Pathway/XM System Management Manual

Overview of Configuring and Managing Pathway/XM
Compaq NonStop™ Pathway/XM System Management Manual—426761-001
3-7
PATHMON Processes and PATHCTL Files
Logical nodes are configured objects that specify available processor resources to be
used for requesters or servers. One PB process, running as a process pair, is provided
for each logical node in the Pathway/XM environment.
PATHMON Processes and PATHCTL Files
The PATHMON object represents a PATHMON process, which controls a set of
requester-related and server-related objects in a Pathway/XM environment. A
Pathway/XM environment includes one or more PATHMON processes, all of which are
configured and managed centrally through the SuperCTL file.
Under the direction of the PXMCOM utility and the SuperCTL file, each PATHMON
process configures, monitors, and manages all the objects (such as TCPs, terminal tasks,
and server classes) under its control. Each PATHMON process creates and maintains a
file, called the PATHMON configuration (PATHCTL) file, in which it stores the
configuration information for these objects.
Each PATHMON process performs the following functions for the objects under its
control:
•
Keeping a record of the object definitions in its PATHCTL file
•
Starting and stopping TCPs, terminal tasks, and servers
•
Facilitating access between TCPs or LINKMON processes and server processes
(or their link control service (LCS) proxy processes) to support requester-server
communication
•
Automatically restarting failed objects
•
Reporting configuration, status, and statistical information
•
Reporting system errors caused by invalid or unsuccessful operations
The first PATHMON process started in the Pathway/XM environment can, optionally,
have an externally known process name that can be referenced by programs such as
Pathsend requesters. All other PATHMON processes are created by the Pathway/XM
software with internal process names.
PATHCOM Processes
In the Pathway/XM environment, PATHCOM processes provide services on behalf of
the PXMCOM process. The PXMCOM process interprets PXMCOM commands and,
in turn, sends PATHCOM commands to the target PATHMON processes.
In the Pathway/XM environment, PATHCOM processes are used internally only. You
configure a Pathway/XM environment by using PXMCFG and you start up, maintain,
and shut down that environment by using PXMCOM. Pathway/XM users do not need
to issue PATHCOM commands directly and should not do so.
Caution. Using PATHCOM commands to change the configuration or to change the state of
objects can interfere with Pathway/XM operations and produce unpredictable results.
Moreover, the output of informational PATHCOM commands such as INFO, STATUS, and
STATISTICS can be confusing or misleading in the Pathway/XM environment.