Configuring vsrvtcp

Configuring the vsrvtcp.ini File on the Host

The vsrvtcp.ini file contains the user profile definitions for your Visimage3 users. Many CUs create two or three profiles for their users to share: one each for live, eom and test. Others prefer to setup individual (password protected) profiles for their users. These CUs generally enforce password aging as well.

This article describes the recommended way to setup your vsrvtcp.ini file to support individual profiles for all users. This system required vsrvtcp version 4.9.2.x or higher. Using this approach, you will have both regular and admin users. You will need at least one admin user who can create and delete users and also reset user passwords. Admin users are identified by the "Admin=Y" key in their profile. In the example below we are using the convention "first.last" for our user names. You can choose to use any convention that you like.

Sample INI file

[jane.doe]
  Admin=y                        << Note 1 >>
  profile=summit_$VSVAR1         << Note 2 >>
  password=Iamyouradmin!         << Note 3 >>

[summit_live]
  filogin=bolive                 << Note 4 >>
  fipath=LIVE                    << Note 5 >>
  EQ_DBSERVER=localhost:eloqdb   << Note 6 >>
  profile=summit_common

[summit_eom]
  filogin=bolive
  fipath=LIVE
  EQ_DBSERVER=localhost:eloqdb
  profile=summit_common

[summit_test]
  filogin=botest
  fipath=TEST
  EQ_DBSERVER=localhost:eloq-TEST
  profile=summit_common

[summit_common]                  << Note 7 >>
  login=$filogin
  directory=/var/summit/spectrum/$fipath/FI/VISIMAGE
  temp=./temp
  batchdir=$SPX_HOME/FI/VISIMAGE << Note 8 >>
  vmgr=/ASKPLUS/visimage/vmgr_$VSVAR1
  profile=default_settings
  profile=askplus

[default_settings]               << Note 9 >>
  ASKCHAR=ROM8
  IEEE=1
  ASKODX=1
  ASKJOINS=1
  VMGRLIST=1
  DBCLOSEMODE2=1
  ASK_OLDDATE=1
  HPSPLITYEAR=50
  ASKERR=1
  GAUGE=1
  CISAM=Y
  DISABLE_STREAM_CMD=Y
  ALLOW_EDIT_HOST_FILE=N

[askplus]                        << Note 10 >>
  askplus=/usr/bin/nice -20 /ASKPLUS/askplus $VSVAR3

Connection Setup in Visimage3

When a user creates a connection in Visimage3, the "Host Profile Name" that they specify will be their username followed by "!live", "!eom" or "!test". If the "!xxxx" is omitted, the connection will fail. When a user connects using "username!live" the variable $VSVAR1 is set to the value live and therefore the next profile used will be "summit_live". This simple "switch" allows a user to connect to live, eom or test data all from a single user profile.

In the summit_live, summit_eom and summit_test profiles, variables are set which can then be used later by the summit_common profile. The use of variables (and shared profiles) minimizes support because the same information does not have to be repeated.

VSVAR Variables

There are three VSVAR variables that are available using the syntax discussed above. If a user connects with "username!one!two!three", then VSVAR1=one, VSVAR2=two and VSVAR3=three. Not all variables need to be used. For example, using the INI file above, a connection with "username!live!!e852" will connect to the summit_live profile and execute AskPlus version E.8.5.2 (see Note 9).

Notes:

1. Indicates that Jane is an Admin user.
2. When Jane connects using "jane.doe!live" the variable $VSVAR1 will have the value live and therefore the profile used will be "summit_live". This simple "switch" allows Jane to connect to live, eom or test data all from a single user profile.
3. When Jane changes her password, the new password will be stored encrypted in the INI file.
4. The variable filogin is used to specify which UNIX login will be used for the connection. The connection is the same for live and eom, but usually different for test. The actual login is used in the summit_common profile using the statement "login=$filogin"
5. The variable fipath is used later in the summit_common profile to configure the default directory.
6. The EQ_DBSERVER will need to be different as well. Here we just use a different value, but possible we could have used the fipath variable depending on the valid values for EQ_DBSERVER. You can also reference a filename that contains the username and password to use for the database connection.
7. The summit_common profile contains all of the shared connection information and uses pre-defined variables where needed to customize the connection. Notice the use of $VSVAR1 again in the vmgr statement.
8. Introduced in AskPlus E.8.5.4 batchdir is a new variable that overrides the directory setting when AskPlus is launched in batch using "username!live".
9. The default_settings profile contains general AskPlus settings. These are typically saved in a separate profile, but that is not required.
10. Notice the $VSVAR3 variable on the AskPlus run line. As noted previously, this allows a user to start server requesting a specific version of AskPlus.