AlphaServer 2000: Read This First

This document, "AlphaServer 2000: READ THIS FIRST," provides essential initial information for Digital AlphaServer 2000 and 2100 systems.

It primarily outlines the two operator interfaces for system control: the SRM (Service Reference Manual) interface, a UNIX-style command line used with DEC OSF/1 and OpenVMS, and the ARC (Advanced RISC Computing) interface, a graphical menu-based interface for Microsoft Windows NT. While users generally stick to the interface native to their operating system, the document details when switching is necessary, such as accessing the EISA Configuration Utility (ECU) or RAID Configuration Utility (RCU) from OSF/1/OpenVMS (requiring a switch to ARC) or using the test command from Windows NT (requiring a switch to SRM).

It also covers the purpose of configuration utilities like ECU (for EISA/ISA options) and RCU (for StorageWorks RAID Array 200 Subsystems), and explains how to use the init command to apply changes to SRM environment variables.

Furthermore, the document highlights a specific restriction regarding the DEC OSF/1 V3.0 Remote Installation Services (RIS) utility on the ewa network adapter (resolved in later OSF/1 versions). Finally, it details a mandatory OpenVMS patch kit (AXPDRIV02_061) for AlphaServer 2100, addressing issues like keyboard recognition, system halts, SCSI driver timing, and RZ28B drive support, along with its installation procedure.