Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ucbvax!CC.UTAH.EDU!BOB%HOWARD
From: BOB%HOWARD@CC.UTAH.EDU
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Customer Summary of RSM (Remote System Manager)
Message-ID: <8802051254.AA13900@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: 5 Feb 88 08:52:00 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
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	This is a summary of my thoughts on RSM (Remote System Manager) from 
	DEC. We purchased RSM shortly after the announcement and think that it
	is a great product. We have an 8650 with 9 VAXstations/MicroVAXes and
	we would die without RSM (we did before we got it). The best thing 
	about RSM is that you can load up a microVAX with the latest version
	of VMS just like you want it and then have the server pull the copy
	of it off the initial machine and store it. Then you can boot a dead
	microVAX or a microVAX that needs the new operating system over the
	network with the command

		>>> B XQA0

	on the console. It is infact the neatest thing you have ever seen
	(Especially if you have installed VMS on 9 machines by hand).

	The next great feature of RSM is that you load say BLISS on one node
	and then you tell the server to make a copy of it. Then to load it
	on another node you simply enter the node in a menu type interface
	and in a few minutes you get a mail message back saying that it 
	has been loaded. (Because of RSM we have put most of our favorite
	utilities into VMSinstal format which is required for RSM to deal with
	it.)

	The original network print server system with RSM is really lame. It
	isn't what you want at all. (It's just a little better than print/remote
	but not much).

	We also found that the network backup program was ok but we like the
	one that we wrote better. (Someday I should post it to the network but
	it will be obsolete in VMS V5.0 when you can do backups across the
	net (rumor))

	I understand that DEC is adding a new print utility to RSM (or just
	requiring you to buy the new Distributed Queueing software). This 
	will make printing across the net much closer to what one really
	wants. (Apparently if you already have RSM you get this stuff free!,
	at least we got a letter saying "fill this out quick and get it free.")

	If your server node has enough disk space (to hold all the save sets
	and the copy of VMS) I see no reason why you should have to worry
	about the number of client nodes. (unless you are doing backups of the
	clients) Also I think RSM says that it will not run on a VAX 750 (which
	upset the boys down the hall who have a 750!) Again I see no reason
	why it wouldn't but it is impossible to find the part number for a
	750, (the boy's tried).

	Also if you do order it make sure you order both parts, the server and
	the client software. Ordering the server does not automatically get
	you the client software.

	If you have more than 2 or 3 microVAXes and or VAXstations that are not
	in an NI cluster and you don't have RSM you should look into it. It is 
	really some of the best software you can get and will pay itself back in
	time saved to do real work as opposed to VMSinstal.


		Bob Wheeler
		Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Salt Lake City


	These comments are my own, they are not necessarily the opinions of the
	Howard Hughes Medical Institute or of my supervisors.