CHARON-AXP for Windows configuration

Table of Contents

Creation of your own configuration file using a template

By default, all the CHARON templates are located in the "C:\Program Files\CHARON\Build_XXXXX\x64" folder. Copy the appropriate template configuration file(s) to your home directory (or to any directory intended for CHARON-AXP).

Please do not edit the original template configuration files since they can be updated or even removed on update/deinstallation of CHARON-AXP

Once the file has been created you can open it in "Notepad" editor (or use the "CHARON Launcher" utility to open the configuration file) and proceed with modification to reflect the exact features of the system you are going to emulate.

We will review all the parameters step by step issuing some recommendations and guidelines.

Note: lines preceeded by the comment sign "#" inside the configuration files will not be interpreted. You can use this sign to debug your configuration.

HP Alpha model specification

The first configuration statement is the specification of the exact HP Alpha hardware model to emulate, for example:

You must leave this line untouched.

If you create the CHARON-AXP configuration file from scratch it must be the very first uncommented line in the configuration file.

Configuration name

The next configuration statement is the "Configuration name" option:

You can optionally uncomment this line to differentiate this CHARON-AXP instance from all others in a multi-instance environment. The configuration name can be any label that is meaningful.

It is possible to specify a configuration name containing spaces, in this case use quotation marks:

The configuration name is reported in the log file and is used to set the log file name for rotating log (see further: Rotating log (default) ).

Log file parameters

Execution of CHARON-AXP creates one log file or a set of log files reflecting the progress of its start-up and ongoing operation - start and end time of execution, system information, license and configuration details, warnings, reports on problems that may occur, etc. In case of possible problems either with the running CHARON-AXP or the emulated system configuration (such as the absence or malfunction of certain devices), the log file(s) is the primary source to be analyzed for troubleshooting. If it becomes necessary to contact Stromasys for support, the configuration and log files, plus the license number, will be requested to begin problem resolution.

Here is an example of a field test CHARON-AXP log file:

The next group of parameters defines the name of the CHARON-AXP log file and how CHARON-AXP will use it:

Rotating log (default)

By default CHARON-AXP utilizes a so-called "rotating log". This means that a new default log file is always created each time CHARON starts and can switch to another log file if the size of the log file exceeds 64Kb.

This mode is turned on if all the log parameters above are disabled (commented out) or the "session_log" parameter is pointing to a directory rather than to a file. If a directory is specified, the log files will be created in that directory.

Names of the rotating log files are composed as follows:

If the "Configuration name" parameter described before is omitted (commented out), the log name has the following format instead:

Note that "xxxxxxxxx" is an increasing decimal number starting from "000000000" to separate log files with the same time of creation.

Single log

Alternatively it is possible to use just a single log file. Uncomment the "set session log" line and specify the desired CHARON-AXP log file name. Optionally, a path can be added to the log file name. If the path is not specified, the log file is created in the directory from where the guest (emulated machine) is started.

The log file can be extended specifying "log_method = append" (*recommended for reporting issues*) or overwritten, specifying "log_method = overwrite".

Below is a specification of a CHARON-AXP log file located in the "C:\CHARON logs" directory which will be overwritten each time CHARON-AXP starts:

CPU affinity

This setting binds the running instance of the emulator CPUs to particular host CPUs.This should be used for soft partitioning host CPU resources or for isolating multiple CHARON instances on the same host from each other. By default the emulator instance allocates as many host CPUs as possible.

“Affinity” overrides the default and allows explicit specification of which host CPUs will be used by the instance. Affinity does not reserve the CPU for exclusive use.

The example above directs CHARON-AXP to use CPU 0,1,2 and 3.

If this parameter is omitted CHARON host will allocate available CPUs automatically.

 Note that the number of the specified host CPUs must correspond to the number of the emulated CPUs (one host CPU for one emulated CPU; this value is specific for each HP Alpha model) and number of CPUs needed for CHARON application itself ("n_of_io_cpus").

