For version 12.0 release of WASD VMS Web Services.
Published November 2021
Document generated using wasDOC version 2.0.0
This document provides detailed installation and update instructions for the WASD Web Services package.
For WASD configuration see WASD Web Services - Configuration
For the more significant features and facilities available with the WASD Web Services package see WASD Web Services - Features
For information on CGI, CGIplus, ISAPI, OSU, etc., scripting, see WASD Web Services - Scripting
And for a description of WASD Web document, SSI and directory listing behaviours and options, WASD Web Services - Environment
WASD VMS Web Services – Copyright © 1996-2021 Mark G. Daniel
Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
Mark.Daniel@wasd.vsm.com.au
A pox on the houses of all spamers. Make that two poxes.
All copyright and trademarks within this document belong to their rightful owners. See 7. Attribution and Acknowledgement.
This is a static (file), single document.
Alternative multi-part static
and dynamic documents.
Links followed by ⤤ open in a new page.
| 1.1Using IA64-hosted X86 Cross-Complier? |
| 1.2Troubleshooting? |
| ↩︎ | ↖︎ | ↑︎ | ↘︎ | ↪︎ |
WASD is outlined in the Introduction and Package Overview sections of the WASD Features document.
There are a number of approaches to installing and updating a WASD package.
The vanilla recipes are 2. Installation and 3. Update but there are
5. Other Ways to Deploy.
This section provides a quick guide to getting your WASD package installed, configured and serving.
Install the files following the guidelines in 2. Installation.
Note that more than one archive may be needed
(‘Source Archive, Object Module Archives’ in 2.1 Package UNZIP).
If Transport Layer Security (TLS - a.k.a. Secure Sockets Layer - SSL) is to be used and a TLS/SSL server image to be built the WASD [Open]SSL product must be installed at this stage (see TLS/SSL Functionality Sources of WASD Features and Facilities). An existing VSI SSL111 for OpenVMS product (all based on OpenSSL 1.0.2 and earlier obsolete) requires no additional step. If the WASD [Open]SSL package it must UNZIPed into the [.WASD_ROOT] tree at this stage.
Note the use of the "-d" switch.
Server installation is performed using the INSTALL.COM procedure (2.9 INSTALL.COM Procedure).
Following the execution of the INSTALL.COM procedure the package should require only minor, further configuration.
Initially two files may require alteration.
More generally server runtime configuration involves the considerations discussed in Site Organisation of WASD Configuration along with the following aspects:
Execute the startup procedure (‘STARTUP.COM’ in 4.3 Account Support Files). Get your browser and connect!
Of course something will not be right! This can happen with the initial configuration and sometimes when changing configuration. The server provides information messages in the run-time log, look in the WASD_ROOT:[LOG_SERVER] directory.
Remember, the basic installation's integrity can always be checked as described in 2.10 Quick-Check). This uses the configuration files from the [EXAMPLE] directory, so provided these have not been altered the server should execute in demonstration mode correctly.
Can't resolve it? See 2.12 Reporting Problems.
Until a native X86 C compiler becomes available all WASD package and additional application builds must be done in two phases.
When building using the cross-compiler tools the procedures recognise the XCC$COMPILER environment and adjust to create and use [.OBJ_X86_64] object code directories.
For example; to build WASD package:
Proceed with the second phase.
For example:
Proceed with the second phase.
When initially installing or configuring WASD, and sometimes later where something breaks spectacularly, it is most useful to be able to gain insight into what the server is up to.
The go-to tool is WATCH (yes, all capitals, and for no other reason than it makes it stand out).
WATCH is described in detail in WATCH Facility of the WASD Features and Facilities document.
For most circumstances WATCH can be made available for troubleshooting even if the configuration is significantly broken. This is done by using a skeleton-key to authorise special access into the server.
The skeleton-key is described in detail in Skeleton-Key Authentication of the WASD Features and Facilities document.
TL;DR
Enable at the command-line with the username anything beginning with an underscore and at least 8 characters, same for the password length.
Then using a browser access any available service, entering the above username (including underscore) and password when prompted.
The service administration facilities (of which WATCH is one) are also available and useful.
| ↩︎ | ↖︎ | ↑︎ | ↘︎ | ↪︎ |
The WASD package is distributed as ZIP archives.
It generally pays to use the latest version of VMS UNZIP available. Archives will contain a comment about the minimum version required, check that as described in the next paragraph. To show the version of the current UNZIP utility, use
The ZIP archive will contain brief installation instructions. Use the following command to read this and any other information provided.
