[SUMMARY] system call to return CPU serial number

From: <jerry.davis_at_txu.com>
Date: Mon, 08 May 2000 14:01:42 -0500

My question:
> Is there a system call that can be used within a program to return the CPU
> serial number? I can get to the serial numbers using options to DECevents
> utility dia, but for whatever reason our developers need to use a system call.

The general response was to use the hardware address of the primary network
interface card as a unique serial number for the system. Compaq (DEC)
recommended getting the mac address using the arp command.

Thanks go to Tom Webster and Serguei Patchkovskii.

Their responses follow:

There isn't actually a CPU serial number on Alphas. The serial number
returned from DECevent is input by the administrator who installed
DECevent.

The closest thing that you really have to a unique serial number is to
get the hardware address of the primary network interface card. This
is the system used by most vendors using node locked licenses on the
Alphas.

Tom

--
+-----------------------------------+---------------------------------+
| Tom Webster                       |  "Funny, I've never seen it     |
| SysAdmin MDA-SSD ISS-IS-HB-S&O    |   do THAT before...."           |
| webster_at_ssdpdc.lgb.cal.boeing.com |   - Any user support person     |
+-----------------------------------+---------------------------------+
|      Unless clearly stated otherwise, all opinions are my own.      |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
*********************************************************************************************************************************
Ugh, are you *quite* sure about it? On my systems, serial numbers shown by
dia (which, incidentally, is discontinued, and will not be available of future
systems) has been entered by myself - using a highly scientific technique of
crawling behind the box, and copying the number there on a piece of paper. As
such, these numbers are quite useful for tracking system identity and making
support calls - but not for anything else.
To the best of my knowledge (but not necessarily in real life ;-)), alphas do
NOT have a computer-readable CPU serial number. The closest thing to an unique
ID they do have is probably an Ethernet MAC ... in any event, if you need CPU
serial number for software licensing, you'll do both yourself, and your future
customers, a big favour by using one of the commercially availble licence
manhagers.
Cheers,
/Serge.P

Received on Mon May 08 2000 - 19:06:30 NZST