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The db2val tool is used to validate files laid down by the DB2 installer at the system level, instance level, or database level. This tool is mostly useful for large scale deployments of DB2. It can also be used for embedding the DB2 installation process inside your own application installation.
Suppose some install files are deleted or found to be missing sometime after installation. If this happens, you can use the db2val tool to check the latest state of installation files, instance setup, and database connections.
- Install file validation
- Instance validation
- Database creation and connection
- Extended security (Microsoft Windows only)
You can find the db2val tool on your DB2 installation path, for example:
<Installation path>/bin/db2val (where the installation path represents the db2 installed path for underlying operating system).
Default DB2 installation path on Linux and UNIX platforms: /opt/ibm/db2/V9.7 or /opt/IBM/db2/V9.7
Default DB2 installation path on Windows: C:\Program Files\SQLLIB\bin
You can verify the installation path as shown in Listing 1.
Listing 1. Command to verify the installation path
/opt/ibm/db2/V9.7/bin/db2val -o -l /tmp/va1.log |
Syntax and description of the tool
The syntax of the tool is:
#
/opt/ibm/db2/V9.7/bin/db2val -h.
The DBI1329I Usage:
- db2val [-h|-?]
- [-o]
- [-i inst_name1] | [-a]
- [-b db_name]
- [-d]
- [-s]
- [-l log_file]
Table 1. Usage options and explanations
| Usage option | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|
| -o | Specifies that only the installation files will be validated; validation of the instance, database, and extended security will not be performed. If this parameter is specified, the -i, -a, -b, and -s parameters are ignored. | |
| -i inst_name | Specifies the name of the instance to validate. To
specify validation of multiple instances, specify this parameter
multiple times. For example, -i inst1 -i inst2. On Windows operating systems, if this parameter is not specified, the current instance will be used as the default value. On Linux and UNIX operating systems, this parameter can only be used by root users in a root installation of a DB2 copy. | |
| -a | Validates all instances in the DB2 copy. On Linux and UNIX operating systems, this parameter can only be used by root users in a root installation of a DB2 copy. This option overrides the -i option. | |
| -b | Validates the local database creation and connection
with the given database name. This parameter is ignored in the
following scenarios: the instance to be validated is a client instance * -a and -i are not specified when db2val is run by root users (on Linux and UNIX only). | |
| -d | Valid only on Linux and UNIX operating systems. Use this parameter only when instructed by DB2 Support. Turns the debug mode on. | |
| -s | Starts the DB2 database manager for the specified instance that is part of a DPF environment. | |
| -l log_file | Writes the log to the file name specified. Unless the
-l parameter is specified, the default log path is: On Linux and Unix, /tmp/db2valxx.log On Windows, My Documents\DB2LOG\db2valxx.log Where xx is a auto-generated value based on the current timestamp. | |
| -h|-? | Displays the usage information. | |
The following different scenarios show how db2val can benefit you.
Scenario 1: DB2 installation path has a corrupted file
Consider the scenario where the libdb2dascmn.so
library file is missing. Listing 2 shows how db2val helps to validate the
DB2 installation.
Listing 2. Command to verify the installation path
Install Path: /opt/ibm/db2/V9.7 /opt/ibm/db2/V9.7/bin/db2val -o -l /tmp/va1.log |
If the previous command is specified without -l
option, the log will be generated and placed at default path /tmp/db2val
on UNIX, or at C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\DB2LOG on Windows.
Listing 3. Output of the db2val
DBI1379I The db2val command is running. This can take several minutes.
DBI1344E The validation tasks of the db2val command failed. For
details, see the log file /tmp/va1.log.
|
Listing 4. Log file contents
Installation file validation for the DB2 copy installed at "/opt/ibm/db2/V9.7" starts. Task 1: Validating Installation file sets. Missing files: /opt/ibm/db2/V9.7/lib64/libdb2dascmn.so /opt/ibm/db2/V9.7/das/lib/libdb2dascmn.so Status 1: Failure |
Scenario 2: DB2 instance path has a missing file
Imagine that the instance related files under the sqllib folder are missing, for example: db2nodes.cfg. Use the following method shown in Listings 5, 6, and 7 to validate the DB2 installation path. Details are logged in the /tmp/val.log log file which is specified after -l.
Listing 5. Command to verify the corrupted/missing files at instance level
/opt/ibm/db2/V9.7/bin/db2val -i reginst1 -l /tmp/val.log |
Listing 6. Output of the db2val
DBI1379I The db2val command is running. This can take several minutes.