It is recommended to check the integrity of, then list the contents of, the archive before UNZIPing.
The archive will have the structure:
The archive contains the complete directory tree. Hence it is necessary to SET DEFAULT into the top-level directory of the volume the package is to be installed on.
The complete package, source code, documentation, examples, etc., is provided in a single main archive. Installation and other build procedures allow the entire package to be compiled and linked from this if prefered. This requires a later version of DEC C (preferably v6.n or greater).
In addition, for those unable or not wishing to fully build the distribution, three other platform-specific archives are available, AXP (Alpha) IA64 (Itanium) and X86, containing a complete set of object modules, allowing the package to be built via a link operation only.
If a complete build is planned then only the main archive is required. If a link-only build then an additional archive for each architecture must be UNZIPed as described above. This applies to both full installations and subsequent updates. The archives will be clearly identified with the architecture type, as illustrated in this example.
Building an SSL-capable version of the server is a common requirement. WASD SSL is discussed in detail in Transport Layer Security of WASD Features and Facilities. and if using the WASD SSL package it is also possible to install (or update) that package after UNZIPing the primary archive and optional object module(s). As noted in the above SSL section, the server can also be built against an existing VMS SSL product and an existing OpenSSL installation.
The package directories and content are organised as follows. Note that only some of these can be accessed by the server account (and therefore seen in server-generated directory listings) due to directory and file protections (see Recommended Package Security in WASD Configuration).
Package Directory Structure
| Directory | Description |
|---|---|
| [AXP-BIN] | Alpha executable script files |
| [AXP] | Alpha build and utility area |
| [CGI-BIN] | architecture-neutral script files |
| [EXAMPLE] | package examples |
| [EXERCISE] | package test files |
| [HTTP$NOBODY] | scripting account default home area |
| [HTTP$SERVER] | server account default home area |
| [IA64-BIN] | Itanium executable script files |
| [IA64] | Itanium build and utility area |
| [INSTALL] | installation, update and security procedures |
| [LOCAL] | site configuration files |
| [LOG] | site access logs |
| [LOG_SERVER] | server process (SYS$OUTPUT) logs |
| [RUNTIME] | graphics, help files, etc. |
| [SCRATCH] | working file space for scripts |
| [SCRIPT] | example architecture-neutral scripts |
| [SRC] | package source files |
| [STARTUP] | package startup procedures |
| [WASDOC] | package documentation |
| [X86_64-BIN] | x86-86 executable script files |
| [X86_64] | x86-64 build and utility area |
The WASD package can be installed on and used from ODS-5 (extended file specification) volumes. Note that the installation procedures and file system organisation of the package tree has been designed for ODS-2 compliance. (Of course the issue of installing WASD on an ODS-5 volume is completely separate from the ability to serve the contents of an ODS-5 volume!)
Unlikely as it might be to install the package on a private or otherwise protected volume, the server and scripting accounts being unprivileged in themselves, require access sufficient to read, write and delete files from the volume (disk). The following illustrates how to check this and what the protections should look like. Generally any device that an unprivileged user can use the server accounts can use.
Should WASD_ROOT be located on a volume with disk quota enabled then suitable entries must exist for the server account (default HTTP$SERVER), SYSTEM account, and any scripting account(s) (default HTTP$NOBODY). The server account requires quota for the server process log, SYSTEM (due to SYSPRV use) for access log(s), and scripting account(s) requiring default temporary storage ([SCRATCH]) during processing.
As of WASD v10.1 the minimum supported version for build and operation is VMS V7.0. Had to drag ourselves into the mid-1990s at some stage!
Also, when the server image begins execution it may add an identifier, required for script process management, to RIGHTSLIST.DAT.
These behaviours must be considered in site environments where such changes are prohibited or closely controlled.
The WASD installation assumes that the system's TCP/IP infrastructure is correctly installed and configured, and is operating normally. For example, it is not unknown for a freshly built system to experience host name resolution problems preventing its own host name from being resolved and making even elementary server startup impossible.
The INSTALL.COM procedure assists with the first installation of WASD. It provides a vanilla setup, using the standard directories and account environment described in this document. All sections prompt before performing any action and generally default to "no". Read the information and questions carefully!
