Creating a snap for a VIO server

This section only applies to VIO servers. If the server in question is not a VIO server please proceed to Check the dump size . To create a snap for a VIO server, log in to the server using the "padmin" account. Type:

$snap

This will create a snap.pax.Z file in the /home/padmin directory.

Proceed to the section, "Naming convention for the testcase".

Check the dump size

Check the size of the current dump and see which file system will have enough space to package the dump (the default file system is /tmp).

1. Log in as root.
2. At the command line, enter:

        sysdumpdev -L
   

Look at the dump size. If the dump is compressed you will need to find a file system that is double this size plus another 300MB. This is because the dump is written out, along with other information, after which a compressed pax file is created. If the dump is not compressed the snap process will create a compressed dump file before creating the pax file. Compression may reduce the dump from half to one tenth or more of its initial size. Dump compression has been enabled by default since the inception of AIX 6.1.

Check to see if /tmp has sufficient space. First execute

# snap -r

Execute #df -m to find a filesystem with enough space to package the complete snap. Once a file system has been found, proceed to the appropriate section.

NOTE: If the dump is very large and was not produced by resetting the server due to a system hang, you may wish to submit a general snap. We have had some customers who have had 2TB dumps. AIX support can examine the minidump to see if the stack trace corresponds to a known issue. If this is not the case support will then need a full snap to review. A general snap is produced by typing

# snap -r
#snap -gc

If the above Note does not apply to your situation proceed to the next step, Packaging the dump for submission

Packaging the dump for submission

Procedure 1

Packaging dump the for submission when there is room in /tmp.

 # snap -acN 
 # cd /tmp/ibmsupt

This will create a snap.pax.Z file in the /tmp/ibmsupt directory Ensure that unix.Z, dump.snap and dump.Z(or dump.BZ) are present. If not then check to make certain /tmp has sufficient space to hold the snap.

Proceed to the section, "Where  to submit the testcase".

Procedure 2

Packaging the dump for submission when there is no room in /tmp. /<filesystem> represents the filesytem with sufficient space.

 # snap -acNd /<filesystem>/ibmsupt 
 # cd  /<filesystem>/ibmsupt

Proceed to the section, "Where  to submit the testcase".

Creating a snap with split files

What to do if the dump is on tape

Put the tape in the tape drive.

Find a filesystem with sufficient space and enter the following:

NOTE: /<filesystem> represents the filesystem with sufficient space.

        # cd /<filesystem>
        # mkdir ibmsupt
        # cd ibmsupt
        # pax -rvf /dev/rmt#

NOTE: If you are running AIX 4.3.3 with Maintenance Level 06 or below, you cannot execute pax command. You must execute the following:

        #tar -xvf /dev/rmt#

The pax or tar command will create a file called dump_file in /<filesystem>/ibmsupt. Continue with the following steps:

   
        # snap -aNd /<filesystem>/ibmsupt
        # mv dump_file /<filesystem>/ibmsupt/dump/dump_fvvile
        # cd /<filesystem>/ibmsupt/dump
        # ls ->

        # cd /<filesystem>/ibmsupt
        # snap -cd /<filesystem>/ibmsupt

Proceed to the section,  "Where  to submit the testcase"

Where to submit the testcase

Starting in April of 2018 sent to the testcase server, testcase.software.ibm.com or testcase.boulder.ibm.com will be redirected to the Ecurep site in Europe. Starting in July 2020 anonymous ftp uploads are not allowed.  This means that customers need to login via a portal and data is associated with the ticket used as part of that process.   Snaps are submitted to Ecurep for regular customers or through the Blue Diamond portal for customers under HIPAA guidelines.

Using Ecurep to submit your snap

Uploads to Blue Diamond

Blue Diamond customers will need to register and upload via the Blue Diamond portal: https://msciportal.im-ies.ibm.com/