Number of host CPUs dedicated to CHARON I/O

This setting reserves host CPUs (of those specified by “affinity” parameter, if any) for use by the emulator for I/O handling. By default the emulator instance reserves one third of available host CPUs for I/O processing (round down, at least one). 

The “n_of_io_cpus” overrides the default by specifying the number of I/O host CPUs explicitly

Example:

The example above directs CHARON-AXP to use 2 CPUs for CHARON I/O operations.

 Note that the number of the specified CPUs dedicated to CHARON I/O operations must correspond to the total number of available for CHARON CPUs (restricted by "affinity" parameter if needed) and the number of the virtual HP Alpha CPUs to be emulated.

Setting a specific HP Alpha model

CHARON-AXP allows to specify an exact model of HP Alpha.

For example for HP AlphaServer ES40 family the "es40.cfg" sample configuration file contains the following options:

Just uncomment the provided lines to apply a certain model (It is "AlphaServer ES40 6/667" in the example above).

Full description of the parameters and other models that can be also configured is available in the "Configuration details" chapter of this User's Guide.

Reducing number of emulated CPUs

If CHARON host contains not enough CPUs to emulate full range of the CPUs provided by a certain HP Alpha model it is possibe to direct CHARON-AXP to reduce number of the emulated Alpha CPUs in the configuration:

Setting system serial number

The next configuration option that can be applied is setting a specific system serial number instead of the default one:

TOY and ROM containers

The next objects to be configured are TOY and ROM containers (their presence depends on the HP Alpha model). It is always recommended to enable them. If a container file of the given name does not exist, CHARON-AXP will create it. It is recommended to specify the path for each file so that time and console parameters will be kept whatever the current directory is when starting the guest.

TOY means "Time of Year"; its container records time, date and some console parameters while CHARON-AXP is not running. To enable, uncomment the following line:

The ROM container stores an intermediate state of the Flash ROM and some console parameters. It is highly recommended to define its location:

Emulated memory (RAM) size

The next parameter defines the amount of host memory the chosen CHARON-AXP model reserves for the emulation:

The amount of RAM is specified in MB. It cannot exceed or be lower than certain values specific for each HP Alpha model. It is very important to keep the listed predefined increment between possible memory values.

The following table shows all the parameters:

It is possible to leave the RAM line commented out. In this case the model's default RAM amount is used. 

Note that in some particular orders your license may restrict the maximum RAM amount of each HP Alpha model.

Console

Mapping to system resources

The next step is the specification of the HP Alpha console (OPA0) serial line:

The goal of this configuration step is to tell CHARON-AXP what host device to use as the virtual system console. The following options are available:

Option	Description

Option	Description
physical_serial_line	Mapping to host "\\.\COM<n>" ("COM<n>:") physical serial line.
virtual_serial_line	Mapping to an IP port of CHARON-AXP host. Using this mapping it is possible to connect to CHARON-AXP console and disconnect from it at any time.It is also possible to start up some chosen application to connect to the CHARON console IP port. Parameter Description port Specifies a unique IP port on the host to which the CHARON-AXP console will be mapped. application A string specifying a name of an application to be started together with CHARON to provide emulation of HP Alpha console (terminal emulator)It is assumed that this application has already been configured to use the IP port specified by the corresponding "port" parameter Example: load virtual_serial_line/chserial OPA0 port=10003 application="putty.exe -load OPA0" In the example above, CHARON-AXP use the IP port "10003" for the HP Alpha console and starts the "Putty" terminal emulator (included in each CHARON distributive) with the "OPA0" saved session directing it to connect to the IP port "10003". If the terminal emulator is closed, it is always possible to reopen it with the "Show Console" command from the CHARON system tray icon: Open

The default setting is "load virtual_serial_line/chserial OPA0 port=10003 application="putty.exe -load OPA0".

