System Startup Script Question

[Jeff Mulliken]

Greetings one and all,

I am installing some software on a test bed AIX/5L machine. The manual
for the software instructed me to place a specific command into the 'system
startup script'. Now the software itself has a startup script, and they
even provided instructions for placing an entry in /etc/inittab for that to
be started up with runlevel 2. But it didn't read as though the command in
question should have been put in thier startup script, or I would think they
would have referred to it by name.

From the Googling I've done, I can't find any reference to s 'system
startup script' in AIX. Is there one? My particular system doesn't even
have an /etc/rc.shutdown, which I did see referenced in the same manual.
That led me to the suspicion that there maybe an /etc/rc.startup in some
systems, but I don't have one of those either.

If someone can provide me with some guidance here, I would sure
appreciate it.

Thanks,

Jeff.

[Nick H (UK)]

Jeff Mulliken wrote:

> Greetings one and all,
>
> I am installing some software on a test bed AIX/5L machine. The manual
> for the software instructed me to place a specific command into the 'system
> startup script'. Now the software itself has a startup script, and they
> even provided instructions for placing an entry in /etc/inittab for that to
> be started up with runlevel 2. But it didn't read as though the command in
> question should have been put in thier startup script, or I would think they
> would have referred to it by name.
>
> From the Googling I've done, I can't find any reference to s 'system
> startup script' in AIX. Is there one? My particular system doesn't even
> have an /etc/rc.shutdown, which I did see referenced in the same manual.
> That led me to the suspicion that there maybe an /etc/rc.startup in some
> systems, but I don't have one of those either.
>
> If someone can provide me with some guidance here, I would sure
> appreciate it.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff.
>
>

Personally, I would interpret 'system startup script' as 'part of the
/etc/rc.d directory structure'. Next on the list, I would think that it
was /etc/inittab.

There may be technical reasons to use one and not the other that I am
unaware of. Otherwise I would say that either is an appropriate place
to start software on system startup.

However I am shy of editing /etc/inittab, as a mistake, even a syntax
error, can render the system unbootable. OK, I have screwed up the boot
process with an /etc/rc script, but it is harder to do!



--
Nick H (UK)

[Nicholas Dronen]

Jeff Mulliken <mullikenNOSPAM@attbi.com> wrote:
JM> Greetings one and all,

JM> I am installing some software on a test bed AIX/5L machine. The manual
JM> for the software instructed me to place a specific command into the 'system
JM> startup script'. Now the software itself has a startup script, and they
JM> even provided instructions for placing an entry in /etc/inittab for that to
JM> be started up with runlevel 2. But it didn't read as though the command in
JM> question should have been put in thier startup script, or I would think they
JM> would have referred to it by name.

Groups.google for "/etc/rc.local AIX."

JM> From the Googling I've done, I can't find any reference to s 'system
JM> startup script' in AIX. Is there one? My particular system doesn't even
JM> have an /etc/rc.shutdown, which I did see referenced in the same manual.
JM> That led me to the suspicion that there maybe an /etc/rc.startup in some
JM> systems, but I don't have one of those either.

The shutdown command will run /etc/rc.shutdown, if the file exists.

Regards,

Nicholas

--
"Why shouldn't I top-post?" [url]http://www.aglami.com/tpfaq.html[/url]
"Meanings are another story." [url]http://www.ifas.org/wa/glossolalia.html[/url]

[RobH]

"Nick H (UK)" <spamtrap@mridangam.com> wrote in message
news:3F6D6F8C.8010706@mridangam.com...

> Jeff Mulliken wrote:

> > Greetings one and all,
> >
> > I am installing some software on a test bed AIX/5L machine. The

manual

> > for the software instructed me to place a specific command into the

'system

> > startup script'. Now the software itself has a startup script, and

they

> > even provided instructions for placing an entry in /etc/inittab for

that to

> > be started up with runlevel 2. But it didn't read as though the

command in

> > question should have been put in thier startup script, or I would

think they

> > would have referred to it by name.
> >
> > From the Googling I've done, I can't find any reference to s

'system

> > startup script' in AIX. Is there one? My particular system doesn't

even

> > have an /etc/rc.shutdown, which I did see referenced in the same

manual.

> > That led me to the suspicion that there maybe an /etc/rc.startup in

some

> > systems, but I don't have one of those either.
> >
> > If someone can provide me with some guidance here, I would sure
> > appreciate it.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Jeff.
> >
> >

> Personally, I would interpret 'system startup script' as 'part of the
> /etc/rc.d directory structure'.

The /etc/rc.d directory structure is a relatively new "feature" that IBM
first sneaked into AIX in an 4.3.3 ML so a third party vendor may not be
aware of it.

> Next on the list, I would think that it
> was /etc/inittab.
>
> There may be technical reasons to use one and not the other that I am
> unaware of. Otherwise I would say that either is an appropriate place
> to start software on system startup.
>
> However I am shy of editing /etc/inittab, as a mistake, even a syntax
> error, can render the system unbootable. OK, I have screwed up the

boot

> process with an /etc/rc script, but it is harder to do!
>

IBM always advise the use of chitab, lsitab, rmitab and mkitab commands
to reduce the risk of screwing up the /etc/inittab as these commands
syntax check the entries.

