nagy%warner.hepnet@LBL.GOV (Frank J. Nagy, VAX Wizard & Guru) (03/12/88)
> After much searching, I believe that what's required is something similar to > the SID register - perhaps a register containing the VAX serial number (every > VAX has a unique serial number for the 'processor box' ). Does anyone know if > there is a 'spare register' into which such a number could be planted? Nope, SID registers are not unique (all MicroVAX-IIs have the same value in their SID register). And there are no spare registers about... > Obvious ways to identify a particular system might spring to mind such as > DECnet node name/ cluster node name or id/ Ethernet address/ something planted > in the USERxx SYSGEN parameters/special file on disk. However, when you > consider that VAX systems might be stand-alone/ may not have an Ethernet > connection/ may not run DECnet/ may have software which makes use of the > USERxx SYSGEN parameters already/special files may get deleted especially > during software installation,etc is there anything left? Hint: use the SCSNAME==VAXCluster node name system parameter (at least I think its called SCSNAME) and then use F$GETSYI("NODENAME") to get the node's identification. This is what we do (2 LAVCs + 2 S/A VAXStations + 3 S/A MicroVAX-IIs + VAXCluster Control Center (VCC) MicroVAX) to handle all these different systems with a common set of procedures. The SCSNAME parameter is obviously required and unique on CI clusters and LAVCs; the trick is that you can also define it on S/A systems with no problems. One other thing, the confusion is kept to a minimum if you always make SCSNAME and the DECnet node name (if any) be the same. = Frank J. Nagy "VAX Guru & Wizard" = Fermilab Research Division EED/Controls = HEPNET: WARNER::NAGY (43198::NAGY) or FNAL::NAGY (43009::NAGY) = BitNet: NAGY@FNAL = USnail: Fermilab POB 500 MS/220 Batavia, IL 60510
MACALLSTR@vax1.physics.oxford.ac.UK (03/13/88)
I'm developing system ( start-up ) procedures for the several VAX systems for which I'm responsible and am aiming to have a SINGLE set of files i.e. to have only ONE copy of each command procedure to maintain. For this to work I require some RELIABLE identification number/string i.e. unique to a VAX system and available at all times from initial boot onwards. The one set of command procedures would contain switches to set things up or not for each system as the procedures are processed, the selection being based on the 'unique id'. After much searching, I believe that what's required is something similar to the SID register - perhaps a register containing the VAX serial number ( every VAX has a unique serial number for the 'processor box' ). Does anyone know if there is a 'spare register' into which such a number could be planted? Obvious ways to identify a particular system might spring to mind such as DECnet node name/ cluster node name or id/ Ethernet address/ something planted in the USERxx SYSGEN parameters/special file on disk. However, when you consider that VAX systems might be stand-alone/ may not have an Ethernet connection/ may not run DECnet/ may have software which makes use of the USERxx SYSGEN parameters already/special files may get deleted especially during software installation,etc is there anything left? Unless it's possible to uniquely identify VAX systems in the way I've outlined above proper management of radidly proliferating VAXstations will be impossible. Having separate, different copies of files for 10+ VAX systems becomes a nightmare when updates/new software have to be installed. John