DBI1344E The validation tasks of the db2val command failed. For
details, see the log file /tmp/val.log.
|
Listing 7. Log file contents
Task 8: Starting DB2 instance "reginst1". SQL6031N Error in the db2nodes.cfg file at line number "0". Reason Code "3". Status 8: Failure DBI1338E The validation of the instance reginst1 failed. Reason Code =7. |
Scenario 3: Permission issues of /etc/services
Scenario three shows that the /etc/services file is corrupted from your system, and how to validate it. In this example, the read permissions of the /etc/services file are removed so you can see how db2val figures it out, as shown in Listings 8, 9 and 10.
Listing 8. Command to verify the permissions of /etc/services
/opt/ibm/db2/V9.7/bin/db2val -o -l /tmp/va1.log |
Listing 9. Output of the db2val
DBI1379I The db2val command is running. This can take several minutes.
DBI1345W Read permission to the /etc/services file is not granted to
every user. This lack of permission can cause the instance
creation to fail.
|
Listing 10. Log file contents
Task 4: Validating the accessibility to the /etc/services file.
DBI1345W Read permission to the /etc/services file is not granted to
every user. This lack of permission can cause the instance
creation to fail.
|
Scenario 4: Verifying database connection
The db2val tool can be used to check the connection to the local database.
The following listings show an example how to validate the connections of
the database testdb residing in the instance
reginst1.
Listing 11. Command to verify the database connection
/opt/ibm/db2/V9.7/bin/db2val -i reginst1 -b testdb -l /tmp/val.log |
Listing 12. Output of the db2val
DBI1379I The db2val command is running. This can take several minutes.
DBI1335I Installation file validation for the DB2 copy installed at
/opt/ibm/db2/V9.7 was successful.
DBI1343I The db2val command completed successfully. For details, see
the log file /tmp/val.log.
|
Listing 13. Log file contents
Task 8: Validating database connections using CLP command. Database Connection Information Database server = DB2/LINUX 9.7.0 SQL authorization ID = REGINST1 Local database alias = TESTDB Note: The database will be dropped after these tests if it is created by the validation tool. The validation tool will skip the database validation if the instance is a client type, or if the instance (server type) cannot be started. |
Scenario 5: Validating the partitioned database setup
In a partitioned database environment, db2val will make sure the nodes are properly set up in the instance. Listings 14, 15, 16 indicate db2val output after validating partitioned database.
Listing 14. Command to verify the partitioned database environment
/opt/ibm/db2/V9.7/bin/db2val -i reginst1 -l /tmp/val.log |
Listing 15. Output of the db2val
DBI1337I The partitioned database environment validation for the instance
reginst1 was successful.
DBI1343I The db2val command completed successfully. For details, see
the log file /tmp/val.log.
|
Listing 16. Log file contents
Task 12: Validating code level on all database partitions.
0 9.7.0.0 0
1 9.7.0.0 0
Status 12: Success
DBI1337I The partitioned database environment validation
for the instance reginst1 was successful.
Partitioned database environment validation for the instance "reginst1" ends.
DBI1339I The instance validation for the instance reginst1 was
successful.
Instance validation for "reginst1" ends.
|
Scenario 6: Validating multiple instances using -i option
The db2val tool can be used to validate multiple instances in a single
command. The following listings show how validation of the multiple
instances reginst1 and
reginst2 is done.
Listing 17. Command to validate multiple instances
/opt/ibm/db2/V9.7/bin/db2val -i reginst1 -i reginst2 |
Listing 18. Output of the db2val
DBI1379I The db2val command is running. This can take several minutes.
DBI1335I Installation file validation for the DB2 copy installed at
/opt/ibm/db2/V9.7 was successful.
DBI1339I The instance validation for the instance reginst1 was
successful.
DBI1339I The instance validation for the instance reginst2 was
successful.
DBI1343I The db2val command completed successfully. For details, see
the log file /tmp/db2val-07_21_07:40:06.log.
|
Listing 19. Log file contents
Instance validation for "reginst1" starts.
Task 5: Validating symbolic links in the instance directory.
Status 5: Success
Task 6: Validating instance file ownership and permission.
Status 6: Success
Task 7: Validating the accessibility to the /etc/services file.
Status 7: Success
Task 8: Starting DB2 instance "reginst1".
07/21/2011 07:45:09 0 0 SQL1063N DB2START processing was successful.
SQL1063N DB2START processing was successful.
Status 8: Success
DBI1339I The instance validation for the instance reginst1 was
successful.
Instance validation for "reginst1" ends.
Task 9: Stopping DB2 instance "reginst1".
