1 INFO-VAX	Mon, 09 Apr 2001	Volume 2001 : Issue 198       Contents: Re: CD backups. + Re: CI based cluster for max I/O perf. How? 2 RE: Flipping from big-endian to little endian in C2 Re: Flipping from big-endian to little endian in C' Re: LINK-I-DATMISMCH since some patch ?  OT: "The Puzzle Palace"  Re: OT: "The Puzzle Palace"  Re: OT: "The Puzzle Palace"  Re: OT: "The Puzzle Palace"  Re: OT: "The Puzzle Palace"  Re: OT: "The Puzzle Palace"  Re: OT: "The Puzzle Palace"  Re: OT: "The Puzzle Palace" 3 Re: Q: Converting a VAX 6000-420 to a VAX 6000-620?  Shadowing Weirdness  Re: SYSMAN behaviour ? the compaq annual meeting  Re: VMS Alpha BASIC and ORACLE Re: VMS-Related: Affordable   F ----------------------------------------------------------------------  $ Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2001 21:35:34 +0100; From: "Leigh G. Bowden" <LGBowden@bowdenfamily.fsnet.co.uk>  Subject: Re: CD backups./ Message-ID: <9aqi1r$id2$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk>   - The way I read it I have to do the following:     Attach a CD writer to a machine.E Put what ever I want to preserve onto a HDD which is less than 650MB.  Mount this HDD as /FOREIGN. 9 Then do a COPY disk: another_disk:[000000.cds]cd_disk.rom 6 This generates a few whinges but these can be ignored.G Use CDRECORD freeware utility to burn the CD with the file cd_disk.rom. G Ensure that the machine doing the burning is doing nothing else to stop  interrupting the write process.   G Leigh G. Bowden wrote in message <9afu0b$ec4$1@newsg3.svr.pol.co.uk>... I >I suspect that this has been covered before but I can't find it. We have J >quite a few remote sites with master/slave pairs of uVAX 3100/nn machinesJ >all running VMS6.2. Each has three SCSI 2.1GB disks and a CD. I'll not goH >into the history but there is no way of doing backups of these machinesJ >easily - there's certainly no tape drives and nobody to really put a tape in >reliably from day to day. > G >Should a disk fail it is fairly easy to recreate it's data on the data  disks G >from it's mirror but the system disk is harder to replace. There isn't = >enough space on any of the other disks for a system saveset.  > I >I was wondering therefore about using the CD. I know VMS doesn't support K >CD-W type devices. If I create a saveset on VMS machine and then FTP it in L >binary mode to a PC and then blat it on a CD also in binary mode would this >work? > L >The idea being to have standalone backup on all the other HDD and boot fromL >them. Mount the CD and restore the contents. It sounds to easy there has to >be a catch. >  >    ------------------------------  % Date: Sun, 08 Apr 2001 12:55:57 -0500 . From: Lyndon Bartels <lbartels@pressenter.com>4 Subject: Re: CI based cluster for max I/O perf. How?. Message-ID: <3AD05FDD.386729A8@pressenter.com>   Hmmm.... To follow up.  H I've been looking at the manual "Guidelines for cluster configurations,"G Chapter 9. There are four configurations there that I'm interested in.    E Figure 9-1, is our current configuration. It has two CIPCAs per host, B and two HSJ per storage subsystem. All going through a single star coupler.  F Now according to this configuration, it looks like the second CIPCA is not helping performance.  H The second configuration looks a bit more promising. That introduces theC a second star coupler. This one states that the second star coupler F provides increased I/O performance and availability. The disadvantagesD here are: If a CIPCA fails disks won't fail-over to the other CIPCA.  G Is this still true? This manual was written in 1999. Is that still true 9 with the v7.2-1? Also, the manual states somewhere to use F decw$examples:prefer to set the paths of disks to load balance betweenF HSJs. Bit *NOT* to use the HSJ set preferred command because it cannot= be overwridden by a host "Prefer" or IO$_SETPRFPATH modifier.   B Configuration 3 (Figure 9-3) has the A Paths going through on starE coupler, and the B Paths going through the second coupler. This looks F like there is no improvement in I/O performance. But there seems to be more availability.     C Configuration 4 (Figure 9-4) splits the disks and HSJs in half. I'm H going to stay away from this one, because to get availability, I'll need< to do host-based shadowing, and that'll take away some of my performance.  ? So it looks like configuration 2 or 3 is to be the one to use.      E Does anyone have experience with either of these configurations? Each E CIPCA and HSJ has it's own ID. Do the IDs still have to be unique? Or E are the numbers duplicated? For example, the the CIPCAs in Host 1, In C config 2, do they have the same ID? I'm sure they must be unique in 	 config 3.     G I have questions: Is the fail-over still an issue? Is the documentation G regarding the HSJ SET_PREFER command still valid? There doesn't seem to : be any I/O performance difference between the two configs.    Next, as for the HSJs and disks:  G I'm using HSJ50s and 8 bit I/O personality modules. But "VW" drives. Am F I shakling my I/O throughput by using the 8 bit I/O modules? Would the 16 bit I/O module be better.    = I'm thinking about replacing HSJ50s (considering they're near F end-of-life) with HSJ80s. Would I then "Have to" upgrade to the 16 bit I/O modules.  @ Disk-drive layout: I need both I/O speed and availabilty. So I'mD thinking RAID 0+1. Since there are six (6) buses on a given HSJ. I'mE thinking of using 6 physical disk per storage unit. 3 members striped F and 3 more mirroring. Laying them out so that each physical is on it's own bus.  D Considering the discussion regarding pagefiles/disk loss. Would I beH better off not having locally hosted SCSI disks for page files, and moveC the page files onto CI based storage? I'm reluctant to do this. I'm = thinking I may loose paging performance.... But I'm not sure.     . Any advice, thoughts, experiences are welcome.   Thanks in advance,   Lyndon   --  G My opinions are mine and mine alone. They seldom align with those of my 	 employer.    ------------------------------  # Date: Sun, 08 Apr 2001 23:14:34 GMT 2 From: hoffman@xdelta.zko.dec.nospam (Hoff Hoffman); Subject: RE: Flipping from big-endian to little endian in C 2 Message-ID: <uh6A6.661$fB6.17542@news.cpqcorp.net>  ] In article <CIEJLCMNHNNDLLOOGNJIGEINCFAA.tom@kednos.com>, Tom Linden <tom@kednos.com> writes: , :flip: proc options(input) returns(bit(16));% :dcl src bit(16) based (addr(input)),  :    input fixed bin(15);  :return(reverse(src));
 :end flip;  G   Me?  I'd probably use the C htons/htonl and ntohs/ntohl calls, and/or G   the available XDR (eXternal Data Representation) library.  These are  C   all portable.  For floating point, you can use the cvt$ftof call.   B   You can also swizzle using something similar to the following...   #define SWAP_INT(n) \ 1         (((((((__int64)(n))>>8) & 0x00ff00ff) | \ 9            ((((__int64)(n))<<8) & 0xff00ff00)) >> 16) | \ 1          ((((((__int64)(n))>>8) & 0x00ff00ff) | \ 6            ((((__int64)(n))<<8) & 0xff00ff00)) << 16))  J   If you can assume EV56 or later, you might want to look at CC/ARCH=EV56.G   (See the OpenVMS FAQ for some C-related /OPT=TUNE and /ARCH details.)   N  ---------------------------- #include <rtfaq.h> -----------------------------N       For additional, please see the OpenVMS FAQ -- www.openvms.compaq.com    N  --------------------------- pure personal opinion ---------------------------L    Hoff (Stephen) Hoffman   OpenVMS Engineering   hoffman#xdelta.zko.dec.com   ------------------------------  % Date: Sun, 08 Apr 2001 22:33:28 -0400 - From: JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@videotron.ca> ; Subject: Re: Flipping from big-endian to little endian in C , Message-ID: <3AD11F76.8D02E7C1@videotron.ca>   Hoff Hoffman wrote: I >   Me?  I'd probably use the C htons/htonl and ntohs/ntohl calls, and/or > >   the available XDR (eXternal Data Representation) library.   J help cc run htons  doesn't work. Where do I find info about those run time% library calls ? Are they alpha only ?   ( And wheere is the on-line help for XDR ?   ------------------------------   Date: 8 Apr 2001 22:48:23 +0200 * From: eplan@kapsch.net (Peter LANGSTOEGER)0 Subject: Re: LINK-I-DATMISMCH since some patch ?* Message-ID: <3ad0ce97$1@news.kapsch.co.at>  o In article <9ajpeu$4dg$1@reader1.imaginet.fr>, "Jean-Francois Marchal" <jean-francois.marchal@x9000.fr> writes: , >I'm using 7.2-1 with the latest patches ... > . >Hadn't have to link new apps for a long time. >Now for a RDB installation,! >I get the following messages ...  > 6 >%LINK-I-DATMISMCH, creation date of 31-AUG-2000 14:455 >in shareable image SYS$COMMON:[SYSLIB]DECC$SHR.EXE;1 ' >differs from date of 29-DEC-1999 03:56 ; >in shareable image library VMI$ROOT:[SYSLIB]IMAGELIB.OLB;1 6 >%LINK-I-DATMISMCH, creation date of 26-OCT-2000 00:493 >in shareable image SYS$COMMON:[SYSLIB]LIBRTL.EXE;1 ' >differs from date of 29-DEC-1999 03:53 ; >in shareable image library VMI$ROOT:[SYSLIB]IMAGELIB.OLB;1  > 5 >Same messages occur for all languages I tested with. + >I updated ALL languages from the MARCH CD.  > 6 >As these are information, I shouldn't be worried, BUT: >RDB has declared my installation failed, probably because0 >the IVP output does not match the expected one, >due to embedded messages. > 6 >Would anybody know what (patch ?) has caused the date, >mismatch, and what should I do to fix this?  G It is the ACRT ECO and the problem is listed in the readme of this ECO.   < $ LIBRARY /REPLACE SYS$SHARE:IMAGELIB SYS$SHARE:DECC$SHR.EXE  E should fix it (though the readme mentions a SYS$SHARE:DECCSHR.EXE ;-)    --  < Peter "EPLAN" LANGSTOEGER           Tel.    +43 1 81111-2651; Network and OpenVMS system manager  Fax.    +43 1 81111-888 < <<< KAPSCH AG  Wagenseilgasse 1     E-mail  eplan@kapsch.netH A-1121 VIENNA  AUSTRIA              "I'm not a pessimist, I'm a realist"   ------------------------------  # Date: Sun, 08 Apr 2001 18:47:07 GMT $ From: Scott Vieth <svieth@wi.rr.com>  Subject: OT: "The Puzzle Palace") Message-ID: <3AD0B25B.4E63E758@wi.rr.com>    All:  D After a few folks in c.o.v. raved about the book by James Bamford, I ordered  a copy from Amazon.   