CHARON Linux Utilities - Release notes for kits up to 40

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Information related to CHARON-AXP V4.6 for Linux support:

• Updating to CHARON-AXP V4.6 requires an update of the guests list managed (/opt/charon/utils/charon_gstart.boot file) as the folder where the emulators binaries were located has changed from /opt/charon/bin/axp to /opt/charon/bin. To update this, use menu option "6 - Service Management" → "1 - Update guests list" → "4 - Edit guests list"

• The kit is not validated on Fedora 20 and Red Hat 7.0 on going

• Menu option "1 - Install/Upgrade/Remove Charon":

  • This option can manage CHARON-AXP V4.6 installation but will report CHARON-VAX is installed. This display issue will be solved with Kit version 41

  • The uninstallation of CHARON-AXP V4.6 is not complete, the "charon-ncu" package has to be uninstalled manually.

  • Remember all CHARON-VAX & CHARON-AXP products must be uninstalled before installing CHARON-AXP V4.6. See  CHARON-AXP/4100/DS/ES/GS version 4.6 Build 168-03 for Linux - Release Notes - Known Restrictions in Build 168-03

   

• Bug correction introduced with Kit 38: it was not possible to start guests when connected via 'ssh'

  • Files: charon_gstart, charon_common_menu

  • REQUIRES SERVICE UPDATE (this does not affect running guests)

• Installation menu: removed a check that could prevent from installing different emulators for either CHARON-AXP or CHARON-VAX

  • Files: charon_setup

• Found a bug that could prevent from login in with Gnome Desktop when the menu is installed

• Charon-VAX V4.6 Build 16502 (minimum) is now supported

• Each time a guest is started its log file is archived, whatever the log_method parameter is: log file renamed to 'name'.uptoYYYY-MM-DD-HHMNSC (Example: pluto.log.upto2015-02-10-120947)

  • Files: charon_common, charon_gstart

  • REQUIRES SERVICE UPDATE (this does not affect running guests)

• The 'wall' command generates errors while used in non interactive processes on Fedora only.

  • Files: charon_check.alertcmd.example charon_console_autoconnect, charon_gstart

• Logs archiving is now available using crontab entry

  • Files: charon_logarchive, charon_menu_cron, charon_menu_console

  • Note: Use the 'Manage recursive jobs' option from the menu to add the entry (default is archive every Monday at 00:00 and 60 days retention and zip old log files)

  • Guests log files cannot be renamed while the guest is running. They will be archived only at guest restart (whatever log_method parameter is set to)

• Archived log files can be viewed from the menu

  • Files: charon_menu_gstart, charon_menu_logchk, charon_common_menu

• 'Send configuration and log files via mail' option now sends the 3 latest log files

  • File: charon_menu_sendlogs

• Expiration check alert message updated in case the license dongle is not connected

  • File: charon_expchk

• 'menusetup' can only be executed if the current directory is set to '/opt/charon/utils'

  • File: menusetup

• Service management option: bug found when adding a new guest with network checks, solved.

  • File: charon_menu_gstart

• The expect script provided as an example can now send the F6 key if the 'power off' command is not recognized or if a VAX VMS shutdown ends with "use console to halt system" (F6 must be allowed in the configuration file). The script exits with code 9 if 'power off' and F6 key were not allowed (so that the emulator must be killed)

  • Files: guest_shutdown.exp, charon_gstart.stop.example

• Guests display list reviewed

  • File: charon_common_menu

• Guest auto start at Linux server boot can now be disabled

  • Files: charon_common_menu, charon_gstart, charon_menu_gstart

• Important note: Clean service shutdown is not functional at server shutdown with Fedora due to service management system change (systemd).

  • Will be solved in a future release.

  • Issue: the emulator processes are killed before service stop and then clean guests shutdowns are not executed.

• Memory total/free added when displaying the guest

  • Files: charon_menu_gstart, charon_common_menu

• Update in log file name gathering from configuration file. This solves a bug in gathering log file name if log_method is not on the same line as log name

  • Files: charon_common, charon_common_menu, charon_gstart.stop.example, charon_menu_gstart, charon_menu_logchk, charon_menu_sendlogs,charon_gstart

  • REQUIRES SERVICE UPDATE (this does not affect running guests) from menu option "6 - Service Management"

• Release notes are now in the Documentation submenu

  • Files: charon_menudoc.dat, charon_menuhostinfo.dat

• Updated on 26-Nov-2014 / Stromasys new logo. No kit number increase

• Documentation can now be read online via firefox. It is recommended to use this option rather than the local PDF document whose conversion is not 100% compatible (case open)

  • File: charon_menudoc.dat

  • Note: solved on August 12th, 2014 (no new kit generated, PDF updated)

• Minor display updates

• Kit: the .tar file name contains the kit number

• Several updates on console connection: if a 'power off' command or its shortcuts or a VMS shutdown 'SYSTEM SHUTDOWN COMPLETE' is detected with a "Connection closed by foreign host" message then the guest stop is considered as requested. If not the script asks to confirm for voluntatily stop.

