Conference azur::mcc

1882.0. "MCC incompatible with WAVE1 extensions" by CARWSH::COMFORT (Spent a little time on the hill) Thu Dec 05 1991 15:38

    
    Hi,
    
    I have come across an interesting situation.  I have enabled part of
    the DECnet WAVE1 extensions, the nameserver stuff, which comes with VMS
    5.4-3.  I then purged known nodes from my database and am using the
    namespace to fetch names.  Everything, with the exception of cluster
    aliases and MCC works fine (ie. set host, fal accesses, nml accesses,
    mail, etc).  The problem seems to be that when attempting to register a
    node, MCC just checks the local database and if the node is not there,
    gives up.  This will NOT work with DECnet WAVE1 extensions currently
    shipping to the customer community on the Consolidated Distribution. 
    This basically invalidates the use of the namespace for MCC and
    requires multiple management point (ie. NCP and MCC) for the stations. 
    Also since MCC (v1.1) cannot register a cluster alias, the alias cannot
    get into the namespace and also causes problems.  A work around is to
    use the WAVE1 registration procedure to register cluster aliases.
    
    I feel that this is an extremely important drawback of MCC and people
    need to know not to install WAVE1 extensions.
    
    MCC fails not only on the registration part, but also on using any
    synonym operation, which apparently also checks the NCP database first
    instead of just doing a look up using the soft link and trying it. 
    Very frustrating. Naturally, if one specifies the full dns name
    (.dna_node.xxxx) it works fine.  This sort of points to alarm rules
    also, since the use the same mechanism.
    
    Please correct me if I have presumed something or done something
    wrong.
    
    
    Regards,
    
    Dave Comfort
    

    
    V1.1 of the DNA4 AM doesn't work in a non-DECnet IV environment.
    
    T1.2 does a much better job.  Install the kit and give it a try:
    
    	REGISTER NODE4 .dna_node.node SYNONYM node, ADDRESS 4.556
    
    On a DECnet IV system, we check the remote node database, and either:
    
    	o Add the remote node to the database (if we have rights to it)
    	o Discover that it's already there (and complain if we find the
    	  name and address but they aren't what you entered) and continue
    
    On a DECnet V system, we cache the information you passed in and use it
    tconnect to the DNA4 node and register it.  From then on we use the
    registered info in the MCC instance repository to get the address and
    connect.
    
    I'm not sure about using this on Wave 1 without a remote node database.
    The Wave 1 system still supports DECnet IV connections, so I don't know
    whether we depend on the DB or not.  We should be relilient enough to
    use the database if it is present, and ignore it if it is not, but I
    don't think we checked that case.
    
    Install it, and let me know if it works.  If I get to it before you,
    I'll let you know what happens.
    
    Enjoy,
    
    -Jim
    

    
    Has anyone actually tried T1.2.4 on a wave 1 system? If so, please can
    they post the results here as I'm sure this is goiing to becme very
    critical to many customers soon.
    
    Paul.