G It's not quite what I expected.  I was looking more for the techie side  ofA what the NSA can do as opposed to the biographical stories of the  various # folks who held the DIRNSA position.   G I thought it was interesting to find out that civilians were subject to  a more rigorous G background check than military folks but I think he could have left out  the partH about the guy who had sex with farm animals and the other part about the guy G who masterbated while holding little girls captive.  I don't think that  garbage contributed ! anything to the story of the NSA.   D Overall, I was pretty disappointed by the book.  I guess ex-military people who areE used to seeing acronyms in every sentance probably got into it but it  was a littleH too dry for me.  However, I did enjoy the spy stories at the very end of	 the book.   D Is there anything more current or more technically relevant that has been written about the NSA?  G On a related note:  This month's issue of Popular Mechanics has a cover  story about G how "Our government spies on you".  I think I learned as much about the 	 technical E abilities of the NSA from the Popular Mechanics article as I did from  reading the 500+ pages of Bamford's book.  1 Anyone else have comments on "The Puzzle Palace"?    -Scott  9 p.s.  No, this has absolutely nothing to do with VMS  :^)    ------------------------------   Date: 8 Apr 2001 23:40:50 -0500 + From: young_r@encompasserve.org (Rob Young) $ Subject: Re: OT: "The Puzzle Palace"3 Message-ID: <icrDsHGPCIBX@eisner.encompasserve.org>   P In article <3AD0B25B.4E63E758@wi.rr.com>, Scott Vieth <svieth@wi.rr.com> writes: > All: > F > After a few folks in c.o.v. raved about the book by James Bamford, I	 > ordered  > a copy from Amazon.  > I > It's not quite what I expected.  I was looking more for the techie side  > ofC > what the NSA can do as opposed to the biographical stories of the 	 > various % > folks who held the DIRNSA position.  >    [snip]   > F > Overall, I was pretty disappointed by the book.  I guess ex-military > people who areG > used to seeing acronyms in every sentance probably got into it but it  > was a littleJ > too dry for me.  However, I did enjoy the spy stories at the very end of > the book.  > F > Is there anything more current or more technically relevant that has > been written > about the NSA? >     	His follow-up ships April 24th:  e http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385499078/qid=986784522/sr=1-1/ref=sc_b_2/002-3230952-8372858   # 	Buy.com is 3 or 4 dollars cheaper.   E 	I thought the Puzzle Palace was excellent.  I read it about 10 years G 	ago so little is available for recall.. but I do remember particularly A 	the Harvester that was so advanced it was in use for many years  > 	(massive tape loader kind of thing).  Backgrounder on how theF 	agency got started, its mission etc.  He obviously isn't able to giveB 	away technique or sizes so much of the techno-geek stuff will not@ 	be in there, but what do you expect?  60 minutes Tuesday a few  	weeks ago had a nice C 	20 minute or so segment with Dan Rather.  A "first" inside peek at B 	what goes on at the No Such Agency.  An admission by the directorE 	that they are falling behind technologically.  The director admitted ? 	that a Ben Laden (others like him) with cellphone and readily  D 	available crypto technology (PGP, etc.) are difficult to track and  	determine what they are up to.     I > On a related note:  This month's issue of Popular Mechanics has a cover 
 > story about I > how "Our government spies on you".  I think I learned as much about the  > technical G > abilities of the NSA from the Popular Mechanics article as I did from  > reading the 500+ pages > of Bamford's book. >   A 	Hmmmm.  Much of the technical abilities of the NSA are shrouded  ? 	in mystery.  Things of national security and whatnot are still = 	very crucial to trying to get a leg up on others set against 
 	our country.    				Rob    ------------------------------   Date: 8 Apr 2001 23:40:50 -0500 + From: young_r@encompasserve.org (Rob Young) $ Subject: Re: OT: "The Puzzle Palace"3 Message-ID: <icrDsHGPCIBX@eisner.encompasserve.org>   P In article <3AD0B25B.4E63E758@wi.rr.com>, Scott Vieth <svieth@wi.rr.com> writes: > All: > F > After a few folks in c.o.v. raved about the book by James Bamford, I	 > ordered  > a copy from Amazon.  > I > It's not quite what I expected.  I was looking more for the techie side  > ofC > what the NSA can do as opposed to the biographical stories of the 	 > various % > folks who held the DIRNSA position.  >    [snip]   > F > Overall, I was pretty disappointed by the book.  I guess ex-military > people who areG > used to seeing acronyms in every sentance probably got into it but it  > was a littleJ > too dry for me.  However, I did enjoy the spy stories at the very end of > the book.  > F > Is there anything more current or more technically relevant that has > been written > about the NSA? >     	His follow-up ships April 24th:  e http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385499078/qid=986784522/sr=1-1/ref=sc_b_2/002-3230952-8372858   # 	Buy.com is 3 or 4 dollars cheaper.   E 	I thought the Puzzle Palace was excellent.  I read it about 10 years G 	ago so little is available for recall.. but I do remember particularly A 	the Harvester that was so advanced it was in use for many years  > 	(massive tape loader kind of thing).  Backgrounder on how theF 	agency got started, its mission etc.  He obviously isn't able to giveB 	away technique or sizes so much of the techno-geek stuff will not@ 	be in there, but what do you expect?  60 minutes Tuesday a few  	weeks ago had a nice C 	20 minute or so segment with Dan Rather.  A "first" inside peek at B 	what goes on at the No Such Agency.  An admission by the directorE 	that they are falling behind technologically.  The director admitted ? 	that a Ben Laden (others like him) with cellphone and readily  D 	available crypto technology (PGP, etc.) are difficult to track and  	determine what they are up to.     I > On a related note:  This month's issue of Popular Mechanics has a cover 
 > story aboutNI > how "Our government spies on you".  I think I learned as much about thec > technicalIG > abilities of the NSA from the Popular Mechanics article as I did fromi > reading the 500+ pages > of Bamford's book. >   A 	Hmmmm.  Much of the technical abilities of the NSA are shrouded P? 	in mystery.  Things of national security and whatnot are still = 	very crucial to trying to get a leg up on others set againsta
 	our country.T   				Roba   ------------------------------   Date: 8 Apr 2001 23:40:50 -0500e+ From: young_r@encompasserve.org (Rob Young)6$ Subject: Re: OT: "The Puzzle Palace"3 Message-ID: <icrDsHGPCIBX@eisner.encompasserve.org>h  P In article <3AD0B25B.4E63E758@wi.rr.com>, Scott Vieth <svieth@wi.rr.com> writes: > All: > F > After a few folks in c.o.v. raved about the book by James Bamford, I	 > ordered  > a copy from Amazon.n > I > It's not quite what I expected.  I was looking more for the techie side1 > ofC > what the NSA can do as opposed to the biographical stories of theh	 > variousr% > folks who held the DIRNSA position.  >    [snip]   > F > Overall, I was pretty disappointed by the book.  I guess ex-military > people who areG > used to seeing acronyms in every sentance probably got into it but it  > was a littleJ > too dry for me.  However, I did enjoy the spy stories at the very end of > the book.n > F > Is there anything more current or more technically relevant that has > been written > about the NSA? >     	His follow-up ships April 24th:  e http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385499078/qid=986784522/sr=1-1/ref=sc_b_2/002-3230952-8372858t  # 	Buy.com is 3 or 4 dollars cheaper.   E 	I thought the Puzzle Palace was excellent.  I read it about 10 yearsdG 	ago so little is available for recall.. but I do remember particularlysA 	the Harvester that was so advanced it was in use for many years n> 	(massive tape loader kind of thing).  Backgrounder on how theF 	agency got started, its mission etc.  He obviously isn't able to giveB 	away technique or sizes so much of the techno-geek stuff will not@ 	be in there, but what do you expect?  60 minutes Tuesday a few  	weeks ago had a nicesC 	20 minute or so segment with Dan Rather.  A "first" inside peek at B 	what goes on at the No Such Agency.  An admission by the directorE 	that they are falling behind technologically.  The director admittedm? 	that a Ben Laden (others like him) with cellphone and readily cD 	available crypto technology (PGP, etc.) are difficult to track and  	determine what they are up to.     I > On a related note:  This month's issue of Popular Mechanics has a coveru
 > story about1I > how "Our government spies on you".  I think I learned as much about the: > technicalsG > abilities of the NSA from the Popular Mechanics article as I did from> > reading the 500+ pages > of Bamford's book. >   A 	Hmmmm.  Much of the technical abilities of the NSA are shrouded a? 	in mystery.  Things of national security and whatnot are still9= 	very crucial to trying to get a leg up on others set against 
 	our country.    				Robs   ------------------------------   Date: 8 Apr 2001 23:40:50 -0500t+ From: young_r@encompasserve.org (Rob Young)I$ Subject: Re: OT: "The Puzzle Palace"3 Message-ID: <icrDsHGPCIBX@eisner.encompasserve.org>a  P In article <3AD0B25B.4E63E758@wi.rr.com>, Scott Vieth <svieth@wi.rr.com> writes: > All: > F > After a few folks in c.o.v. raved about the book by James Bamford, I	 > orderedA > a copy from Amazon.- > I > It's not quite what I expected.  I was looking more for the techie side. > ofC > what the NSA can do as opposed to the biographical stories of the 	 > variouse% > folks who held the DIRNSA position.s >    [snip]   > F > Overall, I was pretty disappointed by the book.  I guess ex-military > people who areG > used to seeing acronyms in every sentance probably got into it but itg > was a littleJ > too dry for me.  