5.2 Making Disk Service Available Using the Menu
The menu offers an easy way to set up applications on
virtual disks and make them available to users.
Applications stored on a virtual disk allow read and write
access to only one user at a time. For applications that
require read-write access for more than one user, use a file
service instead.
To make applications available, follow procedures explained
in the next section. Making applications available involves:
5.2.1 Adding Application Disk Services
Adding application
services
To add an application disk service:
1 Create a backup copy of the application by copying the
application diskettes as instructed by the manufacturer.
2 Select Service Options from the PCSA Manager Menu.
3 Select Add Service from the Service Options menu.
4 Select Application Disk Service from the Add Service
menu.
5 At the prompt, enter a unique 1- to 25-character name
for the application disk service, such as PC_APP.
6 At the prompt, enter the password for the service.
Ensure security by using
a password.
Using a password, you restrict access to the application
disk service.
The server stores the password in the database. When
users try to access the service, they are prompted for the
password.
The default is no password, which means that everyone
can access the application on the disk service.
7 Select the size of an application virtual disk according to
the:
Refer to the documentation accompanying the
applications to determine the space requirements for
the virtual disk you are creating.
The PCSA Manager Menu displays messages while:
An application disk service is initially mounted with read
and write access so you can install the application.
For example, after adding the application disk service
PC_APP, the PCSA Manager Menu displays the following
messages:
%PCSA-I-CREATEDISK, creating SYS$SYSDEVICE:[PCSA.LAD]PC_APP.DSK
%PCSA-I-FORMATDISK, formatting disk, Size = 1.2MB, Allocation = 2400/2400
%PCSA-I-DISKCREATED, SYS$SYSDEVICE:[PCSA.LAD]PC_APP.DSK created
%PCSA-I-DISKMOUNTED, SYS$SYSDEVICE:[PCSA.LAD]PC_APP.DSK;1 mounted
%PCSA-I-MOUNTINFO, service name = PC_APP, server node = SRVR1
%PCSA-I-APPDISKMNTED, application disk service PC_APP mounted R/W
%PCSA-I-APPDISKINST, please install your software, and remount the service
read-only
5.2.2 Installing Applications on a Disk Service
After you add the application disk service, install the
application by copying the application software to the
disk service.
To install the application:
1 Backup the application diskettes by following the
directions supplied by the manufacturer.
Connect to the disk
service
2 At a personal computer, connect to the application disk
service with the USE command:
USE ?: \\server_name\disk_service_name /virtual
The server_name is the name of the server on which
you are installing the application.
The disk_service_name is the name of the disk service
you used when you add the service.
For example, use the following command to connect
to the application disk service, PC_APP, on the server
SRVR1:
USE ?: \\SRVR1\PC_APP /virtual
The client displays the drive connected to the service, for
example drive I:
Device I: connected to \\SRVR1\PC_APP
3 Install the application from the personal computer.
Follow the application's installation instructions.
Set up a printer service
4 Before running applications, make sure you have set up
appropriate printer services on the server.
Most applications work with a network printer. Some,
however, require that you use a local printer for the
application to print correctly. Others print only to the
logical device, LPT1.
For more information on setting up printer services, see
Chapter 4.
Note: If applications require a program diskette to
run, each user needs a program diskette in drive A.
5.2.3 Making Applications Available to Multiple Clients
After you install the application on a disk service, you must
remount the service read-only to make it available to many
users. Disk services that you added with the menu are
mounted with read and write access for only one user.
When you remount the service, you can increase security
by limiting the number of users who can read the service.
Remount the service to
make it available to many
users
To make the application available to many users as a
read-only service, follow these steps:
Dismounting the Disk Service
To dismount a disk service:
Dismounting disk services
with the menu
1 Select Service Options from the PCSA Manager Menu.
2 Select Modify Disk Service from the Service Options
menu.
3 Select Dismount Disk from the Modify Disk Service
menu.
4 At the service name prompt, enter the name of the disk
service you are dismounting, such as PC_APP.
5 If the server is in a cluster, you are asked if you want to
dismount the service from the cluster.
6 At the prompt, respond whether you want to dismount
the service permanently.
7 At the prompt, respond if you want to purge the service
from the service database.
Dismounting the disk
makes it unavailable to
clients.
8 At the prompt, confirm to dismount the disk.
The DISMOUNT DISK command disconnects all clients
and closes the disk service.
A rating is a numerical value that assigns a priority to
a disk service. Use a rating to differentiate disk services
with the same name. When several services have the
same name, the disk service with the highest rating is
used.
The range is 1 to 65535.
The service type defines the default location for the
service. See Table 5-1 for a complete explanation of
how to use the defaults.
13 Confirm to mount the disk.