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DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS
Installation and Basic Configuration


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DECnet-Plus now returns the node synonym koi to applications that require Phase IV-style node names.

7.4 Node Synonym Directories

The default node synonym directory is .DNA_NodeSynonym. If you plan to use a node synonym directory other than this default directory, you must define the logical name DECNET_MIGRATE_DIR_SYNONYM to the synonym directory name you want to use in sys$manager:net$logicals.com. (If you do not have a sys$manager:net$logicals.com procedure on your system, you can create one using sys$manager:net$logicals.template.) This makes the definition permanent (that is, it will not be deleted when you reboot the system).

7.4.1 Defining an Alternate Node Synonym Directory

Use the following format to define an alternate node synonym directory:

$ define decnet_migrate_dir_synonym "alt-directory-name"

If you use a synonym directory name that includes special characters or three or more dots, the system might produce an error. To avoid this, enclose the synonym directory name in quotes. For example:

$ define/system decnet_migrate_dir_synonym ".ch.noun.synonym" 

The net$configure procedure needs this logical name to be defined at all times if you wish to use a synonym directory other than .DNA_NodeSynonym. Be sure to add this definition to net$logicals.com to ensure that the definition of the synonym directory will be permanent.

7.4.2 When to Use the Logical Name

You can use the logical name described in Section 7.4.1 for either the BASIC or the ADVANCED configuration option.

You must define this logical name before you use any of following procedures:

If synonym lookup fails in the namespace, the software does one of the following:

The system displays a message that it has redefined the logical names.

7.5 Using a DNS Version 1 Namespace with DECdns Version 2

If you are already using a namespace created with Version 1 of the VAX Distributed Name Service (DNS) (running on DECnet Phase IV), you can continue to use the namespace when you upgrade your networking software to DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS. However, because of differences in the way that DNS Version 1 and DECdns Version 2 handle access control, you must prepare your DNS Version 1 namespace for use by DECnet-Plus. DNS Version 1 and DECdns Version 2 interpret principal specifications in access control entries (ACEs) differently.

In DNS Version 1, servers recognize principals only in the form nodename::username. In DECdns Version 2, servers recognize principals primarily in the form nodename.username. For DECdns Version 2 clerks and servers to interpret and process existing DNS Version 1-style access control entries in the namespace, you need to create a backtranslation directory (.DNA_BackTranslation) and a node synonym directory (.DNA_NodeSynonym) in the root directory of the namespace. You must then populate these directories by registering all the nodes participating in the Version 1 namespace.

7.5.1 Preparing a DNS Version 1 Namespace for Use by DECdns Version 2

To prepare a namespace created with DNS Version 1 for use by DECnet-Plus, follow these steps:

  1. Install and configure DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS on any node in your namespace that is not currently functioning as a DNS Version 1 server. Configure the node as a DECdns Version 2 clerk. See Chapter 3 and Chapter 5 in this book if you plan to use the BASIC configuration option, or the DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Applications Installation and Advanced Configuration guide if you plan to use the ADVANCED configuration option.
  2. From any node running DNS Version 1 server software, use the DNS Version 1 control program (DNS$CONTROL) add access command to grant the following DNS Version 1-style access on behalf of the SYSTEM account on the new Version 2 clerk node that you configured in Step 1:
    For example, if the DECnet-Plus full name of the new clerk is .pastry, and the master replica of the Version 1 namespace is stored in the .paris_ch clearinghouse, enter the following two commands:
    DNS> add access pastry::system directory . /rights=(r,w,d,t,c) 
    
    DNS> add access pastry::system clearinghouse .paris_ch /rights=(r,w,d,t,c) 
    

    You need to grant this access to ensure that the SYSTEM account on the new Version 2 clerk has sufficient access to run the decnet_register utility. The Version 2 clerk must also have permission to create and populate a backtranslation directory (.DNA_BackTranslation) and node synonym directory (.DNA_NodeSynonym) in the root directory of the namespace during the next step of this procedure.

    Note

    If the node you configured as a Version 2 clerk in Step 1 is a new node, or is being assigned a new DECnet Phase IV-compatible address, you should update the DECnet node databases on all Version 1 servers in the namespace to include the new address before you proceed.

  3. Log in to the new Version 2 clerk node under the SYSTEM account and invoke the sys$manager:decnet_register_decdns.com utility. Do the following:
    1. Choose Option 3 on the decnet_register_decdns.com menu to create and populate a backtranslation directory (.DNA_BackTranslation). Choose Option 2 to create a node synonym directory (.DNA_NodeSynonym).
    2. Choose Option 2 on the decnet_register menu to register the new Version 2 clerk node (the node you are logged in to) and to register all other DECnet Phase IV nodes in the namespace including all nodes that are currently functioning as DNS Version 1 servers.

Refer to the DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Network Management guide for complete information on how to use the decnet_register utility and the decnet_register_decdns.com utility to perform these steps.

7.5.2 Using the DNS Version 1 Namespace

When you have completed this step, the DNS Version 1 namespace is ready for use by other nodes running DECdns Version 2 on DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS software.

Perform this procedure only once to prepare a DNS Version 1 namespace for use with DECnet-Plus. After the node synonym and backtranslation directories are populated, you can configure new DECdns clerks, new DECdns servers (for VAX only) into an existing namespace, or convert existing DNS Version 1 servers to DECdns Version 2 format in the normal manner. Refer to the DECnet-Plus DECdns Management guide for information on how to convert a DNS Version 1 clearinghouse to DECdns Version 2 format.

7.6 Registering a Node in the Namespace

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

If you encounter problems registering your node in the Local namespace or in the DECdns namespace, you will see information similar to the following:
. 
. 
. 
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:

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: