Using remote tape drive

[Dave Carek]

In article <28466D6D.7693 at orion.oac.uci.edu> fredv at rigel.acs.uci.edu (Fred Velijanian) writes:
>I am trying to use the tape drive on our server 4D/320 from a 4D/25
>while upgrading the client from 3.2 to 3.3. Using the #2 option in 
>the menu (Install system software), I specify the 4D/320's name
>(called master) and after a brief pause, I get the following messages:
>
>Copying installation program to disk
>Waiting for the tape to become available
>Unable to open source tape bootp()master:/dev/tape(mr)
>Unable to continue; press Enter to return to menu
>
.
.
.
>
>Fred Velijanian
>UC Irvine
>fredv at vmsa.oac.uci.edu


I ran into problems when upgrading to 3.3 a while back.  I put some notes
together for our administrators that may or may not help you out.

Also note the following bug fixes in 3.3.2:

-The timeout value for network installation was too short (5 seconds) for
 some sites.  This has been increased to 30 seconds.  Fixed in 4D1-3.3.1.

-The distcp command in 4D1-3.3.1 was not able to copy data from tapes to
 file systems.  Fixed in 4D1-3.3.2

distcp did work for me in 3.2 and 3.3.0, but not 3.3.1, so you shouldn't 
have a problem if your going from 3.2 to 3.3.2.

---------------------Notes from 8/9/90-------------------------------------

Just a few tips for any of you out there who are using remote tape
drives to install software.

In order to do software install properly using  a remote tapedrive you must 
check the /usr/etc/inetd.conf files on both machines to make sure that
the services of tftp and bootp are available (no # sign in front of them).

bootp requires tftp to transfer files.  If tftp is started in the secure
mode (-s pathname (this is the default in OS3.3)) you can either 
remove the "-s pathname" from the file or change it to "-s /dev/nrtape".
This tells tftp to only allow access to that pathname.  You must then
remove the password from the guest account on the remote machine (machine
with tape drive).  After this you can shut down the system and go into 
the software install option.   The install program will ask you if you
are using a remote tape (type "y") and for the remote hostname (short
name in your /etc/hosts file). You must select manual instalation
because the default for the network timeout is too short 
(for 3.3 anyway).  Type "set" at the manual prompt to see the
current settings.  Next, type "set timeout 60".  This changes the 
network timeout to 60 seconds.  You can then select your subsystems
and continue with your install.  If you get a network timeout error
try changing the timeout variable to a larger value.  

Don't forget to put a password back on the guest account of the remote
machine.

If you are installing more than one machine I would recommend using the 
distcp command (If you have the space).  This makes installs go very 
quickly since ethernet speeds are usually faster than tape transfer 
speeds.  You can load all of your tapes into a distribution directory
on one machine and then do the install from it. I created the directory
/usr/dist and modified my /usr/etc/inetd.conf file to look like the 
following on my distribution machine.

tftp    dgram   udp     wait    guest   /usr/etc/tftpd          tftpd -s /usr/dist

To load the software onto the distribution machine do the following.
For the first tape type:

	distcp -v /dev/nrtape /usr/dist

For all subsequent tapes type:

	distcp -vn /dev/nrtape /usr/dist

This copies the tapes into the /usr/dist directory.
On the machine that you want to install the software on, shutdown the 
system and go into Software Installation. Type "n" in response to the 
question, Are you using a remote tape.  Then type in the remote host
and the distribution directory for the hostname(eg. remhost:/usr/dist 
where remhost is the hostname where the distribution files reside).
You probably won't have to change the timeout variable (I didn't anyway).
You can then continue on installing as normal.

Oh yeah, you must also take the password off of the distribution host's
guest account before you do this method.  Don't forget to put it
back when your done.

It also may be wise to comment out the bootp and tftp lines in
/usr/etc/inetd.conf on both machines when your finished.  


-- 
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| David Carek                   |   phone: 216-433-8396               |
| NASA Lewis Research Center    |                                     |
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