[Info-vax] HP OpenVMS TCPIP SMTP gives error after change of node name

[RobertsonEricW]

On Tuesday, October 30, 2012 10:51:09 AM UTC-4, Stephen Hoffman wrote:
> On 2012-10-30 14:21:23 +0000, RobertsonEricW said:
> 
> 
> 
> > All,
> 
> > 
> 
> > I went through the node rename items described at 
> 
> > http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/589
> 
> > (original node name of IQDEV1, new node name of DEMO1) and ended up
> 
> > with everything working as expected except for the TCP/IP SMTP
> 
> > service. The situation seems a little schizophrenic because the TCPIP
> 
> > configuration seems to recognize it is now operating on the node with
> 
> > the new name, but when you attempt to start the service it issues an
> 
> > error and attempts to use a queue name with the old node name. Anyone
> 
> > got any ideas on why this might be? What follows is what I think is
> 
> > necessary to know. But if some other information would be useful, let
> 
> > me know and I will happily provide it.
> 
> ...
> 
> > SMTP Configuration
> 
> > 
> 
> > Options
> 
> > Initial interval:   0 00:30:00.00       Address_max:    16
> 
> > NOEIGHT_BIT
> 
> > Retry interval:     0 01:00:00.00       Hop_count_max:  16
> 
> > NORELAY
> 
> > Maximum interval:   3 00:00:00.00
> 
> > TOP_HEADERS
> 
> > 
> 
> > Timeout             Initial       Mail    Receipt       Data
> 
> > Terminate
> 
> >   Send:                   5          5          5          3
> 
> > 10
> 
> >   Receive:                5
> 
> > 
> 
> > Alternate gateway:  not defined
> 
> > General gateway:    not defined
> 
> > 
> 
> > Substitute domain:  not defined
> 
> > Zone:               not defined
> 
> > 
> 
> > Postmaster:         TCPIP$SMTP
> 
> > Log file:           SYS$SPECIFIC:[TCPIP$SMTP]TCPIP$SMTP_LOGFILE.LOG
> 
> > 
> 
> > Generic queue       Queues   Participating nodes
> 
> > 
> 
> > TCPIP$SMTP_DEMO1_00    1     DEMO1
> 
> > $ @SYS$STARTUP:TCPIP$SMTP_STARTUP.COM
> 
> > %TCPIP-I-INFO, image SYS$SHARE:TCPIP$SMTP_MAILSHR.EXE installed
> 
> > %TCPIP-I-INFO, image SYS$SYSTEM:TCPIP$SMTP_RECEIVER.EXE installed
> 
> > %TCPIP-I-INFO, logical names created
> 
> > Initializing TCPIP$SMTP_IQDEV1_00 queue got status %SYSTEM-F-BADPARAM,
> 
> > bad parameter value
> 
> > %SYSTEM-F-BADPARAM, bad parameter value
> 
> > %TCPIP-I-INFO, service queues started
> 
> > %TCPIP-I-INFO, service enabled
> 
> > %TCPIP-S-STARTDONE, TCPIP$SMTP startup completed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As for the queues, disable the SMTP server via the TCPIP$CONFIG menus, 
> 
> and then enable it and restart it, and see if you get a new set of SMTP 
> 
> server queues created.  If not, you could manually recreate the SMTP 
> 
> queues, matching the settings of the old SMTP queues.   I just checked 
> 
> a test box that I'd renamed, and I still have the old queues hanging 
> 
> around; off to delete those.  IIRC, I stopped and disabled and 
> 
> re-enabled and restarted most of the TCP/IP Services servers as part of 
> 
> the rename.
> 
> 
> 
> If that works, let me know and I'll update the article.
> 
> 
> 
> This whole networking area of OpenVMS clearly wasn't ever actually 
> 
> designed, and it's become an aggregation of hacks stretching back 
> 
> decades.  ...Though resolving this mess would have required the source 
> 
> code equivalents of a flame thrower and a grenade launcher as part of 
> 
> the requisite "design renovations".
> 
> 
> 
> FWIW and IIRC from the release notes, there have been changes to SMTP 
> 
> in a recent ECO; they went to a Unix-style configuration file for some 
> 
> features, rather than integrating the updates into the database.  Check 
> 
> the files and see if they've picked up a host name.  While not related 
> 
> to the queues, also check for host names in the TCPIP configuration 
> 
> files.
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> Pure Personal Opinion | HoffmanLabs LLC

Yes, I too went through the entire TCP/IP configuration using SYS$MANAGER:TCPIP$CONFIG.COM and still had this problem. The interesting thing is that I have renamed nodes before but don't remember having this problem. However, there may have been a subtle difference in how I went about renaming the node this time around as compared to the last time I did it.

Your suspicion regarding the UNIX-like configuration file may be correct. I found the file SYS$SYSDEVICE:[SYS0.TCPIP$SMTP]TCPIP$SMTP.CONF had an entry:

Queue-Name                    : TCPIP$SMTP_IQDEV1_00

within it. After changing this entry to read:

Queue-Name                    : TCPIP$SMTP_DEMO1_00

and saving it, I was able to restart the SMTP service without incident and the expected queues once again appeared in the system's list of queues.

However, before you go to the trouble of changing the article, I will once again rename the node paying more close attention to the procedure I used last time to see if I obtain a better result.

Thanks again for your help.

Eric