After UNZIPing the package do the following:
It performs the following tasks:
Support files to consider when customizing startup, etc. (4.3 Account Support Files):
Once installed or updated it is possible to check the basic package at any time using the [INSTALL]DEMO.COM procedure. This invokes the server image using the /DEMO qualifier allowing some behaviours not possible under general use. Follow the displayed instructions. Basically, the server should start and become reachable via port number 7080. So, to test availability, using your prefered browser enter the URL listed on line starting with "%HTTPD-I-SERVICE" and the WASD welcome page should be displayed.
If a TLS (SSL) -enabled server has been built the demonstration server will also provide a TLS port number 7443 for access (this also can be explicitly activated using @[INSTALL]DEMO.COM SSL). WASD will dynamically generate a X509 certificate for use by the service. In modern browsers there are security constraints associated with self-signed certificates — lots! Interestingly, Incognito/[In]Private instances of a browser are often more relaxed about accepting certificates with security deficiencies (at least at the time of writing), so perhaps try those with the demonstration server. Also see Server Certificate in WASD Features.
When http://the.host.name:7080 is accessed the browser should display the package home page
Package updates will never contain anything in these directories:
To prevent the overwriting of local configuration files it is suggested these be placed in the WASD_ROOT:[LOCAL] directory. Local authentication databases could also be placed in the [LOCAL] directory. Startup files can be placed where the local site manages system startup. These could be placed in the WASD_ROOT:[STARTUP] directory.
This package, as is generally the case with freeware, is mainly developed and supported outside of the author's main occupation and working hours. Reports of problems and bugs (while not necessarily welcome :-), as well as general queries, are responded to as soon as practicable. If the documentation is inaccurate or could benefit from clarification in some area please advise of this also (the better the documentation the less queries you have to field personally … or so the theory goes).
With all reports please include the version of the server or script, and the hardware platform, operating system and TCP/IP package and version in use.
If a server error message is being generated please examine the HTML source of the error page. The "<META...>" information contains version information as well as valuable source code module and line information. Include this with the report.
If the server is exiting with a server-generated error message this information also contains module and line information. Please include this with the report.
The WATCH facility is often a powerful tool for problem investigation. It is also very useful when supplying details during problem resolution. When supplying WATCH output as part of a problem report please ZIP the file and include it an an e-mail attachment. Mailers often mangle the report format making it difficult to interpret.
Image crash dumps may also be generated, although these are of less value than the case of the previous two.
Reports may be e-mailed to Mark.Daniel@wasd.vsm.com.au or if a suscriber, to info-WASD@vsm.com.au.
| 3.1Package UNZIP |
| 3.2UPDATE.COM Procedure |
| 3.3Re-Linking |
| ↩︎ | ↖︎ | ↑︎ | ↘︎ | ↪︎ |
If using ZIP then ensure that a previous version of the target ZIP file does not already exist. If it does then that version is updated, a new version is not created.
Updating a package follows a similar process to installation.
The ZIP archive will contain brief installation instructions. Use the following command to read this and any other information provided.
It is recommended to check the integrity of, then list the contents of, the archive before UNZIPing.
The archive contains the complete directory tree. Hence it is necessary to SET DEFAULT into the parent directory of the WASD_ROOT logical name, as with the following example.
If a complete build is planned then only the main archive is required. If a link-only build then an additional archive for each architecture must be UNZIPed.
WASD SSL is discussed in detail in Transport Layer Security of WASD Features and Facilities.
The UPDATE.COM procedure assists with subsequent updates of WASD. It assumes a vanilla setup, using the standard directories and account environment described in this document. All sections prompt before performing any action and generally default to "no". Read the questions carefully!
Of course it is best (read mandatory) for the server to be shut down during an update!
After UNZIPing the updated package do the following:
It provides the following functions:
If declined during the update procedure the post-update steps 6 and 7 can be performed at any subsequent time using
After a major update to the operating system the package may refuse to start, reporting the message
This implies the executables require re-linking for your particular version of VMS. This can be accomplished quite simply, perform the linking section only of the UPDATE.COM Procedure.
| 4.1VMS Server Account |
| 4.2VMS Scripting Account |
| 4.3Account Support Files |
| 4.4Global Pages/Sections |
| 4.5Logical Names |
| 4.5.1WASD Name Table |
| 4.6Server Startup |
| ↩︎ | ↖︎ | ↑︎ | ↘︎ | ↪︎ |
The HTTP server account should be a standard account, preferably in a group of its own (definitely at least a non-system, non-user group), with sufficient quotas to handle the expected traffic.
