Ownable Resource Security › The Resource Descriptor Table (RDT) Record › Using 2-Byte Resource Codes

Using 2-Byte Resource Codes

An additional 256 resource classes are represented internally with 2-byte resource codes. These resource classes are incompatible with lower-level releases, which only allow 1-byte resource codes. Resources with 2-byte resource codes should not be activated in any system until all systems sharing the Security File are running with CA Top Secret 1.5 or above.

Before 2-byte resource codes can be added to the RDT, the control option RDT2BYTE must be set. Once a resource class has been added to the RDT with a 2-byte RESCODE parameter, the RDT2BYTE is said to have been activated and irrevocable changes have been made to the Security File. In this case, CA‑Top Secret 1.5 will initialize with the following message:

TSS9053I RDT2BYTE OPTION ACTIVATED

If RDT2BYTE has been activated, any CA Top Secret 1.4 system attempting to initialize with such a Security File will terminate with the message:

TSS9996E Security File contains two byte rescodes and cannot be used by
this release

If a CA Top Secret 1.4 system shares a Security file with a CA Top Secret 1.5 system and the latter defines a 2-byte resource code resource class to the RDT, results can be unpredictable and may compromise Security File integrity. When the 1.4 system is shut down, it will no longer be able to initialize with the same Security File.

Unlike other control options, once a RDT2BYTE control option has been activated, it cannot be modified by altering the Parameter File or executing a MODIFY command.

After a Security File has been modified with a two-byte RESCODE resource, that file cannot be used by CA Top Secret 1.4. If your Security File has this change but you wish to go back to CA Top Secret 1.4, you must restore a backup of the Security File that never contained a resource with a 2-byte resource cod Then run TSSRECVR to rebuild a Security File that is compatible with CA Top Secret 1.4.