VMS Help  —  AUTOGEN
    The AUTOGEN command procedure (SYS$UPDATE:AUTOGEN.COM) sets
    appropriate values for system parameters and sizes for system
    page, swap, and dump files. AUTOGEN runs automatically when you
    install or upgrade the operating system.

    In addition, you can use AUTOGEN to reset system parameter
    values, system file sizes, or both. The new values and file sizes
    take effect the next time the system is booted.

    VSI recommends that you run AUTOGEN on a weekly basis to
    adjust system parameters according to your system's work load.

    AUTOGEN executes in phases, with each phase performing a separate
    task. You control which tasks AUTOGEN performs by specifying a
    start phase and an end phase when you invoke AUTOGEN.

    You can add commands to the file SYS$SYSTEM:MODPARAMS.DAT to
    control the system parameter values and file sizes that AUTOGEN
    sets. AUTOGEN uses the information in this file to determine
    final values for system parameters or page, swap or dump file
    sizes.

    AUTOGEN can improve system performance by using dynamic
    information, called feedback, which is gathered from the running
    system.

                                   NOTE

       When making major configuration changes, do not use
       feedback. Specify nofeedback to assure the use of the
       initial AUTOGEN settings.

    You control how AUTOGEN uses feedback by specifying an execution
    mode when you invoke AUTOGEN. To direct AUTOGEN to use feedback
    to make its calculations, run AUTOGEN in feedback mode. After
    a period of time, you can execute AUTOGEN in feedback mode to
    further refine system parameter settings.

1  –  When to Run AUTOGEN

    VSI recommends that you run AUTOGEN in the following
    circumstances:

    o  During a new installation or upgrade.

    o  Whenever your work load changes significantly.

    o  When you add an optional (layered) software product. Certain
       layered products might require you to execute AUTOGEN to
       adjust parameter values and page and swap file sizes. (For
       information about using AUTOGEN to modify page and swap files,
       refer to the chapter on managing page, swap, and dump files
       in the VSI OpenVMS System Manager's Manual.) Refer to specific
       product documentation for installation requirements.

    o  When you install images with the /SHARED attribute. The
       GBLSECTIONS and GBLPAGES parameters might need to be increased
       to accommodate additional use of global pages and global
       sections.

    o  During normal operation, as part of a batch-oriented
       command procedure that runs AUTOGEN on a regular basis and
       automatically sends a report to an appropriate Mail account.
       The recommended procedure is described in the chapter on
       managing system parameters in the VSI OpenVMS System Manager's
       Manual.

    After a new operating system installation or upgrade, examine the
    results of calculations that AUTOGEN made to determine whether
    AUTOGEN has set system parameter values that are appropriate for
    your workload requirements.

2  –  Feedback

    AUTOGEN feedback minimizes the necessity to modify parameter
    values or system file sizes. Feedback allows AUTOGEN to
    automatically size the operating system based on your actual work
    load. Sizing is the process of matching the allocation of system
    resources (memory and disk space) with the workload requirements
    of your site.

    Feedback is information about how various resources are used
    by the system's work load. This information is continuously
    collected by the operating system executive. Because the
    system collects feedback when exception events occur, feedback
    collection does not affect system performance.

    You control how AUTOGEN uses feedback by specifying an execution
    mode when you invoke AUTOGEN. When run in feedback mode, AUTOGEN
    analyzes this information and adjusts any related parameter
    values.

    AUTOGEN collects feedback during the SAVPARAMS phase by executing
    the image SYS$SYSTEM:AGEN$FEEDBACK.EXE. AUTOGEN writes feedback
    information to the file SYS$SYSTEM:AGEN$FEEDBACK.DAT. This file
    is then read during the GETDATA phase.

3  –  Phases

    Phase          Description

    SAVPARAMS      Saves dynamic feedback from the running system.
    GETDATA        Collects all data to be used in AUTOGEN
                   calculations.
    GENPARAMS      Generates new system parameters; creates the
                   installed image list.
    TESTFILES      Displays the system page, swap, and dump file
                   sizes calculated by AUTOGEN (cannot be used as a
                   start phase).
    GENFILES       Generates new system page, swap, and dump files if
                   appropriate (cannot be used as a start phase).
    SETPARAMS      Runs SYSMAN to set the new system parameters in
                   the default parameter file, saves the original
                   parameters, and generates a new parameter file,
                   AUTOGEN.PAR.
    SHUTDOWN       Prepares the system to await a manual reboot.
    REBOOT         Automatically shuts down and reboots the system.
    HELP           Displays help information to the screen.

3.1  –  SAVPARAMS

    The SAVPARAMS phase records feedback in the file
    AGEN$FEEDBACK.DAT, which can be used in subsequent AUTOGEN
    phases. If you specify NOFEEDBACK as the execution-mode
    parameter, the information collected is not used.

