Welcome to VSI Console Management for OpenVMS (Console Manager).

Console Manager is a layered product that brings together output from a number of consoles that meet certain requirements onto a single point of control. It provides a central point for monitoring the console activity of multiple systems, as well as for connecting directly to those systems to perform management tasks.

Previously, a system's local console terminal was the only location from which you could perform console functions for that system. Console Manager eliminates the need to monitor and manage physically separate system consoles. By connecting any system you wish to manage (the serviced system) to the system running Console Manager (the host system), you can perform system management task from any terminal or workstation connected to the host system.

When you run Console Manager, it establishes a connection from the host system to all serviced systems stored in the configuration database. When the link to a serviced system is established, all console data received is time-stamped and logged to a file on the Console Manager host. This lets you see and react to the live console data as it occurs and also review the data at a later date. In this situation, Console Manager is simply logging all the data from the consoles of your serviced systems.

If you want to be alerted when something particular happens on the console of a serviced system, you can use Event Notification Services (ENS). This facility performs an action or actions when predefined patterns of console text occur on the consoles of the serviced systems. An action can run any host platform utility or applications, such as mail, broadcast, and Motif applications.

When text passes through Console Manager, ENS scans it for predefined data strings, called events. Event reporting frees you from the need to constantly observe the console. Console messages that you would normally need to search for or wait for a user to find can be set up to create an event. In this way, some problems may be corrected before the user's work is affected.

VSI strongly recommends that you use ENS to maximize the benefits of Console Manager. ENS is discussed in chapters Understanding ENS and Setting up the ENS Components.

To support wide area networks, you can use VSI TCP/IP Services, Process Software MultiNet, or Process Software TCPware. See the VSI Console Management for OpenVMS Installation Guide for supported versions of each TCP/IP stack.

Console Manager allows you to monitor the console activity of multiple systems without having to be present at those system's consoles. You can do this either locally or remotely, and also perform management tasks on these systems from a single or multiple point of control. Management can be from either a workstation, or a character cell terminal.

If you have not yet installed Console Manager, refer to the VSI Console Management for OpenVMS Installation Guide for hardware and software requirements.

Serviced systems can be any device that meets the following requirements:

Examples of these devices include the following:

Alternatively, the serviced system may be a software application that runs on the Console Manager host and interfaces with a pseudo-terminal device.

Console Daemon 

Console Ctrl nn

Console Fctl nn

Console Notify 

The following table shows the directories used by Console Manager on OpenVMS systems.

Console Manager provides the following online help from the command line interface:

DCL help library 

The following figure shows the steps to take. Steps 1, 2, and 3 are mandatory; step 4 is optional.

See the chapters Set up the Environment through Managing Console Manager for instructions on setting up Console Manager on your host system.

See the chapters Using Console Manager From the Command Line Interface through Customizing Console Manager for instructions on using Console Manager.

You need one BC16E-xx DECconnect cable (where xx denotes cable length) or equivalent for each serviced system.

Depending on the type of connection you are using, as well as the type of system you are managing, you may require one or more of the following DECconnect adapters:

You may need a DECconnect adapter for your terminal or console server as well. For example, the DECserver 90TL terminal server needs a H8584-AC DECconnect adapter.

The following figure shows the H8576-A and the H8575-B adapters in detail.

Connect the cable between the terminal or console port of the serviced system and the host port of the terminal server using DECconnect adapters where required.

The cables and adapters are the same for whichever method of connection you choose.

>>> set console serial 
>>> init 

Please see your specific hardware user guide for information on utilizing its console subsystems.

See the section Identifying and Solving Connection Problems if you have any problems when using the cables and adapters.

There are six types of transport you can use to connect the host system to the serviced systems:

This type of connection consists of a host system with a DECconnect cable and up to two adapters connecting to each serviced system. The number of serviced systems using this method is limited by the number of serial ports on the host system.

The following figure shows a direct connection:

This connection consists of a host system connected to the same Ethernet network as the terminal or console servers used to connect to serviced systems. The serviced systems connect to the terminal or console server using DECconnect cables and adapters where necessary. Console Manager then uses host initiated LAT to connect to the terminal or console server. The following figure shows a LAT connection:

This type of connection consists of a host system connected to an Internet network. The serviced system connects to a terminal or console server using DECconnect cables and adapters or the equivalent. Console Manager then uses TELNET to connect to the terminal servers. Ensure you use a terminal server that supports TELNET protocol. The following figure shows a TELNET connection.

This type of connection enables applications running on the Console Manager host system to be managed by Console Manager. The pseudo-terminal mechanism lets the output from an application be fed to a pseudo-terminal, which then relays the information to the Console Manager software. The Console Manager user can then use the pseudo-terminal interface to connect back and provide input to the application. AN example of this mechanism is the control software for LPS20 Printservers.