Symptoms of insufficient process quotas include:
A general rule is more is better, after all, it will only use as much as it needs! To assist with setting a reasonable BYTLM quota the WATCH report (see WATCH Facility of WASD Features and Facilities) provides some feedback on server BYTLM usage.
Later versions of TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS seem to have large default values for socket send and receive buffers. MultiNet and TCPware are reported to improve transfer of large responses by increasing low default values for send buffer size. The WASD global configuration directives [SocketSizeRcvBuf] and [SocketSizeSndBuf] allow default values to be adjusted. WATCH can be used to report network connection buffer values.
The following provides a guide to the account.
The following provides a guide to the account.
Two server executables can be built by the package.
As the HTTP$SERVER account should be completely unprivileged, and the HTTPd image requires ALTPRI, CMKRNL, DETACH, NETMBX, TMPMBX, OPER, PRMGBL, PRMMBX, PSWAPM, SECURITY, SYSGBL, SYSLCK, SYSNAM, SYSPRV and WORLD privileges (see the WASD_ROOT:[SRC.HTTPD]READMORE.TXT) document for a description of how and why the server uses these privileges).
It is installed using a command similar to the following:
Putting all this together the HTTP server startup procedure becomes something similar to the supplied example. It should be called from SYSTARTUP_VMS.COM or the site's equivalent.
This procedure will support simple and quite complex sites. It works closely with STARTUP_SERVER.COM (see below). It is designed to accept parameters from the command-line or as pre-assigned symbols. Operating this way requires no modifications to the procedure itself. Startup characteristics are essentially determined by DCL symbol values. Some symbols are booleans, switching functionality off and on, others require string values. When relevant startup values are not assigned a reasonable default will be applied. See the following examples.
Startup characteristics can be determined by supplying symbol assignment values as command-line parameters when calling the procedure.
Startup characteristics can also be determined by assigning the symbol values before calling the procedure itself.
Check the procedure itself for detail on symbol names and functionality. See WASD_ROOT:[EXAMPLE]STARTUP.COM
This file is automatically executed by the STARTUP.COM procedure immediately before the server is actually started. It is provided to supply all the local site's additional startup requirements. For example, a STARTUP.COM defined logical name could be modified here before the server proper is actually started. See WASD_ROOT:[EXAMPLE]STARTUP_LOCAL.COM
This procedure serves two purposes.
It is recommended to pass server startup command-line parameters using the WASD_SERVER_STARTUP logical name that this procedure checks for and uses if present. If this is defined the contents are applied to the server image when executed. It can be explicitly defined before WASD startup.
The value can also be passed to the main startup procedure in a symbol. The startup procedure then defines a system logical name with that value (note that any quotes used must be escaped).
It can also be manually redefined at any time and the server restarted to apply different startup parameters to the running server.
Various accounting, cache and other shared data used by the server is provided by shared global memory. These requires one permananet global section (SYSGEN parameter GBLSECTIONS) and a number of permanent global pages (SYSGEN parameter GBLPAGES) per item. The number of items varies depending on configuration.
| Item | Description | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | Accumulates various data provided to the Server Administration Statistics report and the HTTPMON utility | required |
| Activity | Provides data to the Server Administration Activity Report graph | required |
| Authentication | When multiple WASD Instances are configured provides a shared authentication cache | optional |
| Proxy Verification | When multiple WASD Instances are configured provides an shared proxy verification cache | optional |
| SSL Session Cache | When SSL is used and multiple WASD Instances are configured provides a shared SSL session cache | optional |
If there are insufficient global sections or pages the server will fail to start for all requirements except the activity statistics, this will just be disabled. Server process log startup messages advise on current usage.
As permanent, system-accessible global sections are deployed it may be necessary to explicitly delete them after ad hoc server experimentation, etc. (4.6 Server Startup). The startup qualifier /GBLSEC=NOPERM disables the creation of permanent global sections eliminating this requirement.
WASD uses an independent logical name table (see 4.5.1 WASD Name Table below). Versions prior to 10 used the SYSTEM table and a substantially different naming schema.
