IC43928: AE IC37071 FIX COMPLETION - DOCUMENTATION FOR ADDTOINIT AND REMOVEFROMINIT SCRIPTS AND OPTIONS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

APAR status

• Closed as documentation error.

Error description

• TSM storage agent on Solaris creates an entry in
  /etc/inittab during installation that redirects output
  to /dev/console and can prevent text based console
  logins.
  .
  OS will report:
    Warning -- ttymon cannot allocate controlling tty
    on "/dev/console", there may be another session
    active on this port.
  .
  APAR IC37071 was opened to address this issue, and
  this APAR's fix was additional scripts that could be
  run to configure TSM storage agent to redirect output
  to /dev/null.
  .
  The following was added to the 5.2.2.0 TSM Storage Agent
  Users Manual for Solaris in Appendix A:
  ***
  Appendix A.
  Administration and Configuration Reference
  This section provides information about administering,
  monitoring, tuning, and connecting the storage agent.
  .
  Starting and Stopping the Storage Agent
   The storage agent can be configured to start
   automatically upon system reboot. It can also be
   started and stopped manually. The following is a
   description of these tasks.
  .
  Automating the Storage Agent Startup
   The storage agent is configured to start automatically
   at the time of installation. An entry is made to the
   inittab to enable automatic startup. Scripts are provided
   in the storage agent installation directory that enable
   you to modify the inittab. The removefrominit script
   allows you to remove the entry in the inittab that
   enables automatic startup of the storage agent. The
   addtoinittab script allows you to add the entry to the
   inittab that enables automatic startup.
  ***
  .
  The above documentation is incomplete.
  .
  1) the "addtoinittab" should be changed to "addtoinit"
  .
  2) the options for scripts are not documented in manual:
  .
  "addtoinit" and "addtoinit console" will both result in
  inittab entry which redirects ouptut to /dev/console,
  this is the same behaviour as previous levels defaulted
  to, which can prevent text based console logins
  ex:
  <key>:234:once:<server home>/dsmsta.rc >/dev/console
   2<>/dev/console.
  .
  "addtoinit null" results in inittab entry which redirects
  output to /dev/null, allowing text based logins to console
  ex:
  <key>:234:once:$app >/dev/null.
  .
  "removefrominit" removes any entry that refers to
  <storage agent home>/dsmsta.rc  and records them in a
  file called <storage agent home>/oldinit
  .
  "addtoinit saved" will restore the entry from
  <storage agent home>/oldinit file to the /etc/inittab.
  .
  *note* If more than one entry exists in the /etc/inittab
  file, the "removefrominit" will store all entries in the
  oldinit file, but "addtoinit saved" will only restore the
  first entry.
  .
  The unistall process calls the "removefrominit" script to
  support upgrading and saving previous settings.
  .
  The details regarding options of these added scripts needs
  to be detailed in Appendix A.
  .
  Notes should also be added to TSMSTAxxx_SUN.README and
  TSMSTAxxx_SUN.README.INSTALL directing customers to refer
  to the additional information in Appendix A prior to
  installing the storage agent to prevent customers from
  installing storage agent and then not being able to login
  to Solaris from a text based console after a reboot.
  .
  Platforms Affected: TSM storage agent on Solaris
  Initial Impact: Medium
  Additional Keywords:
   Tivoli Storage Manager
  

Local fix

• N/A - options of addtoinit script need to be documented
   in TSM manuals, as well as in readme.install and readme
   files to direct customers to the configuration information.
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED: All SUN TSM 5.2x and 5.3x Storage Agent      *
  *                 Users                                        *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: TSM storage agent on Solaris creates    *
  *                      an entry in /etc/inittab during         *
  *                      installation that redirects output      *
  *                      to /dev/console and can prevent text    *
  *                      based console logins.                   *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION: Use the addtoinit, addtoinit console,        *
  *                 addtoinit null, addtoinit saved, or          *
  *                 removefrominit script (located in the        *
  *                 storage agent installation directory)        *
  *                 when starting the storage agent.             *
  *                                                              *
  *                 This update is currently projected to be     *
  *                 provided in levels 5.2.5 and 5.3.1 Note that *
  *                 this is subject to change at the discretion  *
  *                 of IBM.                                      *
  ****************************************************************
  An optional parameter to the command line tool called
  addtoinit is not adequately described in the SUN TSM
  Storage Agent Documentation.
  

Problem conclusion

• he SUN TSM Storage Agent includes a tool called
  addtoinit that adds an entry to the Solaris /etc/inittab
  file. At every system reboot the TSM Storage Agent is
  then started automatically. "addtoinit" causes the TSM
  Storage Agent to start with output redirected to the console
  which disallows non-GUI login. "addtoinit null" does not
  redirect the output to the console which allows login to
  that console.
  
  The Documentation does no give enough detail about the
  "addtoinit null" option. The TSM Storage Agent README has
  been updated to include details.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

Applicable component levels