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Does anyone know where EMC host their GNU source code for VNXe products?

We are tired with calling Delhi/Idaho for them to dial in to fix trivial issues and would like to figure out the algorithm of their temporary password system and avoid waiting hours for a WebEx.

Meta

As someone would like to discuss being a professional system administrator it might be worth adding some context. A "solutions provider" mis-sold an EMC VNXe solution to senior management before operations had a chance to intervene. It fails hard in our 24/7 alarm monitoring environment and needs continually fixed.

Every second of downtime when a fire alarm or lone worker alarm comes in increases the chance someone loses their life. It is being replaced, but due to politics between firms and costs this will be a month or two. Meanwhile I don't have time to be messing about with account managers and escalation processes - we need this to work and have access to fix it immediately. Otherwise I'd agree entirely in going through the proper channels.

End of Meta

Metalshark
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  • What temporary password system is this? What would it allow you to do? – Basil Jul 31 '14 at 14:23
  • Are you looking for the engineering password? Because that's hard-coded, not generated by an algorithm. – HopelessN00b Jul 31 '14 at 14:24
  • messner, if I remember correctly, is the password for engineering mode in the clariion. That doesn't sound like what you're looking for, though... – Basil Jul 31 '14 at 14:25
  • @Basil Its the "Service Shell" password I am looking for. There are hard-coded ones such are clariion clariion!, etc which are great for getting into UniSphere if you forget the password, but I am trying to enable the full command line to avoid international calling shenanigans. – Metalshark Jul 31 '14 at 14:47
  • And what would you do with the service shell that you can't do with an administrative user account? – Basil Jul 31 '14 at 15:11
  • @Basil Kill off corrupt replication sessions, take decent performance metrics and solve problems on a VNXe when we need to (much like you can on a plain VNX) without waiting an eternity for a WebEx session. Really I just need to know where they host their source code for GNU compliance and will take it from there. – Metalshark Jul 31 '14 at 15:26
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    Pretty sure that would void the warranty. If you don't like the way the storage is supported (and believe me, I get it- I'm curb stomping all my EMC at the first available opportunity), you make noise or just deal with the difficulty. You don't start logging in with an account that's only available to EMC employees. – Basil Jul 31 '14 at 15:38
  • Isn't this a political and/or business issue? Get with your EMC rep/support or account manager to resolve this. – ewwhite Jul 31 '14 at 15:42
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    Please forget my motives and issues of support/warranty - lets concentrate on the question - where does one find the GNU source code used in EMC VNXe products? – Metalshark Jul 31 '14 at 15:44
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    This is a Q&A site for professional systems administration, and hacking and voiding the warranty of an expensive storage machine is not something that a professional systems administrator does. – Basil Jul 31 '14 at 15:48
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    @Basil However a professional system administrator that is able to review source code to assertion whether back doors and security mechanisms in open source products are robust and secure, would like to be able to especially when it's meant to be readily available. If no-one here knows where EMC host the code then I'll need to ask the FSF. – Metalshark Jul 31 '14 at 15:57
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    @Metalshark It's not *really* meant to be readily available. But in this case, maybe ask an [EMC resource on Spiceworks](http://community.spiceworks.com/profile/show/Christina%20(EMC)) if you need a more direct answer. – ewwhite Jul 31 '14 at 15:59
  • @Metalshark You didn't say that you wanted to review their code for security. You said you wanted to void the warranty because you were tired of waiting on hold. What you are trying to do with the source code absolutely matters, when determining whether this question is a fit for the site or not. That said, even your example of checking source code for security is probably a better fit on the security SE than this one. – Basil Jul 31 '14 at 16:14
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    @Basil I am trying to find the source code regardless of the motive. I was citing one more suitable for your criteria. I thought the community here would be best placed to know where EMC resources are kept. Don't want to waste either of our time - especially when ewwhite is being useful to get me near the answer. – Metalshark Jul 31 '14 at 17:00
  • @Basil added a meta section to the question to hopefully alleviate similar comments – Metalshark Jul 31 '14 at 17:20
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    That makes more sense, now that I've read that. In your situation, there's nothing wrong with voiding the warranty since it'll help hold things together until the correct solution comes on the floor. – Basil Jul 31 '14 at 21:44
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    The way I recall it, Richard Stallman had a printer or something with crappy software. He wanted the source code to fix their broken stuff. This was what led him down the road that led to the GPL/FSF/GNU software. You can agree or disagree with Metalshark's desire, but regardless, he bought the thing, and it's his right to do what he wants with it. And it's EMC's legal obligation to make available the GPL'd source code. A pro system administrator's primary job is to make stuff work, not to worry about warranties. – Dan Pritts Oct 08 '14 at 21:22

2 Answers2

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Searching for "gpl vnxe download +site:emc.com" finds this clause in the release notes (ver 2.3.1, if that matters):

Open Source Licenses

GPL-licensed code is included herewith. If you would like a copy of any such GPL-licensed code, please send a written request to "EMC Legal, 176 South Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748, ATTN: Open Source Program Office." In your request, please indicate the EMC Software Package or EMC Product (for example, EMC VNXe Series or EMC ) that included an offer for GPL-licensed source code.

Tim B
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You may simply have to ask them. If I remember correctly, GPL only requires they make available the source code, not that they host it 24/7 on the public internet. While a handful of companies flat out refuse, despite legal obligations (see FSF v. Cisco), many times you just have to make a request through their support channels.

tfrederick74656
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