The following figure shows a pseudo-terminal connection:

Add the following lines to your login command procedures in order to use SET TERMINAL/INQUIRE:

$ tt_devname = F$TRNLNM (“TT”) 
$ If F$LOCATE (“FTA”, tt_devname) EQ.F$LENGTH (tt_devname_ 
$ Then 
$ SET TERMINAL/INQUIRE 
$ EndIf 

This type of connection consists of a host system connected to an Internet network. The serviced system connects to a terminal or console server using DECconnect cables and adapters or the equivalent, or, for those systems so equipped, the console can be connected directly to the network. Console Management then uses SSH to connect to the terminal or console servers, or directly to the network console. If using terminal or console servers, ensure you use a terminal or console server that supports SSH protocol.

This section lists the common symptoms associated with connection problems and provides some possible solutions:

Information about your Console Manager environment and your serviced systems is stored in the configuration database. The configuration database containing a number of mandatory characteristics with predefined defaults is created when you install Console Manager. You may keep these characteristics, or change them to suit your own requirements using the configuration editor (see The Configuration Editor, later in this chapter).

The configuration database is a binary file stored as follows:

CONSOLE$DATA:CONSOLE_CFG.DAT 

This file contains:

For Console Manager to work, you must add information about the serviced systems being managed, and the users managing them, to the configuration database. If you are using the command line interface, see Using the Command Line Interface to the Configuration Database. If you are using the DECwindows Motif interface, see Using the DECwindows Motif Interface to the Configuration Database. Each of these sections contains information about:

You can edit the configuration database at any time while using Console Manager, but the information is not updated until you reconfigure the software. Further details on reconfiguring Console Manager can be found in the chapter Managing Console Manager.

The configuration editor is a tool to let you make changes to the configuration database. As described earlier, it has both a command line and a DECwindows Motif interface.

Console Manager does not allow multiple users to edit the configuration database at the same time. For users with privilege to modify the configuration database, the first user to run the configuration editor is allowed to modify the database. Any user who runs the editor while the first user is still editing the database will have read-only access to the database.

If a user is already editing the configuration database when you run the configuration editor, the following messages are displayed:

Database currently locked by another user 
No access to modify database, Read-Only mode enabled 

To be able to modify the configuration database, you must exit the configuration editor, and restart it when no other user is modifying the database.

If you are running Console Manager on more than one node in a OpenVMS Cluster, then only one, cluster-wide instance of the configuration editor can modify the configuration database. This is the case even if two different instances of the database are being edited. The first privileged user to run the configuration editor in the cluster will be the one who can modify the configuration database.

When you invoke the configuration editor, the configuration database file is read. If the configuration database file does not exist in the default directory, the editor automatically creates a configuration database with default characteristics for you. Any updated characteristics are saved as the new configuration database file when you exit the editor.

To use a configuration database file created with a different name, you must rename it to the default configuration database file name, and reconfigure Console Manager.

VSI recommends that you:

If this is the first time you are using Console Manager, then you must create entries in the configuration database in the following order:

This section explains how to use the command line interface to the configuration editor to modify your configuration database. See the section, Using the DECwindows Motif Interface to the Configuration Editor, for instructions on how to do the same using the DECwindows Motif interface.

$ CONSOLE EDIT/INTERFACE=CHARACTER_CELL 

CA Console Management
Character Cell Editor version Vn.n-mmyy 
Copyright (c) 2001, 2004, 2009 CA. All Rights Reserved.

Database contains NO verification errors 
CM Edit> 

Database contains num_errors verification errors 

CM Edit> verify 

Database currently locked by another user 
No access to modify database, Read-Only mode enabled 

CM Edit> help add 

add, modify, or delete the following record types: 
action - Script or program to be run when filter
 criteria has been met. Specify action in 
 filter record. 
event - Description of console text string to search for. 
filter - Defines what actions to take for specific events. 
scan - List of events and/or other scan definitions. 
system - Name of system having the console to monitor.
group - Logical grouping of systems. user - Who can do what. 

Database contains NO verification errors 

CM Edit> add sys system 
System name: salt 
Information: Part of the Cruet Group 
Connection type [1=LAT, 2=TELNET, 3=Direct, 4=Pseudo-Terminal, 5=SSH] (1): 1
Terminal server: CMSRV1 
Terminal server port: CM01 
Scan name (?=list): HSC70 
Icon filename (?=list (Generic.xbm)): VAX_8250.xbm 
Log console data? [Y/N] (Y): y 
Log directory (CONSOLE$LOGFILES): 
Enable Console? [Y/N] (Y): y 
OK to add? [Y/N] (Y): y 

Database contains NO verification errors 

CM Edit> add group 
Group name: New York 
Information: All New York Systems 
Are all systems members of the group? [Y/N] (Y): n 
Enter the systems which are members of this group (?=list) 
System (CR=end): pepper 
System (CR=end): salt 
System (CR=end): 

