James,

CHECKSLT is pretty straightforward. Just issue command
:checkslt.mpexl.telesup. Options 1, 2 and 3 provide for SLT tape checking,
with different levels of error reporting. CHECKSLT is read-only, so it
can't damage your SLT tape. At least, options 1, 2 and 3 can't.

As far as remote updates are concerned, there are several options. My
method of choice (only speaking for myself here) would be to install not
from DDS or tape, but from CD-ROM. HPINSTALL (CD-ROM install product) has
an option, I think # 3, that provide for "Create SLT for remote install".
This enables you to create custom tapes for your remote systems from a
single central location. You then send the tape, the remote system
administrator boots from the tape, restores its contents, and here we go !

Of course, this assumes that MPE/iX on CD-ROM is still available.

If this can't be done, here are a few other options I can think of:

1) Travel to each and every site and perform the updates.

2) Hire some external resource to travel to each site (plug, plug !!!).

3) Execute all the install procedures thru the remote support modem. This
assumes that a) there is a remote support modem and b) there is someone
on-site to load tapes when needed.

4) Copy the files on the install tapes into tar archives (or TurboStore
save-to-disk format), send them to the remote system thru the network,
re-generate tapes on the remote site and perform the update on remote
system as in option # 3. Same assumptions as in # 3, plus necessity to have
tar and/or TurboStore TOLB (which includes the save-to-disk functionality)
on the remote site. Relatively easy to do for the Store format tapes,
likely to be more tricky for the SLT.

5) Any other ideas ?

Sorry, it's my knowledge that nothing comparable to HP-UX swinstall
(installs from a centralized software repository) is available at this
moment on MPE/iX. Oh, I'd love to be proved wrong ;-)))

Hope this helps.

Christian Lheureux
Systems and Networks Department
APPIC R.H.
An HPConnect Systems Integrator
HP3000 Expert

-----Message d'origine-----
De:     Trout, James (J.H.) [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Date:   mardi 25 mai 1999 14:43
A:      [log in to unmask]
Objet:

How do you use checkslt to verify an SLT tape.




Also does anyone know of a way to do an OS upgrade remotely. I have 55
HP3000 machines I take care of across the country and I am looking for a
simple way to upgrade them from one location. I would appreciate any
insight

James H. Trout
Systems Analyst

Ford Motor Company