The APT workstation is a DECstation 5000/200 running ULTRIX V4.4 (upgraded from a 5000/120 running 4.2 in May 1995), with about 96 Mbytes of memory and about 1 Gbyte of available disk space. 0=0 The machine is called ``mistral.anu.edu.au''. It has two ethernet interfaces, one connects to an Xterminal (an NCD 14c) and a fibre-optic link to the outside world (through an 64 kbps ISDN link into the Internet), and the other goes solely to the PC. It is very important that these interfaces are not interchanged, since you then wouldn't be able to communicate with either the PC or the outside world.
If the workstation is off, turn it on (simply plug in the cord from the power board, and switch on the wall socket--all the other switches on the CPU and disk drives should always be left in the on position). After a while, you will get the prompt ``R>'' on the console. Simply type ``boot'' (followed by return) to reboot the workstation. If the workstation had not been properly shutdown, it may take 15 or more minutes to check its filesystems before it allows you to login. In extreme circumstances it may not be able to repair its filesystems, in which case you should contact Michael Ashley (or Kristien Clayton at UNSW) for advice.
It is desirable to shut the workstation down when power outages are scheduled, or when there is the possibility of lightning storms, or if no one will be using the APT for a few days. The reason for this is that power-line spikes and lightning has caused considerable damage to the APT electronics on several occasions (17 ICs were fried in a storm during the summer of 94/95, a further 6 died in 95/96, along with the monitor and ethernet interface).
To shut down the workstation you must be logged-in to the workstation. Then type ``su'' followed by return, and then enter the root password0=0 (this is written on a piece of paper at the back of the CPUbox--please don't write this password down anywhere else since it isimportant that the bad guys don't know it!). Then type
/etc/shutdown -h now
The workstation will then shut itself down in an orderly fashion. After it has returned to the ``R>'' prompt you can turn off the power.
Finally, unplug the power cord so as to stop any chance of lightning damage.