VMS System Management I Student Workbook

This document is a student workbook for the VMS System Management I course. It covers various aspects of managing a VMS operating system, including:

Module 1: Understanding the User Environment

• Hardware environment components (CPU, console subsystem, main memory, I/O subsystem)
• Interconnect devices (buses like MASSBUS, UNIBUS, Q-bus, VAXBI)
• Peripheral devices (terminals, printers, disk drives, tape drives)
• Device naming conventions
• System configurations (single processor, multiple processors, tightly coupled, loosely coupled, VAXclusters)
• Review of VMS concepts (DCL, programs, images, utilities, processes, virtual address space, working sets, paging, scheduling, swapping, processor access modes)
• System files, directories, and logical names, including concealed root directories and file/directory protection.
• Software available for VMS systems.
• User working environment and process parameters.

Module 2: Managing System Users

• Defining the user environment using the User Authorization File (UAF).
• Utilizing the AUTHORIZE utility to manage UAF records.
• Creating, modifying, and removing user accounts.
• Tailoring user accounts by configuring identification, environment, access, security, quotas, resource limits, and privileges.
• Managing users on a daily basis, including restricting user activity and managing disk space.
• Communicating with users and handling operator assistance requests.

Module 3: Managing Queues

• Overview of queue facilities and operations, including types of queues (execution, generic, logical).
• How VMS handles print jobs and batch jobs.
• Print queue operations: creating, monitoring, setting attributes, controlling queues, managing printer forms, and handling problems.
• Batch queue operations: creating, stopping, restricting access, and controlling queues.
• Overview of queue commands.

Module 4: Managing Disk and Tape Volumes

• Uses of private and public volumes.
• DCL commands for disk and tape volume management (ALLOCATE, DEALLOCATE, ANALYZE/MEDIA, ANALYZE/DISK_STRUCTURE, INITIALIZE, MOUNT, DISMOUNT, SET VOLUME, BACKUP).
• Preparing volumes for use, including locating bad blocks and initializing/mounting.
• Defining user access to volumes via protection codes and ACLs.
• Creating volume sets.
• Maintaining private and public volumes, including online backups and backup qualifiers.
• Using the VERIFY utility and transferring files between VAX and PDP-11 systems.

Module 5: Customizing the System

• Customizing the system by creating user accounts, establishing disk quotas, creating user directories, initializing queues, mounting disk volumes, modifying system parameters, and changing passwords.
• Setting up files and directories for standalone BACKUP and console volume copying.
• Identifying the functions of different system startup files (SYS$SYSTEM:STARTUP.COM, SYS$MANAGER:SYPAGSWPFILES.COM, SYS$MANAGER:SYCONFIG.COM, SYS$MANAGER:SYLOGICALS.COM, SYS$MANAGER:SYSTARTUP_V5.COM).
• Setting device characteristics, mounting site-specific volumes, creating system logical names, installing images, defining and starting queues, creating system failure reports, starting DECnet, and announcing system availability.

Module 6: Starting Up and Shutting Down the System

• Phases of system startup.
• Functions of VAX console subsystem components (console processor, console terminal, console device, front panel switches and lights, remote diagnosis port).
• Default system device and its role in startup.
• Automatic restart and alternate system devices.
• Standalone utilities and diagnostics.
• Console commands, both at system startup and while VMS is running.
• Customizing startup and automatic restart.
• System parameters and how they are used with SYSBOOT and SYSGEN.
• Specifying system configuration.
• Controlling multiprocessing.
• System shutdown methods (orderly, emergency from DCL, emergency from CCL).
• Automatic reboot after orderly or forced shutdown.
• Appendix A provides processor-specific information for VAX-11/730, VAX-11/750, and VAX-11/780.

Module 7: Installing and Updating System Software

• Installing and customizing software on a VMS system.
• Registering Product Authorization Keys (PAKs).
• Managing product licenses using the License Management Facility (LMF), including availability and activity licenses.
• Components of the LMF, License Units, and License Unit Requirement Tables (LURTs).
• Using the LICENSE utility and its subcommands (AMEND, CANCEL, CREATE, DISABLE, ENABLE, ISSUE, LIST, LOAD, MODIFY, REGISTER, START, UNLOAD).
• Installing a major release of the operating system, upgrading, and installing maintenance updates.
• Running the User Environment Test Package (UETP) and making backup copies.
• Installing optional (layered) products.
• Customizing and backing up the console volume.
• Creating a new system disk from another system disk.
• Using standalone BACKUP.
• Using the VERIFY utility.
• Transferring files between VAX and PDP-11 systems.

Module 8: Maintaining System Integrity

• Coordinating hardware and software maintenance and security.
• Analyzing error data and establishing security.
• Performing hardware maintenance (handling and storing media, cleaning media, maintaining the environment, preventive maintenance).
• Software maintenance (installing updates, running utilities, backing up files).
• System security: physical security (computer room, console terminal, dial-up lines, media storage), software security (keeping files up-to-date, using restrictions, password policies, ACLs, auditing).
• Erase-on-Delete and Erase-on-Allocate concepts.
• Login security, including password management and terminal protection.
• Break-in detection at login.
• UIC and ACL protection, including VMS protection using UICs and ACLs, and defining identifiers.
• System problems (software and hardware) and their potential consequences.
• Error logging facility (ERRFMT process, analyzing error logs with ERF).
• System failure dump facility (analyzing dump files with SDA).
• User and operator comments, including the operator's log file.
• UETP for testing hardware and software interaction.

Module 9: Monitoring the System

• Tools for monitoring system behavior, VMS processes, and system resource utilization.
• Modifying system parameters to reflect changes in system resources.
• Monitoring system activity using commands like SHOW SYSTEM, SHOW QUEUE, SHOW DEVICES, SHOW MEMORY, MONITOR utility, SHOW USERS, SHOW PROCESS, ACCOUNTING utility, and SYSGEN utility.
• Understanding system states (Computable, Wait states, Suspended, etc.).
• Monitoring system processes and their effects of deletion.
• Obtaining information about devices and volumes.
• Monitoring memory resources and the impact of memory sizes on performance.
• Monitoring print and batch queues.
• Using the MONITOR utility for system resource usage.
• Collecting process information with the Accounting Utility.
• Maintaining system performance through AUTOGEN and SYSGEN utilities.

Module 10: Exercises

• Written exercises and laboratory exercises covering the topics from Modules 1 through 9.

Module 11: Post-Test

• A test to evaluate the understanding of the course material.