The following logical names are used in the operation of the package. These are usually created by STARTUP.COM during server startup.
| Logical Name | Table | Description |
|---|---|---|
| CGI-BIN | WASD | (Hyphen) System logical defining a search list with the architecture-specific executable directory first, local script directory second, then the common script directory, as a concealed device. |
| CGI_BIN | WASD | (Underscore) Directory containing architecture-neutral script files. |
| CGI_EXE | WASD | Directory containing architecture-specific script executables. |
| HT_EXE | WASD | Pre-v10.0 backward compatibility for WASD_EXE. |
| HT_LOGS | WASD | Pre-v10.0 backward compatibility for WASD_LOG. |
| HT_ROOT | SYSTEM | Pre-v10.0 backward compatibility for WASD_ROOT. |
| HT_SCRATCH | WASD | Pre-v10.0 backward compatibility for WASD_SCRATCH. |
| WASD_AXP | WASD | Directory containing Alpha executable images (WASD_ROOT:[AXP]). |
| WASD_AUTH | WASD | Directory containing authentication/authorization databases (files, (WASD_ROOT:[LOCAL])). |
| WASD_CGI_AXP | WASD | Directory containing Alpha script executables (WASD_ROOT:[AXP-BIN]). |
| WASD_CGI_IA64 | WASD | Directory containing Itanium script executables (WASD_ROOT:[IA64-BIN]). |
| WASD_CGI_X86_64 | WASD | Directory containing x86-64 script executables (WASD_ROOT:[X86_64-BIN]). |
| WASD_CONFIG | WASD | Location of the configuration files. Can be defined as a search list. |
| WASD_CONFIG_AUTH | WASD | Location of the authentication/authorization configuration file. |
| WASD_CONFIG_GLOBAL | WASD | Location of the configuration file. |
| WASD_CONFIG_MAP | WASD | Location of the mapping rule file. |
| WASD_CONFIG_MSG | WASD | Location of the message file. |
| WASD_CONFIG_SERVICE | WASD | Location of the optional service (virtual host) configuration file. |
| WASD_DECNET_CGI_OBJECT | SYSTEM | Locates the supporting DCL procedure. DECnet objects are system-global. |
| WASD_DECNET_OSU_OBJECT | SYSTEM | Locates the supporting DCL procedure. DECnet objects are system-global. |
| WASD_EXE | WASD | Directory containing the executable images. |
| WASD_FILE_DEV[n] | SYSTEM | Locates the DCL procedure that will integrate the specified environment's logical name table into the processes' LNM$FILE_DEV (see above). |
| WASD_GMT | WASD | Offset from GMT (e.g. "+10:30", "-01:15") For systems supporting DTSS (e.g. DECnet-Plus) this logical may be left undefined, with server time being calculated using the SYS$TIMEZONE_DIFFERENTIAL logical. |
| WASD_IA64 | WASD | Directory containing Itanium executable images. |
| WASD_LOG | WASD | If logging is enabled and no log file name specified on the command line, this logical must be defined to locate the file. When a logging period is in use this logical need only contain the directory used to store the logs. |
| WASD_LOGS | WASD | Optional definition, for convenient log file specification. |
| WASD_ROOT | SYSTEM | Location of WASD Web Services directory tree, as a concealed device. |
| WASD_SCRATCH | WASD | Location of an optional directory that scripts can use for temporary storage. Must be read+write+delete accessible to the server account. The WASD_CONFIG_GLOBAL [DclCleanupScratchMinutesMax] directive controls whether automatic cleanup scans of this area delete any files that are older than [DclCleanupScratchMinutesOld]. |
| WASD_SITELOG | WASD | Location of the optional plain-text site log file. |
| WASD_SSL_CAFILE | WASD | When using the SSL executable this logical locates the optional Certificate Authority list file. |
| WASD_SSL_CERT | WASD | When using the SSL executable this logical locates the default certificate. |
| WASD_SERVER_LOGS | WASD | Location of the server process logs. |
| WASD_STARTUP_SERVER | WASD | Used to pass parameters to the server image startup command line. |
| WASD_X86_64 | WASD | Directory containing x86-64 executable images. |
In an effort to localise WASD-related logical names and avoid polluting the SYSTEM logical name table WASD version 10 creates it's own world-readable, system-writable name table, and adds it to LNM$SYSTEM_DIRECTORY.
WASD logical names are then defined in that table leaving the SYSTEM table with just a few essential names.
As can be seen the number of LNM$SYSTEM_TABLE names is small, five in this example (though it can vary). Logical name WASD_FILE_DEV locates a procedure to insert the WASD_TABLE into a process' LNM$FILE_DEV to make the table names available. Until that is done they are not visible without an explicit /TABLE=WASD_TABLE. The server automatically uses the procedure for itself and scripting processes. Site admins can simply
The WASD_ROOT logical provides a convenient, global logical location for the primary (default) WASD environment. HT_ROOT is used to provide pre-v10 backward-compatibility with existing sites. (If yours does not need the name you can deassign it during server startup.)