OK to add? [Y/N] (Y): y 

Database contains NO verification errors 
CM Edit> add user 
User Name: smithj 
Information: John Smith, System Management 
Can user perform startup from the C3 interface? [Y/N] (N): 
Can user perform reconfigure? [Y/N] (N): 
Can user perform shutdown? [Y/N] (Y):
Can user edit database? [Y/N] (N): 
Can user unlock consoles? [Y/N] (N): 
Can user halt the system? [Y/N] (N):
Can user perform archive? [Y/N] (Y): 
Can user exit C3? [Y/N] (N): 
Can user edit C3? [Y/N] (N): 
Can user access all systems? [Y/N] (N): 
Can user access all groups? [Y/N] (N): 
OK to add? [Y/N (Y)): 

CM Edit> set timeout 
Action routine timeout seconds (60): 30 

CM Edit> set failover 

Keepalive timer interval (120): 90 
Polling timeout (60): 45 

CM Edit> set filespace 

Check disk capacity interval (600): 25 

Warning [1-99] (80): 75 
Critical [1-99] (95): 90 

CM Edit> set archive 
Number of hours to archive (12): 24
Archive directory (CONSOLE$ARCHIVE): CONSOLE$STORE: 

CM Edit> modify user smithj 

CM Edit> delete user
User name: 

CM Edit> delete user smithj 

CM Edit> verify 
Verified successfully 

CM Edit> save
Filename (CONSOLE$DATA:CONSOLE_CFG.DAT):  

CM Edit> save cm.dat 

CM Edit> use cm.dat 

CM Edit> export 
Export filename (console_cfg.PORT): cfg_new.PORT 

CM Edit> export new_db.PORT 

CM Edit> import 
Import filename (console_cfg.PORT): cfg_new.PORT 

This section explains how to use the DECwindows Motif interface to the configuration editor to modify your configuration database. See the section Using the Command Line Interface to the Configuration Editor for instructions on how to do the same using the command line interface.

$ CONSOLE EDIT/INTERFACE=DECWINDOWS 

Database currently locked by another user 
No access to modify database, Read-Only mode enabled 

To modify entries in the configuration database, you must have the Edit Configuration data privilege set in your user entry.

After you have established the configuration database, you can change the values of characteristics, users, systems and groups that you have already stored.

To clear a field in the configuration database, delete the value and click Apply or OK. If the field you are clearing is a required field, a warning will display, with the current value restored to the field.

The following steps describe how to modify an existing user in the database, but the steps also apply to characteristics, systems and groups:

If you want to modify more than one user entry, then click Apply instead of OK. This displays the User dialog box, but does not close the Select User dialog box. When you have changed the first user entry, you can now select another user from the Select User dialog box.

You can also change the values of the actions, events, filters and scan profiles. This is discussed in the chapter Setting up the ENS Components.

Before you can modify or delete entries in the configuration database, you must have the Edit Configuration data privilege set in your user entry.

For example, to delete a user:

If you want to delete more than one user, then click Apply instead of OK. The Select User dialog box is not closed, and you can now select another user to delete.

Also, any changes you make to the predefined event or action definitions may not be preserved when your Console Manager installation is upgraded with new releases.

When you delete an entity that is referenced by another entity, then the reference to the deleted entity is removed. The following table shows the entities for which any references are removed when a referenced entity is deleted.

When you have finished modifying the configuration database you can verify that the data you have changed is valid. To do this, pull down the File menu and choose the Verify menu item. Messages are displayed in the Status box to let you know whether or not verification has been successful. You can clear the Status box by clicking on Clear Status.

When you exit from this editor using Exit, verification is done for you automatically.

To save the contents of the configuration database without exiting, pull down the File menu and choose the Save menu item. The information is saved in the configuration database file (see the section The Configuration Database.

You can save the configuration database file to another binary file or a text file, and you can edit the contents of a saved binary file.

To avoid accidentally starting Console Manager with an incomplete configuration database, the configuration editor allows you to redirect updated information to a file other than the standard configuration database. It also allows you to resume editing this file if it is only partially complete.

To save updates to the configuration database in a binary file with a name different to the default configuration database:

You can save the contents of your configuration database to a text file and read the edited file back into Console Manager. There are two functions to do this:

This allows you to edit the contents of the configuration database using a text editor of your choice.

Also, you can import a file that was exported from a previous version of Console Manager This allows you to quickly recreate your configuration database in the new version.

There are two ways to leave the configuration editor, by choosing one of the following items from the File menu:

When you have modified the default configuration database, you must activate the choices that you have made. You can do this either by reconfiguring, or restarting the Console Manager software. See the chapter Managing Console Manager for more information.

You may need to create a new template configuration database file (for example, if the file already exists because you are reinstalling Console Manager).

