Recovering from a DBBC Failure

Symptoms of a problem:

1. The PCFS log reports things like

   ERROR db  -21: error connect(): dbbc device connection open timed our

2. You can't connect to the DBBC VNC session

Use your web browser to access the control room camera and make a visual check of the DBBC. Addresses are:

• Hobart http://ptzhb.phys.utas.edu.au
• Katherine http://ptzke.phys.utas.edu.au
• Yarragadee http://ptzyg.phys.utas.edu.au

Point the camera to the DBBC. You'll find a drop-down menu in the lower right of the interface with a list of waypoints. There should be one for the DBBC. If the green lights on the front of the DBBC are all solid (no flashing) or all off, then the unit will need a power cycle.

• First halt the schedule and make sure the recorders aren't running. From the Field System:

  halt
  disk_record=off

• Use the Internet Power Switch (IPS) at the station to power cycle the DBBC. The IPSs are called:
  • Hobart: ipshb.phys.utas.edu.au
  • Katherine: ipske.phys.utas.edu.au
  • Yarragadee: ipsyg.phys.utas.edu.au
• You can access them via their web pages, or by telnet. The username is 'administrator' (didn't work for me, I had to use 'admin') and the password is the standard root password (see the whiteboard in the control room). You need to turn off the DBBC, wait about 30 sec, then turn it on again. From the telnet interface (for Katherine):

  telnet ipske.phys.utas.edu.au
  [password]
  /Off 5
  ... wait 30 sec ...
  /On 5
  /X

• You should see the DBBC come to life on the camera and after the PC has booted, you'll be able to connect via the VNC session. To log in, select the user dbbc. The password is written on the whiteboard in the control room at Mt Pleasant and in the AuScope control room.
• The DBBC software then needs starting and the hardware configuring. See Observing software setup
• Once the DBBC is happy again, make sure the Field System can talk to it

  setup01

• Then re-commence the schedule, e.g.

  schedule=v252aike