132 lines
4.7 KiB
Plaintext
132 lines
4.7 KiB
Plaintext
maddog.wpd:/usr/annex/README Last updated by cwilson, 92/08/05
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---------------------------------------------------
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What is this Annex Box and why do I want to use it?
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---------------------------------------------------
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An Annex box is an ethernet terminal server that can serve upto 64
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terminals. We are using them 'in reverse' to connect to machines in the OS
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Lab in Building 9U and the Hardware lab in Building 7U, allowing a
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telnet (or cu) session to console ports of the desired system.
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This gives you the ability to do remote software installs, debugging,
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testing, anything that doesn't need a graphics head.
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Along with the Annex box, there is an I/O board in maddog that
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controls the reset switch on the machines connected to the Annex box
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in 9U. This allows remote resetting of machines as well as remote
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console access, a boon for machines stuck in a kernel panic.
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--------------------------------
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What's TELNET, CU, and RTELNETD?
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--------------------------------
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TELNET, CU, and RTELNETD are all communications programs of various flavors:
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TELNET uses the TELNET protocol to talk to the desired host, passing
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along DISPLAY, SHELL, and TERM envariables. The default escape
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character for TELNET is ^]. To end a TELNET session, hit the escape
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character followed by 'c'. ( ^]c <return> )
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CU is a UUCP program that is normally used to talk to modems and
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dialers. However, since it will talk to any device, it can be used in
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conjunction with rtelnetd. The default escape character for CU is
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`~`. To end a CU session, hit the escape character followed by '.'.
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( <return> ~. <return> )
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RTELNETD gives telnet capability to programs that don't understand
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networks that well. Upon startup, RTELNETD scans the
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/usr/annex/portsfile, creates appropriate entries in /dev/annex, and
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proceeds to listen to these devices. When one of the devices is
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opened (via 'cu', for example), it starts a TELNET session to the
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corresponding host and acts as a bridge between the host process and
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the TELNET session.
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------------------
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Annex Box Programs:
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------------------
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o kwho
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find out who is using the annex box and which machine
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they are connected to.
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o kcons {-lock} {-cu} <machinename> {cpu#}
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Connect via TELNET to the indicated machine's console
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port, if not in use. Optionally lock the port and/or
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specify which cpu's console port to connect to. If '-cu'
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is specified, attempt to use CU instead of TELNET to
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connect to the host.
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o kgrab {-lock} <machinename>
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Connect via TELNET to the indicated machine's console
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port, if not in use, and start up additional xwsh's
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connected to the console and debug ports of any
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additional cpus on the machine. Optionally lock the
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ports.
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o kreset <machinename>
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Reset a machine that you have an annex connection to.
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o ksteal {-grab} {-f} <machinename>
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Steal the indicated machine's console port and start a
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kcons to the machine, if the port is not locked. Idle
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time must be greater than 2 hours. Mail is sent to the
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person whom the port was stolen from. Optionally
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invoke kgrab instead of kcons and/or forcefully steal
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the port if the idle time is less than two hours.
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-------------------------------------
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Other files that reside in /usr/annex
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-------------------------------------
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o portsfile
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This is the configuration file for all the annex box
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programs that specify what host is connected to what
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annex box via which port.
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o rtelnetd
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This is a 'chkconfig-able' deamon that does a
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'reverse' telnet from your machine to the annex box.
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Upon startup, it gropes through the portsfile and
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creates the necessary entries in /dev/annex.
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o cu_devices_names and cu_system_names
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These two files contain UUCP Device and System
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specifications for use with cu. Only hosts listed in
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these files can be reached via cu.
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---------------------------------
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To install the Annex Box Programs:
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---------------------------------
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On your machine:
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su
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mkdir /usr/annex
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cd /usr/annex
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rcp guest@maddog:/usr/annex/INSTALL .
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./INSTALL
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exit
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Now add /usr/annex to your path.
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-----
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NOTES:
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-----
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o The escape character for a TELNET session is Ctrl-]. To close
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a kcons or kgrab connection, type Ctrl-] c <return>.
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o The annex box programs and data files are updated when the
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programs change or when machines are added to the annex box.
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An automatic update is done of all machines that have
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INSTALLed the annex box software if there is an open guest
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account.
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For questions, comments and problems about and with the Annex box and
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resetter, please contact Chan Wilson (cwilson@wpd, x7006), Curt
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Schimmel (curt@wpd, x1144), or Curtis Anderson (curtis@wpd, x1193).
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