  • Files: templates/STOPPED.mail, templates/STOPPED.wall, templates/STOPPEDREQ.mail, templates/STOPPEDREQ.wall, charon_menu_console, charon_logchk (REQUIRES SERVICE UPDATE), charon_check.alertcmd.example (must be reinstalled from the menu option 12 then 5)

• Update on network interface check after configuration file update

  • Files: templates/IFCFGUNKN.mail, charon_menu_editcfg

• Console connection: it is now possible to enable/disable the console autoconnect feature from the menu. When leaving the console, the question related to voluntarily stop or not is no more asked: the script detects automatically if a 'power off' command (or its shortcuts) has been issued and the "Connection closed by foreign host" message follows, meaning the user voluntarily wanted to stop the virtual machine. Alerts sent will reflect this.

  • Files: templates/STOPPED.mail, templates/STOPPED.wall, charon_menu_console, charon_console_autoconnect, charon_logchk (REQUIRES SERVICE UPDATE), charon_check.alertcmd.example (must be reinstalled from the menu option 12 then 5)

• Bug correction when sending email: sendmail command required full path

  • Files: charon_logevent, charon_check.alertcmd.example (must be reinstalled from the menu option 12 then 5)

• Show host info now displays running processes (grep charon) and files list in /opt/charon/utils

  • File: charon_showhostinfo

• Bug correction: events found in the guest log file were not sent with mail mode set to TEXT (worked with HTML mails)

  • File: charon_logevent

• Bug correction: mail contents not sent with mail mode set to TEXT

  • File: charon_check.alertcmd.example (must be reinstalled)

• Minor bugs corrections

• Added fix for not getting garbage messages when using the 'gedit' editor

  • File: menusetup -> /etc/profile.d/charon_menu.sh

• Fixed a bug with network interfaces check: now simple and double quotes can be present in the ifcfg-eth files (Valid values examples: ONBOOT=no, ONBOOT="no", ONBOOT='no')

  • File: charon_common

• Show host info now correctly displays the ifcfg-eth* files content

  • File: charon_showhostinfo

• Minor bug corrections: network interfaces settings if multiple interfaces defined, display changes, etc...

• Menu setup/install reviewed for better readability

  • File: menusetup (old name: menusetup.sh)

  • File: charon_setup (old name: charonsetup.sh)

• Added checks after editing the crontab for missing scripts

  • File: charon_menu_cron 

• If md5sum files are downloaded from kit location, comparative checksum is automatically performed before installation

  • File: charonsetup.sh

• Changed way used to get hasp_srm_view output from show license and send C2V file

  • Files: charon_menu_c2v, charon_menu_showlic

• Connect to console: after leaving the telnet session, the autoconnect utility is activated directly, it does not wait next execution from crontab (minimum 1 minute interval, could induce loss of console history)

  • File: charon_menu_console

• Log files list to be monitored is now gathered from the managed guests list (can also be edited manually)

  • File: charon_menu_logchk

• It is now possible to update and reinstall the alert script from the alerts management submenu (used when upgrading kit for example)

  • File: charon_menu_alertcmd

• Various display changes (more information provided)

  • Files: charon_menu_*

• Wall messages can now be disabled from the alerts management menu option

  • Files: charon_menu_walloff, charon_check.alertcmd.example (MUST BE REINSTALLED using the alerts management submenu)

• Following Bug#4297 and issues found with FTP and NFS transfers with large files, all offloading features are switched off before guest start

  • File: charon_common

• After editing a configuration file or before starting a guest, a simple check is performed for the network interfaces defined: is it already used (IPaddr defined)? Is ifcfg/ONBOOT parameter set to no (mandatory) ? Is ifcfg/NM_CONTROLLED parameter set to no (recommended). If the ifcfg-ethX file is not correctly set, the menu will propose you to update it automatically

  • Files: charon_menu_editcfg, charon_common, charon_gstart

  • REQUIRES SERVICE UPDATE (this does not affect running guests)

• Menu update: now displays kit version to facilitate support

  • Files: menumod.pl, MyTput.pm

• Connection to console updated: if a connection is already active and user aborts the connection, the console port selection is no more displayed, connection is done directly 

  • Files: charon_menu_console

• Bug correction for sending mails with Fedora systems: messages with text or html content in body and with attachments are not received -> mails sent on Fedora systems will have then only attachment

  • Files: charon_menu_sendlogs, charon_showhostinfo

• Bug correction for sending mails with Fedora systems: messages were empty (removed 'Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit' from mail header)

  • Files: charon_logevent, charon_menu_c2v, charon_check.alertcmd.example (MUST BE COPIED to charon_check.alertcmd if not already customized)

• Minor bug correction when displaying server boot time

  • Files: charon_menu_console, charon_menu_editcfg, charon_menu_gstart, charon_menu_sendlogs

• Bug correction for license dongle immediate detection: this happened when the /var/log/messages was renamed (tail -0f replace by tail -Fn0)

  • Files: charon_logchk, charon_menu_logchk 

  • REQUIRES SERVICE UPDATE - Important note: kill all running "tail -0f" processes for /var/log/messages and guests log files before installing the new kit (tar -xf)

•  Menu rearranged to add a new option to send configuration and log files via email: these files are displayed in the email body and also sent as attachment

  • Note: your email client must be able to render MIME Application/base64 content

  • File: charon_menu_sendlogs

• If the license dongle is not present at server boot, the startup procedure is aborted after 5 tries with 20 seconds interval. Services will have then to be started manually when the license dongle is connected

  • File: charon_gstart

  • REQUIRES SERVICE UPDATE (this does not affect running guests)

• Show host information now only sends one mail to recipient. The mail will contain HTML report in the mail body and the attached mail file

  • File: charon_showhostinfo

• Changed the way the email recipient is entered when sending hasp_srm_view output, C2V file or host information HTML report: do not use anymore editor to enter email stop and remembers the last address entered

  • Files: charon_common, charon_menu_c2v, charon_menu_hostinfo, charon_menu_showlic

• Added the possibility to send a test mail when setting the mail mode (HTML or TEXT)

  • File: charon_menu_mailmode

• Alert mail system reviewed to be compatible with Exchange: 'mailx' command replaced by 'sendmail' to be able to send HTML emails that are interpreted as HTML and not TEXT

  • Files: menusetup.sh, charon_logevent, charon_menu_hostinfo, charon_menu_showlic, charon_menu_c2v, charon_showhostinfo, charon_check.alertcmd.example (MUST BE COPIED to charon_check.alertcmd if not already customized)

• Qualified for Charon-AXP V4.5 Build 15505

  • Files: charon_logchk

  • REQUIRES SERVICE UPDATE

• Alerts via emails: a footer can be added from the Alerts Management menu

  • Files: charon_check.alertcmd.example (MUST BE COPIED to charon_check.alertcmd if not already customized), charon_check.mailfooter, charon_menu_mailfooter

• Added entry in log file when an abnormal guest termination is detected

  • Files: charon_gstart.log, charon_mongstop

• Emulator is now started from the /opt/charon/log directory and not from the / directory. In case the config file does not contain the log file definition or the config file is not a correct config file, a default log file will be placed there.

  • Files: charon_gstart

  • REQUIRES SERVICE UPDATE (this does not affect running guests)

• Minor display updates

• Added kit version for Linux utilities for better readability

  • Files: charon_showhostinfo, maketar, kit.version

• Added monitoring of unrequested guests stop: if a guest is stopped without proper service shutdown or user request from the console, an alert message is sent

  • Files: charon_gstart, charon_mongstop (new), charon_menu_cron, charon_menu_console, charon_menu_gstart

  • Note: if not done, please add the following line in the root's crontab:

• Minor display changes

  • File: charon_menumain.dat

• C2V file is now generated in the background (via 'at' command) in case of ssh connection that could prevent from getting C2V file interactively (case could be due to remote_desktop and virtual_machine options missing in the key)

  • File: charon_menu_c2v

• Continuous log monitoring can now alert for INFO, WARN and ERROR messages depending on level selected
  Service charon_keychk renamed to charon_logchk
  REQUIRES:

  • charon_keychk service to be uninstalled

    • stop service

    • remove it: # chkconfig --del charon_keychk

    • remove script: # rm /opt/charon/utils/charon_keychk

  • installation of charon_logchk service

  • rename charon_keychk.startlist to charon_logchk.list

  • add entry "* * * * * /opt/charon/utils/charon_logevent" in crontab

  • Files: charon_logchk, charon_menu_logevent, charon_logevent
    
    

• Connection to console: if a session is already active, an option has been added to kill the active one.

