Assuming Paul is Unix literate, I'll try a rough translation...

Michael D. Hensley wrote:
>
> Ooooo, you found some of MPE's "warts"!  :)
>
> Version names/numbers have been a thorn in MPE's side for a long time, thanks
> mostly to HP Marketing.

Like HPUX 10.0 and 10.01, or the 10.30 that doesn't exist but sometimes
you need it.

>
> Here are the details:
>
> A "PowerPatch" tape is a cumulative set of all recommended patches for a
> particular release.  PowerPatch 7 for MPE/iX 5.5 contains all of the patches
> that were on PowerPatch 6, plus newer patches.

A Powerpatch is a bundle of patches that have been qualified and tested
together.  Like the HPUX CD patche sets, but better - with MPE, they
almost always work.

>
> An "Express" release is a minor release update, and should normally be just a
> "Product/Subsys" tape.  It is usually a vehicle for providing new products.

And an Express may have enhancements to products. A subsys tape provides
products. These are like the HPUX application CD, except they are custom
created for your particular site with only the products you own. (And
sometimes they make mistakes in creating the tape.)


>
> For reasons known only to the insane, someone at HP labelled PowerPatch 7 as
> "Express PowerPatch 7".
>
> Now, why do you need Express 3?  Well, any patches on PowerPatch 7 for things
> that are distributed via the "Product/Subsys" tape are for the latest
> Product/Subsys versions, which were on Express 3 (the latest Express
> release).  Patches for FOS ("Fundamental Operating System") things will all
> work whether you have Express 3 or not.

FOS is like all the filesets that come with the HP-UX o.s. CD together
with the "free" filesets on the applications CD, except MPE usually treats
them like they are all together (you can't pick and choose - except
sometimes).  MPE version 6 has Java and Samba in FOS.  MPE FOS has
(almost) always included a database (Image/sql).

>
> Some installation notes:
>
> 1) Make a new CSLT and a full backup before you start, and VERIFY THE BACKUP
> (preferably on a tape drive other than the one on which you make the backup).
> CHECK THE STORE LISTING -- no amount of verifying the tapes will tell you
> what files were skipped, and even Allegro can't help you recover files that
> aren't on the tapes.  (Well, we *have* pulled files off of bad disc drives,
> but don't count on it).

A CSLT (custom system load tape) is like a HPUX Ignite tape where vg00
only has operating system stuff, but MPE has had it (or equivalent) since
the beginning.  One can put backup files on the CSLT, somewhat like
Ignite.  A SLT is a HP factory made tape that had generic MPE
configuration - like the HPUX support CD it is bootable, except on MPE you
install from it too. The CSLT is a customized tape made on your machine
with your configuration information.

>
> 1) Check the contents of the SUBSYS tape before you begin.  All FOS tapes are
> the same, all SLT tapes are the same, and all PowerPatch tapes are the same,
> but the SUBSYS tape has to be customized for your site, thus creating many
> opportunities for the things to go wrong.

This is like being sure you have codewords and licensing codes, and you
can mount and read the CD.

>
> 2) Do NOT apply the Express 3 and PowerPatch 7 tapes at the same time (even
> though the installation manual encourages you to).  I've seen too many
> problems doing this, and have spent too much time help customers who had
> problems doing this.  Yes, it will take a few extra hours to install the
> Express 3 tape first, and then install the PowerPatch 7 tape, but it's not
> worth saving a few hours now that may cost you many more hours later.
>
> 3) Use PATCH/iX rather than AUTOPAT; you'll be glad you did.

Be sure to initialize stage/ix, if it hasn't been done. You'll need extra
disk space to hold the backup version of the O.S.  There is nothing like
this on HPUX, except the maybe a concept of Ignite, but on disk.

>
> 4) After you are all done, make a new CSLT tape.  The instructions don't tell
> you to do this, and many people just keep the CSLT created by the update
> process.  And then later, they pay us money to help get their system running
> again after a disk failure because they don't have a valid CSLT.  To create a
> CSLT
>
> :SYSGEN
> >TAPE

Very good advice: Just like make a new Ignite tape after installing
patches.

>
> 5) Follow the checklist printed in the manual.  Check each step off as you
> go, or note the steps you skipped.  Better, note what time you start each
> step.  The HPRC (or anyone else) will be much able to help solve problems if
> you do this.
>
> Good luck, have fun, and if you have any other questions, please feel free to
> email me or the list.  I've done a *lot* of updates over the past 15 years
> (MPE, HP-UX, Windows, others), and in my opinion, the MPE update process is
> the easiest, safest and most reliable -- but nothing is (yet) completely
> foolproof or error-free.
>
> Not-a-plug-because-it's-free: Stan has written a new utility, which he plans
> to make available soon for free, that will tell you exactly what version of
> MPE you are actually on (base release, express, and PowerPatch).  Look
> forward to it -- it works great!
>
> New to MPE?  See http://www.allegro.com/papers/learnmpe.html for some
> suggestions!
>
> ---
> Michael D. Hensley       | mailto:[log in to unmask]
> Allegro Consultants Inc. | Visit scenic http://www.allegro.com
> 408/252-2330             | "Support Bill of Rights Enforcement"

Good luck and be sure to keep your tape drives clean.
Richard G.
--
Richard Gambrell
Database Administrator and Consultant to Computing Services at
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