To create a new template configuration database, delete your current configuration database file and build a new file as follows:

Run the configuration editor interactively and import the installation template file:

$ DELETE CONSOLE$DATA:CONSOLE_CFG.DAT;* 
$ CONSOLE EDIT/INTERACTIVE=CHARACTER_CELL IMPORT - 
CONSOLE$TEMPLATES:CONSOLE$CONFIG.PORT 

Before you use failover you need to configure your system. The configuration is a three-step process. The steps are as follows:

Follow the procedure.

Console Manager has added new internal events to inform you of key failover activity. The following table lists these events:

The following figure shows a sequence of events displayed when failover takes place:

The following figure shows a sequence of events displayed when the secondary host releases control:

Additional logical names have been created to tune your failover environment:

Console Manager supports more complex failover configurations. You can set up Console Manager with the following configurations:

4.5.1. Peer-to-Peer Loading Balancing with Fail over

In this configuration, the load is split between two Console Managers. Each Console Manager is defined as the secondary Console Manager for those serviced systems for which it is not a primary.

4.5.2. Load Balancing with dedicated Fail over Console Manager

In this configuration, a 3rd Console Manager is deployed. This Console Manager acts as secondary for all serviced systems.

The following best practices assure proper notification of console activity:

The size of the event log files depends on the number of serviced systems you are managing, and the number of events that are generated by these systems; Console Manager appends its log files continuously. Therefore, you should archive your log files on a regular basis, so that the live log files (those to which Console Manager writes data as it is received) do not get too large.

If you want to keep the archived information, but want to free up disk space, you can copy the archives to tape, or other backup medium, before deleting them.

When you archive the log files, they are stored in the same format as live files, in either the default archive directory, or a directory that you specify. During the archive temporary files are created in archive area for both the new live log files, and the archive files. The new live log files are copied back to the log file directory, to replace the older versions. The archive log files remain in the archive directory. However, if you specify that you want to delete the archived data, only the temporary new live log files are written to the archive area, which are then copied back to the log file directory.

Event Notification Services provides an archive cleanup action routine (see the chapter Supplied Action Routines). This routine automatically deletes all files in the archive area that are more than a set number of hours old (the default is 24), when the archive area gets full. This feature is a failsafe option; you should have a regular archive strategy, and copy the archive files to backup media if you intend to keep them.

You must have the archive privilege granted to your username in the configuration database to be able to use this command.

To archive the Console Manager log files, you must first shut down Console Manager.

Console Manager continually appends the console data and event information to the appropriate log files for the serviced systems. Also, Console Manager events are appended to the Console Manager log files. Console Manager will always log console data from your serviced systems, and Console Manager events, even if you do not set up ENS to monitor events on those systems.

If you are managing many systems, the log and archive files may take up large amounts of disk space, depending on the amount of data received and the number of events being generated by those systems.

You can decrease the size of the log files by archiving on a regular basis (see the section Background Information on Archiving Log Files earlier in this chapter). If you do not want to keep the archive files, you can delete them either manually after an archive operation, or as part of the archive operation.

VSI recommends that you use an archive strategy for Console Manager. For example, archive once a day, or once a week, depending on the amount of data and number of events being logged.

Unless you archive the log files on a regular basis, the disk containing your log files will start to get full. Console Manager provides two filespace thresholds for this situation, each specified as a percentage of the total available logging space:

You can change the percentage value for these thresholds (see the chapter Modifying the Configuration Database for more information). If the critical threshold is reached, you can also set the number of hours of log data that the archive process is to archive (see the chapter Modifying the Configuration Database for more information).

Also, if the disk containing the archive area becomes full, then Console Manager activates an archive cleanup process. By default, this process deletes archive log files that are older than a 24 hours. You can change the action routine that performs this activity. See the chapter Supplied Action Routines for details on how to do this.

The following figure shows an example of using multiple disks for log and archive files. It also shows what happens when the critical threshold level is reached, and the archive area becomes full. The main stages in the process, as depicted in the figure, are as follows:

This section describes how to use the command line interface to manage Console Manager.

$ @SYS$STARTUP:CONSOLE$MANAGER$STARTUP.COM 

CONSOLE$TMP:CONTROLLER_nn.LOG 

CONSOLE$TMP:FAIL_CONTROLLER_primary_nn.LOG 

$ @SYS$STARTUP:CONSOLE$MANAGER$STARTUP.COM RESTART 

$@SYS$STARTUP:CONSOLE$MANAGER$SHUTDOWN 

$ CONSOLE RECONFIGURE 

$ CONSOLE ARCHIVE 

VSI Console Manager is already archiving a system. 
Archive not performed 

$ CONSOLE ARCHIVE CONSOLEMANAGER 

$ CONSOLE ARCHIVE SALT/HOURS=24 

$ CONSOLE ARCHIVE/NOCONFIRM ALL 

$ CONSOLE ARCHIVE ALL/HOURS=24 

$ CONSOLE ARCHIVE/NOCONFIRM ALL 

$ CONSOLE ARCHIVE PEPPER/BEFORE="27-JUL-2009 13:00" 

$ CONSOLE ARCHIVE system-name/DELETE 

$ CONSOLE ARCHIVE/DIRECTORY=directory system-name 

$ CONSOLE EXTRACT 

$ CONSOLE STATUS 

$ CONSOLE STATUS/SYSTEM=system-name 

$ CONSOLE STATUS/USERS 

$ CONSOLE STATUS 

$ CONSOLE STATUS/ALL 

This section describes how to use the C3 interface to manage Console Manager.

