In comp.sys.hp.mpe, [log in to unmask] (Scott McClellan) wrote:

>Chad Gilles <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>>I have eagerly awaited MPE/iX 5.5 to get Patch/iX and Stage/iX to help
>>me get some sleep on weekends. We are finally upgrading our R/D machine
>>to 5.5 and one of our other systems managers has discovered that we
>>cannot use it because we also use Netbase (Arrrrrrrrgh!)

>>Somebody please tell me (truthfully) that this is incorrect.


>Hello Chad.

>I was the technical lead on the Stage/iX project. As such I am very
>qualified to discuss the limitations (or lack thereof) of Stage/iX. In
>additon I was the overal technical lead for the Patch Solution. I am
>very familiar with Patch/iX, but I was not the designer and I was not
>on the implementation team. As such some question my be beyond my
>range for Patch/iX.

>I am pleased that you are eager to use Patch/iX and Stage/iX. I hope
>that they will ultimately meet your needs.

>Now to the question at hand. Can you use them if you are a NetBase
>customer? To answer you question (turthfully as you rquested) I
>actually need more information.

>Who told you that you could not use Patch/iX and Stage/iX with
>NetBase?

>What explanation was given?

>Please be specific.

>There is a bit of a grey area here. NetBase is unusual in that it
>actually replaces much of the Image code in the XL with its own code
>(which is how it intercepts Image calls).  In this regard, NetBase is
>notorious for complicating the patch process. In the past, many
>customers have complained about having to install DB patches and then
>reinstall NetBase. This is because when teh DB patch is installed it
>replaces the DB code that NetBase replaced, then NetBase has to be
>installed again so that the DB calls can be intercepted.

>If there is a problem with using Patch/iX then I am sure it is related
>to this complexity. In principle, it should work the same as AUTOPAT.
>If it is worse than AUTOPAT, then I need to understand why.

>With respect to Stage/iX, it has the potential to make the situation
>much better. It would be possible with Stage/iX to put the patched
>files (specifically the XL) into a staging area, then run the NetBase
>install script (or a modified version of it) to re-install NetBase
>into the Patched and Staged XL. Quest was a customer partner during
>the developement of Stage/iX for precisely this reason. They were
>supposed to devolope Stage/iX compatible installation
>scripts/istructions which would alleviate the "double isntallation"
>problem I described above.

>I am very curious as to what the current status of this problem is. If
>this is not working the way it is supposed to, I will personnally help
>to drive it toward some type of resolution. I very much want to see
>Stage/iX used. It is a very powerful and useful tool and it greatly
>simplifies the actuall appliation of patches (alleviating the need for
>tapes and UPDATE).

>Please get back to me directly (and/or through this list) with all the
>information you have available.