Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watnot!watmath!clyde!rutgers!lll-lcc!ames!ucbcad!ucbvax!ornl-ncc.ARPA!pung From: pung@ornl-ncc.ARPA.UUCP Newsgroups: mod.computers.vax Subject: VAX CPU SID's Message-ID: <8703301536.AA27661@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> Date: Mon, 30-Mar-87 07:52:00 EST Article-I.D.: ucbvax.8703301536.AA27661 Posted: Mon Mar 30 07:52:00 1987 Date-Received: Tue, 31-Mar-87 06:15:10 EST Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Reply-To: "M. S. Pung" Distribution: world Organization: The ARPA Internet Lines: 44 Approved: info-vax@sri-kl.arpa >>The fix for the 8600 memory bug that is tickled by DEUNA/LAT changes the >>cpu serial number. Field service usually neglects to tell you that your >>serial number is going to change. When you re-boot, some of your third >>party proprietary software may no longer work...... >VAXs have no software readable cpu serial number. The do have a system ID >number. This number is for DEC use in determining ECO and FCO status. Any >FCO will change the system id. That's why it's there. On some processor >type a lot of CPU have the same SID. And I don't believe all of the new CPUs >even have them. They are some times even settable by DIP switches. >I wish third party software vendors would get to understand this and NOT >use them as keys. It is my policy that is several systems are bid, I reject >any using this silly scheme unless the cost of any alternative is totally >prohibative. The time and effort involved in fixing this when you have >virtually every type ov VAX CPU DEC has ever made is absurd! (Have you ever >had to enter an ISSCO system password? It's several lines of random characters >which have to be exactly right!) You are correct that the CPU SID changes after FCO's are performed, however as I understand it, the rightmost 3 digits of the SID never change irregardless of what hardware changes are made. (CPU upgrades may be an exception) I am not aware of any processor that does not offer something in response to the f$getsyi("sid") command. We have a VAX capacity management utility which collects performance and capacity data from our machines and the data is identified by the 3 rightmost characters of the SID number. This project has only been operating for a short time but we have found no two serial numbers to be the same and have not as yet seen any of the numbers change. Are my assumptions correct or am I heading for failure?? Anybody (DEC ??) know how this works ?? |------------------------------------------------------------------| | Mike Pung | (615) 574-8082 | | Oak Ridge National Lab | Pung%ornl-ncc@ornl-msr.arpa | | Martin Marietta Energy Systems | | |------------------------------------------------------------------| ------