qualifiers. An /EXCLUSIVE request will be refused if the remote disk is already mounted by either the RDSERVER or simply mounted on the server system.
$ @tti_rdev:rdallocate node::disk/write/exclusive [logical_name]
|
An RDF CLIENT can remotely access any device configured on an RDF SERVER node. For example, in order to access device MUA0: on node ZEUS (perhaps for backup purposes), the following commands would be used:
$ @tti_rdev:rdallocate ZEUS::MUA0:
RDEV - VMS Remote Device Facility (Version V4.n) - RDallocate Procedure
Copyright (c) 1990-2000 by Touch Technologies, Inc.
Device ZEUS::MUAO: ALLOCATED, use TAPE01 to reference it
$ initialize TAPE01: DIRBAK
$ backup *.* TAPE01:DIRBAK.BCK/SAVE...(and any other qualifiers)
.
.
.
$ @tti_rdev:rddeallocate TAPE01:
|
The device name given in the RDALLOCATE command must EXACTLY match one of the device names or device characteristics in the server's configuration file. If no match is found, the RDALLOCATE fails with an error message. |
The RDSHOW procedure uses the RDCONTROL image. In order to execute this image you must have the following privileges: NETMBX, TMPMBX In addition, to show information on devices RDALLOCATED by other processes requires: SYSPRV, WORLD |
RDF/Ultrix client commands differ slightly from RDF/OpenVMS commands. The RDF/Ultrix commands are not prefixed with "@tti_rdev:" and they begin with "rt" instead of "rd". So, the OpenVMS command $ @tti_rdev:RDSHOW ZEUS becomes the RDF/Ultrix command % RTSHOW ZEUS. In addition, RDF/ULTRIX has no STARTUP or SHUTDOWN procedures. |
The RDSHOW procedure can be run at any time after the RDSERVER_STARTUP or RDCLIENT_STARTUP procedures have been executed. There are three procedures:
$ @tti_rdev:RDSHOW CLIENT $ @tti_rdev:RDSHOW SERVER node_name $ @tti_rdev:RDSHOW DEVICES |
Where node_name is the name of any node on which the RDSERVER_STARTUP procedure has been executed.
4.2 Showing Devices You Have RDALLOCATED
To show remote devices that you have RDALLOCATED, enter the following
from the CLIENT node:
$ @tti_rdev:RDSHOW CLIENT RDEV - VMS Remote Device Facility (Version V4.n) - RDshow Procedure Copyright (c) 1990-2000 by Touch Technologies, Inc. RDALLOCATED devices for pid 20200294, user DJ, on node MINI:: Local logical Rem node Remote device TAPE01 ZEUS:: ZEUS$MUC0 |
Where DJ is your username and MINI is your current CLIENT node.
4.3 Showing Servable Devices
To show all devices on a given SERVER node, enter the following from
any CLIENT or SERVER node:
$ @tti_rdev:RDSHOW SERVER zeus RDEV - VMS Remote Device Facility (Version V4.n) - RDshow Procedure Copyright (c) 1990-2000 by Touch Technologies, Inc. |
Where ZEUS is the name of the SERVER node whose devices you want shown.
Available devices on node ZEUS:: Name Status Usage Characteristics/Comments -------------- -------- -------------------- ----------------------------------- ZEUS$MSA0 -free- Read/write Compress msa0 ZEUS$MUA0 your's Read/write Compress RDallocated by APOLLO::OPERATOR ZEUS$MUB0 in use Device already in use ZEUS$MUC0 private Read/write Compress RDallocated by APOLLO::SYSTEM ZEUS$DUA0 shared Read-only Compress RDallocated by APOLLO::SYSTEM |
RDSHOW SERVER shows all servable devices on the given SERVER node, including any device characteristics. To show the process PID, username, and CLIENT nodename for each allocated device, add "/FULL" to RDSHOW SERVER and enter the following from any CLIENT or SERVER node:
$ @tti_rdev:RDSHOW SERVER zeus/full
RDEV - VMS Remote Device Facility (Version V4.n) - RDshow Procedure
Copyright (c) 1990-2000 by Touch Technologies, Inc.
Available devices on node ZEUS::
Name Status Usage Characteristics/Comments
-------------- -------- -------------------- -----------------------------------
ZEUS$MSA0 -free- Read/write Compress msa0
ZEUS$MUA0 your's Read/write Compress RDallocated by APOLLO::OPERATOR
...by pid 214007A1
ZEUS$MUB0 in use Device already in use
ZEUS$MUC0 private Read/write Compress RDallocated by APOLLO::SYSTEM
...by pid 214007A2
ZEUS$DUA0 shared Read-only Compress RDallocated by APOLLO::SYSTEM
...by pid 214007A2
|
The text (local) is shown if the device is locally allocated.
