[HECnet] Good connectivity at the moment!

[Rob Jarratt]

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE [mailto:owner-hecnet at Update.UU.SE]
On Behalf Of Mark Wickens
Sent: 18 September 2012 18:33
To: hecnet at Update.UU.SE
Cc: dectec at dectec.info
Subject: [HECnet] Good connectivity at the moment!

Hello!

I've been cruising circles other than DEC for the past few months, but
I've
been drawn back in again.

I just noticed that the area list report on SLAVE
http://www.hecnet.eu/area-
list.html is reporting excellent area coverage at the moment...

Known Area Volatile Summary as of 18-SEP-2012 17:53:29

    Area       State                   Circuit                     Next node to area

    1             reachable             EWA-0                           1.13 (MIM)
    2             reachable             EWA-0                           2.1 (LEGATO)
    3             reachable             EWA-0                         19.41 (SG1)
    4             reachable                                                   4.249 (SLAVE)
    5             reachable             EWA-0                           5.99
    7             reachable             EWA-0                           7.61 (BITXOO)
    8             reachable             EWA-0                           8.400 (GORVAX)
    11           reachable             EWA-0                         11.1023 (A11RTR)
    18           reachable             EWA-0                           2.1 (LEGATO)
    19           reachable             EWA-0                         19.41 (SG1)
    20           reachable             EWA-0                         19.41 (SG1)
    33           reachable             EWA-0                         19.41 (SG1)
    44           reachable             EWA-0                         44.1023 (A44RTR)
    51           reachable             EWA-0                           2.1 (LEGATO)
    52           reachable             EWA-0                           2.1 (LEGATO)
    54           reachable             EWA-0                           2.1 (LEGATO)
    59           reachable             EWA-0                           2.1 (LEGATO)
    61           reachable             EWA-0                           2.1 (LEGATO)
    62           reachable             EWA-0                         62.637 (CTAKAH)


I've built a SIMH instance on my 24/7 server and put the hecnet.eu website
files on it to be served when SLAVE is down. This is done by using Squid
under ubuntu as a reverse proxy with a prioritised list of servers to try
with a
low time out set on each.

I recently received a number of VAX/VMS software product libraries from
1995-1996 (which include VMS 6.2 and 7.0 install CDs) and I'm in the
process of putting them up on the archive on SLAVE -
http://slave/archive/VAX_MEDIA/ the 1995 SPL contains the installation kit
for DEC rdb (although the documentation refers to Oracle rdb, it must have
been around the time it was sold to Oracle) and I was also given a license
for rdb, although I think certainly the later VAX/VMS package from Oracle
doesn't require it -
http://www.hecnet.eu/archive/VAX_MEDIA/VAXBINDEC957/DECRDB061/D
OCUMENTATION/

All these SPLs have filled the shadowed 147GB drives in SLAVE so I've just
ordered two 300 GB 2nd hand drives off eBay for   55. Hopefully they'll
work
OK and it'll keep me going for a bit longer.

I was asking Hoff on the Deathrow Chat forum about how far the SIMH VAX
3900 implementation can be stretched in terms of available memory and
disk space, I hadn't heard of the RAUSER drive which might mean I can go
fully simulated with the website as well
(http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/922).

With thanks to Johnny (for providing a kit to re-flash my firmware) my
VAXstation 4000/90 is now back up and running. The PSU blew up which
also took out all the attached disk drives which is a little strange, but
after
replacing the PSU and much trial and error with hard drives I have a 68
pin
18GB SCSI drive running nicely via 68 pin to 50 ping adapter (originally
from
my Indigo 2). They are such a great box, I'd have been very sad to see
it's
demise. Hopefully I've got a few more years to come out of it now. Being
my first VAX since I worked with them 'back in the day' it holds a special
place in my heart.

Regards, Mark.

Are you still using the router to access, or are you back to the bridge?

Regards

Rob