Webserver updated
I have updated the webserver to version 10.4. It required some extra work in the procedures, and it turned out that stopping the server using the procedure used for that action, forgot that the server is installed. So that is something I need to address. However, this action is hardly ever used – just on shutdown of the hardware. But it’s worth editing anyway, to allow adjustments in the environment. Be it the webserver, MySQL database of PHP version.
Anyway.
This webserver has TLS 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 enabled. So no SSL – either version, due to the security leaks found lately. So if you try to access the server with a browser where TLS is not enabled, you won’t get access. That is: by default. But I have started the server – for the time being – allowing SSL3 – but you may run into problems.
In due time, SSL will be disabled completely.
19-Jan-2015
Still problems with PHP
There are still problems with PHP. Thought it looked as if it worked yesterday (and it did) the setup wasn’t completely right: I couldn’t start the php-command; as it turned out, PHP_ROOT wasn’t defined properly: referred to WASD_ROOT:[PHP with concealed attribute. I translated WASD_ROOT to the bone ($116dka100:[web.wasd.] and added the terminal attribute. Now the php command can be used, and when executing SYSBLOG:[000000]index.php, the pages shows. But running from the website fails. Be it because of ACCVIO, or PHPWASDSHR cannot be accesed – but the files exists and is accessible.
18-Jan-2014
PHP updated
It required some work in startup procedures but now the blogs ru using Mark Berryman’s 5.2.13 version of PHP.
No trouble so far, except that the first start of the admin pages gave some error; but I could not reproduce it since the second time, it worked…Might have been a cache issue…
Next step: See if 5.3 and 5.4 do the job as well. And see whether WordPress 4.1 can now be installed.
17-Jan-2015
PHP again
Because installation of WordPress failed, apparently due to PHP issues, I contacted Mark Berryman whohas done thr port of PHP to VMS. From him I learned that 5.2.6 is basically a port of HP’s version where all modules are included. At least, most are. And the glob function is one of those that is missing. The latest version that is available (5.2.13) should work. So would the latest of 5.3 and 5.4, he uses that one now. So I’ll update the PHP installations ans see what works best. Probably 5.4…
Another port he has done is MySQL fork named MariaSQL. I think the guys behind this database come from the original owner of MySQL, that have left this company after it was acquired by Oracle. Frustrated? Perhaps. Anyway, the database is a straight replacement of MySQL and according Mark, it is far more stable than any MySQL version ever ported to OpenVMS. Well, I have no real complaints on that, except WordPress looses connection executing a particular query, but that doesn’t interfere with normal activities. But it is worth a try.
So there’s some work to do this weekend
<Strong><font color=”red”>OpenVMS.org down</font></strong>
Forseveral weeks, the unofficial VMS community site OpenVMS.org is not responding, nor is any site in that family. It appears the domain is ‘parked’ at GoDaddy, and can be purchased. For now I have disabled the link. However, there is a new kid on the block and that will be named in my list: OpenVMSToday.com, by eCube.
02-Jan-2015
Some updates
Some updates that I could download in the beginning of December weren’t installed yet; but the next update is said to be available. It might be – but I have no longer access to the patch management site..So this was all I could do: install what still had to be done. Plus the latest OpenSSL one – which is available at no cost because it’s open source 🙂
No problems here.
Since this type of updates require a reboot, I also wanted to see whether I could now use PHP 5.3.14 – which gave severe trouble last year. I might need that for yet another update: WordPress to version 4.1. Installation is no problem, though some files have dots in their names and any by the first will be replaced by an underscore. This is common when using unzip – but I found that gunzim and VMSTAR doe the same. I know I can force the system to allow them but a simple script does the trick as well:
$A:
$ f = f$search("[...]*.*_*")
$ if f .eqs. "" then exit
$ f = f$element(0,";",f)
$ s = 0
$A1:
$! Find the last "_" before end of stting. This needs to be replaced
$ f2 = f1
$ f1 = f$element (s,"_", f)
$ if f1 .eqs. "_" then goto A2
$ s = s+1
$ goto A1
$A2:
$! Now F1 = "_" and F2 holds the extension.
$! so the target name will be f, minus "_(F2)" , and extended with ".(F2)"
$ f1 = f - "_''f2'" + ".''f2'
$ copy/log 'f' 'f1' !! or rename. COPY because it's safer.
$ goto A
This worked for previous versions as well, though I previously looked for _PHP only at first but soon found that there are _CC and )JS as well. This one takes care of all…
Next I created a database for this version but the installation script fails because the glob() function in found undefined. So upgrading to 5.3 might do the trick; I tested that last year but found it not well working. But that was VMS 8.3, and now I’m on 8.4, it may make a difference….
So I booted the system with PHP version 5.3.14, but for some reason, none of the blogs reacted. Even WATCH didn’t show much: just that the server returned error status 500 plus some extra data that (I think) shouldn’t be there. This is something to be investigated with Mark Berryman, once more. The problem is that I cannot get the lastest version – his site does no longer respond. Even email may be impossible…
So I reversed to 5.2.6 – because that does work.
Maintenance
The usual stuff – a bit more work this time since the 2014 logs are to be archived and stored. No surprises in mail – though the number of messages is a bit higher:
PMAS statistics for December
Total messages : 2866 = 100.0 o/o
DNS Blacklisted : 0 = .0 o/o (Files: 0)
Relay attempts : 1495 = 52.1 o/o (Files: 31)
Accepted by PMAS : 1371 = 47.8 o/o (Files: 31)
Handled by explicit rule
Rejected : 782 = 57.0 o/o (processed), 27.2 o/o (all)
Accepted : 234 = 17.0 o/o (processed), 8.1 o/o (all)
Handled by content
Discarded : 178 = 12.9 o/o (processed), 6.2 o/o (all)
Quarantained : 144 = 10.5 o/o (processed),
5.0 o/o (all)
Delivered : 33 = 2.4 o/o (processed), 1.1 o/o (all)
This larger number is also reflected in the anti-relay logs: especially 10-Dec there have been many attempts (1250) from one address: 58.251.146.185, which is 163.com – a Chinese site I knw for spam and intrusion attempts.
All files of 2014 that are now closed (some are still in use : Web, FTP …) have been consolidated.