HP DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS

This document, "HP DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Network Management," published in January 2005, is a guide for system and network managers responsible for controlling, monitoring, or testing DECnet-Plus software on OpenVMS.

The guide is structured into four parts and ten appendices, covering:

• Concepts of Network Management: Introduces networking concepts for DECnet-Plus operations, including manageable network components (nodes, modules, entities) and DECnet Phase V configurations (LAN, WAN links).
• Transition from DECnet Phase IV: Describes tools and methods for converting Network Control Program (NCP) commands used in Phase IV networks to Network Control Language (NCL) commands for Phase V. This includes using the decnet_migrate tool and the NCP Emulator.
• Network Management Tasks: Details practical tasks such as modifying network configuration using NCL scripts or configuration procedures, managing network security (rights identifiers, access control, routing initialization passwords), configuring DECnet Phase V communications (nodes, physical layer devices, data links, routing, transport services, OSAK, and X.25 services), and setting up OpenVMS Cluster environments (satellite nodes, cluster aliases, shared applications).
• Network Monitoring: Explains how to monitor the network using NCL's show command to check status, characteristics, and performance counters, as well as using event dispatching to report network events.

Key tools and functionalities discussed include:

• Network Control Language (NCL): The primary tool for managing, monitoring, and troubleshooting the network.
• decnet_migrate: A tool to convert NCP commands to NCL commands.
• NCP Emulator: Facilitates software installations on DECnet Phase V systems by converting NCP commands.
• decnet_register: A tool for managing and registering node names in DECdns and local namespaces, including operations like adding, modifying, renaming, deregistering nodes, and importing/exporting node information.
• Common Directory Interface (CDI): Improves performance of name and address resolution using an in-memory naming cache.
• Maintenance Operations Protocol (MOP): Facilitates downline loading and upline dumping of remote systems.
• Network Management Graphical User Interface (NET$MGMT): A Motif-based GUI for viewing and controlling network components.

The document emphasizes that while DECnet-Plus systems require minimal day-to-day management after initial setup, understanding these tools and procedures is crucial for modifying configurations, ensuring proper operation, and optimizing network services.