Installation

Owned by Bruno Miretti (Deactivated)
Last updated: Jul 03, 2020
4 min read

Kit download

Download the kit from our SFTP server (please ask us connection credentials if you have no access) and extract all files in a dedicated folder, "C:\Charon" for example.

The kit contains the following files:

FileDescription
charon_cleanshutdown.ps1PowerShell main script
rsh.exeUsed if 'rsh' mode is selected
template.iniUsed to facilitate the creation of a customized configuration file for the CHARON instance
psexec.exeDownloaded from Microsoft Sysinternals and used in case of integration to Windows shutdown

Shutdown command

Depending on the guest operating system running on the CHARON instance, the following commands are executed to perform a clean shutdown:

Tru64

/sbin/init 0

OpenVMS

@SYS$MANAGER:CHARON_SHUTDOWN.COM

Requirements

PowerShell V5.1 or newer version is required.

To run PowerShell scripts (files that end with .ps1), you must first set the execution policy to Unrestricted (This operation has to be done once).

To do so, open a command line window (cmd.exe) as an Administrator and use the following command:

c:\Charon>powershell -command "Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted"

(info) The ExecutionPolicy can also be set to "RemoteSigned". In this case the .ps1 script files will have to be unblocked as described below.

If you are still prompted to allow for execution of the script, please run the following command to unblock the downloaded charon_cleanshutdown.ps1 file:

c:\Charon>powershell -command "Unblock-File -path c:\charon\charon_cleanshutdown.ps1"

(lightbulb) See PowerShell version, upgrade, enabling scripts execution, tips and tricks.


Available methods

Four methods are available to perform the remote shutdown. For all methods except 'opa0', the Charon host must be able to communicate via TCP/IP with the guest operating system(s) running on the CHARON instance(s).

Please select the method that is best suited to your configuration:

ModeDescriptionRequirementsNotes
opa0Connection to the OPA0 console via telnet on the specified port using PowerShell internal functions

The 'SYS$MANAGER:CHARON_SHUTDOWN.COM' script must exist on the emulated VMS system.

No requirement if Tru64 is used.

  • Does not work if the console is running an application. Works only if the console is at the SRM prompt, prompting for username or password, or at the shell prompt.
  • Does not work if a connection to the console is already active from another host than the CHARON server.
  • If the password of the guest operating system changes, either the encrypted password file has to be updated or the password stored in clear text in the configuration file.
  • Useful if TCP/IP is not available on the guest operating system running on the CHARON instance.
rsh

Executes a remote command on the guest operating system (TCP/IP is required).

On Tru64 the .rhosts file must be configured and on OpenVMS the rexec/rsh services must have been enabled and a proxy must have been created.

The 'rsh.exe' file is included in the kit. Copy it to a folder of your choice ("C:\Bin" or "C:\Charon" for example).

The Charon Windows server and the emulated operating system must be able to communicate via TCPIP.

The 'SYS$MANAGER:CHARON_SHUTDOWN.COM' script must exist on the emulated VMS system.

No requirement if Tru64 is used.

  • Not subject to password change.
ssh

Executes a remote command on the guest operating system over a secure connection (TCP/IP is required).

Download and install OpenSSH from the https://github.com/PowerShell/Win32-OpenSSH/releases web site or preferably the version attached to this document. As a user with Administrator privileges, extract the package to C:\Program Files\OpenSSH.

The Charon Windows server and the emulated operating system must be able to communicate via TCPIP.

The 'SYS$MANAGER:CHARON_SHUTDOWN.COM' script must exist on the emulated VMS system.

No requirement if Tru64 is used.

  • Not subject to password change.
  • Secure connection.

OpenVMS shutdown script

Copy/paste this script on your OpenVMS system, it will be used to issue the shutdown command for "rsh", "ssh" and "opa0" modes:

$ EDIT SYS$MANAGER:CHARON_SHUTDOWN.COM

$ IF F$MODE() .eqs. "OTHER"
$ THEN
$   DEFINE SYS$OUTPUT OPA0:
$   @SYS$SYSTEM:SHUTDOWN 0 SHUTDOWN NO YES LATER NO NONE
$
$ ELSE
$   IF "''P1'".EQS."CHECK"
$   THEN
$     WRITE SYS$OUTPUT "''P2' was successful"
$   ELSE
$     SET VERIFY
$     PURGE /KEEP=20 SYS$MANAGER:CHARON_SHUTDOWN.LOG
$     RUN /DETACH SYS$SYSTEM:LOGINOUT.EXE /INPUT=SYS$MANAGER:CHARON_SHUTDOWN -
          /OUTPUT=SYS$MANAGER:CHARON_SHUTDOWN.LOG /UIC=[1,4]
$   ENDIF
$ ENDIF
$ EXIT


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