Console Commands in NetWare 5.1: Off, Pause, Protect, Protection, and Protocol Commands

Articles and Tips: article

Caroline Harris
Editor
Novell AppNotes

01 Jun 2001

This section is one in a series that intends to describe each of the NetWare 5.1 console commands (both normal and hidden) in alphabetical order and to tell when, why, and how to use them properly. To see a list of the commands that you can perform at the server console, type HELP <Enter> at the server console prompt. To use the commands described here, simply type the command at the server console prompt followed by the <Enter> key.

OFF

If you need to clear the server console screen, use the OFF command. Once the screen is cleared, the server console prompt will still be available for entering commands. This command is equivalent to using the CLS (clear screen) command, which you can also use at the console prompt. To clear the console screen using this command, type:

OFF <Enter>

PAUSE

The PAUSE command is used in a NetWare Control File (NCF), such as the STARTUP.NCF or the AUTOEXEC.NCF file. The command pauses the execution of commands within the .NCF file until a key is pressed. This is similar to the DOS pause command and the pause allows users to read screen messages as commands are executed. The syntax for this is:

PAUSE <Enter>

PROTECT

This command is used to load NLM (NetWare Loadable Module) programs into a protected address space using an NCF file. An address space is an isolated, protected chunk of memory that can be used to run NLMs which are isolated from the core operating system. A protected memory space has limited and carefully controlled access to the server operating system, so that modules running within the protected space cannot abend the server. The syntax for placing an NLM in a protected space is:

PROTECT NCF file name

For example,

PROTECT grpwise

creates a protected address space called "grpwise" and reads GRPWISE.NCF to load modules into the protected space.

Remember that not all modules can run in a protected address space. Some modules, such as LAN and disk drivers, MONITOR, and SERVER.EXE, must run in the kernel address space, also known as the operating system memory space.

The following NLM programs and executables cannot be loaded into a protected space:

SERVER.EXE. The server operating system cannot run in a protected address space because any software in a protected space is subject to being temporarily stopped and swapped to disk.
LAN and disk drivers. Hardware and LAN drivers must run in the operating system address space because they use only physical memory addresses. Protected spaces use logical memory addressing.
MONITOR. MONITOR makes calls to the operating system that are not allowed from protected address spaces.
The NSS file system
Other modules or applications that aren't designed to run in protected address spaces.

PROTECTION

This command displays a list of protected address spaces and the applications running in those address spaces. To display protected address spaces, type:

PROTECTION

PROTECTION address space name

When you execute the PROTECTION command without parameters, the server displays a list of all loaded address spaces. Each address space name is followed by a list of the modules loaded into the space, with a short description of each module.

The PROTECTION command also provides a means of enabling and disabling the restart feature for a protected address space. Restart functionality means that if the protected address space faults, the memory management system automatically closes the space, cleans up its resources, restarts the space, and reloads modules into it. The syntax for this is:

PROTECTION RESTART address space name

PROTECTION NO RESTART address space name

If you add restart functionality to an address space, use the SET Memory Protection No Restart Interval parameter to prevent the address space from repeatedly faulting and then restarting.

PROTOCOL

This command displays the registered standards (protocols) used by the network server. It is also used to register additional protocols and frame types. Network protocols specify how data should be packaged and received so that all network devices can transmit and receive data. To display registered protocols, enter:

PROTOCOL

The following screen is displayed:

Protocol: IPX Frame type: VIRTUAL_LAN Protocol ID: 0
Protocol: IPX Frame type: ETHERNET 802.2 Protocol ID: E0
Protocol: ARP Frame type: ETHERNET_II Protocol ID: 806
Protocol: IP Frame type: ETHERNET_II Protocol ID: 800
Protocol: IPX Frame type: ETHERNET_II Protocol ID: 8037

To register additional protocols, enter:

PROTOCOL REGISTER protocol_name frame id_number

PSM (Platform Support Module)

This command executes a Platform Support Module console command. A PSM is a software driver that provides support for specific hardware configurations, particularly multi-processor configurations. To display a list of supported PSM commands, enter:

PSM ?

The screen displays the PSM commands available for the loaded PSM drivers. For example, the PSM commands available for a multi-processor system such as MPS14.PSM would be displayed as follows:

PSM SHOW APIC ERRORS
PSM SHOW APIC IPI TIMEouts
PSM SHOW CONFIGuration
PSM SHOW MPS[TABle|POINTer|HEADer|PROCessors|


			BUSes|APICs|IO ints|LOCAL ints|ADDress mappings|


			HIERarchy descriptions|COMPatibility modifiers]
PSM SHOW PIC
PSM SHOW REDirection TABle
PSM VERBose [ON|OFF]

Executing these commands will provide you with MPS and ACPI table information, as well as information regarding the state of the interrupt controllers in a multi- or uni-processing environment. PSM console commands are provided mainly as a debug and support tool for driver writers and system vendors.

Console Command	Function	Example
OFF	Clears the server console screen.	OFF
PAUSE	Stops the NCF file's execution until a key is pressed.	PAUSE
PROTECT	Loads NLMs in a protected address space	PROTECT filename
PROTECTION	Displays information about protected memory address space.	PROTECTION PROTECTION address space name PROTECTION RESTART address name space PROTECTION NO RESTART address name space
PROTOCOL	Displays the protocol ID numbers registered with the server.	PROTOCOL or PROTOCOL REGISTER protocol_name frame id_number
PSM	Executes a Platform Support Module console command.	PSM ?

* Originally published in Novell AppNotes

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The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. While Novell makes all reasonable efforts to verify this information, Novell does not make explicit or implied claims to its validity.