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Step 5: Set the Environment Variables  



When you have installed the operating system, you can set the Galaxy-specific environment variables as shown in the examples in this section.

AlphaServer GS160 Example  

This example for an AlphaServer GS160 assumes you are configuring an OpenVMS Galaxy computing environment with:

P00>>>show lp*
 
lp_count            	4
lp_cpu_mask0        	000F
lp_cpu_mask1        	00F0
lp_cpu_mask2        	0F00
lp_cpu_mask3        	F000
lp_cpu_mask4        	0
lp_cpu_mask5        	0
lp_cpu_mask6        	0
lp_cpu_mask7        	0
lp_error_target     	0
lp_io_mask0         	1
lp_io_mask1         	2
lp_io_mask2         	4
lp_io_mask3         	8
lp_io_mask4         	0
lp_io_mask5         	0
lp_io_mask6         	0
lp_io_mask7         	0
lp_mem_size0        	0=4gb
lp_mem_size1        	1=4gb
lp_mem_size2        	2=4gb
lp_mem_size3        	3=4gb
lp_mem_size4        	0
lp_mem_size5        	0
lp_mem_size6        	0
lp_mem_size7        	0
lp_shared_mem_size  	16gb
 
P00>>>lpinit

AlphaServer GS320 Example  

This example for an AlphaServer GS320 system assumes you are configuring an OpenVMS Galaxy computing environment with:

P00>>>show lp*
 
lp_count            	4
lp_cpu_mask0        	000F000F
lp_cpu_mask1        	00F000F0
lp_cpu_mask2        	0F000F00
lp_cpu_mask3        	F000F000
lp_cpu_mask4        	0
lp_cpu_mask5        	0
lp_cpu_mask6        	0
lp_cpu_mask7        	0
lp_error_target     	0
lp_io_mask0         	11
lp_io_mask1         	22
lp_io_mask2         	44
lp_io_mask3         	88
lp_io_mask4         	0
lp_io_mask5         	0
lp_io_mask6         	0
lp_io_mask7         	0
lp_mem_size0        	0=2gb, 4=2gb
lp_mem_size1        	1=2gb, 5=2gb
lp_mem_size2        	2=2gb, 6=2gb
lp_mem_size3        	3=2gb, 7=2gb
lp_mem_size4        	0
lp_mem_size5        	0
lp_mem_size6        	0
lp_mem_size7        	0
lp_shared_mem_size  	16gb
 
P00>>>lpinit

Environment Variable Descriptions  

This section describes each environment variable. For more details about using these variables, see the AlphaServer GS80/160/320 Firmware Reference Manual.

LP_COUNT number

If set to zero, the system boots a traditional SMP configuration only. The Galaxy console mode is OFF.

If set to a nonzero value, the Galaxy features are used, and the Galaxy variables are interpreted. The exact value of LP_COUNT represents the number of Galaxy partitions the console creates.

Note that if you assign resources for three partitions and set LP_COUNT to two, the remaining resources are left unassigned.

LP_CPU_MASKn mask

This bit mask determines which CPUs are to be initially assigned to the specified Galaxy partition number. The AlphaServer GS160 console chooses the first CPU that passes the self test in a partition as its primary CPU.

LP_ERROR_TARGET

The new Alphaserver GS series introduces a new Galaxy environment variable called LP_ERROR_TARGET. The value of the variable is the number of the Galaxy instance that system errors are initially reported to. Unlike other Galaxy platforms, all system correctable, uncorrectable, and system event errors go to a single instance. It is possible for the operating system to change this target, so the value of the variable represents the target when the system is first partitioned.

Every effort is made to isolate system errors to a single instance so that the error does not bring down the entire Galaxy. The error target instance determines, on receipt of an error, if it is safe to remotely crash the single instance that incurred the error. A bugcheck code of GLXRMTMCHK is used in this case. Note that error log information pertaining to the error is on the error target instance, not necessarily on the instance that incurred the error.

While every effort is made to keep the error target instance identical to the one the user designated with the environment variable, the software monitors the instances and changes the error target if necessary.

LP_IO_MASKn mask

These variables assign the I/O modules by QBB number to each instance:

Mask Value QBB Number
1
QBB 0
2
QBB 1
4
QBB 2
8
QBB 3

For the n, supply the partition number (0 - 7). The value mask gives a binary mask indicating which QBB's (containing I/O risers) are included in the partition.

LP_MEM_SIZEn size

These variables allocate a specific amount of private memory for the specified instance. It is imperative that you create these variables using proper values for the amount of memory in your system and the desired assignments for each instance.

You can define only the amount of shared memory to use, and leave the other LP_MEM_SIZE variables undefined. This causes the console to allocate the shared memory from the high address space, and split the remaining memory equally among the number of partitions specified by the LP_COUNT variable. If you also explicitly assign memory to a specific partition using a LP_MEM_SIZE variable, but leave other partition memory assignments undefined, the console again assigns the memory fragments for shared memory and any partitions with explicit assignments, then splits and assigns the remaining memory to any remaining partitions not having explicit memory assignments.

For example:

lp_mem_size0  0=2gb, 1=2gb

NoteDo not assign private memory to an instance from a QBB that has no CPUs in the instance.

For example, if LP_CPU_MASK0 is FF, then you should only assign private memory for instance 0 from QBBs 0 and 1.


See the AlphaServer GS80/160/320 Firmware Reference Manual for more details about using this variable.

LP_SHARED_MEM_SIZE size

This variable allocates memory for use as shared memory. For example:

lp_shared_mem_size      16gb
Shared memory must be assigned in multiples of 8 MB.

See the AlphaServer GS80/160/320 Firmware Reference Manual for more details about using this variable.

BOOTDEF_DEV and BOOT_OSFLAGS variables

Before booting, set these variables on each of your Galaxy consoles to ensure that AUTOGEN reboots correctly after an initial installation and after a system failure or operator-requested reboot.


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