  • File: charon_menu_console
    
    

• Automatic console connection utility added to:

  • continuously get the console log even if not interactively connected

  • solve an issue with TX buffer overflow that prevents the system to boot or generates console errors

  • File: charon_console_autoconnect (must be added to crontab)

  REQUIRES:

  • add entry "* * * * * /opt/charon/utils/charon_console_autoconnect" in crontab
    
    

• Alert script has been totally changed, it uses now templates instead of 'case' utility to send emails and wall messages.
  Goal is to be able to add new alerts easily without script rewriting
  REQUIRES:

  • copy charon_check.alertcmd.example to charon_check.alertcmd (if not already customized)

  • Files: charon_check.alertcmd.example, templates/*.mail, templates/*.wall

• Added 'expect' common script for Tru64 and VMS clean shutdown (when 'ssh' cannot be used) and usage examples

  • File: emulator_shutdown.exp, charon_gstart.stop.example

• Added connect to console and edit configuration files to the "Manage automatic start/stop for guests" menu option

  • File: charon_menu_gstart

• bug correction for display guests list and stop command for guests due to ssh usage: break the 'while read LINE' then replaced by 'for LINE in ...'Alert mail system has been reviewed: now only one script for HTML or TEXT emails.

  • Files: charon_gstart, charon_menu_gstart
    
    

• Added menu option to switch between the 2 modes

  • Files: charon_menu_mailmode, menusetup.sh, charon_menualert.dat, charon_check.alertcmd.example, charon_check.alertcmd.example.puretext (removed)

• charon_keychk minor bug correction

  • File: charon_keychk
    
    

• Menu changed: added Online DocumentationShow host information now displays charon_gstart.stop and charon_gstart.chkrun content if they exist

  • Files: charon_menumain.dat, charon_linux_utils.pdf
    
    

• Added table of contents and links when in HTML mode

  • File: charon_showhostinfo

• menu setup now asks kind of alert emails the user wants to receive if the alert script does not exist (so as first installation) and also asks to fill the recipients listShow host information now checks for /var/lock/subsys/charon* file

  • File: menusetup.sh
    
    

• Added 'netstat -r' output and contents of /etc/sysconfig/networking/devices/ifcfg-* files for each network interface

  • File: charon_showhostinfo
    
    

• Informational alert is now sent when the 'Emulator started at' message is found in the log file. This is to solve the missing '*limited license' message when using Software licenseGuests service status now can display guest status if the script charon_gstart.chkrun exists and is configured

  • File: charon_keychk

  • REQUIRES SERVICE UPDATE
    
    

• Example provided in charon_gstart.chkrun.example

  • Files: charong_menu_gstart, charon_gstart.chkrun.example

• charon_gstart service update now does not require guest rebootConnection to console now records input and output to log file

  • File: charon_menu_gstart
    
    

• Last console log file can be viewed from this menu

• Check if a connection is already active before connecting to console port

  • File: charon_menu_console
    
    

• Show host info now gives services scripts version if installed

  • File: charon_showhostinfo
    
    

• Services are now correctly stopped when issuing shutdown or reboot

  • Files: charon_gstart, charon_keychk

  • REQUIRES SERVICES UPDATE
    
    

• When viewing or editing files, 'emacs' is ow available: advanced graphical editor

  • File: charon_common

• Expiration check: now takes into account 01-Jan-1970 date which corresponds to Unlimited (will be solved with new hasp_srm_view build)

  • File: charon_expchk
    
    

• Added an alert script example with pure text (no HTML code). In case of use, it will have to be copied to charon_check.alertcmd

  • File: charon_check.alertcmd.example.puretext

• charon setup manages now .tar.gz files as the kit is provided zipped

  • File: charonsetup.sh
    
    

• menu setup now checks if telnet, lsusb, ssh and expect are installedcharon_expchk now also unbind/bind the usb devices in case of error. It was just restarting the aksusbd service before

  • File: menusetup.sh
    
    

• Corrected a tput usage while not in interactive mode and that created lots of mails in the root mailbox

  • File: charon_expchk
    
    

• Recipients list update: empty lines and leading and trailing spaces are automatically removed

  • File: charon_menu_mailto

• charon setup completed: it is now possible to install charon with this script (menu option 1). The tool also provides options to uninstall (for upgrade for example) and to add emulators.

• Software license key setup is also managed by the script

  • File: charonsetup.sh

• added a text to provide help on how to setup ssh trust between Linux and Tru64added a basic text editor called 'nano' for options that need updates or file read and that previously offered 'vi' and 'gedit' as available editors.

  • File: ssh-linux-tru64-setup.readme
    
    

• 'nano' is very simple, use the keys shown at the bottom of the script for commands (example: ^X to exit, means CTRL +X)

  • File: charon_common, version 1.1
    
    

• menu console: