IBM Support

Working with IBM AIX Support: Collecting snap data

How To


Summary

Collecting system data is an important step in problem resolution. Read the following steps to collect this information.

Steps

1) Run the snap command with one of the following options to collect the system data.
* If you are already working with an IBM support professional, use the flags that are specified by your support team.
 
a) Stand-alone or LPAR
 
# snap -r (removes previous snap data)
# snap -a (includes system dump) 
   OR 
# snap -aZ (excludes system dump)
 
* Your support team might request additional data, or you might want to include files that are relevant to the problem being investigated. If you do not have any additional diagnostic files to include, or if IBM Support has not requested any additional data, you can skip this step and proceed directly to compressing the snap data.

Examples of additional data include:
  • Application logs
  • Trace files
  • Command output files
  • Configuration files
  • Any other diagnostic data requested by IBM Support
  • Any additional diagnostic data that you believe may be relevant to the issue

Copy those files into the testcase directory before compressing the snap data.
# cp <PATH_TO_DATA> /tmp/ibmsupt/testcase

Where <PATH_TO_DATA> is the full path and file name of a diagnostic file requested by IBM Support or any additional file that you believe may assist with problem determination.

Examples (these file names are provided for demonstration purposes only):

# cp /home/user/application.log /tmp/ibmsupt/testcase
# cp /var/adm/ras/syslog.debug /tmp/ibmsupt/testcase
# cp /export/data/logs/app.debug /tmp/ibmsupt/testcase

Now, compress the data.
 
# snap -c

b) VIOS  
 
Log in to VIO server, as padmin.

$ snap 
 
Note: The snap file is created in /home/padmin.
The previous snap file is automatically removed.
 

c) PowerHA 

 
First, on all nodes in the cluster:
 
# snap -r (removes previous snap data)
  • Answer 'y' when prompted: "Do you want me to remove these directories (y/n)?"  y
  • Note: 'snap -r' removes only files in the /tmp/ibmsupt sub-directory, so if there is old snap data in /tmp, it continues to take up space.
     
* Your support team might request additional data, or you might want to include files that are relevant to the problem being investigated. If you do not have any additional diagnostic files to include, or if IBM Support has not requested any additional data, you can skip this step and proceed directly to gathering the snap data on one node.

Examples of additional data include:
  • Application logs
  • Trace files
  • Command output files
  • Configuration files
  • Any other diagnostic data requested by IBM Support
  • Any additional diagnostic data that you believe may be relevant to the issue


Add those files to the testcase directory on as many nodes as needed before gathering the snap data: 
# mkdir -p /tmp/ibmsupt/testcase
# cp <PATH_TO_DATA> /tmp/ibmsupt/testcase

Where <PATH_TO_DATA> is the full path and file name of a diagnostic file requested by IBM Support or any additional file that you believe may assist with problem determination.

Next, on one node:
 
# snap -e (This gathers data from all nodes into one snap.pax.Z file) 
  • Include "HA" in the [.optional_description] part of the file name in step 2.

 
d) For AIX System Performance Analysis
 
e) For VM Recovery Manager
 

2) Rename the compressed test case file. (You must use the correct case number so it is attached to your case)
 
For AIX 7.2 &  7.3.0:
# mv /tmp/ibmsupt/snap.pax.Z /tmp/ibmsupt/yourcase#[.optional_description].snap.pax.Z
 
For AIX 7.3.1+:
# mv /tmp/ibmsupt/snap.pax.gz /tmp/ibmsupt/yourcase#[.optional_description].snap.pax.gz
 
 
3) Upload the compressed file.
 
Data Upload Options:
 
a) Attach to your case
 
     - ECuRep supports several methods for sending data to IBM.
               * See instructions for HTTPS, FTPS, SFTP, and others on ECuRep - Send data
  
c) Blue Diamond customer data uploads (US only) please use IBM SecureDrop to securely upload Blue Diamond data to IBM Support
   - https://securedrop.im-ies.ibm.com/
            NOTE:  Blue Diamond Secure FTP Service was replaced by IBM SecureDrop effective June 30, 2026


 

4) Be sure to provide full problem descriptions in your case. See Working with IBM AIX Support: Describing the problem.

Additional Information

Our AIX support expert Alan H (IBM UK) put together an excellent overview video of the snap command here:

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Document Information

Modified date:
29 September 2026

UID

ibm11285336

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