HP DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Alpha and OpenVMS I64, Version 8.3

HP DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS Alpha and OpenVMS I64, Version 8.3 SPD 50.45.19
Name Service Options
HP DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS allows the use of one
or more naming services. The available services are
DECdns, DNS/BIND (referred to as Domain by DECnet-
Plus software), and the Local namespace. TCP/IP
host name and address information is maintained in
DNS/BIND. DECnet node names and address towers
are maintained in the DECdns and/or Local names-
paces. If DECnet over TCP/IP is in use by the DECdns
clerks and servers, then the IP towers will be automati-
cally maintained in the DECdns namespace as well.
When you use more than one name service, a config-
urable search list de fines the order in which the existing
services are to be accessed.
Local Namespace
Using the Local namespace, you can define up to
100,000 nodes in a local naming database. A migra-
tion tool is available to move the Phase IV database to
the large local file format and/or DECdns format.
DNS/BIND
DECnet can use TCP/IP naming and addressing infor-
mation from the DNS/BIND name service.
DECdns
HP DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS provides a global nam-
ing service called the DIGITAL Distributed Naming Ser-
vice (DECdns).
The full DECdns service provides a consistent, network-
wide set of names for network resources called the
namespace. This namespace is maintained by one or
more DECdns server systems. HP recommends that
DECdns servers be installed on at least two systems in
every LAN. This should provide adequate service and
redundancy.
The features provided by DECdns include:
• A networkwide name-to-attribute mapping service
that allows selected HP applications to create, read,
modify, and delete names in the namespace
• A hierarchical structure permitting a large number of
names to be stored and distributed across the net-
work
• Access control to each name in the namespace
• Management and event logging
Distributed Time Service
HP DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS provides a network time
service with DECdts, the DIGITAL Distributed Time Ser-
vice. DECdts provides precise, fault-tolerant clock syn-
chronization for systems in a LAN or WAN. Time is pro-
vided in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and can be
used across a global network. Several forms of time
providers are supported, and a callable interface for ap-
plications allows users to add their own time providers,
including NTP. DECdts can be used by distributed ap-
plications to determine event sequencing, duration, and
scheduling.
Operation
DECnet-Plus is implemented under OpenVMS as an
ancillary control process (ACP) and a network device
driver with HP-supplied executive-level components and
user-level programs.
The normal OpenVMS protection has been incorporated
in the operation of DECnet-Plus. For example, incoming
connects, including file access and file transfer requests,
are protected by the normal OpenVMS login and file
protection mechanisms. Outgoing connects, including
file access and file transfer requests, can include user
password information that is implicitly specified by NCL,
or explicitly specified by the user for verification on the
remote node.
Configuration and Performance
You can configure DECnet-Plus using either the BASIC
or ADVANCED configuration options.
Cluster nodes are con figurable from any node within the
cluster.
As with any network protocol, the performance of a
given DECnet-Plus for OpenVMS node is a function not
only of the expected network traffic and resultant pro-
cessing, but also of the amount of concurrent processing
specific to that node. Thus, node performance depends
on many factors including:
• CPU types
• Number and type of devices
• Number of device interrupts per unit time
• Communications line(s) characteristics
• Number and size of buffers
• Message size and frequency of transmission
• Applications in use
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