10.5.2 Sup to a Mainframe

To use sup the user must set up a directory named "sup" on the workstation in the user’s home directory. This contains different directories for the various trees that will be backed up, so there will be a "Mail" directory. This directory will contain two files: "crypt" and "list". The "crypt" file contains one line, terminated with a new line, that contains a single word — an encryption key. "list" contains one line, terminated with a new line, that contains two words — "upgrade Mail".

On the user’s mainframe, a file must be created that will be supplied to the sup program. It should contain the following line to backup the mail directory:

Mail delete host=<workstation> hostbase=/usr/<user> base=/usr/<user> \
crypt=WordInCryptFile login=<user> password=LoginPasswordOnWorkstation

Warning: This file contains the user’s password and should be protected appropriately.

The following Unix shell command issued on the mainframe will backup the mail directory:

   sup <name of the sup file used in previous paragraph>

As a specific example, assume user "fred" has a workstation called "fred", and his mainframe is the "gpa" machine where he has another user account named "fred". The password on his workstation is "purple". On his workstation, he creates the directory "/usr/fred/sup/Mail/" with the two files "crypt" and "list". The file "/usr/fred/sup/Mail/crypt" contains only the encryption key:

steppenwolf

The file "/usr/fred/sup/Mail/list" contains the command to upgrade the "Mail" directory:

upgrade Mail

On the "gpa" machine, the file "/usr/fred/supfile" contains the following line:

Mail delete host=fred hostbase=/usr/fred base=/usr/fred \
crypt=steppenwolf login=fred password=purple

This file is protected on "gpa", so others cannot see fred’s password on his workstation.

On the gpa-vax, issuing

   sup /usr/fred/supfile

to the Unix shell will update the MH mail directory from fred’s workstation deleting any files that exist on the gpa that do not exist on the workstation.

For a more complete description of the features of sup, see the UNIX Workstation Owner’s Guide and The SUP Software Upgrade Protocol.