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Revision/Update Information: This manual supersedes the DECnet/OSI Network Control Language Reference Guide.
Operating Systems:
OpenVMS VAX Version 7.1
OpenVMS Alpha Version 7.1
Digital UNIX Version 4.0
Software Versions:
DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Version 7.1
DECnet/OSI for Digital UNIX Version 4.0
Digital Equipment Corporation Maynard, Massachusetts
Digital Equipment Corporation makes no representations that the use of its products in the manner described in this publication will not infringe on existing or future patent rights, nor do the descriptions contained in this publication imply the granting of licenses to make, use, or sell equipment or software in accordance with the description.
Possession, use, or copying of the software described in this publication is authorized only pursuant to a valid written license from Digital or an authorized sublicensor.
Digital conducts its business in a manner that conserves the environment and protects the safety and health of its employees, customers, and the community.
© Digital Equipment Corporation 1996. All rights reserved.
The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation: Bookreader, DDCMP, DEC, DECdirect, DECnet, DECNIS, DECserver, DECsystem, DECwindows, Digital, DNA, InfoServer, OpenVMS, PATHWORKS, ULTRIX, VAX, VAX DOCUMENT, VAXcluster, VAXstation, VMS, VMScluster, and the DIGITAL logo.
The following are third-party trademarks:
Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.
Microsoft, MS, and MS--DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Motif, OSF, OSF/1, OSF/Motif, and Open Software Foundation are
registered trademarks of the Open Software Foundation, Inc.
OS/2 is a registered trademark of International Business Machines
Corporation.
OSF/1 is a registered trademark of Open Software Foundation, Inc.
OSI is a registered trademark of CA Management, Inc.
PATHways is a registered trademark of The Wollongong Group.
SCO is a trademark of Santa Cruz Operations, Inc.
TCPware is a registered trademark of Process Software Corporation.
UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other
countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open Company Ltd.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
This book describes the syntax and features of the Network Control Language (NCL), and the NCL commands that you use for network management modules. DECnet-Plus networking software works with systems running Digital UNIX and OpenVMS software and conforms to the Digital Network Architecture (DNA). DNA, the model for all DECnet implementations, allows all Digital operating systems to participate in the same network.
This multiplatform book is written for network managers responsible for managing DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS and DECnet/OSI for Digital UNIX networks.
This book has two parts:
| Part I | Provides an overview of the functions provided by NCL. |
| Part II | Describes the NCL commands and related information. There is a separate chapter for every NCL module and each chapter contains a comprehensive description of each entity belonging to that module. |
Common data types, common exceptions, and NCL error messages are described in the appendixes.
For a list of additional documents that are available in support of this version of the operating system, refer to the DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Introduction and User's Guide or the DECnet/OSI for Digital UNIX Introduction and User's Guide.
For additional information the DECnet-Plus products and services, access the Digital OpenVMS World Wide Web site. Use the following URL:
http://www.openvms.digital.com
Digital welcomes your comments on this manual or any of the DECnet-Plus documents. Send us your comments through any of the following channels:
| Internet | openvmsdoc@zko.mts.dec.com |
| Fax | 603 881-0120, Attention: OSSG Documentation, ZKO3-4/U08 |
|
OSSG Documentation Group, ZKO3-4/U08
110 Spit Brook Rd. Nashua, NH 03062-2698 |
An adjacent node is a node connected to the local node by a single physical line.
These terms are used interchangeably:
Use the following table to order additional documentation or information. If you need help deciding which documentation best meets your needs, call 800-DIGITAL (800-344-4825).
The following conventions apply to this book.
Note
The following conventions are for multiplatform documentation.
Indicates information specific to DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS.
Indicates information specific to DECnet/OSI for Digital UNIX.
| Convention | Meaning |
|---|---|
| special type |
Indicates a literal example of system output or user input. In text,
indicates command names, keywords, node names, file names, directories,
utilities, and tools. On a DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS, Digital UNIX, or
ULTRIX system, enter the word or phrase in the exact case shown.