However, I did enjoy the spy stories at the very end of > the book.. > F > Is there anything more current or more technically relevant that has > been written > about the NSA? >     	His follow-up ships April 24th:  e http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385499078/qid=986784522/sr=1-1/ref=sc_b_2/002-3230952-8372858   # 	Buy.com is 3 or 4 dollars cheaper.   E 	I thought the Puzzle Palace was excellent.  I read it about 10 years G 	ago so little is available for recall.. but I do remember particularly A 	the Harvester that was so advanced it was in use for many years h> 	(massive tape loader kind of thing).  Backgrounder on how theF 	agency got started, its mission etc.  He obviously isn't able to giveB 	away technique or sizes so much of the techno-geek stuff will not@ 	be in there, but what do you expect?  60 minutes Tuesday a few  	weeks ago had a niceFC 	20 minute or so segment with Dan Rather.  A "first" inside peek ateB 	what goes on at the No Such Agency.  An admission by the directorE 	that they are falling behind technologically.  The director admittedi? 	that a Ben Laden (others like him) with cellphone and readily uD 	available crypto technology (PGP, etc.) are difficult to track and  	determine what they are up to.'    I > On a related note:  This month's issue of Popular Mechanics has a covert
 > story about I > how "Our government spies on you".  I think I learned as much about theg > technicalnG > abilities of the NSA from the Popular Mechanics article as I did fromc > reading the 500+ pages > of Bamford's book. >   A 	Hmmmm.  Much of the technical abilities of the NSA are shrouded  ? 	in mystery.  Things of national security and whatnot are still = 	very crucial to trying to get a leg up on others set against 
 	our country.    				Roba   ------------------------------   Date: 8 Apr 2001 23:40:50 -0500i+ From: young_r@encompasserve.org (Rob Young) $ Subject: Re: OT: "The Puzzle Palace"3 Message-ID: <icrDsHGPCIBX@eisner.encompasserve.org>d  P In article <3AD0B25B.4E63E758@wi.rr.com>, Scott Vieth <svieth@wi.rr.com> writes: > All: > F > After a few folks in c.o.v. raved about the book by James Bamford, I	 > orderedo > a copy from Amazon.s > I > It's not quite what I expected.  I was looking more for the techie side  > ofC > what the NSA can do as opposed to the biographical stories of theN	 > variousI% > folks who held the DIRNSA position.o >    [snip]   > F > Overall, I was pretty disappointed by the book.  I guess ex-military > people who areG > used to seeing acronyms in every sentance probably got into it but itI > was a littleJ > too dry for me.  However, I did enjoy the spy stories at the very end of > the book.e > F > Is there anything more current or more technically relevant that has > been written > about the NSA? >     	His follow-up ships April 24th:  e http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385499078/qid=986784522/sr=1-1/ref=sc_b_2/002-3230952-8372858   # 	Buy.com is 3 or 4 dollars cheaper.0  E 	I thought the Puzzle Palace was excellent.  I read it about 10 years G 	ago so little is available for recall.. but I do remember particularlyVA 	the Harvester that was so advanced it was in use for many years e> 	(massive tape loader kind of thing).  Backgrounder on how theF 	agency got started, its mission etc.  He obviously isn't able to giveB 	away technique or sizes so much of the techno-geek stuff will not@ 	be in there, but what do you expect?  60 minutes Tuesday a few  	weeks ago had a nice-C 	20 minute or so segment with Dan Rather.  A "first" inside peek atlB 	what goes on at the No Such Agency.  An admission by the directorE 	that they are falling behind technologically.  The director admitted ? 	that a Ben Laden (others like him) with cellphone and readily sD 	available crypto technology (PGP, etc.) are difficult to track and  	determine what they are up to./    I > On a related note:  This month's issue of Popular Mechanics has a covere
 > story aboutaI > how "Our government spies on you".  I think I learned as much about theu > technicalrG > abilities of the NSA from the Popular Mechanics article as I did fromR > reading the 500+ pages > of Bamford's book. >   A 	Hmmmm.  Much of the technical abilities of the NSA are shrouded j? 	in mystery.  Things of national security and whatnot are still9= 	very crucial to trying to get a leg up on others set againsti