I sometimes use SRC subsystem to manage the startup and shutdown of a
third party application but this does require careful testing and
usually requires the creation of "wrapper" shell scripts with an exec at
the end.

In the early days some software vendors started their AIX code from
/etc/rc although I haven't seen this in a while.


--
RobH
The future's dim, the future's mono.

[Nick H (UK)]

RobH wrote:

> "Nick H (UK)" <spamtrap@mridangam.com> wrote in message
> news:3F6D6F8C.8010706@mridangam.com...
>

>>Jeff Mulliken wrote:
>>

>>>Greetings one and all,
>>>
>>> I am installing some software on a test bed AIX/5L machine. The

>>

> manual
>

>>>for the software instructed me to place a specific command into the

>>

> 'system
>

>>>startup script'. Now the software itself has a startup script, and

>>

> they
>

>>>even provided instructions for placing an entry in /etc/inittab for

>>

> that to
>

>>>be started up with runlevel 2. But it didn't read as though the

>>

> command in
>

>>>question should have been put in thier startup script, or I would

>>

> think they
>

>>>would have referred to it by name.
>>>
>>> From the Googling I've done, I can't find any reference to s

>>

> 'system
>

>>>startup script' in AIX. Is there one? My particular system doesn't

>>

> even
>

>>>have an /etc/rc.shutdown, which I did see referenced in the same

>>

> manual.
>

>>>That led me to the suspicion that there maybe an /etc/rc.startup in

>>

> some
>

>>>systems, but I don't have one of those either.
>>>
>>> If someone can provide me with some guidance here, I would sure
>>>appreciate it.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Jeff.
>>>
>>>

>>
>>Personally, I would interpret 'system startup script' as 'part of the
>>/etc/rc.d directory structure'.

>
> The /etc/rc.d directory structure is a relatively new "feature" that IBM
> first sneaked into AIX in an 4.3.3 ML so a third party vendor may not be
> aware of it.

Ahh yes. But it has been around generally for a long time -- isn't it
the Berkley way of doing things? My memory only vague on this.

>
>

>>Next on the list, I would think that it
>>was /etc/inittab.
>>
>>There may be technical reasons to use one and not the other that I am
>>unaware of. Otherwise I would say that either is an appropriate place
>>to start software on system startup.
>>
>>However I am shy of editing /etc/inittab, as a mistake, even a syntax
>>error, can render the system unbootable. OK, I have screwed up the

>
> boot
>

>>process with an /etc/rc script, but it is harder to do!
>>

>
> IBM always advise the use of chitab, lsitab, rmitab and mkitab commands
> to reduce the risk of screwing up the /etc/inittab as these commands
> syntax check the entries.

Good Point!! Something I always forget and will try to remember next time.

>
> I sometimes use SRC subsystem to manage the startup and shutdown of a
> third party application but this does require careful testing and
> usually requires the creation of "wrapper" shell scripts with an exec at
> the end.
>
> In the early days some software vendors started their AIX code from
> /etc/rc although I haven't seen this in a while.
>
>
> --
> RobH
> The future's dim, the future's mono.
>
>

--
Nick H (UK)

[RobH]

"Nick H (UK)" <spamtrap@mridangam.com> wrote in message
news:3F6EBDEA.6050700@mridangam.com...

>
>
> RobH wrote:

> > "Nick H (UK)" <spamtrap@mridangam.com> wrote in message
> > news:3F6D6F8C.8010706@mridangam.com...
> >

<SNIP>

> >>Personally, I would interpret 'system startup script' as 'part of

the

> >>/etc/rc.d directory structure'.

> >
> > The /etc/rc.d directory structure is a relatively new "feature" that

IBM

> > first sneaked into AIX in an 4.3.3 ML so a third party vendor may

not be

> > aware of it.

>
> Ahh yes. But it has been around generally for a long time -- isn't it
> the Berkley way of doing things? My memory only vague on this.

They've been there for every Unix system I've work with exception of AIX
but then AIX == Ain't unIX.

> >>Next on the list, I would think that it
> >>was /etc/inittab.
> >>
> >>There may be technical reasons to use one and not the other that I

am

> >>unaware of. Otherwise I would say that either is an appropriate

place

> >>to start software on system startup.
> >>
> >>However I am shy of editing /etc/inittab, as a mistake, even a

syntax

> >>error, can render the system unbootable. OK, I have screwed up the

> >
> > boot
> >

> >>process with an /etc/rc script, but it is harder to do!
> >>

> >
> > IBM always advise the use of chitab, lsitab, rmitab and mkitab

commands

> > to reduce the risk of screwing up the /etc/inittab as these commands
> > syntax check the entries.

>
> Good Point!! Something I always forget and will try to remember next

time.

Real Unix sysadms wouldn't use the itab commands but then they use cat
for editing files.

;-)


--
RobH
The future's dim, the future's mono.