Re: [foxboro] RE : Barriers to migration to Windows

  • From: "Pulas, Philip" <ppulas@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <foxboro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 10:37:44 -0700

We currently have 101 MS AW's on our Mesh (as well as 12 more on 3 =
offline nodes for training and development) and there is no file sharing =
possible.  All "common" files (displays, library objects, etc.) must be =
copied around to every workstation, though FTP and TELNET are not needed =
for this.

There are two ways to do this (one makes it very easy and one is very =
time consuming):

Method 1: We were provided a scripting tool called Blow (I don't know if =
Foxboro provided it or not) that copies files around to any/all AW's =
that you choose.  On I/A v8.2 AW's you have to make sure the log to a =
file option is not checked.  Here is a description from its readme file:

        Blow Readme

        General
        The blow script resembles the traditional blow script that was written  
=
for Solaris.  The blow script will copy files from the local machine    to =
all remote machines defined in the rhosts.txt, located in the same      =
directory as the script.
        Description
        The blow script does not require any typing to copy files over to       
=
remote stations.  Instead, a shortcut to the blow script may be added   =
to the Send To items under the contextual menu (right mouse menu) or    to =
the desktop.  Then, any number of files and folders may be selected     to =
be remote copied.  The user may then right mouse click on the   selected =
items and under the Send To menu, send them to the remote       stations.  =
Alternatively, the user may then drag and drop the items to     the Blow =
Shortcut on the desktop.

Method 2: In Windows Explorer, you can add each workstation as a network =
place as follows: Open Windows Explorer, click on My Network Places, =
double-click Add Network Place, click Next when the prompt appears, wait =
for an option to appear for "Choose another network location" and select =
it (this can be immediate or within a couple of minutes), click Next, =
for the address enter \\$GCLBUG\ia (for d drive) or \\$GCLBUG\c$ (for c =
drive), click Next, click Next (or change the name it will display), =
click Finish.  It will now always appear under My Network Places.

Thanks,
Philip Pulas
Tesoro
Golden Eagle Refinery
Martinez, CA

-----Original Message-----
From: foxboro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:foxboro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] =
On Behalf Of tom.vandewater@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 10:09 AM
To: foxboro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [foxboro] RE=A0: Barriers to migration to Windows

        This is an interesting thread indeed.  USB drives on MS AW's.  When we =
=3D
moved to the MESH and AWXP's we immediately realized that the Windows =
=3D
boxes appeared to be intentionally isolated from access to other boxes, =
=3D
(even other Windows boxes on the MESH.  Unless I'm missing something, =
=3D
there is no way to do even a basic file transfer or remote login to the =
=3D
MS AW's unless you take matters into your own hands.  Given a fast new =
=3D
network, you might have expected that Foxboro would have provided some =
=3D
way to keep common system files and shared graphics updated between =3D
boxes.  It wasn't obvious to me.  We immediately started using USB =3D
drives to handle all of these administrative transfers.  FTP and Telnet =
=3D
services are by default disabled and Foxboro doesn't create a common =3D
workgroup that would allow sharing via the standard MS capability.
        All this makes me ask, are there any large scale MS/MESH users out =3D
there?  Please chime in.  What have you done to share files between the =
=3D
MS AW's/WP's?  Have you enabled FTP and/or TELNET services?  Have you =
=3D
established an MS workgroup to share files between AW's?  If so, is it a =
=3D
Foxboro approved method?  Did you go-it-alone and break any of the =3D
Foxboro apps?  Given my perceived lack of connectivity between MS AW's =
=3D
it is even harder for me to understand what the drivers are to migrate.  =
=3D
I am far from being Foxboro MS savvy so don't hesitate to enlighten me =
=3D
on how I can better use/administer the boxes running on this platform.  =
=3D
My reply might sound cynical but my intent is really bent at learning =
=3D
how to optimize/utilize the two MS AW's that we MUST have on site to =3D
support the MESH stations.

Tom VandeWater
Control Systems Developer/Analyst
Dow Corning Corporation
Carrollton, KY   USA=20
 
 
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