4.4 Showing All RDALLOCATED Devices on your CLIENT node
To show all RDALLOCATED devices on your CLIENT node, enter the
following from the CLIENT node:
$ @tti_rdev:RDSHOW DEVICES RDEV - VMS Remote Device Facility (Version V4.n) - RDshow Procedure Copyright (c) 1990-2000 by Touch Technologies, Inc. Devices RDALLOCATED to client node MINI:: RDdevice Rem node Remote device Local user name Local PID RDEVA0: ZEUS:: ZEUS$MUC0 DJ 2020014C RDEVB0: ZEUS:: ZEUS$MUA0 CATHY 202001B6 |
The RDSHOW DEVICES procedure can be used by system operators to determine which devices on which nodes are being RDALLOCATED.
Remote Device Facility provides network data compression. When the data compression feature is enabled, all network data flowing between the client and server is compressed. This feature can increase throughput by a factor of 2.
When compression is enabled for both the CLIENT and SERVER, RDF compresses each segment of data before it sends it over the network. When the data arrives at the other end, it is decompressed and then processed normally. Since the data written to an RDallocated device is not compressed, RDF does NOT have to be used to read the tape/disk data.
When using data compression, the CLIENT must be an Alpha. The SERVER can be either a VAX or an Alpha. |
To use the compression feature:
Data compression works best on very fast CPUs. Depending on your system configuration, data compression might not be beneficial.
5.2 Enabling Data Compression on the SERVER
On the RDserver node, the following line must be added to the
configuration file, tti_rdev:CONFIG_nodename.DAT.
COMPRESSION ON
For Example:
! TTI_RDEV:CONFIG_CHEERS.DAT - RDserver Configuration file ! (for node CHEERS) ! ! This configuration file is read by the RDserver whenever ! a RDclient tries to allocate a remote device (RDallocate). ! ! The format of this configuration file is: ! ! DEVICE servable_device [characteristic1, characteristic2 ...] !--------------------------------------------------------------- COMPRESSION ON device CHEERS$MKA500: MKA500 device TTI$MUA0: MUA0 device TTI$MUB0: MUB0 device TTI$MUC0: MUC0 ... |
On the RDclient node, the following logical must be defined in the
system logical name table and be set to TRUE.
RDEV_CLIENT_COMPRESSION TRUE
For Example:
CHEERS$ DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXECUTIVE RDEV_CLIENT_COMPRESSION TRUE |
RDSHOW can be used to see what is currently set to compress.
To determine if data compression is enabled on a RDSERVER node, you can check the RDSERVER_nodename.LOG file. The log file will show:
RDEV_SERVER procedure started...
27-JAN-2000 13:34:15.42
RDEV - VMS Remote Device Facility (Version V4.n) - --RDserver-- Procedure
Copyright (c) 1990-2000 by Touch Technologies, Inc.
: [01/27-13:34:17.33] Compression ENABLED for this server
: [01/27-13:34:17.36] Startup complete (pid 28E0022B)
...
|
To determine if data compression is enabled on a RDCLIENT node, you can check the RDSERVER_nodename.LOG file. The log file will show:
RDEV - VMS Remote Device Facility (Version V4.n) - --RDclient-- Procedure
Copyright (c) 1990-2000 by Touch Technologies, Inc.
: [01/27-13:34:20.08] RDCLIENT startup (V4.n)
: [01/27-13:34:20.10] Compression ENABLED for this client ()
|
Changing the data compression status of either the RDSERVER or RDCLIENT can be done at any time. However, this will only effect new devices that are allocated. |
To turn data compression OFF on a given CLIENT after it has been enabled, deassign the logical RDEV_CLIENT_COMPRESSION. For example:
CHEERS$ DEASSIGN/SYSTEM/EXECUTIVE RDEV_CLIENT_COMPRESSION |
To turn data compression OFF on a given SERVER after it has been enabled, comment out the COMPRESSION ON line in the tti_rdev:CONFIG_nodename.DAT file
RDF automatically adjusts data compression settings without having to shut down or restart the CLIENT or SERVER.
The new compression setting will be for new RDallocates only. Preallocated devices will still have compression enabled but, once these devices are RDdeallocated, they will return to an uncompressed state.
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