===================== SSCC News, July, 1999 ===================== Inside this issue... VMS Mail Services to End August 24, 1999 New RAID Disks Installed on Unix IMPORTANT: RAID Transition Schedule Unix Disk Quotas Expanded, /aux Policy Liberalized Please Use Disk Space Wisely New UNIX Utility for Setting Passwords, Forwards, Vacation Messages Storing Files in a Secure (i.e, backed up) Location on Your PC WiscWorld 3.5 For Windows Now Available Remaining SSCC Summer Training Schedule ---------------------------------------- VMS Mail Services to End August 24, 1999 ---------------------------------------- This is one of the last reminders you will receive that mail will no longer be available on VMS after August 24, 1999. If you are still using VMS Mail, you need to transfer your mail to UNIX and learn to use either a PC mailer (the preferred choice) or a UNIX mailer. SSCC staff would like to help you with this transition. You can set up an appointment with Consultant and we will work through this transition with you. (Just don't wait until the last minute!) If you want to make this transition on your own, we are offering several e-mail related training sessions (see offerings below). There are also two SSCC Publications: "Alternatives to VMS Email" (SSCC Pub #1-9) and "Converting VMS Mail for another Mailer" (SSCC Pub #1-3). Both handouts are available from Consultant or on-line at https://www.ssc.wisc.edu/Sscc/Vax/doc.htm. -------------------------------- New RAID Disks Installed on Unix -------------------------------- As part of this year's capital exercise purchases, SSCC has received 378 GB of disk space in a RAID configuration. This disk space will replace the disk space now used for /home, /aux, /project, and CDE Library data (/cdedata, /dali, and /dp). The disk space on /home will more than double from 24 GB to 60 GB and the disk space for /aux will more than triple from 17 GB to 60 GB. This should provide SSCC members with sufficient space to move all VMS data to Unix and to allow for future expansion. As this disk space will be in a RAID configuration, data stored on Unix systems will have enhanced security and additional uptime. RAID is a system whereby the RAID controller tracks data on the disks. If a single disk goes down for any reason, the RAID controller will be able to determine what data was on the disk and it will be able to recreate the data on a reserved disk. Furthermore, the RAID controller will be able to continue providing data to users even while a disk is being recreated on the spare disk. With the disk space freed up by moving /home, /aux, and /project to the RAID disks, SSCC will be expanding other disk intensive resources in coming months, including: /tmp on all Unix systems; /temp/fivedays; FTP and HTTP disk space. Look for further reports in coming SSCNEWS articles about these changes. ----------------------------------- IMPORTANT: RAID Transition Schedule ----------------------------------- In the next few days, all data on /home, /aux, and /project will be moved to the new RAID disk. During the transition, it is vital that no data be changed on the file systems being moved. Please do not plan to work on Unix systems from 8am to 2pm on the days when your data is moved. Also, please do not save any email during the time that your home directory is moved. Below are the scheduled move times. Friday July 16: home directories beginning with: a b c Monday July 19: home directories beginning with: d e f g Tuesday July 20: home directories beginning with: h i j k l Wednesday July 21: home directories beginning with: m n o p q r Thursday July 22: home directories beginning with: s t u v w x y z Friday July 23: /aux Monday July 26: /cdedata, /dali, and /dp Wednesday, July 21 through Friday, July 30: /project While we expect the data transfer to be completed by 2pm, check with notices in the NT BROADCAST, or outside the computer room and terminal rooms for updates. During this transition period, SSCC expects to have Unix downtimes each morning from 8am to 9am. In practice, these downtimes will probably be very short. The transition period is expected to continue throughout the month of July. Data on project disks will be moved by arrangement with project disk owners. These times will be posted in BROADCAST, as will any changes to the schedule, above. As with /home and /aux space, do not use data on project disk space from 8am to 2pm on the day that your project disk is moved. -------------------------------------------------- Unix Disk Quotas Expanded, /aux Policy Liberalized -------------------------------------------------- Beginning as soon as home directories are moved to the new RAID disks (see articles above), home directory quota will be increased from 100 GB to 200 GB. Also, on request, any SSCC member can receive 300 GB of additional disk space on /aux (under previous policy, users received 200 GB of additional disk quota on request). With these two policy changes, Unix users have disk quotas of 500 MB, the equivalent of one million VMS blocks. For those users who require additional disk space, SSCC will increase their /aux quota to 800 MB. This additional quota will be renewable every year when Unix accounts are renewed. Users requiring more than 1,000 MB of disk space (just short of a gigabyte of disk space) should contact their advisors or project leaders to determine if a project disk would be appropriate. ---------------------------- Please Use Disk Space Wisely ---------------------------- The newly expanded disk space could last SSCC for several years if used appropriately, or SSCC could run out of disk space within months if people use it with abandon. Please help keep costs down by using disk space wisely: 1. Compress large files. 2. Remove unneeded files. 3. Move files to project disks, if appropriate. 