    The SAVPARAMS phase is valid as a start phase and end phase.
    SAVPARAMS requires the SYSPRV and CMKRNL privileges.

                                   NOTE

       You can specify the SAVE_FEEDBACK option during an
       interactive orderly shutdown with SYS$SYSTEM:SHUTDOWN.COM.
       Entering this option in response to the prompt "Shutdown
       options:" records feedback collected since the system was
       last booted. Using the SAVE_FEEDBACK option creates a new
       version of SYS$SYSTEM:AGEN$FEEDBACK.DAT. Run AUTOGEN from
       the GETDATA phase after the system reboots to use this new
       version of the feedback.

3.2  –  GETDATA

    The GETDATA phase collects the following information required for
    AUTOGEN calculations and places it in the file PARAMS.DAT:

    o  Hardware configuration data

    o  VSI-supplied data from CLU$PARAMS.DAT

    o  Feedback from AGEN$FEEDBACK.DAT (if run in feedback mode)

    o  User-supplied data from MODPARAMS.DAT

    The GETDATA phase also attempts to configure devices on the
    system, by executing the following procedure and command:

    o  The command procedure SYS$MANAGER:SYCONFIG.COM. (For more
       information about this procedure, refer to the chapter on
       managing devices in the VSI OpenVMS System Manager's Manual.)

    o  The SYSGEN command AUTOCONFIGURE ALL (unless the symbol
       STARTUP$AUTOCONFIGURE_ALL is set to 0 in SYCONFIG.COM).

    The GETDATA phase is valid as a start phase and an end phase.
    GETDATA requires the SYSPRV and CMKRNL privileges.

3.3  –  GENPARAMS

    In the GENPARAMS phase, AUTOGEN calculates the parameter values
    based on data stored in PARAMS.DAT and produces SETPARAMS.DAT as
    output. AUTOGEN checks to see if feedback is included, and if so,
    uses it in the calculations unless the NOFEEDBACK execution mode
    was specified when AUTOGEN was invoked. Also during this phase,
    AUTOGEN generates the known image file list (VMSIMAGES.DAT).

    The GENPARAMS phase is valid as a start phase and an end phase.
    GENPARAMS requires the SYSPRV and OPER privileges.

3.4  –  TESTFILES

    The TESTFILES phase displays system page, swap, and dump file
    sizes calculated by AUTOGEN. (This phase does not change the file
    sizes.)

    File sizes for all currently installed primary and secondary
    page and swap files are displayed. The information is directed to
    SYS$OUTPUT and the AGEN$PARAMS.REPORT file by default.

    Specify the TESTFILES phase to display AUTOGEN's file size
    calculations; to generate new sized files, specify the GENFILES
    phase. You cannot specify both of these phases when invoking
    AUTOGEN. VSI recommends that you use TESTFILES to display the
    file size changes before actually generating new sized files on
    your system.

    The TESTFILES phase is valid only as an end phase. TESTFILES
    requires the SYSPRV privilege.

3.5  –  GENFILES

    The GENFILES phase generates the new page, swap, and dump
    files on the system. This phase changes the file sizes based
    on AUTOGEN's calculations.

    The GENFILES phase does not modify a file if the calculated
    size change is within ten percent of the existing file size.
    The following files are affected: PAGEFILE.SYS, SWAPFILE.SYS,
    SYSDUMP.DMP, and all other currently installed page and swap
    files. For more information, refer to the chapter on managing
    page, swap and dump files in the VSI OpenVMS System Manager's Manual.

    GENFILES is valid only as an end phase. GENFILES requires the
    SYSPRV privilege.

3.6  –  SETPARAMS

    The SETPARAMS phase uses as its input the SETPARAMS.DAT file
    created during the GENPARAMS phase. In this phase, AUTOGEN runs
    SYSMAN to update the system parameter values in the default
    parameter file.

    On VAX systems, the default parameter file is
    SYS$SYSTEM:VAXVMSSYS.PAR. AUTOGEN saves the current system
    parameters in the file SYS$SYSTEM:VAXVMSSYS.OLD before updating
    these parameters in SYS$SYSTEM:VAXVMSSYS.PAR. The new values are
    also saved in SYS$SYSTEM:AUTOGEN.PAR.

    On Alpha systems, SYS$SYSTEM:ALPHAVMSSYS.PAR is the default
    parameter file. AUTOGEN saves the current system parameters
    in the file SYS$SYSTEM:ALPHAVMSSYS.OLD before updating these
    parameters in SYS$SYSTEM:ALPHAVMSSYS.PAR. The new values are also
    saved in SYS$SYSTEM:AUTOGEN.PAR.

    On I64 systems, SYS$SYSTEM:IA64VMSSYS.PAR is the default
    parameter file. AUTOGEN saves the current system parameters
    in the file SYS$SYSTEM:IA64VMSSYS.OLD before updating these
    parameters in SYS$SYSTEM:IA64VMSSYS.PAR. The new values are
    also saved in SYS$SYSTEM:AUTOGEN.PAR.

