Conference csc32::consolemanager

I have a customer who can't get the Polycentre console manager to work.

Unfortunately although we support this my level of experience is zilch 
so suggestions of what I should be checking as well as what the  problem 
may be are appreciated. 

They have a VAX, Ultrix server Decsystem 5000, a hub90 with 90tls in it
and some other Ultrix boxes. Ultrix version is 4.3.

All console connections are brought back to hub90 by mmj cable.

They are using one of the main Ultrix boxes with DECmcc and console manager 
to try to manage their consoles.  They are attempting to use console manager 
to connect via the hub to the other boxes.

A passing comment they have also made is there seems to be a lack of help in 
console manager documentation, therefore they are aware they may have 
something amiss in their setup. 

The machine is connected in where you would normally connect the vt420 to 
the console port.   They admit they don't know if the hub has to be set up 
a particular way in order to run the console manager s/w - neither do I yet... 

They are trying to connect to one ultrix box via console manager on the 
other Ultrix box.   The windows are up and running on the 19" monitor 
colour and they are trying to use it via the graphical interface.
They have done cmstartup and gone into interface via cm -c3

They have a connection set up to one of the servers having previously 
done a configure system (called it server1, told it it's lat connection, 
device /dev/tty18, server name ht611, port name server1mmj - all of 
which they believe to be correct as far as they can tell)

I'm definately having editor problems here..... 

the tail end of the previous note...... 

----------------------------------------------------



Also had to create a dummy event in order to avoid one message they were
getting, to be able to start stuff correctly.  The test event is all defaults
and there are no scans created.

Can then click on the icon for that system and click on connect to it.
It then brings up another screen and they expect to be able to type into it.

Whenever they type anything in they get:

Link to remote console has been lost, you cannot type anything on this console.

and it repeats if type in anything in that window.


They have set it up as well as correctly as they can from what they understand
from the documentation but don't seem to be able to get it to work.

They also added that the hub is downloaded from the vax which may make a
difference.


Can anyone help at all?



Thanks in advance,

Jo Coffey
Unix Support
UK CSC

Jo,

  Several things...

  1) Is the terminal server set up as if a printer
     were attached, i.e. is it expecting a host
     initiated connect on the port the console is
     connected to?

  2) When the customer did the MAKEDEV LTA stuff,
     make sure that they dont enable the tty in
     /etc/ttys and that "#file /dev/tty18" tells
     them that it is a LAT device.

  3) Is LAT set up on the ULTRIX system to be in the
     same "LAT group" as the terminal server/port.

  4) Do they see any Console Manager events via ENS
     relating to Console Open failures, if so, what
     is the info field on the event saying (this
     will be visible in the eventlist window).
 
  
  Finally ...

  1) The documentation comment although a "passing"
     one is important to us, any chance of soliciting
     what kind of information they would like to see?

  2) Exactly what PCM version are they running? is
     this V1.0, V1.1 or V1.5?

  3) If we can help increase your level of knowledge
     from "Zilch" to something you would be more
     comfortable with, and you can get away from
     Basingstoke for half a day, give me a call on
     (830 4302) and we can arrange to spend some time
     going through the product with you here in Reading.

Cheers,
Phil

Brilliant, 
thanks Phil, 

I'll get answers as I can from the customer, 
as for the visit, that sounds like a damn good idea, 
the only problem with just setting it up yourself and 
learning by playing is it takes rather a long time 
and that's one thing we don't have too much of. 

Since I'm meant to be responsible for this and 
all the other performance/system management/census stuff
it sounds like a good idea to have someone show me at 
least one of them :-)

The only hitch is transport, however if I can see if we can
get a backup maybe if you could accomodate two of us 
that'd be easiest. 


Regards 


Jo.

Jo,

  Whatever is the easiest for you, just let us know when you
  want to come along.

Cheers,
Phil

    Just one more suggestion Phil's checklist (.3). Make sure that LAT is
    running. lcp -d is the command to verify that the lcp daemon is
    running. The LAT protocol should be 'Active'. 
    
    Dave