[Info-vax] directories other than SYS* on the system disk

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2015-01-02 20:10:18 +0000, David Froble said:

> Phillip Helbig (undress to reply) wrote:
>> In article <a10c3552-c233-4573-abc4-bf75f4bf7297 at googlegroups.com>,
>> Volker Halle <volker_halle at hotmail.com> writes:
>> 
>>> Trying to move the TCPIP$* directories will also most likely cause 
>>> future TCPIP updates to fail.
>> 
>> Yes.  I don't plan to do it yet.  :-)  Of course, with upgrades rare 
>> these days, one could do the upgrade, move the files, then move them 
>> back for the next upgrade.

Yeah, or if upgrades are rare these days, then get InfoServer going and 
the kits loaded there, then apply the same upgrade a few times in 
parallel, drink some of your preferred beverage while you're waiting 
for the bits to migrate, and move on.

>> With other usernames, the default directory is not on the system disk.  
>> It seems rather strange to have the TCPIP usernames have their default 
>> directory on the system disk.  OK, it is always there and thus makes 
>> sense as a default for the default, but I don't see any reason for it.

It's common for layered products with server applications and such to 
default to and to be resident on the system disk, such as TCP/IP 
Services, DECnet, DECset SCA, Notes, Apache, etc., can all be 
co-resident.  Back in the era of exceedingly expensive, 4 GB disks and 
smaller, this could be more of a problem than it tends to be now.

>> SMTP at least has SYS$SPECIFIC:[TCPIP$SMTP] while the other stuff is in 
>> SYS$SYSDEVICE:[000000].  If everything were in SYS$SPECIFIC, then it 
>> would be easier to clone a system disk, having each clone boot from its 
>> own root.

Having SMTP in SYS$SPECIFIC:[TCPIP$SMTP] means relocating the 
configuration file to a shared area via the TCPIP$COMMON mechanism, 
where installing the configuration file in SYS$SYSDEVICE: or SYS$COMMON 
would have avoided that.  Or, well, getting rid of this absurd 
scatter-shot files-all-over-the-place configuration process.

> You seemed to start out with something seemingly simple, cloning system 
> disks.  However, with each step, you seem to drift into more 
> complexity.   It also seems that the morass you're drifting into will 
> only get worse.

Yep.

> I'm not saying "don't do it".  Have fun, if that's what you want to explore.

Whatever floats the boats, of course.

> However, if the swamp waters get over your eyeballs, maybe be prepared 
> to abandon the initial "simple cloning of system disks"?

Sometimes yak shaving is the goal, rather than the means to the goal.  
<http://projects.csail.mit.edu/gsb/old-archive/gsb-archive/gsb2000-02-11.html> 


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