    The SETPARAMS phase is valid as a start phase and an end phase.
    SETPARAMS requires the SYSPRV and OPER privileges.

3.7  –  SHUTDOWN

    SHUTDOWN shuts down the system and awaits a manual reboot. To
    use the new system parameter values generated in the SETPARAMS
    phase, specify either SHUTDOWN or REBOOT as the end phase. You
    can define the logical name AGEN$SHUTDOWN_TIME (using the DCL
    command DEFINE) to specify the number of minutes before shutdown
    occurs.

    SHUTDOWN requires the SETPRV privilege.

3.8  –  REBOOT

    REBOOT automatically shuts down and reboots the system, thus
    installing the new parameter values. To install the new system
    parameter values generated in the SETPARAMS phase, specify either
    SHUTDOWN or REBOOT as the end phase. You can define the logical
    name AGEN$SHUTDOWN_TIME (using the DCL command DEFINE) to specify
    the number of minutes before shutdown occurs.

    REBOOT requires the SETPRV privilege.

3.9  –  HELP

    HELP displays help information about AUTOGEN to the screen.
    The HELP phase is only valid as the start phase command line
    parameter. When you specify HELP for the start phase, the end
    phase and execution mode parameters are ignored.

4  –  Execution Modes

    Specify an execution mode when you invoke AUTOGEN to control how
    AUTOGEN uses feedback. The following table lists the execution-
    mode options.

    Option        Description

    FEEDBACK      Specifies that AUTOGEN run in feedback mode, using
                  dynamic feedback collected during the SAVPARAMS
                  phase to make its calculations.
    NOFEEDBACK    Specifies that AUTOGEN not use feedback in the
                  calculations. The feedback from the SAVPARAMS
                  phase is ignored. Use NOFEEDBACK mode for the
                  initial system installation or upgrade. NOFEEDBACK
                  supersedes the execution-mode option INITIAL, which
                  was used in a previous version of the operating
                  system.
    CHECK_        Specifies that AUTOGEN use feedback in its
    FEEDBACK      calculations as long as the feedback is valid. If
                  feedback is suspect, AUTOGEN does not use feedback
                  in the calculations, but continues through the
                  specified end phase.
    Blank         If you do not specify an execution mode, AUTOGEN
                  uses feedback in the calculations by default.
                  However, if AUTOGEN determines that the feedback
                  might be suspect, it performs the calculations,
                  issues the feedback report, and stops before
                  modifying any parameters or system files, even if
                  you specified an end phase of GENFILES, SETPARAMS,
                  SHUTDOWN or REBOOT.

5  –  Syntax

    To invoke AUTOGEN, use the following syntax to enter a command at
    the DCL command prompt:

    $ @SYS$UPDATE:AUTOGEN [start-phase] [end-phase] [execution-mode]

    You are returned to DCL level when the command has finished
    processing unless you specify SHUTDOWN or REBOOT as the end-phase
    parameter.

5.1  –  Parameters

 start-phase

    Specify the phase where AUTOGEN is to begin executing. The phase
    specified for start-phase must either precede or be identical to
    the phase specified for end-phase. If you do not supply an option
    for the start-phase parameter, enter a null argument (that is, ""
    ). If you do not specify a start phase, GENPARAMS is the default.

 end-phase

    Specify the phase where AUTOGEN is to complete executing. If you
    do not specify an end phase, the end phase has the same value as
    the start phase by default.

 execution-mode

    Specify one of the following execution-mode options to control
    how AUTOGEN uses feedback:

    o  FEEDBACK

    o  NOFEEDBACK

    o  CHECK_FEEDBACK

    o  Blank

    See the separate help topic "Execution_Modes" for a description
    of each option listed here.

6  –  MODPARAMS.DAT

    AUTOGEN reads a parameter file named SYS$SYSTEM:MODPARAMS.DAT
    during the GETDATA phase. You can add commands to this file to
    control the system parameter values and file sizes that AUTOGEN
    sets.

    The commands you add to MODPARAMS.DAT use the following formats
    to define symbols that control parameter values:

                                Symbol
    Operation                   Format         Example

    Increment a value           ADD_*          ADD_GBLPAGES=500
    Specify a minimum value     MIN_*          MIN_PAGEDYN=400000
    Specify a maximum value     MAX_*          MAX_PAGEDYN=400000
    Specify an absolute value   Parameter      SCSNODE="BIGVAX"
                                name

                                   NOTE

       Specify an absolute value only for parameters that AUTOGEN
       does not calculate, for example, SCSNODE and SCSSYSTEMID.

    For more detailed information, refer to the chapter about
    managing system parameters in the VSI OpenVMS System Manager's
    Manual.
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