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General description

CHARON-AXP provides the following set of utilities:

All these utilities are invoked from Linux console command line.

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Creating disk images

The "mkdskcmd" utility:

• Creates empty disk images of a given standard disk type or a custom disk size
• Transfers existing disk images of one type to disk images of another type.

The first step is to obtain the name of the disk that needs to be created:

This command results in a list of all supported disk types.

Choose the desired disk (for example "RZ22"), then use the "mkdskcmd" command  to create the virtual disk image as shown below:

A disk container "rz22.vdisk" will be created in the current directory.

It is also possible to create custom disk images using "--blcount" (blocks count) and "--blsize" (blocks size) switches.

To get all the available parameters please use the "–help"switch:

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mkdisk for CHARON utility v. 1.14
Copyright: STROMASYS, 2015

Usage:
mkdskcmd [Options]

Options:
--help - to see help screen
-h - to see help screen

--output <full name> - to specify output file name
-o <full name> - to specify output file name

--disk <disk name> - to specify the disk name from Disk table
-d <disk name> - to specify the disk name from Disk table

--blsize <number> - to specify the block size in bytes (custom disk image)
-z <number> - to specify the block size in bytes (custom disk image)

--blcount <number> - to specify number of the blocks (custom disk image)
-c <number> - to specify number of the blocks (custom disk image)

--avtable <full_name> - to specify AVDISK table file
-a <full_name> - to specify AVDISK table file

-t - please see the '--transform' options description
--transform <source_disk_name> <source_disk_params> - to transform the the disk image (change actual size)
<source_disk_name> - the file name of the disk image to be transformed
<source_disk_params> - the name of the disk from the list of available at the Disk table
The source disk size will changed accordingly the reach the specified parameters.
To specify the transform parameters manually, follow the option below:
--transform <source_disk_name> --blsize <number> --blcount <number>

--shrink - parameter which needs to be EXPLICITLY provided, if the disk size is to be decreased
-k - parameter which needs to be EXPLICITLY provided, if the disk size is to be decreased

--list <full_name> - to display AVDISK table
-l <full_name> - to display AVDISK table

--silent - silent mode running
-s - silent mode running

Return value:
0 - for Success
Non zero - in case of failure

Examples:
mkdskcmd -h
mkdskcmd -l
mkdskcmd -a /opt/charon/utils/mkdsk.vtable -o /etc/rk07.vdisk -d rk07
mkdskcmd -o /etc/custom.vdisk -z 512 -c 16384
mkdskcmd -t /etc/rz22.vdisk rz25 -a /opt/charon/utils/mkdsk.vtable
mkdskcmd -t /etc/rz22.vdisk rz25 -a /opt/charon/utils/mkdsk.vtable -z 512 -c 262134

The "--avtable" parameter is used to work with an alternative disk specification database (or to point to the standard database ("mkdsk.vtable") if it is in a location other than the current directory).

The "--blcount" (blocks count) and "--blsize" (blocks size) switches are used to create custom disk images.

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Transferring disk images

The "mkdskcmd" utility is able to transfer (copy) disk images of one type to a disk image of another type.

This operation is needed, for example, to obtain more free space on a disk image that already contains data.

Note: it is not possible to add more free space dynamically. CHARON-AXP must be stopped before performing this operation.

An example of the syntax follows:

where:

• <source disk file name> - a file name of the disk image to be transferred

• <source disk parameters> - the name of the disk from the list provided by the "mkdskcmd --list" command execution or the disk geometry specification (see below).

• --shrink or -k - used in the case where the target disk is transferred to a smaller disk.

Example:

It is also possible to specify the disk parameters manually with "--blcount / -c" (blocks count) and "--blsize / -z" (blocks size) switches:

Example:

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The "mtd" utility is used to:

• Create a CHARON tape image from a physical tape
• Write a tape image to a physical tape.

Usage is the following:

where the options are:

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Creates an execution log “file name”.

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Directs to ignore bad blocks and continue processing without interruption. It implies "-r 0"

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Enable verbose trace of data transfer (implies "-p")

Example:

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Example:

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The "hasp_srm_view" utility displays content of CHARON-AXP licenses.

Run the utility with one of the following parameters to see the license(-s) details:

• "-l" (or without parameters) - CHARON default license details
• "-all" - all available CHARON licenses details
• "-key <key number>" - specific CHARON license (defined by its "key number") details

The "hasp_srm_view" utility provides the following functionality:

• Display the CHARON-AXP licenses details. It is possible to view all available license or some specific one.
• Collecting license status information
• Collecting host fingerprint information

Run the utility without any options to display the license details.