The WASD_DECNET_CGI_OBJECT and WASD_DECNET_OSU_OBJECT names provide global locations for the two DECnet scripting environments. These logicals are defined when a site uses the [STARTUP]STARTUP_DECNET.COM procedure. It is necessary to provide a global location for these with multiple WASD environments because DECnet objects are global entities. The one object must provide an infrastructure for potentially multiple WASD environments.
Other SYSTEM logical names, WASD_TABLE+n name tables, and WASD_FILE_DEVn logical names are used for non-primary WASD environments (see Instances and Environments of WASD Features and Facilities).
When starting up the server several characteristics of the server may be specified using qualifiers on the command line. If not specified appropriate defaults are employed. For recommended methods of passing parameters to the executable at server startup see ‘STARTUP_SERVER.COM’ in 4.3 Account Support Files. For clarity some esoteric and legacy qualifiers and parameters are not listed in this table.
| Parameter/Qualifier | Description |
|---|---|
| /ALL[=integer] | Has two roles. When starting a server up assigns that server to a specific, non-default WASD environment (see /ENVIRONMENT) When using the server control /DO= using /ALL specifies to do the action to all servers in that particular environment. |
| /AUTHORIZATION=.. | Control authentication and authorisation
behaviour.
See Authentication Policy of WASD Features and Facilities. |
| /CGI_PREFIX= | The prefix to the CGI symbol names created
for a script (defaults to "WWW_").
See WASD Web Services - Scripting |
| /CLUSTER | Apply control /DO= to all instances in a cluster (default is to current node instance(s) only). |
| /DETACH= | This qualifier allows a DCL procedure to be specified as input to a directly detached process (in conjunction with /USER). |
| /DO= | Command to be performed by the executing server. |
| /ENVIRONMENT= | Integer indicating in which environment this server is executing |
| /GBLSEC=DELETE | Allows a monitor-associated permanent global section to be explicitly deleted. When a server starts it creates system-accessible, permanent global sections in which to store accounting and request data. As this is permanent it would be possible for a site, perhaps experimenting with servers over a range of ports, to consume significant amounts of global pages and sections. This qualifier allows such sections to be deleted. |
| /GBLSEC=NOPERM | Disables the creation of permanent global sections. They are automatically deleted when the server image exits. |
| /[NO]LOG[=name] | Either disables logging (overrides configuration directive), or enables logging and optionally specifies the log file name (also see section 4.5 Logical Names, logging is disabled by default). If the file specification is "SYS$OUTPUT" the server issues log entries to <stdout>, allowing user-defined log formats to be easily checked and refined. |
| /NETWORK | Run the server and any scripting processes as NETWORK mode rather than the default detached OTHER mode. |
| /NOTE=string | Annotate the server process log with the specified string. Intended to assist auditing server events such as restarts, maaping reloads and the like. |
| /OUTPUT=filename | Server image <stdout> is redirected to the specified file name. Useful when employing the /SYSPLUS report generator. |
| /PERSONA[=..] | Enables and controls detached process scripting.
See Introduction of WASD Scripting Environment. |
| /PRIORITY= | Server process priority (default is 4). |
| /[NO]PROFILE | Allows SYSUAF-authenticated username security profiles to be used for file access. |
| /PROMISCUOUS[=password] | Server will accept any authentication username/password pair (used for testing, demonstrations, etc.) |
| /PROXY=string | Allows proxy maintainance activities to be executed from the command line (e.g. from batch jobs, etc.). |
| /SCRIPT=AS=username | Specifies the username of the default scripting account. |
| /SERVICE= | Comma-separated, list of server services (overrides the [Service] configuration parameter). |
| /SOFTWARE= | An arbitrary string that can be used to override the server software identification (i.e. "HTTPd-WASD/10.4.0 OpenVMS/AXP SSL"). |
| /[NO]SSL[=..] | Controls Secure Sockets Layer protocol behaviour.
See Transport Layer Security of WASD Features and Facilities. |
| /SYSPLUS | Displays CLI equivalent System Report PLUS data. Available
for circumstances where the server is unresponsive but an interactive session
is available. Requires a 132 character width terminal session.