Use the appropriate pull down menus for startup, shutdown, archive and reconfigure. If a menu item is grayed out, it means that you do not have the privileges to use it, or that the operation is not available due to the status of the running software.

To find out status information, the procedure is slightly different. See the section Finding the Status of Console Manager Components for a detailed explanation.

CONSOLE$TMP:CONTROLLER_nn.LOG 

CONSOLE$TMP:FAIL_CONTROLLER_primary-host-name_nn.LOG 

Archive already in progress 

VSI recommends that you export the configuration database at regular intervals. Use the export command from within the configuration editor to do this as described in the chapter Modifying the Configuration Database.

Store this file offline as part of your regular Console Manager host backup strategy. You may also wish to export the database before and after you make any changes. This is discussed fully in the chapter Modifying the Configuration Database.

To verify the integrity of the log and archive files, enter:

$ CONSOLE VERIFY system-name 

By default, Console Manager produces a summary report. If you require a full report, then use the following command:

$ CONSOLE VERIFY system-name /FULL 

If verify reports any problems with the log or archive files for your serviced systems, you can repair the files. You must use the verify option when repairing the files.

To repair the files, enter:

$ CONSOLE VERIFY system-name /REPAIR 

$ CONSOLE VERIFY system-name /REPAIR /FULL 

You can view the documentation on the product CD/DVD using a web browser or PDF viewer. You can also obtain help from the DCL command prompt.

The following table lists the Console Manager commands you can use from the command line interface. This table does not include the commands used to manage Console Manager (see the chapter Managing Console Manager).

The connect interface provides direct access to the consoles of serviced systems so that you can perform management tasks on these systems from your own terminal.

To connect to the console of a serviced system, enter:

$ CONSOLE CONNECT system-name 

For example, to connect to the system called PEPPER from the command line, enter:

$ CONSOLE CONNECT PEPPER 

Connecting to a serviced system lets you do all types of system management tasks on that system as though you were on the local console: for example, rebooting the system or installing software. To be able to connect to a serviced system's console, you must have been granted access by means of a system name or group name in the Console Manager configuration database.

Once you are connected to your specified serviced system, all keystrokes except for the defined halt, escape, exit and refresh keys are transmitted directly to the console of the system to which you are connected. While you are connected you have normal console behavior.

You can also connect to a serviced system using the monitor interface. See the chapter Using the Monitor Interface for more information.

To output live console data to a printer or terminal connected to an asynchronous device, or to a file, use the watch option to the console command. This invokes the watch interface which allows you to output console activity to a file, printer or terminal in real-time.

The system name ALL is reserved for Console Manager. If you use ALL as the system name, you can output the console activity of all systems you have access to in the configuration database.

To print the log data for the systems SALT and PEPPER to a printer connected to TTA3, enter:

$ CONSOLE WATCH/OUTPUT=TTA3: SALT,PEPPER 

You can also direct the output to a text file on disk. To direct log data for SALT and PEPPER to the file LOGFILE.TXT, enter:

$ CONSOLE WATCH /OUTPUT=LOGFILE SALT, PEPPER 

To stop the watch interface, use either CTRL_C or the STOP/ID command.

For more information, enter HELP CONSOLE WATCH.

If you attempt to start a watch for a system that is currently being archived, then the following messages are displayed:

Archive in progress on system-name ???? 

If an archive is started for a system that is currently being watched, then the watch output is suspended while the archive is in progress, and the following messages are displayed:

Archive started on system-name - Watch output suspended. 
Archive completed on system-name - Watch output resuming. 

The extract command searches the live log files and archived log files for events that match the selection criteria specified as part of the command. You can select events based on the following criteria:

The extracted information can be directed to either a file or your default output device. You can choose to display only the event name and context, and include timestamps in the output.

To extract historical log data for review, use:

$ CONSOLE EXTRACT

The following table describes the switches to the extract command.

$ CONSOLE EXTRACT/EVENT/PRIORITY
[=(MINIMUM=minpri,MAXIMUM=maxpri)] system-name

$ CONSOLE EXTRACT/EVENT/PRIORITY=MINIMUM=WARNING system-name 

To invoke the Monitor interface for a serviced system, enter:

$ CONSOLE MONITOR 

A dialog is a set of commands contained within a file that is used to interact with serviced systems repetitively. If you want to perform an interactive dialog, then use the monitor interface (see the chapter Using the Monitor Interface).

