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Abstract
AIX Support Center Tools
Content
The following information describes the zsnap tool, its options and uses.
Purpose
Gathers system configuration information for AIX support.
Syntax
zsnap [ --ALL ] [ --CAA ] [ --CMDS ] [ --CRON ] [ --DUMP ] [ --FS ] [ --FSLVM ] [ --GRAPHICS ] [ --HACMP ] [ --INSTALL ] [ --KRB5 ] [ --LVM ] [ --NIM ] [ --NFS ] [ --PAM ] [ --PERF ] [ --SAN ] [ --SECURITY ] [ --SYS ] [ --TCPIP ] [ --VIOC ] [ --debug ] [ --email email ] [ --ftp ] [ --help | --? | -? ] [ --noprompt ] [ --nospacechk ] [ --pmr PMRnumber ] [ --filetext text ] [ --addfile file1,file2,file3,... ][ --snapscript ] [ --version ]
The zsnap command also accepts any of the flags of the snap command, except the -r flag. If you specify -r, then zsnap will exit with 0 (zero).
Description
The zsnap command is a supplemental tool used by AIX support personnel to gather debugging data. Built around the standard AIX snap command, the zsnap command gathers additional information that the snap command does not provide. You can also use the zsnap command to send a testcase directly to IBM from the machine that generated the testcase data. If needed, the zsnap command can fork multiple calls to the snap command, which results in quicker data gathering than if done via snap.
By default, the zsnap command writes command output to the /tmp/ibmsupt directory. If the directory does not have enough space to contain the output, the zsnap command exits. To suppress space checking, use the --nospacechk flag.
The optional environment variable ZSNAPCONFIG can be set to point to a file that will be read for flags that could be supplied on the command line. The format of the file is one argument per line.
Example:
-d /tc
--noprompt
--nospacechk
--email user@example.com
If identical flags are provided on the command line those options will override what is read from the config file. Lines starting with # will be treated as comments and ignored.
Flags
--ALL
Executes with all snap flags except a system dump. This option does not include any zsnap-specific flags.
--CAA
Gathers data for enhanced clustering features in AIX at levels where these features are supported.
--CMDS
Gathers information related to command and library.
--CRON
Gathers cron information.
--DUMP
Gathers a system dump and the files needed to perform an analysis.
--FS
Gathers filesystem information.
--FSLVM
Gathers both filesystem and logical volume manager (LVM) information.
--GRAPHICS
Gathers information related to the graphics subsystem.
--HACMP
Gathers information related to PowerHA (HACMP).
--INSTALL
Gathers information related to install.
--KRB5
Gathers Kerberos authentication information.
--LVM
Gathers LVM information.
--NIM
Gathers Network Install Manager (NIM) information. This flag is only for execution on a NIM master.
--NFS
Gathers Network Filesystem (NFS) information.
--PAM
Gathers Pluggable Authorization Module (PAM) authentication information.
--PERF
Gathers performance information.
--SAN
Gathers information related to Storage Area Network (SAN).
--SECURITY
Gathers security information.
--SYS
Gathers a quick summary of the system. Note: This option is mutually exclusive of all other options.
--TCPIP
Gathers TCP/IP information.
--VIOC
Gathers NPIV/virtual fibre adapter information for hte VIO client.
--debug
Generates additional debug output for the zsnap command itself.
--email email
Specifies a valid email address that can be used to FTP a test case to AIX Support.
--ftp
Specifies that FTP will be used with the --noprompt flag.
--help
Displays the manual page for the zsnap utility.
--? | -?
Displays usage (syntax) information for the zsnap utility.
--noprompt
Supresses prompting of FTP information used to transmit test case to IBM.
--nospacechk
Suppresses space checking.
--pmr PMRnumber
Specifies a valid PMR number given to you by AIX Support. The syntax for the PMRnumber value is PMR#.Branch.Country . The zsnap command uses the PMRnumber value to properly name the testscase file.
--snapscript
Used to specify a script to use with snap (see the snap man page).
--filetext text
The specified text is added to the name of the completed testcase file. If the -c, -e, --ftp or --HACMP flag is not used to create a pax file, the text specified is not used.
--addfile file1,file2,file3...
The specified file is placed in the 'testcase' directory. More than one file can be specified via a comma-separated (no spaces) list.
--version
Displays the current version of the zsnap utility.
Notes
- If you want to ftp you must specficy either --ftp or a valid --email address value.
- If you want the testcase label to contain the pmr number you must specify a valid --pmr [ Number ]. Otherwise, 99999.999.999 will be assigned to the testcase label.
- If you want to gather the tescase data to be sent in to the IBM testcase server and want to add extra data collected for an IBM tech, please do the following 2 step Procedure:
- zsnap --[ team Flags ] --noprompt
- zsnap -c --ftp --email [ email ] --pmr [ PMRnumber ] --noprompt
- If you do not provide --nospacechk, then you will need at least 200 MB of free space in the dir that you have chosen or in /tmp.
Examples
- Enter the following command to gather all system configuration information except a dump.
zsnap --ALL
The command prompts you for PMR number and FTP information that is used to transfer the testcase to AIX Support, and then writes the output to the /tmp/ibmsupt directory. - Enter the following command to gather SAN and PowerHA (HACMP) configuration information and suppress prompts for PMR and FTP information.
zsnap --SAN -e --noprompt
OR
zsnap --SAN --HACMP --noprompt
This command generates one testcase in the /tmp/ibmsupt/ directory. When no PMR information is supplied in the command line, the zsnap command uses the following convention to label the testcase.
99999.999.999.<timestamp> .hacmp.pax.Z - Enter the following command to gather general system information, put the data in the /tc directory, and then be prompted for PMR and FTP information to transfer the testcase data.
zsnap -g -d /tc
This zsnap command prompts you for PMR and FTP information, and then generates a test case in the /tc directory. - Enter the following command to gather filesystem information, use the PMR number for the appropriate testcase name and specify the email address for FTP.
zsnap --FS --noprompt --ftp --pmr 99999.999.999 --email john@doe.com - To submit extra data to IBM while using zsnap please do the following:
zsnap --TCPIP --noprompt
Now copy the extra data into the /tmp/ibmsupt/testcase dir
zsnap -c --ftp --email john@doe.com --pmr 12345.678.000 --noprompt
Now the extra data is in the testcase dir pax up in the testcase file that was ftp'ed to the testcase server.
Files
/usr/sbin/zsnap
Contains the zsnap command.
/opt/support/zsnap
Contains other files related to the zsnap command.
Related information
The snap command.
For problems, questions or comments on zsnap send email to zsnap@us.ibm.com.
Document Location
Worldwide
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Document Information
Modified date:
15 April 2021
UID
aixtools-561de801