DECnet-RSX Guide to Network Management Utilities Sep85

This document, the "DECnet-RSX Guide to Network Management Utilities" from September 1985, serves as a comprehensive guide for network managers responsible for building, maintaining, and managing DECnet-RSX nodes within a larger DECnet network. It specifically applies to DECnet versions running on RSX-11M, RSX-11S, RSX-11M-PLUS, and Micro/RSX operating systems, as well as RSX-11 PSI and DECnet-RSX/PSI.

The guide is structured into four main parts:

1. Network Management Utilities (CFE, NCP, VNP): This section details the core utilities for network configuration and control.

   • Configuration File Editor (CFE): Used for modifying the permanent network configuration database (CETAB.MAC).
   • Network Control Program (NCP): Manages the volatile (running) network database, allowing for loading, controlling, monitoring, testing network software, and down-line loading RSX-11S systems. It supports both local and remote command execution.
   • Virtual Network Processor (VNP): A privileged utility for modifying or displaying DECnet-RSX software configuration within the RSX-11 system image file (not supported on Micro/RSX). This section also covers general command usage, including format, help facilities, command prompting, and error handling, along with detailed descriptions of a wide range of commands (e.g., CLEAR, DEFINE, LIST, LOAD, LOOP, PURGE, SET, SHOW, TELL, TRIGGER, ZERO) for various network components.

2. Network Management Tools: This part describes other specialized tools:

   • Console Carrier Requester (CCR): Provides remote access to console services.
   • Event File Interpreter (EVF): Formats machine-readable event log files, offering various filtering options (e.g., by date, entity, event type, source node).
   • KMX/KMY Dump Analyzer (KDA): Analyzes microcode dumps from KMX/KMY devices for diagnostic purposes.
   • LAT Control Program (LCP): Used to monitor and control the Local Area Transport (LAT) process, including managing terminals, starting/stopping the protocol, and defining/setting/listing/showing/zeroing LAT characteristics.
   • Network Crash Dump Analyzer (NDA): Helps determine the cause of network crashes by analyzing system memory dumps and symbol tables.
   • Network Display Program (NTD): Provides real-time displays of network status, including resource usage, node summaries, and area summaries.
   • Queue Manager (QUE): Interfaces with the RSX-11 queue manager to initialize and manipulate File Transfer Spooler (FTS) queues and requests.
   • Trace Interpreter Task (TRI): Specific to X.25 PSI users, it traces message frames on PSI lines to diagnose software problems.

3. Error Messages: A dedicated chapter summarizes error messages for all the utilities and tools discussed.

4. Appendixes: Includes lists of DECnet-RSX process names and object type codes.

The document also emphasizes that users should have a working knowledge of DECnet and the RSX-11 operating system before using this manual, referring to other associated documentation for foundational concepts and installation procedures.