You can abbreviate command keywords to the smallest number of characters that OpenVMS, Digital UNIX, NCL, DECdns, DECdts, and the other utilities accept, usually three characters. |
| italic | Indicates a variable. |
| text style | Indicates a new term defined either in the text or in the DECnet-Plus Introduction and User's Guide glossary. |
| Return | Indicates that you press the Return key. |
| Ctrl/x | Indicates that you press the Control key while you press the key noted by x. |
| [ ] | In command format descriptions, indicates optional elements. You can enter one, none, or all of the options. |
| { } | In command format descriptions, indicates you must enter at least one listed element. |
| | | In command format descriptions, separates choices within brackets or braces. |
| <> | Indicates the end of platform-specific information. |
The following acronyms are used throughout this book:
| ACSE | Association Control Service Element |
| ASE | application service element |
| ASN.1 | Abstract Syntax Notation One |
| BER | basic encoding rules |
| CMIP | Common Management Information Protocol |
| CML | CMIP Management Listener |
| DAP | Data Access Protocol |
| DCS | defined context set |
| DDCMP | Digital Data Communications Message Protocol |
| DECdns | Digital Distributed Name Service |
| DNA | Digital Network Architecture |
| DTR | DECnet Test Receiver |
| DTS | DECnet Test Sender |
| ES--IS | end system to intermediate system protocol |
| EVL | Event Dispatcher |
| EVL | event logger |
| FAL | file access listener |
| FTAM | File Transfer, Access, and Management |
| HDLC | High-Level Data Link Control |
| MIR | loopback mirror |
| MOP | Maintenance Operations Protocol |
| NSAP | network service access point |
| NCL | Network Control Language |
| NSP | Network Services Protocol |
| OSI | Open Systems Interconnection |
| OSUL | Open Systems Upper Layer |
| PCI | protocol control information |
| PDU | protocol data unit |
| PPCI | presentation protocol control information |
| PSDN | packet switching data network |
| SPCI | Session Protocol Control Information |
| SPDU | session protocol data unit |
| SSDU | session service data unit |
| TCP/IP | Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol |
| TPDU | transport protocol data unit |
| TSDU | transport service data unit |
This reference guide describes how to use the Network Control Language (NCL) command line interface on DECnet/OSI for Digital UNIX and DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS nodes. You should be familiar with the concepts and terminology of the entity model of network management, as described in the network management guide for your operating system.
This chapter tells you how to use NCL in the following ways:
DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS uses OpenVMS rights identifiers to check access
on all manageable entities. This differs from the Phase IV software,
which used OpenVMS privileges for access to the permanent database and
for write access. Read access to the volatile database in Phase IV was
unprotected.
1.1.1 Access to Local Network Data
In DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS, the rights identifier NET$EXAMINE grants a user read access to the network configuration data. The NET$MANAGE rights identifier grants read and write access to the network configuration data, and NET$SECURITY grants ability to set default accounts. These new rights allow the network manager to restrict access to network parameters. Access is granted to an individual user by means of the Authorize utility on OpenVMS. The following command examples grant access:
UAF> grant/id net$examine Joe ! Grant user Joe read access to local network data
UAF> grant/id net$manage Joe ! Grant user Joe read/write access to local network data
UAF> grant/id net$security Joe ! Grant user Joe ability to set default accounts
In lieu of NET$MANAGE rights, the BYPASS privilege grants read and write access.
When issuing NCL commands to the local node (for example, NCL SHOW ALL
or NCL SHOW NODE 0 ALL), the rights of the executing process determine
whether access is granted.<>
In Digital UNIX, access control policy is as follows:
When issuing NCL commands to the remote node (for example, NCL SHOW NODE remote-node-name ALL or NCL SET NCL DEFAULT ENTITY NODE remote-node-name), a connection is established to the CML application on the remote node. Access checks performed on the remote node are dependent on the account the remote CML application is running in (on an OpenVMS node). When the connection comes into an OpenVMS machine, a process is created to run the CML application. The account used is determined in the following order:
If the account that runs the CML application does not have the NET$EXAMINE for read access, or NET$MANAGE identifier for read and write access, then the access is denied by the management agent.
The manager of the remote node must take explicit action to allow an individual user access to the network configuration information. For example:
The last option is one of the selections offered by NET$CONFIGURE when
configuring the application database. If you select a default account
for the CML application, NET$CONFIGURE grants NET$EXAMINE right to that
account by default.
1.2 Network Management Graphical User Interface
You can access NCL through either a command line interface or graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI allows network managers to view the status of network components and control those components from a Motif-based window interface located at:
This utility provides a hierarchical graphical approach to the management of DECnet-Plus. The manageable components of DECnet-Plus (modules, entities, and subentities) are represented in a tree-like structure below the icon that represents the node you are managing. This provides an easy way to familiarize yourself with the organization of these manageable entities. If you choose to enable the displaying of NCL commands from the Default Actions pull-down menu, this utility can also help familiarize you with NCL syntax.
In addition to issuing NCL commands on your behalf, NCL GUI can also perform task-oriented functions that involve many NCL commands or are complex in some way. The currently supported NCL GUI tasks are:
The same rights required to run NCL are also required to run this utility.
For further information, refer to the network management guide for your
operating system.