The second console line "TTA0" can be also optionally configured (for 1 CPU models such as HP AlphaServer 400, HP AlphaServer 800, HP AlphaServer 1000, HP AlphaServer 1000A, HP AlphaServer DS10, HP AlphaServer DS10L and HP AlphaServer DS15):

 Note there are a number of additional parameters for CHARON-AXP serial lines configuration. Follow this link for details.

Exit on pressing F6 button

Despite the fact that CHARON-AXP can exit with "power off" command given in its SRM console it is also recommended to set a hot key to stop the guest from the console in addition to the system tray icon:

This line provides CHARON-AXP the ability to exit by pressing the "F6" button.

Improve granularity of emulated timer

The next configuration option can be applied for improving granularity of emulated CHARON-AXP timer:

Do not uncomment this parameter unless there are some problems with system time or system clock intervals in guest OS.

ATAPI CD/DVD-ROM configuration

If the sample configuration file provides this parameter it is possible to map this particular CHARON-AXP emulator's "DQA0" CD-ROM to the host CD/DVD-ROM with the following setting:

Networking

CHARON-AXP supports DE435, DE450, DE500AA, DE500BA, DE602 and DE602AA virtual network adapters.

All of them are configured in a similar way:

In the examples above the first line loads DE500BA/DE602 virtual adapter with a name "EWA"/"EIA" (note that "/i8255x" syntax must be used only in case of DE602 and DE602AA adapters); the following line maps it to host network interface having a name "Charon" ("connection" is a key word). Note that the mapping is performed in 2 steps:

1. A mapping object "packet_port" with a name "EWA0"/"EIA0" is loaded and connected to host interface having a name "Charon", so CHARON-AXP will use this interface for its networking

2. The loaded DE500BA/DE602 virtual adapter "EWA"/"EIA" is connected to the "packet_port" object "EWA0"/"EIA0".

It is possible to load several DE435, DE450, DE500AA, DE500BA or DE602 controllers, for example (for DE500BA):

Some network adapters available in CHARON-AXP are preloaded (for example, HP AlphaServer DS15 contains 2 preloaded adapters EWA and EWB), so their configuration is even more simple:

Follow this link for more details of CHARON-AXP network controllers configuration.

Disk/tape subsystem

The next step is configuration of the disk/tape subsystem and mapping it to system resources using the samples given in the template configuration files.

CHARON-AXP supports KZPBA and KGPSA-CA adapters.

KZPBA PCI SCSI disk/tape controller

Below is the typical configuration options for KZPBA PCI SCSI disk/tape controller:

The first line ("load KZPBA PKA") loads disk controller KZPBA with name "PKA", followed by 8 group of lines showing different ways of mapping to the host resources:

• File representing a physical disk of the HP Alpha system (disk image)

  • "<file-name>.vdisk"
    These files can be created from scratch with "MkDisk" utility. Data and OS disks backups are transferred from the original system via tapes or network and restored into these container files. 
    Mapping may also include the full path (recommended), for example: "C:\My disks\my_boot_disk.vdisk"

    .

• Physical disk

  • "\\.\PhysicalDrive<N>"
    Be careful not to destroy all the information from the disk dedicated to CHARON-AXP by mistake.

    These disks must not be formatted by the host OS.

    .

• Physical disk by its WWID

  • "\\.\PhysicalDrive(DevID =XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX)"
    Be careful not to destroy all the information from the disk dedicated to CHARON-AXP by mistake.

    These disks must not be formatted by the host OS.

    DevID addresses the target physical disk by its WWID (hexadecimal 128-bit identifier assigned to the disk drive by its manufacturer/originator).

    Example:

    .

• iSCSI disks

  • "\\.\PhysicalDrive(iScsiTarget = <iSCSI target>, LUN = <LUN number>)"
    
    

    Example:

    .

• SCSI device unknown to Windows for direct mapping, for example, a SCSI disk or tape reader

  • "\\.\Scsi<N>:<X>:<Y>:<Z>"
    The values of N, X, Y and Z can be collected using special utility "Host Device Check" included in the CHARON distributive - or manually by investigation of the devices connected to CHARON host in the "Device Manager" applet.