/STATIC_RATING=rating /NOSTATIC_RATING Enables or disables dynamic service ratings. A dynamic service rating means that a LAT algorithm calculates the availability of a service dynamically, based on the overall level of activity of the node that offers the service and the amount of memory. When a terminal server or node requests a connection to a service that is offered on two or more service nodes, the requesting node selects the service node with the highest (most favorable) service rating. This selection process is called load balancing. The dynamic service rating, which is the default, is usually adequate for efficient load balancing on the LAT network. However, when necessary, you can use the /STATIC_RATING qualifier to disable dynamic service ratings so that you can specify a static (fixed) rating. That static rating value does not change until the dynamic service rating is reenabled. Use the static rating to direct users away from or toward your node temporarily. Static ratings range from 0 to 255. Specify a low value to make the local service node less likely to be used; specify a high value to make the local service node more likely to be used. If you do not specify either the /STATIC_RATING or /NOSTATIC_ RATING qualifier, the default is that the LAT software uses the dynamic service rating. Limited and application services do not rely exclusively on the dynamically calculated service rating. Instead, they use a portion of the dynamic rating based on how many ports are available for the service. For example, if a limited service has 50% of its ports available, the dynamic service rating will be scaled, halved, and then added to 105. When ports are available, the rating will always be above the value 105. When all ports for a limited or application service are in use, the rating will be based on the scaled dynamic rating and the number of free queue slots on the local node. The rating will always be less then 90. This rating procedure for limited and application services follows the terminal server rating algorithm for services and available ports that the service offers, while at the same time taking into account the availability of the node (which is the factor used to calculate the dynamic rating). If your system is licensed for a specific number of units (where only a fixed number of users can log in to the system regardless of how the login limit is set), then all dynamic ratings become 0 when all OpenVMS license units have been consumed. (This forces all node service ratings to the lowest possible value when logins are not possible because all OpenVMS license units have been consumed.) Note as well that the LAT software transmits a service announcement message when a user logs in to or out of the system. This allows the system to more quickly provide information about service rating changes that result from a login or logout operation.