invscout Command

Purpose

Survey the host system for currently installed microcode or Vital Product Data (VPD).

Syntax

invscout  [ -v ] [ -m machine_type_and_model ] [ -s serial_number ] [ -q ]

invscout [ -u [ mask] ] [ -e ] [ -r ] [ -m machine_type_and_model ] [ -s serial_number ] [ -catl microcode_catalog_path ] [ -q ]

invscout [ -U | -UF [ mask] ] [ -e ] [ -m machine_type_and_model ] [ -s serial_number ] [ -catl microcode_catalog_path ] [ -fl microcode_file_path ] [ -q ]

invscout [ -h | -g ]

Description

The invscout command runs one instance of the stand-alone version of the Inventory Scout process. The invscoutd command starts the server daemon side of a client and server version.

The Inventory Scout process supports the following two survey types:

Microcode Survey
VPD Survey (-v)

Microcode Survey

A Microcode Survey gathers host system data on the currently installed microcode for the supported systems of the Inventory Scout process, devices, and adapters. The following table describes the types of data that the Microcode Survey gathers and the files in which it stores the data.

Table 1. The data captured and the files produced by the Microcode Survey
File	Data stored	Associated flag	Display and print methods
Microcode Survey Upload File	A comparison of the gathered microcode levels and the most recent levels available.	None. Use the invscout command with no flags to create a Microcode Survey Upload File.	Upload to a web server over the internet.
Microcode Update Results Formatted Text Report File	It contains a subset of the information that is recorded in the Microcode Survey Upload File. The subset includes the following information: Information about the invscout execution itself. The previous level of microcode that was installed on each device. The level of microcode that is installed on each device. The most recent level of microcode that is available for each device. For each device, the results of an attempted action to update the microcode to the most recent level.	Use the -U option to create a Microcode Update Results Formatted Text Report File.	Print or display on a monitor.
Microcode Survey Results Formatted Text Report File	It contains a subset of the information that is recorded in the Microcode Survey Upload File. The subset includes the following information: Information about the invscout execution itself. The level of microcode that is installed on each device. The most recent level of microcode that is available for each device. A suggested action for each device that can be applied according to the downloaded `catalog.mic` file.	Use the -u flag to send the file to the screen from where you started the invscout command.	Print or display on a monitor.
Microcode Survey Formatted Text Report File Attention: The Microcode Survey Formatted Text Report File is deprecated. Use the Microcode Survey Results Formatted Text Report File instead.	It contains a subset of the information that is recorded in the Microcode Survey Upload File. The subset includes the following information: Information about the invscout command execution itself. The level of microcode that is installed on each device.	Use the -r flag to send the file to the screen from where you started the invscout command. Attention: The -r flag is deprecated. Use the –u option instead.	Print or display on a monitor.

The previous reports can contain information on the following files:

System microcode
Service microcode
Device and adapter microcode

VPD Survey (-v)

A VPD Survey stores the system VPD in a VPD Survey Upload File that can be uploaded to a web server through the internet. A CGI forwards the file to a repository and produces a web page that indicates the status of the operation.

No formatted text report is available for VPD Surveys.

Flags

Item	Description
-v	Sets the survey or concatenation type to VPD (the default is Microcode). This option is supported only to users who belong to a user-group `system` or `invscout`.
-r	For a Microcode Survey, sends a copy of the formatted text report file to the screen from which the command was started. This flag is ignored if either the -v or the -c flag is used. Attention: This flag is deprecated. Use the –u option instead.
-m `machine_type_and_model`	For a VPD survey, allows input of the host platform machine type and model for hosts that use or require this information.
-s `serial_number`	For a VPD survey, allows input of the host serial number for hosts that use or require this information.
-catl `microcode_catalog_path`	Overrides the default location of the microcode catalog file.
-g	Displays the versions of this command and of the logic database currently in use.
-q	Suppresses most runtime messages.
-h	Generates a help (usage) statement. If this flag is used, all other flags are ignored.
-U `mask`	Updates devices with the available microcode updates. This flag requires that the following items exist on the system: A valid microcode catalog file Valid microcode images Valid options for `mask` include any combination of the following values: L, l: Latest C, c: Current P, p: Previous A, a: Available O, o: Outcome D, d: Description E, e: Effect S, s: Suggested action
-UF `mask`	Updates devices and the system firmware with available microcode updates. This flag requires that the following items exist on the system: A valid microcode catalog file Valid microcode images This flag might restart the system. Valid options for `mask` include any combination of the following values: L, l: Latest C, c: Current P, p: Previous A, a: Available O, o: Outcome D, d: Description E, e: Effect S, s: Suggested action
-u `mask`	Generates a formatted text report that identifies hardware for which microcode updates are available. This flag requires that a valid catalog file exists on the system. Valid options for `mask` include any combination of the following values: L, l: Latest C, c: Current P, p: Previous A, a: Available O, o: Outcome D, d: Description E, e: Effect S, s: Suggested action
-fl `microcode_file_path`	Changes the default path name of the microcode files. These files are stored in a .rpm format. This option is restricted to root users only.
-e	Must be used with the –U, –UF, or -u flags. The -e flag sets `catalog.mic` and retrieves the updates from the fix central database.

Exit Status

This command returns the following exit values:

Item	Description
0	Indicates successful completion.
Nonzero	Indicates that an error occurred.

If an error occurs, the command writes an error log.

Security

This command is owned by root, and is installed with the setuid bit ON so that any user can run it.

Examples

To run one Microcode Survey and send the results to a formatted text report file and an upload file, enter the following command:
```
invscout
```
To run one VPD Survey and send the results to an upload file, enter the following command:
```
invscout -v
```

Files

Item	Description
/usr/sbin/invscout	Contains the invscout command.
/var/adm/invscout/ `host` .mup	Microcode Survey Upload File. The `host` variable is the hostname of the system that is represented in the file.
/var/adm/invscout/ `host` .vup	VPD Survey Upload File. The `host` variable is the hostname of the system that is represented in the file.
/var/adm/invscout/invs.con.mup	Microcode Survey Concatenated Upload File.
/var/adm/invscout/invs.con.vup	VPD Survey Concatenated Upload File.
/var/adm/invscout/invs.err	The error log is written if the command encounters an error.
/var/adm/invscout/invs.mic.con.inp	Microcode Survey Concatenation Input Directory.
/var/adm/invscout/invs.mrp	Microcode Survey Formatted Text Report File.
/var/adm/invscoup/invs.murp	Microcode Update Results Formatted Text Report File. This file identifies hardware updates that are successfully applied.
/var/adm/invscout/invs.murrp	Microcode Survey Results Formatted Text Report File. This file identifies hardware for which updates are available.
/var/adm/invscout/invs.vpd.con.inp	VPD Survey Concatenation Input Directory
/var/adm/invscout/invscout.log	Log file.
/var/adm/invscout/microcode	Directory for microcode-related actions. Default location for microcode catalog file.
/var/adm/invscout/microcode/catalog.mic	Default microcode catalog file.
/var/adm/invscout/tmp	Holds invscout temporary files. All files in this directory are deleted at the start of every execution of this command.