1.3 Getting Started with NCL
You can issue NCL commands from a terminal or from a command file. You
can use NCL to manage network entities on local and remote nodes. If
you are familiar with Phase IV network management and the Network
Control Program (NCP), you can use the decnet_migrate utility
as an option to map NCP commands to their NCL equivalents. See the
network management guide your operating system for further details.
1.3.1 Invoking NCL (Digital UNIX)
There are several ways to invoke the interactive NCL utility:
% ncl Return ncl>
% ncl any ncl command Return
% ncl <scripta
% ncl_filename
#!/bin/csh ncl show routing circuit circuit-1 all attributes if ( $status != 0 ) then echo "" echo "This ncl command failed." echo "" endif
ncl> set node moosie routing manual network entity titles -
_ncl> { 49::00-0c:08-00-2b-12-34-56:00, -
_ncl> 49::00-0c:08-00-2b-12-34-57:00 }
There are several methods of invoking the interactive NCL utility:
$ run sys$system:ncl Return ncl>
$ ncl :== $ sys$system:ncl Return $ ncl Return ncl>
$ ncl any ncl command Return
Note
The third method works only if you define a symbol at the DCL prompt or insert the symbol in your LOGIN.COM file.
$ mcr ncl Return ncl>
$ mcr ncl any ncl command Return $
The ncl> prompt indicates that you are using the NCL utility. When you receive this prompt, you can enter NCL commands.
ncl> show node 0 osi transport delay factor, delay weight,- _ncl> maximum receive buffers, maximum network connections,- _ncl> maximum remote nsaps
When you enter Help, you enter a standard help library containing descriptions of the network management entities and their attributes. NCL online help is a quick reference in addition to this book.
To access online NCL Help in OpenVMS, type help at the ncl> prompt. For Digital UNIX, type a question mark (?). A list of available topics immediately appears, for example:
ncl>help or ? Additional information available: add advertise block boot change clear connect Console_Carrier create data_types delete Directory_Module disable disconnect dump echo enable event_messages flush getnif getsif ignore Introduction_to_NCL limit load loop module_descriptions pass ping query read remove rename reset restrict set show shut shutdown snapshot start startloop stop stoploop synchronize test testevent undefine unlimit update Topic?
The NCL entities are listed by verb, event message, module description, and data type. You must type in the topic name exactly as you see it. For example, to find the syntax for adding an X25 Relay Client subentity, you would do as follows:
Topic? add ADD Additional information available: modem_connect mop osi_transport routing session_control x25_access x25_protocol x25_relay x25_server ADD Subtopic?
At this prompt you type x25_relay:
ADD Subtopic? x25_relay
ADD
x25_relay
Additional information available:
client pvc
ADD x25_relay Subtopic?
At this prompt you type client:
ADD x25_relay Subtopic? client
ADD
x25_relay
client
add [node node-id] x25 relay client client-name
filters
rights identifiers
Additional information available:
Characteristics Identifiers
ADD x25_relay client Subtopic?
Continue down the hierarchy exactly as it appears in the syntax section of each entity module, as illustrated in Part 2 of this book.
This method is also used for seeing a list of event messages
(event_messages), data types (data_types), a brief
module description of each entity (module_descriptions), and
this entire introductory chapter on how to use online help
(introduction_to_ncl).
To obtain a brief summary of what may occur next in an NCL command, press the Help key or Ctrl/G.
For example:
ncl> set routing probe rate = Help Attribute Name = Probe Rate Architected Default Value = 20 Value Type = 16 bit unsigned integer Minimum allowed value = 1 Maximum allowed value = 65535 ncl> set routing probe rate = <>
A DECnet-Plus help file has been added to the DCL help library. To invoke the help, enter the following command:
$HELP DECNET-PLUS <>
To keep a record of the commands entered during an NCL session, use the NCL logging facility.
All information printed out in an NCL session is stored in the log file after logging is enabled. This information includes commands, output, and error messages. All information except the commands are preceded in the file by a comment symbol, so this file can be used as an NCL script in another session.
Use the set ncl logfile and enable ncl logging commands to begin NCL logging. For example:
ncl> set ncl logfile filename.ncl ncl> enable ncl logging ncl> show node 0 session control application fal all attributes . . .
After saving the NCL commands to a log file, use the NCL log file as an indirect command file to be invoked (during subsequent NCL sessions) with the do control verb or the at sign (@) symbol.
For example:
ncl> enable node 0 session control ncl> do setup_applications.ncl . . .
NCL_PROFILE.HTML OSSG Documentation 2-DEC-1996 12:47:30.29
Copyright © Digital Equipment Corporation 1996. All Rights Reserved.