See System Report PLUS of WASD Features and Facilities. |
| /[NO]SYSUAF[=..] | Controls VMS (SYSUAF) authentication/authorisation
behaviour.
See SYSUAF-Authenticated Users of WASD Features and Facilities. |
| /USER=username | For VMS 6.2 and later this qualifier allows the /DETACH qualifier to directly create a detached process executing as the specified username. |
| /VALBLK[=16|64] | For server to (try) to use either pre-VMS V8.2 16 byte lock value block or the VMS V8.2 and later 64 byte lock value block. |
| /VERSION | Displays the executable's version string and the copyright notice. |
| /[NO]WATCH[=..] | Controls the use of the WATCH reporting facility.
See WATCH Facility of WASD Features and Facilities. |
| 5.1Server Environments |
| 5.1.1Ad Hoc Server Wrapper |
| 5.1.2Formal Environments |
| 5.1.3Considerations |
| 5.2Multiple Installations |
| 5.3SELECT.COM Procedure |
| 5.40̷BTAIN.COM Procedure |
| 5.5CLONE.COM Procedure |
| ↩︎ | ↖︎ | ↑︎ | ↘︎ | ↪︎ |
While vanilla installations provide a straight-forward and complete WASD package there a number of other approaches to the installation and maintenance of a site or sites.
WASD server environments allow multiple, distinctly configured environments to execute on a single system. Generally, WASD's unlimited virtual servers and multiple account scripting eliminates the need for multiple execution environments to kludge these requirements. However there may be circumstances that make this desirable; regression and forward-compatibility testing comes to mind.
First some general comments on the design of WASD.
It also adds the WASD_FILE_DEV[n] and WASD_ROOT[n] logical names to the SYSTEM logical name table.
Installation creates and associates specific rights identifiers with separate accounts for server and script execution. Some specifically named identifiers have functional meaning to the server. Server startup can create and associate rights identifers used to manage the server run-time environment.
All executing server images are aware of all other executing server images on the same system and within the same cluster. This performs all manner of coordination (e.g. instance recovery, instantiated services) and data exchange (e.g. $HTTPD/DO=MAP/ALL) activities.
Some of these are by default permanent and remain on a system unless explicitly removed.
As it's possible to $STOP a server process (and thereby prevent it's run-down handlers from cleaning up those detached processes). It therefore needs to be able to recognise as its 'own' and clean any such 'orphaned' processes up next time it starts. It does this by having a rights identifier associated with the server process name (e.g. WASD:80 grants its scripting processes WASD_PRC_WASD_80, a second instance WASD2:80, WASD_PRC_WASD2_80, etc.)
All of these mechanisms support multiple, independent environments on a single system. Due to design and implementation considerations there are fifteen such environments available per system. The primary (default) is one. Environments two to fifteen are available for site usage. (Demonstration mode, /DEMO uses environment zero.) Server instances (Server Instances section in WASD Features document) share a single environment.
There are two approaches to provisioning such multiple, independent environments.
This is a DCL procedure that allows virtually any WASD release HTTP server to be executed in a detached process, either by itself or concurrently with a full release or other ad hoc detached server. The server image and associated configuration files used by this process can be specified within the procedure allowing completely independent versions and environments to be fully supported.
Full usage instructions may be found in the example procedure(s) in WASD_ROOT:[EXAMPLE]*ADHOC*.COM
Two versions are provided, one for pre-v10 and one for post-v10 (due to changes in logical naming schema).
Although the basic infrastructure for supporting multiple environments (i.e. the 0..15 environment number) has been in place since version 8, formal support in server CLI qualifiers and DCL procedures has only been available since version 10. To support version 9 or earlier environments the 5.1.1 Ad Hoc Server Wrapper must be used.
WASD version 10 startup and other run-time procedures have been modified to support running multiple WASD environments simply from independent WASD file-system trees. The standard STARTUP.COM procedure accepts the WASD_ENV parameter to specify which environment (1..15) the server should execute within (primary/default is 1). The procedure then derives the WASD_ROOT logical name from the location of the startup procedure.
For example:
WASD environments each fully support all WASD features and facilities (including multiple server instances) with the exception of DECnet scripting where because of DECnet objects' global (per-system) definition only the one must be shared between environments.
