DECnet-RSX Release Notes Oct87

This document, the DECnet-RSX Release Notes (AA-J517E-TC), published in October 1987, provides crucial updated information, corrections, and operational details not found in the main manual set for various DECnet versions running on RSX-11M-PLUS V4.0, DECnet-Micro/RSX V4.0, and DECnet-11M/S V4.3 operating systems. It is intended to be read before other manuals.

Key highlights include:

• Supported Systems: Specifies the required RSX operating system versions (RSX-11M V4.2+, RSX-11S V4.2+, RSX-11M-PLUS V4.0+, Micro/RSX V4.0+). Older DECnet nodes must be at "Update C" or later, and previous release's saved answer files are not compatible.

• New Features:

  • LAT V5.1 application terminal support: Allows DECnet-11M-PLUS and DECnet-Micro/RSX systems to access printers and devices via Ethernet terminal servers.
  • Proxy access: Enables users to access accounts on other network nodes without specific target account details, managed via a new Proxy utility and NCP/CFE commands.
  • Extended Access Control Information: Supports longer (up to 39 bytes) passwords, usernames, and accounts in connect blocks.
  • New Device Support: Includes updates for DHQ11, DELQA, and DELUA devices.
  • Network Management Enhancements: Features line and circuit counter timer support for troubleshooting, and allows wildcards in node identification for network management commands.
  • Equal Cost Load Splitting: Improves router performance by utilizing multiple paths of equal cost.
  • 802.3 Support: Introduces support for DLX task-to-task LAN programming for data link port allocation and filtering.

• Reporting Problems: Provides detailed instructions for submitting Software Problem Reports (SPRs) for severe errors and documentation errors, outlining essential information to include (e.g., crash dumps, console logs, task build files).

• Documentation Changes: Lists specific corrections and updates to various DECnet-RSX manuals, including changes to command parameters and installation steps.
• Utility & System Notes: Offers detailed operational notes and troubleshooting tips for utilities like NETGEN (installation, abnormal termination), CFE (buffer space), NCP (down-line load parameters, command parsing, alias/password size), NFT (multiblock support, date preservation, contiguous files, tracing), FAL (public devices, logging, tracing), CTERM (VMS/RSX differences, control characters), and RMT (terminal characteristics, aborting RMTACP). It also includes advice on system tuning (buffer allocation) and powerfail recovery.
• Cross-System File Transfer Notes: Provides extensive details and limitations for file transfers between DECnet-RSX and VAX/VMS, RSTS DECnet/E V2.0, RT-11 V2.0, IAS V3.0, and TOPS-20 systems, covering differences in file formats, attributes (e.g., protection categories), and supported operations.
• Installation & Unsupported Software: Notes a change in the account program location for DECnet Router Server installation and introduces "unsupported software" like the CEDUMP utility (for internal data structure dumps, useful for debugging by specialists, but not officially supported).
• Network Loading Hints: Offers troubleshooting steps for "Partition too fragmented" errors on 512KB systems, including commands to free memory and retry network loading.

In essence, this document serves as a critical addendum, providing timely updates, new feature descriptions, compatibility considerations, and troubleshooting guidance for users and administrators of DECnet-RSX.