> From: Eric Dittman [mailto:dittman@jeeves.int.dittman.net]On Behalf Of
>
> I have a cluster running OpenVMS V7.3-2 and Multinet V5.0 A-X. The
> time change is coming up and we have NTP running on the cluster. I
> know NTP will update the system time and update the Multinet time
> logicals, but will it update the OpenVMS time logicals? If not, is
> there a mechanism in place or will I need to update those manually?

NTP in that version has the capability to update the SYS$TIMEZONE_DIFFERENTIAL logical...if you have enabled that in the config file with the "set_vms_logicals" option.

Since there are a number of VMS time-related logicals possible, depending on what products you have on your system, and since the values of some of these may change from version to version (no guarantees), we don't try to update any others with that setting. However, we do provide a mechanism to let you set up whatever you need. If the file NTPD_DST_PROC.COM exists in the MULTINET directory, is owned by SYSTEM, and doesn't allow WORLD write or execute access AND you have enabled it in the config file with the "call_dst_proc" option, the procedure will be called by the NTP server when it starts up, and whenever there's a DST change. This can be used to execute VMS procedures, programs and/or commands to redefine other logicals, send e-mail messages to notify staff that the change has happened, submit batch jobs to restart databases or whatever else is needed.

All the details should be in the manual, and there should be a template DST procedure in the examples directory...though I just checked mine and it isn't there. I'll have to check on that. This is the file:

$! NTPD_DST_PROC.COM - a procedure invoked by the NTPD server process
$! at startup and when making a Daylight Savings
$! Time change.
$!
$! This procedure may be used to make any adjustements to logicals,
$! or disk files, call other procedures, or any other items that
$! depend on the current DST state.
$!
$! Care should be exercised with the contents of this procedure, and
$! most especially with any procedures or programs called by this
$! procedure, as it will be run from a spawned sub-process of the NTPD
$! server, which generally runs as SYSTEM and has a number of
$! potentially dangerous privileges.
$!
$! To attempt to improve the security of this mechanism, the NTPD
$! server will not call this procedure unless it is located in the
$! MULTINET: directory, is owned by SYSTEM, and is protected against
$! WORLD write and execute access.
$!
$! The logfile from the call to this procedure will be found in
$! MULTINET:NTPD_DST_PROC.LOG.
$!
$!----------------------------------------------------------------------
$!
$! This procedure is called with 5 parameters:
$!
$! p1 = Timezone_Name - string ("EST", "EDT", etc.)
$! p2 = Timezone Offset - integer ("-5", "-4", etc.)
$! p3 = DST on? - boolean ("Y", "N")
$! p4 = In Twilight Zone? - boolean ("Y", "N")
$! p5 = Startup or DST change? - string ("START" or "DST")
$!
$! The status returned by this procedure will be logged in the NTPD
$! logfile.
$!
$!----------------------------------------------------------------------
$!
$!
$!!!
$!
$ exit 1

-- Mike Bartman
Process Software, LLC