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# hasp_srm_view -help

CHARON Sentinel HASP utility
Copyright: STROMASYS, 2015

Options:
-? or -h or -help - to see help screen

-l - to see CHARON license details (for default key)
-all - to see CHARON license details (for all available keys)
-key <key number> - to see CHARON license details (for specific key)

-c2v <C2V file> - to collect the key status information (C2V file)
-fgp <C2V file> - to collect the host fingerprint information (C2V file)

The specific type of CHARON license defines what switches may be used in each case.

Collecting the "c2v" file can be done only from the CHARON host console.

Remote collection of status information

For remote collection of status information it is recommended to use "ssh" as shown in the following examples:

To see the license text on the console:

To collect license text to an output file on host server:

The "hasp_srm_view" utility always reports the ID and IP address of the host(s) where active licenses are found.

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The "hasp_update" is a Sentinel standard utility for license management included in CHARON-AXP kit.

To invoke the "hasp_update" utility login as "root" and use the following syntax:

where:

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Optional path to the C2V file when used with the 'i' option

Uses "stdout" if file name is not specified

Example:

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The utility allocates chosen network interfaces (both physical and virtual) and configures the offload parameters.

Dedication of a host physical interface to CHARON

Login as root and enter "ncu". The following menu will appear:

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# ncu
CHARON Network Configuration Utility, STROMASYS (c) 2015 Version 1.5 

Interfaces Dedicated to State
---------- ------------ ------------
eth0       host         connected to host
eth1       host         connected from host
lo         host         unmanaged from host

==================================================================
bridge name     bridge id        STP enabled            interfaces

select action:
1 - Dedicate to CHARON
2 - Release to host
3 - Create Bridge with TAPs
4 - Remove Bridge
5 - Print status
6 - Exit
:> 6

The utility lists available network interfaces (both physical and virtual) and indicates whether they are dedicated to the host or to CHARON and whether they are currently in use by host operating system.

"ncu" offers several options:

1. Dedicate interface to CHARON
2. Release interface to host
3. Create a bridge between a chosen physical network interface and the Linux virtual network and create a number of virtual network interfaces 
4. Remove the Linux virtual network and all the created virtual network interfaces 
5. Print status  - use it to display status of network interfaces and the menu shown above
6. Exit

In the example above we see 2 network interfaces - "eth0" and "eth1", both of them are dedicated to host, but host uses only the interface "eth0".

Let's dedicate the interface "eth1" to CHARON-AXP.

Enter "1", then type "eth1" and press Enter:

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Now the interface "eth1" is dedicated to CHARON-AXP:

Enter "6" to return to console prompt.

Now "eth1" can be used by CHARON-AXP.

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Release of a host physical interface back to host

Login as root and enter "ncu". The following menu will appear:

Let's say that we want to return the interface "eth1" (currently dedicated to CHARON) back to host. To do that enter "2" then "eth1":

Enter "6" to quit the "ncu" utility.

The interface "eth1" is released back to host system now.

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Creation of a virtual network

Login as root and enter "ncu":

Enter "3" to create a bridge between the host physical network adapter and the LINUX virtual network interfaces (TAP) and specify the physical network interface ("eth1" in our example) and the number of virtual network interfaces to be created (2 in our example):

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Now enter "5" to see the created virtual interfaces:

In the example above we see 2 virtual network Interfaces "tap0" and "tap1" connected to the created bridge. The physical network interface "eth1" is used for the bridge to the virtual network interfaces.

The interfaces "tap0" and "tap1" are ready to be used in CHARON configurations - they do not need to be additionally dedicated to CHARON.

Enter "6" to quit "ncu" utility.

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Removal of a virtual network

Login a root. Start "ncu" utility:

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# ncu

CHARON Network Configuration Utility, STROMASYS (c) 2015 Version 1.5

Interfaces   Dedicated to    State
----------   ------------    ------------
eth0         host            connected to host
eth1         bridge          connected to bridge
lo           host            unmanaged from host
tap0         bridge          connected to bridge
tap1         bridge          connected to bridge

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select action:

1 - Dedicate to CHARON
2 - Release to host
3 - Create Bridge with TAPs
4 - Remove Bridge
5 - Print status
6 - Exit
:> 4

Enter "4" then enter the interface name that is a bridge to the Linux virtual network on this host ("eth1" in our example):

Enter "6" to quit "ncu" utility.

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All these utilities (except for CHARON Guest Utilities for OpenVMS) are invoked from the Linux console command line.