Starting TCPIP (UCX) and SYSLOGD

Introduction

    These notes are mainly aimed at computing staff who may need to restart TCPIP communications
or modify where an Alpha writes it's syslog information. Since TCPIP supports
mounting of NFS disks restarting TCPIP can fix NFS mount problems that can occur
after NFS server machine maintenance. One of the TCPIP services is SYSLOG
which underlies the observing system talker logs.

The TCS writes messages to SYSLOG and we configure these to be written into
the local file:
      [SYS0.UCX_SYSLOGD]SYSLOGD.LOG
and also the talker log for the local ICS. Currently such logs are maintained for intics,
taurus. The spare/development machine should be
configured to write to all log machines, but this may need to be reconfigured when
it is used to control WHT or INT for a long period.

    On each alpha two targets for logging are defined: SYSLOGHOST1 and SYSLOGHOST2.
The local definitions can be set with commands such as

    TCPIP SET HOST SYSLOGHOST /ADDRESS=161.72.6.24

    Once changed, SYSLOGD should be restarted. There are specific instructions here or one
    could restart TCPIP (see further below).

    SHOW SYSTEM
    Look for process name such as SYSLOGD or SYSLOGD_1 and note process id
    Stop the process with
STOP /ID=n
   Disable the service
   TCPIP DISABLE SERVICE SYSLOG
   (note that disabling the SYSLOG service does not not stop the process)
    Start the service
    TCPIP ENABLE SERVICE SYSLOG

    Check that messages can be written to syslog on the target host e.g.

   LOGGER_D "DEBUG TEST MSG"
   LOGGER_I "INFO TEST MSG"
   LOGGER_N "NOTICE TEST MSG"

Note that these definitions of these commands (DCL symbols) are made at login and can be found in
     SYS$COMMON:[SYSMGR]SYLOGIN.COM

Shutting down and restarting TCPIP

     Before starting, shut down the TCS safely, putting Telescope in to ENGINEERING
and then exiting TCS with TCSEXIT command. Failure to observe precautions could
leave telescope moving without proper control.

     One way to restart is to reboot the machine. It can be quicker just to restart TCPIP but
care needs to be taken.

   Typically we use telnet to log into an Alpha. However telnet sessions will close when
TCPIP is shut down. One was around this is to log into another alpha using telnet and
the use a DECnet connection to the target machine. e.g.

      If DECnet is available then it is convenient to use DECnet to create a remote session e.g. session on lpas3 to connect to lpas2 for TCPIP work:

      $ SET HOST LPAS2
      log in as SYSTEM

      If DECnet isn't available use the system console.

$ @SYS$STARTUP:TCPIP$SHUTDOWN.COM

       Note that some devices may be left in use. The shutdown suggests using
       SHOW DEVICE BGn /FULL

       You can then kill process by process id

        $ STOP /ID=m

        You could now update the syslog configuration file
            [SYS0.UCX_SYSLOGD]SYSLOGD.CFG

        or create a new version of log file (to stop log getting too big).

         CREATE [SYS0.UCX_SYSLOGD]SYSLOGD.LOG
         New file created by FJG<control><Z>

        Now restart TCPIP

         $ @SYS$STARTUP:TCPIP$STARTUP

       Now enable (start) SYSLOG

       TCPIP ENABLE SERVICE SYSLOG

       Check this is working by looking for message
             syslogd: restart

       in both alpha and ics log files. Note that it can take 5-10 minutes for message to be
       visible in Alpha SYSLOGD log file. When TCS is started at the INT we see message
              NOTICE Starting D-task for INT

       After starting TCTIP mount the ics disk(s) with

@SYS$MANAGER:TCS_STARTUP

       One can check what's mounted with

UCX SHOW MOUNT

TCS Software Manager

Last modified: FJG 16 Jul 20189