Title: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST DECnet in an IP-only World
1SURVIVAL OF THE FITTESTDECnet in an IP-only World
- John MarshallRiverwillow Pty Ltd
2What Problem Are We Trying to Fix?
- Company relies upon DECnet for Client/Server and
Peer-to-Peer Applications across its WAN - Addition of IP systems and applications means
that the company either has multiple WAN circuits
or runs multi-protocol WAN circuits - Management wants to reduce network costs and
standardize on an IP-only WAN
3What Happens to Our DECnet Applications?
- Re-write to use IP protocols?
- Can you find the source code? the programmer?
- Replace (all) with IP-capable applications?
- Centralize all DECnet hosts onto a single LAN?
- Configure DECnet to use the IP transport?
- No need to touch applications!
4DECnet Is?
- DECnet-Plus
- DECnet Transport
- OSI Transport
- IP Transport
5DECnet Is?
Application Layer
Presentation Layer
Session Layer
Transport Layer
Transport Layer
Network Layer
Network Layer
DECnet
IP
Data Link Layer
Data Link Layer
Physical Layer
Physical Layer
6DECnet Session Control Applications
- FAL (17)
- MAIL (27)
- PHONE (29)
- NOTES (33)
- CTERM (42)
- and others
- All still work!
7What Do We Need?
- DECnet-Plus
- TCP/IP Services (Compaq or other vendor)
- Must include PWIP driver
- (Examples in following slides use)
- OpenVMS VAX V7.1
- DECnet-Plus V7.1 ECO 6
- UCX V4.2 ECO 4
8How Do We Get Started?
- SYSMANAGERUCXCONFIG.COM
- 4 Optional Components
- Configure PWIP Driver (for DECnet-Plus and
PATHWORKS) - SYSMANAGERNETCONFIGURE.COM
- 2 Change Naming Information
- Include DOMAIN Directory Service
- Supply IP FQDN and Address
- 4 Configure Transports
- Configure OSI Transport
- Run OSI Applications over TCP/IP
- Run DECnet over TCP/IP
9How Do We Make It Transparent?
- Resolve Addresses from Simple Names
- Resolve Addresses to Simple Names
- Add new UAF PROXY records
10DECnet Name Resolution
- Common Directory Interface (CDI)
- Interface between DECnet Session Control and any
configured Directory Services - DECdns
- LOCAL
- DOMAIN
11DECdns Directory Service
- DEC Distributed Name Service
- DECnet and OSI Name/Address/Synonym
- Implemented via DECdns Servers
- Maintained via DECNET_REGISTER.EXE
- Full Name DECUSOZ.syd.vms01
- Node Synonym VMS01
- DECnet Address 62.606
- type DECUSOZ.syd.vms01PUBLICfred.txt
- type VMS01PUBLICfred.txt
- type 62.606PUBLICfred.txt
12LOCAL Directory Service
- LOCAL Name Service
- DECnet and OSI Name/Address/Synonym
- Implemented via per-node/cluster database
- Maintained via DECNET_REGISTER.EXE
- Full Name LOCAL.vms01
- Node Synonym VMS01
- DECnet Address 62.606
- type LOCAL.vms01PUBLICfred.txt
- type VMS01PUBLICfred.txt
- type 62.606PUBLICfred.txt
13DOMAIN Directory Service
- Internet Name Service (DNS/BIND)
- Internet Name/Address
- Implemented via DNS Servers/Local Host Files
- Maintained via UCX or text editors (edt/tpu/vi)
- Full Name DOMAIN.vms01.syd.decusoz.com
- IP Address 123.123.4.51
- type DOMAIN.vms01.syd.decusoz.comPUBLICfred.
txt - type 123.123.4.51PUBLICfred.txt
14CDI Search Path Templates
- Allow us to query directory services using simple
names - Session Control
15CDI Search Path Templates
- Applying
- vms01
- to the template
- LOCAL.
- Will lookup LOCAL.vms01 and return DECnet
address 62.606
16CDI Search Path Templates (DOMAIN)
- Applying
- vms01
- to the template
- .syd.decusoz.com
- Will lookup vms01.syd.decusoz.com and return IP
address 123.123.4.51
17CDI Search Path Templates
- DOMAIN (Reverse) Lookup of 123.123.104.52
- Results in vms02.mel.decusoz.com
- If we have the DOMAIN template .mel.decusoz.com
in the CDI Search Path, CDI will return the
simple name vms02 to DECnet
18CDI Search Path Templates
- Default DOMAIN templates supplied by
NETCONFIGURE will include the DNS domain of the
local host - Custom templates can be added via
NETSEARCHPATH_LOCAL.NCL(in SYSMANAGER)
19CDI Search Path Templates
- With valid CDI Search Path templates
- type vms01PUBLICfred.txt
- Will return a network address from the directory
service with the first match - Will connect to DECnet on the remote node via the
corresponding transport
20IP Local Host File
- If a node is defined in the IP Local Host file
with a simple-name alias, CDI will use the simple
name even if there is no corresponding DOMAIN
template maskUCXgt set host vms02.mel.decusoz.com
/address123.123.104.52 /aliasvms02 - Useful if your network does not have a DNS server
or if you have DECnet systems in many different
IP subdomains
21If DOMAIN Directory Service is Not Configured
- Connection is still possible but via IP address
onlyNo DOMAIN Directory Service
22How Do We Make It Transparent?
- Resolve Addresses from Simple Names
- Resolve Addresses to Simple Names
- Add new UAF PROXY records
23UAF PROXY Records
- Specify the Full Name of the Remote Host
- UAFgt add/proxy vms02.mel.decusoz.comjohn
john/default - Incoming connections do not use cluster alias IP
address - Need to add PROXY entries for individual nodes in
remote cluster
24Can DECnet Applications Tell the Difference?
- No
- Unless you are not resolving to simple names
- Or unless you explicitly test SYSREM_NODE_FULLNAM
E
25Can I Tell the Difference?
- If youre keen!Transport Discovery 1Transport
Discovery 2
26What Tools Do We Have?
- CDITRACE.EXECDI Trace
- DECNET_REGISTER.EXEDECnet Register
- NCL
- DCL
- UCX
27What are the Obstacles?
- Fear of DECnet-Plus
- Fear of NCL
- Fear of IP
- Your companys DNS subdomain structure
28Beware!
- Troubleshooting can be difficult if you forget
that CDI maintains a cache. - To Flush the CDI Naming Cache
- NCLgt flush session control naming cache entry
- CDITRACE.EXE is your friend ?CDI Trace
29QUESTIONS?
30Useful Links
- http//www.compaq.com/info/spd/
- http//www.openvms.compaq.com/doc/index.html
- mailtoJohn.Marshall_at_riverwillow.com.au
31- NCPgt set executor state shut