To use the dialog command, you must provide a file containing the dialog commands to be executed on the named serviced system. Place the dialog file in CONSOLE$USER_DEFAULTS or, if it is not defined, SYS$LOGIN.

If you do not specify a directory as part of the filename for the command, dialog searches for the file in the following order: the user defaults directory, your home directory and, finally, your current working directory. If the dialog file is not in one of these directories, you can include directory as part of the file name on the command line.

The section Creating a Dialog Script describes the commands you can include in a dialog procedure.

To perform a dialog with a serviced system, enter:

$ CONSOLE DIALOG/FILE=filename/QUIET system 

The quiet qualifier is optional, and suppresses the output from the dialog command. For example, to shut down the serviced system PEPPER using the dialog file shutdown.dialog:

$ CONSOLE DIALOG/FILE=SHUTDOWN.DIALOG PEPPER 

Unlocking a console places the user currently connected to a console into read only mode. This means that this person cannot use Console Manager for managing the serviced system, or systems they are connected to.

You must have the UNLOCK privilege given to you in the configuration database to be able to unlock a console. Your Console Manager host system manager can give you this privilege if you do not already have it.

To unlock the console of a system being used by another user, enter:

$ CONSOLE MONITOR
command: UNLOCK system-name

To find out who has locked the console for a system, enter:

$ CONSOLE STATUS/USERS 

Alternatively, if you are currently using the monitor interface, enter:

command: show systems 

To start an interactive Eventlist, enter:

$ CONSOLE EVENTLIST 

See the chapter Using the Eventlist Interface for information about the how to use the Eventlist interface.

You can do the following tasks from the C3 interface:

You can also customize your C3 display. See the chapter Customizing Console Manager for details.

If there are certain events that require immediate action, then you can use an action routine such as Mail to notify users. This does not rely on any user being logged in to Console Manager.

The destination for your DECwindows Motif display must be set up before you start the C3 interface. See the appendix Entering and Leaving the C3 Interface for instructions on how to do this.

Also, ensure that the session manager security for the system you are setting the display from is enabled on your local workstation.

If the destination for your DECwindows Motif display is already set up, start the interface using the command described in Starting the C3 Interface.

$ CONSOLE C3 

The main window to the C3 interface gives you an overall picture of the environment you are managing and monitoring. It uses the information supplied in the configuration database for your user entry to create the display. It displays icons that represent groups, systems, or a mixture of both groups and systems that you have the privilege to access.

7.3.1. The Main C3 Window

The first time you start the C3 interface the main window is displayed, as shown in the following figure.

You can customize this display if you wish. See the chapter Customizing Console Manager for more information.

The previous figure also shows an Eventlist window, which can be started automatically when you start the C3 interface. This eventlist displays events for those systems that you have access to in the configuration database. If you do not want to display the Eventlist window, customize the C3 display accordingly. See the chapter Using the Eventlist Interface for more information on using the Eventlist interface.

Note

If ENS is not running when the C3 interface starts up, the Eventlist window does not appear even if you have chosen to have it start up automatically when starting the C3 interface. The window will not appear until ENS is running. See the chapter Supplied Action Routines for detailed information about the eventlist routine.

7.3.1.1. Contents of the C3 Window

The C3 main window (see the figure in the section, The Main C3 Window, earlier in this chapter) contains:

1. One of the following:

   • A matrix of icons representing each group to which you have access, if you have groups set up, and all your systems are in one or more groups.

   • A matrix of icons representing each system to which you have access, if you do not have any groups set up.

   • A mixture of group and system icons, if only a subset of the systems to which you have access are in groups.

     You cannot have a group within a group, so only the main window can contain group icons. The group and system icons are created or removed on your C3 display when you reconfigure Console Manager.

     The groups and systems that appear on the C3 display are those defined and stored in the Console Manager configuration database and which you are authorized to monitor and manage. To display any additional groups or systems, you must be granted access to them in the configuration database using the configuration editor as described in the chapter Modifying the Configuration Database.

     When you move the cursor to an icon, the group or system name is displayed at the position you specified for the label in the configuration database (for example, below the group's icon).

2. Two icon status boxes to the bottom left of the window:

   The left one displaying the Console Manager icon. This icon changes color to indicate the status of Console Manager.

   The right one displaying the ENS icon. This icon changes color to indicate the priority of the most recent event delivered by ENS.

3. Three message boxes to the right of the status boxes. From left to right, they display:

   • The system on which the most recent event occurred

   • The name of the most recent event

   • The current time

4. Four buttons at the bottom of the display. From left to right, they are:

   • A mode change button, which allows you to change between Interactive and Edit mode.