 	our country.F   				Robc   ------------------------------   Date: 8 Apr 2001 23:40:50 -0500 + From: young_r@encompasserve.org (Rob Young)i$ Subject: Re: OT: "The Puzzle Palace"3 Message-ID: <icrDsHGPCIBX@eisner.encompasserve.org>.  P In article <3AD0B25B.4E63E758@wi.rr.com>, Scott Vieth <svieth@wi.rr.com> writes: > All: > F > After a few folks in c.o.v. raved about the book by James Bamford, I	 > orderedg > a copy from Amazon.L > I > It's not quite what I expected.  I was looking more for the techie side  > ofC > what the NSA can do as opposed to the biographical stories of theD	 > various5% > folks who held the DIRNSA position.T >    [snip]   > F > Overall, I was pretty disappointed by the book.  I guess ex-military > people who areG > used to seeing acronyms in every sentance probably got into it but ite > was a littleJ > too dry for me.  However, I did enjoy the spy stories at the very end of > the book.p > F > Is there anything more current or more technically relevant that has > been written > about the NSA? >     	His follow-up ships April 24th:  e http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385499078/qid=986784522/sr=1-1/ref=sc_b_2/002-3230952-8372858A  # 	Buy.com is 3 or 4 dollars cheaper.f  E 	I thought the Puzzle Palace was excellent.  I read it about 10 yearseG 	ago so little is available for recall.. but I do remember particularlypA 	the Harvester that was so advanced it was in use for many years n> 	(massive tape loader kind of thing).  Backgrounder on how theF 	agency got started, its mission etc.  He obviously isn't able to giveB 	away technique or sizes so much of the techno-geek stuff will not@ 	be in there, but what do you expect?  60 minutes Tuesday a few  	weeks ago had a nicewC 	20 minute or so segment with Dan Rather.  A "first" inside peek atkB 	what goes on at the No Such Agency.  An admission by the directorE 	that they are falling behind technologically.  The director admittedt? 	that a Ben Laden (others like him) with cellphone and readily iD 	available crypto technology (PGP, etc.) are difficult to track and  	determine what they are up to.e    I > On a related note:  This month's issue of Popular Mechanics has a coveri
 > story abouteI > how "Our government spies on you".  I think I learned as much about thet > technicaltG > abilities of the NSA from the Popular Mechanics article as I did fromt > reading the 500+ pages > of Bamford's book. >   A 	Hmmmm.  Much of the technical abilities of the NSA are shrouded I? 	in mystery.  Things of national security and whatnot are stille= 	very crucial to trying to get a leg up on others set against 
 	our country.r   				Robo   ------------------------------   Date: 8 Apr 2001 23:40:50 -0500 + From: young_r@encompasserve.org (Rob Young)t$ Subject: Re: OT: "The Puzzle Palace"3 Message-ID: <icrDsHGPCIBX@eisner.encompasserve.org>h  P In article <3AD0B25B.4E63E758@wi.rr.com>, Scott Vieth <svieth@wi.rr.com> writes: > All: > F > After a few folks in c.o.v. raved about the book by James Bamford, I	 > orderedI > a copy from Amazon.  > I > It's not quite what I expected.  I was looking more for the techie sidec > ofC > what the NSA can do as opposed to the biographical stories of the 	 > various-% > folks who held the DIRNSA position.0 >    [snip]   > F > Overall, I was pretty disappointed by the book.  I guess ex-military > people who areG > used to seeing acronyms in every sentance probably got into it but it6 > was a littleJ > too dry for me.  However, I did enjoy the spy stories at the very end of > the book.  > F > Is there anything more current or more technically relevant that has > been written > about the NSA? >     	His follow-up ships April 24th:  e http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385499078/qid=986784522/sr=1-1/ref=sc_b_2/002-3230952-8372858d  # 	Buy.com is 3 or 4 dollars cheaper.   E 	I thought the Puzzle Palace was excellent.  I read it about 10 yearsyG 	ago so little is available for recall.. but I do remember particularlygA 	the Harvester that was so advanced it was in use for many years i> 	(massive tape loader kind of thing).  Backgrounder on how theF 	agency got started, its mission etc.  He obviously isn't able to giveB 	away technique or sizes so much of the techno-geek stuff will not@ 	be in there, but what do you expect?  60 minutes Tuesday a few  	weeks ago had a nice0C 	20 minute or so segment with Dan Rather.  A "first" inside peek atgB 	what goes on at the No Such Agency.  An admission by the directorE 	that they are falling behind technologically.  The director admittedt? 	that a Ben Laden (others like him) with cellphone and readily  D 	available crypto technology (PGP, etc.) are difficult to track and  	determine what they are up to.H    I > On a related note:  This month's issue of Popular Mechanics has a coverg
 > story aboutnI > how "Our government spies on you".  I think I learned as much about thes > technicalcG > abilities of the NSA from the Popular Mechanics article as I did from  > reading the 500+ pages > of Bamford's book. >   A 	Hmmmm.  Much of the technical abilities of the NSA are shrouded i? 	in mystery.  Things of national security and whatnot are stillo= 	very crucial to trying to get a leg up on others set againstd
