CHARON-VAX V4.9 Build 194-02 for Linux - Release Notes

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Version: 2 - Published: Jul 8, 2019 

Table of Contents

Please review this document before proceeding with installation of CHARON-VAX for Linux

Products included in the CHARON-VAX version 4.9 build 194-02 for Linux

In this document the terms CHARON and CHARON-VAX are used to refer to all the products below:

• CHARON-VAX/XM version 4.9 build 194-02 for Linux

• CHARON-VAX/XM PLUS version 4.9 build 194-02 for Linux

• CHARON-VAX/XK PLUS version 4.9 build 194-02 for Linux

• CHARON-VAX/XL version 4.9 build 194-02 for Linux

• CHARON-VAX/XL PLUS version 4.9 build 194-02 for Linux

• CHARON-VAX/6610 PLUS version 4.9 build 194-02 for Linux

• CHARON-VAX/6620 PLUS version 4.9 build 194-02 for Linux

• CHARON-VAX/6630 PLUS version 4.9 build 194-02 for Linux

• CHARON-VAX/6660 PLUS version 4.9 build 194-02 for Linux

Supported software platforms

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.x, 64bit

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.5 - 6.9, 64bit

• CentOS 7.x, 64bit

• VMware ESXi 5.5 and 6.x up to 6.7 (requires a supported Linux operating system on top of a ESXi virtual machine)

Hosting hardware requirements and configuration recommendations

• The number of available x86/x64 compatible (Intel or AMD) CPU cores in the hosting server should be at least 150% of the number of emulated CPU cores.

• The recommended number of available (Intel or AMD) CPU cores in the hosting server is twice the number of emulated CPU cores.

• Intel Xeon E-series v3 and above with a CPU clock frequency from 3GHz; to achieve the best performance use the latest Intel Xeon CPUs from the Scalable Processors family.

• DDR4 RAM 2133 MHz and above is recommended for optimal CHARON performance.

• The minimum host memory size depends on the amount of emulated VAX memory and on the number of CHARON instances running on one host. The minimum host memory = (2Gb +  the amount of VAX memory emulated) per CHARON-VAX instance.

• Mid range and high end RAID controllers with at least 1GB cache with write-back enabled and battery backup option is recommended.
  (Using low-end RAID controllers may cause significant performance degradation and CHARON-VAX crash. RAID5 and similar configurations are not recommended.)

• Intel HT (Hyper-Threading Technology) should be disabled on the hosting server.

• Hosting server should always run at full speed. Power management and the screen saver should be disabled on the hosting server.

• On VMware, E1000 network adapters must be used for CHARON. If you use VMware ESXi 6.5 and above, please refer to the user's guide, installation chapter.

• The Port Group Security Tab containing the CHARON network adapter(s) must be set to Promiscuous mode, MAC Address Change and Forged Transmit=Accept.

New functionalities introduced in build 194-02 since previous release (build 183-02)

• Security improvements

  • To address security issues new Sentinel LDK 7.6 is used for building this release; most up-to-date Sentinel run-time (v7.63) is included (ID#5211, ID#5227)

• Performance improvements

  • Network performance and stability has been significantly improved (ID#5111, ID#4987)

  • USB physical drive support is improved (ID#3323)

  • Virtual lines implementation is improved (ID#4983)

• New configuration options and configuration changes

  • User part of Charon configuration (set by CFG file) is reflected in the log (ID#5156)

  • Some improvements of the messages in the log (ID#5356)

  • Minor update in Charon logs on Linux: kernel version and system release are added (ID#5393)

• New licensing options.

  • Hardcoded host system limits are replaced with limits encoded in the license's memory block (ID#3263)

  • Hardcoded upper limit on license check interval to 168 hours is increased (ID#5031, Case #00029470)

  • New configuration options "license_use_any_key" and "license_id" are implemented (ID#5289)

  • Should Charon lose access to its license, the product now offers a longer grace period and more frequent intermediate checks.

• Installation improvements

  • RPM script is improved for update process (ID#5139)

• CHARON utilities 

  • hasp_srm_view is improved (ID#5027, ID#5214, ID#5243, ID#5304, ID#5322)

  • TapeUtil (CHARONCP) is improved (ID#3589)

  • NCU is improved (ID#5133, ID#4950)

Problems fixed in build 194-02 since build 183-02

• Fixed a problem when "mtd" utility accepts a parameter w/o notification that this parameter is not allowed (ID#5300)

• Fixed a problem when Virtual Machines Manager does not pick up changes in log file specification and configuration names if the VM name contains spaces (ID#5390, Case #00029909)

• Fixed a problem with incorrect license information in the log file (ID#5287)

• Fixed a problem when Charon may start with expired license (ID#5265)

• Fixed a problem when "mkdskcmd" was not able to enlarge a disk image if its size is more than 4Gb (ID#5237)

• Fixed a problem when OpenVMS periodically stalls for few seconds then catches up (ID#5060, Case #00029554)

• Fixed a problem when host CPU (its number of threads) is reported incorrectly in the log file (ID#5004)

• Fixed performance degradation caused by slowing down I/O thread by DIT one (ID#5162)

• Fixed a data loss during backup to virtual tape, leading to lost savesets (ID#5144, Case #00029944)

• Fixed a problem when a virtual disk is "unloaded" on dismount and cannot be mounted again (ID#5136, Case #00029906)

• Fixed "print" option in "ncu" utility (ID#5133)

• Fixed "hasp_srm_view" issue of impossibility to display all available licenses (ID#5088)

• Fixed VAX 4705 ROM self-test fatal hardware error (ID#4958, Case #00029315)

• Fixed a loss of date/time synchronization after DST change (ID#5029)

• Fixed a problem when VAX 4705 ROM self-test detects a fatal hardware error on the VAX virtual machine (ID#4958, Case #00029315)

• Fixed a problem leading to setting incorrect ethernet address to FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF (ID#5097)