6 Managing and Maintaining RIS Clients and Environments

This chapter describes how to use the ris utility to manage Digital UNIX RIS environments and clients. Topics include:

Preregistration tasks
Adding a client
Adding a graphics kit
Modifying a client
Removing a client
Listing registered clients
Listing products in the server's RIS areas
Deleting software products from the server's RIS areas

6.1 Preregistration Tasks

Before you register RIS clients, gather the information required for each one. The RIS Client Configuration Worksheet in Appendix A will help you organize your information as you register clients. Fill out a worksheet for each client you want to register.

Perform the following tasks to prepare to register clients:

Obtain information about each client and fill out a copy of the RIS Client Configuration Worksheet from Appendix A.
Register each client's host name and Internet Protocol (IP) address with the appropriate naming service Berkeley Internet Name Domain(BIND) Service and Network Information Service(NIS).

6.1.1 Obtaining Information About Each Client

You need the following information about each processor you plan to register as a client:

Host name (see Section 6.2 for restrictions on host names)
The RIS environments you want to make available to the client
The hardware platform type of the client (MIPS, Alpha)
The hardware network address of the client
The address of the gateway from the client to the server, is required if the server and client are on different networks
The type of network on which the client resides (Ethernet, FDDI, or Token Ring) ./.LI ./.NX r disk space location of swap space ./.NX r swap space location of ./.LI ./.NX r disk space location of swap space ./.NX r swap space location of

6.1.2 Registering Clients' Host Names and IP Addresses with Servers

If the host system is served by any of the following naming services, check with your site administrator to be sure that your clients are registered with the appropriate naming service servers:

/etc/hosts
Berkeley Internet Name Domain (BIND)
Network Information Service (NIS), formerly called Yellow Pages (YP)

See the Network Administration guide for information about configuring naming services on a local area network and registering clients with them.

6.2 Adding a Client to RIS

To add a client processor to RIS, follow these procedures:

Invoke the ris utility by entering the following command at the root system prompt:

# /usr/sbin/ris

The RIS Utility Main Menu is displayed. Choose the option ADD a client by entering a at the prompt.


 

Checking accessibility of RIS areas.... done

 

*** RIS Utility Main Menu ***

 

    a) ADD a client
    d) DELETE software products
    i) INSTALL software products
    l) LIST registered clients
    m) MODIFY a client
    r) REMOVE a client
    s) SHOW software products in remote installation environments
    x) EXIT

Enter your choice: a

The following message is displayed:

You have chosen to add a client for remote installation services.

 

The following conditions must be met to add a client:

 

  1. You must know the client processor's hostname.
  2. The client's hostname must be in your system's host
     database(s).
  3. You must know whether the client is on an Ethernet, FDDI,
     or Token Ring network.
  4. You must know the client's hardware Ethernet, FDDI, or
     Token Ring address if the client is registering to install
     operating system software.
  5. If the client and the server reside on different subnets,
     you will need the address of the gateway(s)
     that the client can use to communicate with the server.

 

Do you want to continue? (y/n) [y]:

If you enter n, the utility returns to the RIS Utility Main Menu. If you enter y, a prompt asks for the client's host name.

Enter the client's host name at the prompt.
Enter the client processor's hostname: client1

Only lowercase letters (a-z), numbers and the period (.) and dash (-) are permitted in host names, and a host name must begin with a letter. Invalid host names can corrupt the RIS database. Additionally, the client must not be registered on another RIS or DMS server as a client.
The client processor must be registered with the appropriate naming service or you cannot register the client with RIS. If the client is not registered with the appropriate naming service, the utility displays an error message and repeats the prompt.

Enter the environment to which you want to add the client. The utility displays the available environments (and the products installed in those environments) to which you can add the new client. Your output will be similar to the following example (which shows five environments):

Select the remote installation environment:

 

1)  /usr/var/adm/ris/ris0.alpha
      'Sort Runtime Library'
      'Free Software Foundation GNU Source (Rev 214)'
      'DEC Pascal RTLB V5.4 for Digital UNIX Systems'
      'DEC C++ Class Libraries Version 4.0 for Digital UNIX'
      'DEC Ada Runtime Library'

 

2)  /usr/var/adm/ris/ris1.alpha
      'POLYCENTER advanced File System'
      'DECsafe Available Server Environment (ASE)'
      'System V Environment'

 

3)  /usr/var/adm/ris/ris2.alpha
      'Digital UNIX V4.0 Operating System ( Rev xxx)'
      'DEC Runtime Library'

 

4)  /usr/var/adm/ris/ris3.alpha
      'Digital UNIX V4.0 Operating System (Rev xxx)'

 

5)  /usr/var/adm/ris/ris5.alpha
      'Sort Runtime Library'
      'Free Software Foundation GNU Source (Rev xxx)'
      'DEC Pascal RTL V5.4 for Digital UNIX Systems'
      'DEC C++ Class Libraries Version 4.0 for Digital UNIX'
      'DEC Ada Runtime Library'

Enter your choice or press RETURN to quit: 4

Enter the number of the product you want this client to be able to install. When the utility asks you to confirm your choices, you can accept them or respecify the information. In the example shown below, the environment has only one product installed:
```
Select one or more products for the client to install
from /usr/var/adm/ris/ris3.alpha:

 

Product    Description
  1    'Digital UNIX V4.0 Operating System (Rev xxx)'

 
```
Enter one or more choices as a space-separated list (for example, 1 2 3) or all for all products [all]: 1
```
 

You chose the following products:

 

  1    'Digital UNIX V4.0 Operating System (Rev xxx)'

 

Is that correct? (y/n) [y]:
```
If a Configuration Description File (CDF) exists on the RIS server during the registration of a client, the following message is displayed:
```
Do you want to specify a Configuration Description File (CDF)
```
for Installation Cloning on this client? [y/n] [n] : y

If you do not want to specify a CDF, for installation cloning chose n.
If you enter y, RIS displays a list of the CDFs on the RIS server:
```
This RIS server has the following Configuration
Description Files (CDF) available:

 

alphastation400.cdf alphastation400a rz26.cdf
```
Enter a CDF name or press <Return> to exit CDF selection: rz26.cdf

After you enter a CDF, CDF verification is performed. The verification determines if the products in the RIS environment to which the client is registered and the products specified in the CDF are the same. The CDF is also validated as suitable for installation cloning. If you decide not to register a client for a cloned installation or cannot determine a CDF to use, continue with the client registration by pressing Return.
Enter the type of network upon which this client resides:
```
Network type:

 

     1) Ethernet or FDDI
     2) Token Ring
```
Enter your choice: 1
The following message is displayed when the server and client are on different networks. You must provide the gateway information needed for the client to connect to the server. RIS stores this information in the /var/adm/ris/gateways file. RIS displays the default network information if the gateway information is known.
The following are the known gateway[s] between the client subnet and server subnet. If these values[s] are not correct, please enter the proper addresses[s]. If these values are correct press Return. (For example, 16.69.144.???): [16.69.144.199]

If the network information is unknown, RIS displays the following message. Enter the client's gateway address as shown in the following example:
Enter the IP address of the gateway[s] between the client subnet and server subnet: (For example, 16.69.144.???): [16.69.144.199]
Enter the client's hardware network address as shown in the following example:
Enter the client processor's hardware network address. For example, 08-00-2b-02-67-e1: 08-00-2b-39-96-68

If you do not know the client's hardware network address, you can obtain it in one of the following ways:
- On a client that is not currently running (you are at the boot prompt), issue the appropriate console command or commands for that type of client. Console commands are processor specific, so you must refer to your hardware documentation for the correct commands. With the correct console commands, you can display the current environment variables or show the client's devices. The hardware address associated with the network interface or interfaces is displayed.
- On a client running Digital UNIX issue the uerf -r 300 command as superuser. In the output, find the string hardware address. Either the line containing the string or the next one contains the hardware address. For example:
  # uerf -r 300 | grep -i "hardware address" | uniq
  _hardware address: 08-00-2f-ef-1f-10
  
  If the hardware address is on the line following the one that contains the string hardware address, you must manually search the output from the uerf command to find the correct hardware address.
- From the RIS server, you can determine the hardware address of a running Digital UNIX client by using the ping and arp commands. To determine the hardware address of the RIS client spike, enter a command similar to the following example:
  # /usr/sbin/ping -q -c1 spike; arp spike
```
PING spike.cities.dec.com (152.90.224.30): 56 data bytes

 

----spike.cities.dec.com PING Statistics----
1 packets transmitted, 1 packets received, 0% packet loss
round-trip (ms)  min/avg/max = 0/0/0 ms
spike (152.90.224.30) at 08-00-2B-03-09-BF
```
  The hardware address in this case is 08-00-2B-03-09-BF.
If you do not enter the address in the correct format, the utility displays an error message and repeats the prompt.
Note
Except for checking the format of the number you enter, the ris utility does not verify its validity.
When you enter the hardware network address in the correct format, the following message is displayed:
```
Client client1 has been added.
```

6.2.1 Adding a RIS Client from the Command Line

You can add a single RIS client from the command line by invoking the ris utility with its -a option. Other options supply the network address, path, and product list. The syntax of the command is:

/usr/sbin/ris -a clientname -h network-address -p path,product [ ,product... ]

For example:

# /usr/sbin/ris -a minaret -h 08-00-2B-03-05-8B -p \ ris0.alpha,product_001

6.3 Adding a Client to a RIS Area with Non-Digital Supported Graphics Devices

To add a graphics kit to RIS, follow these procedures:

Invoke the ris utility by entering the following command at the root system prompt:

# /usr/sbin/ris

The RIS Utility Main Menu is displayed. Choose the option ADD a client by entering a at the prompt.


 

Checking accessibility of RIS areas.... done

 

*** RIS Utility Main Menu ***

 

    a) ADD a client
    d) DELETE software products
    i) INSTALL software products
    l) LIST registered clients
    m) MODIFY a client
    r) REMOVE a client
    s) SHOW software products in remote installation environments
    x) EXIT

Enter your choice: a

The following message is displayed:

You have chosen to add a client for remote installation services.

 

The following conditions must be met to add a client:

 

  1. You must know the client processor's hostname.
  2. The client's hostname must be in your system's host
     database(s).
  3. You must know whether the client is on an Ethernet, FDDI,
     or Token Ring network.
  4. You must know the client's hardware Ethernet, FDDI, or
     Token Ring address if the client is registering to install
     operating system software.
  5. If the client and the server reside on different subnets, you will
     need the address of the gateway(s) that the client can use to
     communicate with the server.

 

Do you want to continue? (y/n) [y]:

If you enter n, the utility returns to the RIS Utility Main Menu. If you enter y, a prompt asks for the client's host name.

Enter the client's host name at the prompt:
Enter the client processor's hostname: ejfudd

Only lowercase letters (a-z), special characters dash (-), and dot (.), and numbers are permitted in host names, and a host name must begin with a letter, not a number. Invalid host names can corrupt the RIS database. Additionally, the client must not be registered on another RIS or Dataless Management Services (DMS) server for bootp services.
The client processor must be registered with the appropriate naming service or you cannot register the client with RIS. If the client is not registered with the appropriate naming service, the utility displays an error message and repeats the prompt.

The existing environment is /usr/var/adm/ris/ris0.alpha.

 

Select one or more products for the client to install
from /usr/var/adm/ris/ris0.alpha:

 

Product	   Description
   1	'Digital UNIX V4.0 operating System ( Rev xxx  )'
   2	'Digital UNIX V4.0 operating System ( Rev xxx  )' w/ 
        'ESA Kit ESABASE100'

The products displayed are both operating system base products. Select only one of these products.

Enter one or more choices as a space-separated list (for example, 1 2 3) or all for all products [all]: 2

You chose the following products:

 

  2    'Digital UNIX V4.0 operating System (Rev xxx)' w/
       'ESA Kit ESABASE100'

 

Is that correct? (y/n) [y]:

If Configuration Description Files exist on the RIS server during the registration of a client, the following message is displayed:
```
Do you want to specify a Configuration Description File (CDF)
```
for Installation Cloning on this client? [y/n] [n] : y

If you do not want to specify a CDF, for installation cloning chose n.
If you enter y, RIS displays a list of the CDFs on the RIS server:
```
This RIS server has the following Configuration
Description Files (CDF) available:

 

alphastation400.cdf alphastation400a rz26.cdf
```
Enter a CDF name or press <Return> to exit CDF selection: rz26.cdf

After you enter a CDF, CDF verification is performed. The verification determines if the products in the RIS environment to which the client is registered and the products specified in the CDF are the same. The CDF is also validated as suitable for installation cloning.
If you decide not to register a client for a cloned installation or cannot determine a CDF to use, continue with the client registration by pressing Return.
Enter the type of network to which this client is connected:
```
Network type:

 

     1) Ethernet or FDDI
     2) Token Ring
```
Enter your choice: 1
Enter the client's hardware network address as shown in the following example:
Enter the client processor's hardware network address. For example, 08-00-2b-02-67-e1: 08-00-2b-39-96-68

If you do not enter the address in the correct format, the utility displays an error message and repeats the prompt.

Note
Except for checking the format of the address you enter, the ris utility does not verify its validity.

If the kernel does not already exist for this combination of the base product and graphics device kit, RIS automatically runs doconfig to build a new generic Install kernel.

A new generic Install kernel for the client systems is built, which includes support for the graphics devices.

The following messages are displayed as the kernel is being built.

*** KERNEL CONFIGURATION AND BUILD PROCEDURE ***

 

Saving /usr/sys/conf/INSTALL as /usr/sys/conf/INSTALL.bck

 

Do you want to edit the configuration file? (y/n) [n]:

 


 

*** PERFORMING KERNEL BUILD ***
	Working....Thu Aug 24 13:18:27 EST 1995
	Working....Thu Aug 24 13:20:29 EST 1995
	Working....Thu Aug 24 13:22:30 EST 1995
	Working....Thu Aug 24 13:24:34 EST 1995
	Working....Thu Aug 24 13:26:35 EST 1995
	Working....Thu Aug 24 13:28:38 EST 1995
	Working....Thu Aug 24 13:30:39 EST 1995
	Working....Thu Aug 24 13:32:42 EST 1995
	Working....Thu Aug 24 13:34:59 EST 1995
Image requires 59600 bytes
Loading /usr/sys/bin/sboot
	text at         20000000	len=cf40
	data at         2000cf40	len=1990
	entry at         20000000
Image requires 6216496 bytes
Loading /usr/sys/INSTALL/vmunix
	text at fffffc0000230000	len=4ac110
	data at fffffc00006dc110	len=141a20
	entry at fffffc000044e180
1+0 records in
1+0 records out

 

The new kernel is /usr/sys/INSTALL/vmunix

 

The network kernel is /usr/sys/INSTALL/.vmunix

 

The new kernel (vmunix) and network kernel (.vmunix) will now be
copied into the required locations in the RIS area.

 

Client ejfudd has been added.

6.4 Modifying Clients

You can modify a RIS client's network type, hardware network address, its RIS environment information, and the list of products it can install. You cannot modify a client's IP or routing information. To modify a client's entry, follow these steps:

Invoke the ris utility and choose the m option to modify a client.
Choose the client you want to modify from the list displayed.

The remainder of the modification procedure is similar to the procedure for registering a client, as described in Section 6.1.

6.5 Removing Clients

Follow these steps to remove a client:

Invoke the ris utility and choose the r option to remove a client processor.
Enter the name of the client processor to remove when prompted by the utility.
Verify that you want to remove the client processor.

After you confirm your choice, the utility deletes the client's registration.

When removal is complete, the utility returns you to its main menu.

You can also use a ris command line to remove several clients at once. The following example removes the clients houri and scimitar:

# /usr/sbin/ris -r houri scimitar

6.6 Listing Registered Clients

To view the registered clients, invoke the ris utility and choose the List Registered Clients option. If there are no registered clients, the utility indicates this fact.

6.7 Listing Products in Server Areas

To view the current products in a server's area, invoke the ris utility and choose the option to show products.

You can also use a ris command line to show the products installed in a server's area. For example:

# /usr/sbin/ris -s


 

Show Products in RIS Server Areas:

 

     1  /var/adm/ris/ris0.alpha
           Digital UNIX V4.0 Operating System (Rev xxx)

6.8 Deleting Products from RIS Server Areas

To delete one or more of the current products in a RIS area, invoke the ris utility and choose the option to delete products. The utility asks you to choose a RIS area and then guides you through the procedure to delete products.