New hardware
Friday, I collected some new hardware for the cluster: an AlphaServer 400 and an AlphaServer 1000, a number of terminal servers, extra cards (including FDDI what I won’t use), two modems and cableware. An AlpaServer2100 is still to be transported, I could get it in the car by myself, nor would it be a simple task to get it upstairs.
I started with testing the AS400 – using my laptop that doesn’t have a D9 serial interface but I could try it with a USB-RS232 converter. Alas, that didn’t work. But the machine does start properly, it seems.
Next, I tried the AS1000 – but nope. I guess the power supply is not functioning, really NOTHING happens if the p;ower switch is pushed….
Of the terminal servers, there is one DECServer 90L , a model that I already have and that cannot be used directly since it requires the software to be downloaded over the network. And I don’t have it! So using that one is out-of-the-question – for now. The other one with “proper” connectors is a DECServer 90M – and that one has it’s software in flash – and that oen works. However, I tried to reeset it to factory defaults, but it seems not to work tjhat way since the name is still what it is, and ports 1, 2 and 8 cannot be used for some reason. It all works great but after selftest, the network connection is broken. To change this, I need to login and set my session to “privileged”, it asks for a password (fine): but what password??? Too little information on this hardware at the moment…
The OpenVMS forums are now unlocked, so you can access them and post your questions and answers – In DUTCH this thime. But I’m not fully satisfied yet with the look-and-feel.