Per-environment configuration must be done in its own WASD_ROOT part of the file-system and logical names must be defined in the environment's associated logical name table. The site administrator must keep track of which environment requires to be accessed from the command-line and set the process logical name search list using the appropriate
It is not possible to have multiple environments bind their services to the same IP address and port (for fundamental networking reasons). Unless the network interface is specifically multi-homed for the purpose, services provided by separate environments must be configured to use unique IP ports.
Non-primary environments (2…15) prefix the environment as a (hex) digit before the "WASD" in the process name. The above example when executing, each with a single scripting process, would appear in the system as (second environment providing a service on port 2280):
As described earlier each environment creates and maintains logical name table(s) and system-level name(s), detached scripting processes, lock resources and permananent global sections. Lock resources disappear with the server processes. Logical names, global sections, rights identifiers and occasionally detached scripting processes may require some cleaning up when a non-primary environment's use is concluded.
It is possible, and often useful, to build another WASD on a system with an existing and/or running installation. One purpose might be to maintain the previous version as a fallback in case of unexpected problems when migrating to a more recent version. Another, to maintain multiple releases for regression testing.
The general process is as follows:
The INSTALL parameter overrides the install check and advisory message otherwise generated:
Other site-specific localisations similarly may need to be copied or
otherwise reproduced.
For example, server or scripting account LOGIN.COM, scripts, etc.
To move the running WASD environment from one installation to another:
WASD logical names and environment will reflect the particular WASD root
directory.
Site-specific elements in the startup might need to be similarly
flexible.
The WASD_ROOT:[INSTALL]SELECT.COM procedure allows a selective update to the most recent version from an earlier version, usually but not exclusively the previous version. Where there is some advantage in only updating part of the package this procedure can be used.
When extracted, the content can then be built using @[.WASD_ROOT.INSTALL]UPDATE.COM as described in 3.2 UPDATE.COM Procedure. It may or may not require a full update build. The procedure will advise if a specific portion can be more quickly built and deployed.
Yes — that's a ZERO!
The WASD_ROOT:[INSTALL]0̷BTAIN.COM procedure assists in installing and updating selected portions of a WASD package allowing a "bare-bones" site to be created.
An example use of the procedure looks something like:
When extracted, the content of the new [.WASD_ROOT] directory can then be built using @[.WASD_ROOT.INSTALL]INSTALL.COM as described in 2.9 INSTALL.COM Procedure, or @[.WASD_ROOT.INSTALL]UPDATE.COM as described in 3.2 UPDATE.COM Procedure, as appropriate. When using these procedures individual sections building non-extracted elements must be declined. Alternatively, the build procedures associated with individual elements may be directly used.
The latest version of the procedure is automatically extracted from the specified package, or it manually can be extracted from the target package archive using
When manually extracted as above, the final stage of the procedure will report
Alternatively, if the latest package has been extracted to a local location, or a previous installation included [INSTALL]0BTAIN.COM, then that version can be used to start the whole thing off, extracting the relevant 0BTAIN.COM from the specified archive and then executing it.
The WASD_ROOT:[INSTALL]CLONE.COM procedure assists in creating a ZIP archive of an existing WASD installation suitable for recreating the server on another system without the necessity of a full installation. This could be used to populate a series of systems with pre-configured servers.
An example use of the procedure looks something like:
| ↩︎ | ↖︎ | ↑︎ | ↘︎ | ↪︎ |
| ↩︎ | ↖︎ | ↑︎ | ↘︎ | ↪︎ |
This package uses the Expat XML parsing toolkit.
This package uses essential algorithm and code from Flexible and Economical UTF-8 Decoder.
This package contains software made available by the Free Software Foundation under the GNU General Public License.
This package contains software provided with the OSU (DECthreads) HTTP server package, authored by David Jones:
This product can include software developed by the OpenSSL Project for use in the OpenSSL Toolkit (https://www.openssl.org/).
This package uses SHA-1 hash code.
This software contains code derived in part from RSA Data Security, Inc:
SortTable version 2
Stuart Langridge, http://www.kryogenix.org/code/browser/sorttable/
nghttp2 - HTTP/2 C Library
Tatsuhiro Tsujikawa, https://github.com/tatsuhiro-t
VSI OpenVMS,
VSI TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS,
VSI C
are registered trademarks of VMS Software Inc.
OpenVMS,
HP TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS,
HP C,
Alpha,
Itanium and
VAX
are registered trademarks of Hewlett Packard Enterprise
MultiNet and TCPware are registered trademarks of Process Software Corporation
| ↩︎ | ↖︎ | ↑︎ | ↘︎ | ↪︎ |