   • A Reset... button, which resets the icon colors of all systems to their neutral color.

   • A Find... button, which allows you to find a particular serviced system. If the serviced system is in a group, then the group window is displayed.

   • An Info... button, which you can use to display information about Console Manager.

5. Four pull down menus across the top of the window:

   • File - lets you leave the C3 interface.

   • Commands - gives you access to the functionality available for managing your environment.

     The functionality available from this menu is also available by clicking the right mouse button anywhere on the C3 interface background display, when the mode is set to Interactive.

     Options - gives you access to the functionality for changing various features of the C3 display. These features include audio/visual settings for indicating events, the visibility of labels, color options, and startup options.

   • Help - lets you get online help.

7.3.1.2. Displaying the Systems in a Group

To display the systems for a particular group, double click the left mouse button on the group icon. This displays the group window (see The Group Window in the following section).

7.3.2. The Group Window

The group window uses the information supplied in the configuration database for your user entry to create the display. It displays icons that represent serviced systems for the group to which you have access. It also alerts you to events happening on the consoles of those systems by changing the color of the icons according to the priority of the events.

Color priorities are discussed in the chapter Understanding ENS through Create Your Own Action Routines.

The following figure shows an example of a group window in the C3 display.

7.3.2.1. Contents of the Group Window

The group window contains:

A matrix of icons representing each serviced system in a group.

• Two message boxes at the bottom of the display. From left to right, they display:

  • The name of the system on which the most recent event occurred in this group.

  • The name of the most recent event in this group.

• Five buttons at the bottom of the display. From left to right, they are:

  • A mode change button, which allows you to change between Interactive and Edit mode.

  • A Close button, which closes the group window.

  • A Reset... button, which resets the icon colors of all systems in this group to their neutral color.

  • A Find... button, which allows you to find a particular serviced system in this group.

  • An Info... button, which you can use to display information about Console Manager.

The connect interface provides direct access to the consoles of serviced systems so that you can perform management tasks on these systems from your own terminal.

To connect directly to the console of a serviced system:

Connecting to a serviced system lets you do all types of system management tasks on that system as though you were on the local console: for example, rebooting the system or installing software. To be able to connect to a serviced system's console, you must have been granted access by means of a system name or group name in the Console Manager configuration database.

Once you are connected to your specified serviced system, all keystrokes except for the defined halt, escape, exit and refresh keys are transmitted directly to the console of the system to which you are connected. While you are connected you have normal console behavior.

You can also connect to a serviced system using the monitor interface. See the chapter Using the Monitor Interface for more information.

This invokes the watch interface.

To cancel this operation, choose the Stop submenu item from the Watch... submenu on the Console Manager menu.

If you start a watch for a system that is currently being archived, then there will be no output from the system until the archive finishes. When the archive finishes, the following message is displayed:

Archive completed on system-name - Watch output resuming. 

If an archive is started for a system that is currently being watched, then the watch output is suspended while the archive is in progress, and the following messages are displayed:

Archive started on system-name - Watch output suspended. 
Archive completed on system-name - Watch output resuming. 

To examine events that have already occurred on a specific serviced system:

If you attempt to view events for a system that is currently being archived, then the following messages are displayed:

Archive already in progress 

If an archive is started for a system that for which you are currently viewing the
event history, then the event context window is cleared, and the following message
is displayed: 

System is being archived 

The extract option searches the live log files and archived log files for events that match the selection criteria that you specify. You can select events based on the following criteria:

The extracted information can be directed to either a file or your default output device.

You can also choose to display only the event name and context, and include timestamps in the output.

You set the selection criteria using the Console Manager Extract dialog box, which is shown in the following figure. By default, no options are selected on the dialog box, initially, which means that all events will be extracted.

To extract log data for review:

To log on to a serviced system:

The node name of the serviced system is appended to the end of the command before it is executed. The node name can be different from the system name defined in the configuration database. To specify the node names for your serviced systems, see the chapter Customizing Console Manager.

The Login option uses the following logical names to determine the command that is to be executed:

To invoke the Monitor interface for a serviced system, click the right mouse button on the system's icon, and select Monitor Interface from the popup menu.

To perform a dialog with a serviced system, you must use the Monitor Interface:

Unlocking a console places the user currently connected to a console into read only mode. This means that this person cannot use Console Manager for managing the serviced system, or systems they are connected to.

You must have the UNLOCK privilege given to you in the configuration database to be able to unlock a console. Your Console Manager host system manager can give you this privilege if you do not already have it.

To unlock a console being used by another user

If you want to find out who has locked a particular console, click the right mouse button on the system and choose the Information ... menu item from the popup menu. This displays the Information dialog box. The name of the person who has locked the console is displayed in the Locked By field.

To locate a particular system on your C3 display:

To reset the icons of all the serviced systems on your display to their default color, click the Reset... button on the main window.

To reset the icons of all the serviced systems in a specific group to their default color, click the Reset... button on the group window.

To reset individual icons, either connect to the system's console, or click the icon representing the specific system and choose Events from the pop-up menu.

The C3 interface keeps a log of messages containing information about the status of the C3 interface during your session.

To view the this log:

To start an interactive eventlist from the C3 interface, pull down the Commands menu and choose the Restart Eventlist menu item.

If you want the Eventlist window to appear automatically every time you invoke the C3 interface, you need to set up this option on your C3 interface.

To set the option on your C3 interface:

See the chapter Using the Eventlist Interface for information about how to use the Eventlist interface.

You can monitor console output from the monitor interface. This interface displays multiple windows of information for monitoring and responding to console activity.

You can do the following tasks from the monitor interface:

You can do these tasks for any system you specify. If you do not specify any, the first system in the configuration database for which you have been granted access will be displayed.

The monitor interface has its own set of commands with which to perform the tasks (see the section Monitor Interface Commands).

Although you are informed when events occur, if you want to view the context for events on serviced systems, you must do this from the C3 interface. See Using Console Manager From the C3 Interface for information about how to perform this task.

You can scroll through log data using the keys described in the section, Reading Current Console Log Data.

When using this interface, you will see the following set of windows on your screen:

The following figure shows what the monitor interface looks like using a workstation window.

The default screen layout is one log window. The default system displayed is either the first system specified on the command line which invoked the monitor interface, or if no system is specified, the first one you have access to in the configuration database. See Manipulating Screen Layout for more information about manipulating the screen layout.

You can start the monitor interface from either the command line interface, or the C3 interface.

$ CONSOLE MONITOR SALT, PEPPER 

$ DEFINE ALPHA "A B C D" 
$ CONSOLE MONITOR ALPHA 

$ ALPHA :== "A B C D" 
$ CONSOLE MONITOR ALPHA 

CONSOLE$USER_DEFAULTS:CONSOLE$MONITOR_INIT.DAT 

SYS$LOGIN:CONSOLE$MONITOR_INIT.DAT 

Online help is available by using the HELP command which creates a special log window in which help is displayed.

To leave the monitor interface, use either the EXIT or the QUIT command from the monitor interface. These commands are synonymous. Alternatively, use the defined exit key from the connect interface. All of these commands access the operating system command line, or close the monitor window if you are using the C3 interface.

The commands shown in the following table are available from the monitor interface. They allow you to view log data about serviced systems while you continue to monitor events in the event/message area.

The prompt used in the monitor interface is Command:, and it appears at the bottom of your screen as shown in the following figure.

You can connect to a serviced system's console from the monitor interface, in order to perform management tasks on these systems from your own terminal.

There are two commands you can use:

To connect to the console of SALT using the SELECT command, enter:

Command: SELECT SALT 

This places the cursor into the log window of the specified system. This is similar to using the CONNECT command except that:

Using the CONNECT command is the same as connecting from the operating system command line. For more information see the chapter Using Console Manager From the Command Line Interface.

Connecting to a serviced system lets you do all types of system management tasks on that system as though you were on the local console: for example, rebooting the system or installing software. To be able to connect to a serviced system's console, you must have been granted access by means of a system name or group name in the Console Manager configuration database.

Once you are connected to your specified serviced system, all keystrokes except for the defined halt, escape, exit and refresh keys are transmitted directly to the console of the system to which you are connected. While you are connected you have normal console behavior.

To access a console being used by another user, use the UNLOCK command. For example, to unlock the console of the system SALT, enter:

Command: UNLOCK SALT 

This command:

You must have the UNLOCK privilege granted to your username in the configuration database to be able to do this. Your Console Manager host system manager can grant you this privilege.

You, or another user, can now connect to the console as described in the previous section, Connecting to the Console of a Serviced System. See also the chapter Using Console Manager From the Command Line Interface for more information.

To find who is connected to the console of a serviced system, enter:

Command: SHOW SYSTEMS 

A list of the serviced systems is displayed, together with the users connected to them.

Console Manager allows you to define both a halt key and halt sequence for each managed system in the configuration database.

The halt key can be the same on all systems or might be different. The halt key might also be set to your preference using one or more of the following methods:

When using the CONSOLE MONITOR interface SHOW KEYS command, the Halt key might be shown as “Undefined”. This happens when you are not viewing a managed system and have not executed the SET HALT_KEY command. In this situation, when you enter the CONNECT command the halt key is set to the key defined in the configuration database for the system that you are connecting to.

To read currently selected console log data that has passed from view on your screen, scroll through the data using the keystrokes shown in the following table.

When using a terminal that does not have arrow keys, use the monitor interface commands shown in the following table.

When using multiple log windows, you can switch between them using the keystrokes or commands shown in the following table.