 	our country.c   				Robt   ------------------------------    Date: 09 Apr 2001 02:47:26 +0800, From: Paul Repacholi <prep@prep.synonet.com>< Subject: Re: Q: Converting a VAX 6000-420 to a VAX 6000-620?- Message-ID: <87n19rut35.fsf@prep.synonet.com>e  - "antonio.carlini" <arcarlini@iee.org> writes:s  F > So I think the short answer is: T2019 and that widget you plug in atE > the back (sorry, no part number ... I can hit the IPBs if you thinkr& > you might have it but are not sure).  1 Two blue power buses that go to the bottom slots?u  A 17-002751-01 abd another cumming hidden under the main power bus.-   -- -< Paul Repacholi                               1 Crescent Rd.,7 +61 (08) 9257-1001                           Kalamunda.e@                                              West Australia 6076. Raw, Cooked or Well-done, it's all half baked.   ------------------------------  % Date: Sun, 08 Apr 2001 17:21:10 -0400 + From: John Eisenschmidt <jeisensc@aaas.org>r Subject: Shadowing Weirdness# Message-ID: <sad09e0d.048@aaas.org>d  I I'm setting up two new DS10s that are about to go into production. Both =pF are using Volume Shadowing, and this is the first time anyone at our =$ company has traveled down that path.  G One system has 14 disks configured as 7 shadow pairs. The other has 4 = # disks configured as 2 shadow pairs.r  K Three or four days ago, on the system with 14 disks, I applied a bunch of = J 7.2-1 ECOs to the system, and after I rebooted the shadow pairs were all =K out of sync, and ended up doing a full shadow copy. Now, the first time I =sG did that, it took a couple hours. After applying the ECOs, a full day =:L later they were all around 30%. I dismounted the pairs, init'ed the second =K disk of each pair, mounted them again to do a full shadow merge, and like =o+ the first time it only took a couple hours.   K On the system with 4 disks, which has been running fine, I ran autogen on =pJ the system because I had installed some layered products and it had been =I up a couple days. After I rebooted, the sysgen parameters for shadowing =cJ and alloclass had been cleared. I reset them and rebooted. I was finally =' able to get the system pair to remount.   E $ MOUNT/CONFIRM/SYSTEM DSA0: /SHADOW=3D($56$DKB0,$56$DKC0) ALPHA_72-1 * %MOUNT-F-SHDWCOPYREQ, shadow copy requiredL Virtual Unit - _DSA0:                             Volume Label - ALPHA_72-1=  5      Member                    Volume Label Owner UICy8 %%%%%%%%%%%  OPCOM   8-APR-2001 15:41:51.92  %%%%%%%%%%%E DSA0: shadow master changed.  Dump WILL be written if system crashes.a  8 %%%%%%%%%%%  OPCOM   8-APR-2001 15:41:51.92  %%%%%%%%%%%1 Mount verification has completed for device DSA0:a  1      _$56$DKC0: (BARIUM)       ALPHA_72-1   [1,1]c4 Allow FULL shadow copy on the above member(s)? [N]:Y. %MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, ALPHA_72-1 mounted on _DSA0:B %MOUNT-I-ISAMBR, _$56$DKB0: (BARIUM) is a member of the shadow setI %MOUNT-I-SHDWMEMCOPY, _$56$DKC0: (BARIUM added to the shadow set with a =  copy operation=20f  L I have to say that all these problems worry me. The system with 4 disks is =H scheduled to go into production this coming week. I have to think that =L it's something I'm doing wrong, so if someone could offer some suggestions = I'd be greatful.   Thanks in Advance, John Eisenschmidt_7 The American Association for the Advancement of Scienceu Washington, DC   ------------------------------  # Date: Mon, 09 Apr 2001 00:32:53 GMTB2 From: hoffman@xdelta.zko.dec.nospam (Hoff Hoffman) Subject: Re: SYSMAN behaviour ?e2 Message-ID: <Vq7A6.662$fB6.17544@news.cpqcorp.net>  U In article <3ad0c6c8@news.kapsch.co.at>, eplan@kapsch.net (Peter LANGSTOEGER) writes:lL :...the SYSMAN DO command is done via a subprocess (which is ok). The parentL :process of this subprocess is the SYSMAN Server on remote systems (which isL :ok) but is the current process on the local node (which prevents any actionE :which kills this process - like a reboot, TCPIP restart, and so on).y  !   What, exactly, are you up to?     L   SYSMAN has a SHUTDOWN command, and STOP/NETWORK has been around a while...  L   This is cross-posted to and followups have been set to comp.os.vms, since D   this question doesn't initially appear specific to the V7.3 SDK...  N  ---------------------------- #include <rtfaq.h> -----------------------------N       For additional, please see the OpenVMS FAQ -- www.openvms.compaq.com    N  --------------------------- pure personal opinion ---------------------------L    Hoff (Stephen) Hoffman   OpenVMS Engineering   hoffman#xdelta.zko.dec.com   ------------------------------   Date: 8 Apr 2001 16:31:58 CDTn= From: wayne@tachysoft.xxx.065234.killspam.015d (Wayne Sewell)e" Subject: the compaq annual meeting. Message-ID: <Mc+2whCAGNMJ@tachxxsoftxxconsult>  K The compaq shareholders meeting is coming up at the end of this month.  FortN those of us who have a few shares, does anyone have any recommendations on theN voting?  Terry?  Are any of the candidates known to have a positive outlook on# vms?  Are any known to be anti-vms?i    L What about the proposals?  Any comments on those?  Number 3, "to nominate atM least two directors for each open board position", sounds like something thattN would be more beneficial to the shareholders than to the board.  The fact thatI the existing board is against proposal 3 sort of reinforces that belief. aI However, I'll be the first to admit that I know *nothing* about business.      -- sO =============================================================================== M Wayne Sewell, Tachyon Software Consulting  (281)812-0738  wayne@tachysoft.xxxH: http://www.tachysoft.xxx/www/tachyon.html and wayne.html  K change .xxx to .com in addresses above, assuming you are not a spambot  :-) O ===============================================================================oB Jed Clampett, checking into hotel: "This place got a cement pond?"+ Ellie May: "And do yuh let critters in it?"u   ------------------------------  $ Date: Sat, 7 Apr 2001 22:20:24 -07002 From: "Randy Park" <rjpark@mindspring.com.nospaam>' Subject: Re: VMS Alpha BASIC and ORACLE.2 Message-ID: <9ar2al$k47$1@slb3.atl.mindspring.net>  C I have written BASIC programs using the Oracle Call Interface (OCI) @ to process data in an Oracle database.  The software was written@ for Vax systems and it works unaltered for Alpha systems, exceptC that Oracle on Vax uses D-Float while Oracle on Alpha uses G-Float.R  / Lee Y T Mah <lytmah@cha.ab.ca> wrote in messages# news:3ACCBA4D.300E7F0E@cha.ab.ca...gH > Sorry to pose such a general question.  More questions would follow if > the answer is yes. >tH > Can a BASIC program read/write to an Oracle DB on a VMS/Alpha cluster? >r > -- > Leer >n   ------------------------------  $ Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2001 15:22:25 -0400' From: "Bill Todd" <billtodd@foo.mv.com>b$ Subject: Re: VMS-Related: Affordable( Message-ID: <9aqdpb$ctk$1@pyrite.mv.net>  7 Paul Repacholi <prep@prep.synonet.com> wrote in message0' news:87ae5s7d1b.fsf@prep.synonet.com...d+ > "Bill Todd" <billtodd@foo.mv.com> writes:a >w; > > Paul Repacholi <prep@prep.synonet.com> wrote in messagev+ > > news:87puep7wur.fsf@prep.synonet.com...u >l: > > > By not buffering at all if possible, you cut out theF > > > cache sweeping and CPU overhead as well, or at least are able to > > > minimize it. >,J > > As I pointed out, this has significant value only if your system is at leasthE > > often CPU- or memory-bound - a situation which I suspect is not at typicaluL > > one, but which would of course change one's attitude toward the relative( > > value of disk-oriented optimization. >sG > Bill, if you have a system with very fast disk IO, try an experiment.f* > BACK/PHYS               <dev> NLA0:./SAV* > BACK/PHYS/NOCRC/GROUP=0 <dev> NLA0:./SAV > G > The first does the whole 9 yrads, and drags every single byte througheG > the CPU and cache. The second does not to a major extent. Look at CPUlD > time and IO rates for the 2., and ote that the file system is nearH > totally out of the loop by using a physical backup. It also is a startF > at 0 and go, best case for the disk. I think you will be suprised atB > the difference. The second normally runs at near full disk mediaD > speed. Hence the comment for fast disks if possible to get the CPU	 > loaded.   K I'm afraid I don't have ready access to a VMS system, either:  most of whataL I do these days is on NT or Win2K, and when I'm doing non-kernel developmentG at home I even use Win98 for simple stuff (though it's adherence to therH Win32 interface specification is, shall we say, considerably looser than NT's).  J So I'm in no position to comment upon how efficiently (or not) VMS cachingL works.  I *do* know that it's possible to implement system-level caches thatI add only handfuls of memory references (with reasonable attention in dataoL structures to processor cache-line alignment) and dozens of instructions (orL possibly a hundred or two for RISC) to the access path (for a cache miss; onL a read hit, you've of course got the data copy to perform), which translatesJ to a few microseconds.  So while adding a cache may make a noticeable dentI in your CPU use, this matters only if CPU, rather than disk, is your maincL bottleneck - and the overheads are absolutely invisible compared to the disk- accesses you'd *always* be making without it.   G Don't forget that, for the material being discussed in this thread, RMSnH itself is already caching for you (just not very effectively, especiallyH when the default buffer sizes are used).  So you're already paying aboutK what the Unix system cache costs (even in system-call costs, since IIRC RMSpL code executes in Executive (?) mode in S0 (?) space, though the C RTL likelyL doesn't have that overhead when rolling its own buffering).  *Replacing* theK RMS process-space caching with XFC (at least as an option, if some existingaL applications might prefer the former) might result in completely transparentG achievement of Unix-like performance (modulo whether Close still always J forced a flush) with no perceptible increase in overhead, but I'm not in a4 position to state that with any degree of authority.   - bill   >o > --> > Paul Repacholi                               1 Crescent Rd.,9 > +61 (08) 9257-1001                           Kalamunda.hB >                                              West Australia 60760 > Raw, Cooked or Well-done, it's all half baked.   ------------------------------   End of INFO-VAX 2001.198 ************************