4. Do not make copies of standard data files archived by CDE or other agencies or individuals. To determine how much disk space you are using on /home and /aux, run this command: quota To find your largest files, run this command: sortfiles This will list all of your files from largest to smallest. ------------------------------------------------------------------- New UNIX Utility for Setting Passwords, Forwards, Vacation Messages ------------------------------------------------------------------- A new easy-to-use UNIX utility is now available for changing your password, forwarding your mail, or starting up the vacation program (that sends an e-mail message to anyone who sends you mail informing them that you are away). This menu-driven utility is available on any UNIX computer and can be started by typing "sscmenu" at the UNIX prompt. We plan to implement a web page to carry out the same functions sometime this fall. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Storing Files in a Secure (i.e, backed up) Location on Your Networked PC ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Late December 1998, SSCC announced the establishment of Windows NT home directories in hopes of improving the resources available for our users. This report was met with a positive response, but we want to reiterate the functionality of your home directory. The concept is quite comforting as it provides a secure location where one can store important documents and data. It is similar to a Unix home directory in this matter, but beyond this they are completely independent of one another. Your Unix home directory is stored on a physical hard disk hosted by a Unix file server. Your Windows NT home directory is stored on a physical hard disk hosted by a Windows NT file server. In order to access your NT home directory you need access to a Windows-based PC or Wincenter. During the login process, a login script is executed which automatically maps a local drive letter (U:) to the Windows NT file server hosting your home directory. The process of "mapping a drive" allows your PC to treat a network location as if it was local to the system (like your C: drive). You can now use this mapped drive (U:) like any other local drive. For example, we'll walk through customizing Microsoft Word 97 and Corel Word Perfect 8 to point to your NT home directory as the default document location. Microsoft Word 97: 1) Start MS Word 2) Click on the Tools menu and select Options 3) Select the "File Locations" tab on the window that appears 4) On this tab, there are two lists. On the right is "File types:". On the left is "Location:". Highlight the "Documents" line and then click on the Modify button. 5) You'll be prompted for a folder name that you want to be your default document location. Here you can specify your NT home directory. Replace what's listed with "U:\username" where username is your Windows NT username. Click OK, 6) Click OK to close the Options window. Corel Word Perfect 8: 1) Start Word Perfect 2) Click on the Tools menu and select Settings 3) Double-click on the "Files" icon in the window that appears (there will be many icons listed) 4) Make sure the Document tab is selected 5) Find the "Default Document Folder" box and replace what's listed with "U:\username" where username is your Windows NT username. Click OK 6) Close Settings window. The next time you open a file (by clicking on the File menu and choosing the Open option) or save a new document, it will default to your Windows NT home directory. The advantages of using this storage space are: 1) It provides a central location to store documents and data. You home directory will be available from any networked PC or Wincenter. 2) This space is backed-up on a daily basis. If you currently have no back-up method for your local machine, we strongly encourage you to utilize this resource. 3) Access to your home directory is restricted. Only you can access your home directory meaning your documents and data are secure. We hope this helps in understanding what a Windows NT home directory is and what is means to you. Please see https://www.ssc.wisc.edu/pcsup/articles/homedirfaq.html for more information regarding this resource. Also, please don't hesitate to contact Consultant for assistance. --------------------------------------- WiscWorld 3.5 For Windows Now Available --------------------------------------- WiscWorld 3.5 for Windows 95/98 and NT platforms is now available at the DoIT Tech Store. SSCC Consulting also has a limited number of CDs for short-term loan. This latest edition of UW-Madison's popular Internet access package provides up-to-date client software and improved installation, offers more reliable connectivity, supports future modem pool improvements and improves usability compared to earlier WiscWorld versions. For details visit: http://pubs.doit.wisc.edu/f/news/newsitem.cfm?filename=213 ----------------------------- SSCC Summer Training Schedule ----------------------------- All SSCC training sessions require preregistration. To preregister for a class, either send mail to SSCCLASS indicating which class(es) you plan to attend or register through SSCC's web page form (www.ssc.wisc.edu/Sscc/Training/trainreg.htm). You will be reminded about your preregistration through e-mail a day or two before the class begins. Date Time Topic Room Instruct. ---- ---- ----- ---- --------- 7/13 1-3 Intro to UNIX using VMS Conversion Tools 2470 Rodriguez 7/14 1-2 Using the UNIX Tape Drives to Move Data 4452 Flory 7/15 1-2 Transferring Your LOGIN.COM to Unix 4452 Rodriguez 7/20 10-11 Running SAS on UNIX (for VMS SAS users) 2470 McDermott 7/20 1-3 Managing Your Research Files on UNIX 2470 Rodriguez 7/21 10-11 Running SPSS on UNIX (for VMS SPSS users) 2470 McDermott 7/28 1-2 Alternatives to VMS Email 4452 Flory 8/3 1:30-3 Using Netscape Messenger Mailer 7413 Flory 8/4 1:30-3 Using the PINE Mailer on UNIX 2470 Wald 8/5 1:30-3 Using the EUDORA Mailer from your PC 3218 Wald 8/11 10-12 Creating a Web Page for a Course 2470 McDermott Note: Any session scheduled in 2470, 7413, or 3218 (SSML) is "hands-on". Descriptions for each of the training sessions listed above may be found in SSCC's web page (https://www.ssc.wisc.edu/Sscc/Training/trains99.htm).