07/21/2011 07:45:12 0 0 SQL1064N DB2STOP processing was successful.
SQL1064N DB2STOP processing was successful.
Status 9: Success
Instance validation for "reginst2" starts.
Task 10: Validating symbolic links in the instance directory.
Status 10: Success
Task 11: Validating instance file ownership and permission.
Status 11: Success
Task 12: Validating the accessibility to the /etc/services file.
Status 12: Success
Task 13: Starting DB2 instance "reginst2".
07/21/2011 07:45:24 0 0 SQL1063N DB2START processing was successful.
SQL1063N DB2START processing was successful.
Status 13: Success
DBI1339I The instance validation for the instance reginst2 was
successful.
Instance validation for "reginst2" ends.
Task 14: Stopping DB2 instance "reginst2".
07/21/2011 07:45:26 0 0 SQL1064N DB2STOP processing was successful.
SQL1064N DB2STOP processing was successful.
Status 14: Success
|
Scenario 7: Validating the non-root instance
The db2val tool can also be used to validate the non-root instance. When db2val is executed as a non-root user without any option specified, it validates the non-root instance.
Listing 20. Command to verify the non-root instance
db2val |
Listing 21. Output of the db2val
DBI1379I The db2val command is running. This can take several minutes.
DBI1335I Installation file validation for the DB2 copy installed at
/home/reginst1/sqllib was successful.
DBI1339I The instance validation for the instance reginst1 was
successful.
DBI1343I The db2val command completed successfully. For details, see
the log file /tmp/db2val-07_21_08:03:04.log.
|
Listing 22. Log file contents
Instance validation for "reginst1" starts.
Task 5: Validating symbolic links in the instance directory.
Status 5: Success
Task 6: Validating instance file ownership and permission.
Status 6: Success
Task 7: Validating the accessibility to the /etc/services file.
Status 7: Success
DBI1339I The instance validation for the instance reginst1 was
successful.
Instance validation for "reginst1" ends.
|
Validating DB2 on Microsoft Windows using db2val
Extended security (Windows only)
DB2 users are authorized to do certain database operations. For instance, if you can create a database only when the extended security is enabled. If extended security is not set up then db2val gives a warning message.
- A regular user in the DB2 SYSADM group can run the validation for the related instance and install copy.
- For a root user running the tool in a root-install copy on UNIX, the -i or -a must be used in order to do the instance and database validations. This is not required for non-root installation.
- To verify multiple instances, repeat the -i option, or use -a option for all instances present in the DB2 copy. For example: /opt/ibm/db2/V9.7/bin/db2val -i test1 -i test2
- The -b option will be ignored if the instance to be verified is a client instance.
- On UNIX or Linux, root users can validate any root installations. The -i option should be used only for root installation.
- On Windows, db2val will validate the current instance that the user is running unless -i or -a is specified. If the instance to be verified is a DPF instance, then administrator rights is also required.
- Database creation and connection will be verified when the -b option is used. You can specify a database name for the test or let the tool generate one.
The default log path is $DB2TMPDIR/db2valxx.log (or /tmp/db2valxx.log if
$DB2TMPDIR is undefined) on UNIX, and
C:\Users\ADMINI~1\DOCUME~1\DB2LOG\db2valxx.log on Windows, where
xx will be auto-generated. There are other
possible default log file locations, such as the install directory. But
since the tool can be run by root or instance users, this makes the
$DB2TMPDIR or /tmp a better choice for default.
For more information about the db2val tool, please use the db2val help.
How you can start using the db2val tool
The install validation utility is available on UNIX, Linux, and Windows platforms. See the Syntax section for information on the syntax of the db2val install validation tool.
The db2val utility is a powerful tool for validating installation files, instances, database creation, connections to the database, and the state of partitioned database environments. This article has shown the various usage scenarios of the db2val tool. You'll find this a handy tool for ensuring that your installation is issue-free.
Learn
- Learn more on the topic of Validating your DB2 copy, in the DB2 V 9.7 information
center.
- Find more information about extended security in Windows in the information
center.
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Prashant works as a Senior Software Engineer, DB2 Install QA team in IBM India Software Lab, Bangalore. He is an IBM Certified DB2 Database Administrator - DB2 LUW V9 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows.
Shivraj Kumar Sarsambi is a IBM Certified DB2 Database Administrator - DB2 LUW V9 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows. Shivraj works for DB2 System and Verification Test team at the IBM India Software Lab, Bangalore. He graduated from U.V.C.E, Bangalore University with a major in Computer Science Engineering before joining IBM, and has completed DB2 advanced DBA certification.
