Command and Technical Reference, Volume 1

p_cat

Purpose

p_cat - Issues a parallel cat of files.

Syntax

p_cat [-w - | noderange | 'hostlist args'] file_name file_name ...

Flags

The p_cat command requires the first flag or parameter on the command line to be a specification of the hosts on which the command is to be executed.

-w -: Specifies that host names should be read from standard input. Host names can be in any format accepted by rsh.

Operands

noderange

Indicates a specification via "node number." The node number corresponds to the position of a node in a frame and its slots. A node number indicates frame and slot. For example, frame 1 slot 1 would be referred to by 1. Frame 2 slot 1 would be node number 17, while frame 3 slot 2 would be 34. If a node occupies more than one slot, either node number refers to that node. Node numbers can be specified as ranges such as 1-3, which would refer to frame 1 slots 1-3, or 23-29,50,2, which would refer to frame 2 slots 7-13, frame 4 slot 2, and frame 1 slot 2. This option is valid only for an SP system.

'hostlist args'

Specifies flags and arguments to be passed to the hostlist command. Hostlist allows several ways of listing hosts based on various criteria. Refer to the hostlist command.

Note:: To use the working collective file specified by the WCOLL environment variable, you must specify a null string as the first argument. Refer to the dsh command for more information about a working collective.

file_name

Specifies a list of file names on the hosts to be concatenated to standard output.

Description

The p_cat command issues the AIX cat command on multiple hosts. p_cat uses dsh to execute the cat command on multiple hosts. The output of the cat command is written to standard output.

Files

working collective file: See the dsh command.

|Environment Variables

|PSSP 3.4 provides the ability to run commands using secure remote |command and secure remote copy methods.

|To determine whether you are using either AIX rsh or rcp |or the secure remote command and copy method, the following environment |variables are used. |If no environment variables are set, the defaults are |/bin/rsh and /bin/rcp.

|You must be careful to keep these environment variables consistent. |If setting the variables, all three should be set. The DSH_REMOTE_CMD |and REMOTE_COPY_CMD executables should be kept consistent with the choice of |the remote command method in RCMD_PGM: |

|RCMD_PGM - remote command method, either rsh or |secrshell
|DSH_REMOTE_CMD - remote command executable
|REMOTE_COPY_CMD - remote copy executable |

|For example, if you want to run p_cat using a secure remote |method, enter:

|export RCMD_PGM=secrshell
|export DSH_REMOTE_CMD=/bin/ssh
|export REMOTE_COPY_CMD=/bin/scp

Security

|You must have access to the AIX remote commands or the secure remote |commands to run this command.

This command will automatically forward the DCE credentials if K5 is an enabled AIX authentication method and the user of the command has DCE credentials that can be forwarded. The special DCE credentials for root, called the machine or self host principal credentials, cannot be forwarded. To obtain DCE credentials that can be forwarded as a root user, a root user must issue dce_login -f.

Location

/usr/lpp/ssp/bin/p_cat

Related Information

PSSP commands: dsh, pexec

AIX commands: cat

Examples

To copy /.rhosts from each host1, host2, and host3 to the local /.rhosts file (described previously), enter:

p_cat -w host1,host2,host3 /.rhosts >> /.rhosts

pcp

Purpose

pcp - Specifies a parallel copy of local files and directories to other hosts.

Syntax

pcp: [-w - | noderange | 'hostlist args'] [-D] [-p] [-r]
: localfile_or_dir remotefile_or_dir

Flags

The pcp command requires the first flag or parameter on the command line to be a specification of the hosts on which the command is to be executed.

|-w -: |Specifies that host names should be read from standard input. Host |names can be in any format accepted by the remote command.
-p: Preserves the modification times and modes of the source files in the copies sent to the destination only if the user has root authority or is the owner of the destination. Without this flag, the umask command at the destination modifies the mode of the destination file, and the modification time of the destination file is set to the time the file is received.
-r: Recursively copies subtrees for directories.
-D: Recursively forwards the DCE credentials for authentication by using the -F flag on the rsh command. If this flag is not set, the dsh command will not forward DCE credentials.

Operands

noderange

'hostlist args'

Specifies flags and arguments to be passed to the hostlist command. Hostlist allows several ways of listing hosts based on various criteria. Refer to the hostlist command.

Note:: To use the working collective file specified by the WCOLL environment variable, you must specify a null string as the first argument. Refer to the dsh command for more information about a working collective.

local_file_or_dir

Contains the name of the file or directory to be copied to the remote hosts. If a full path name is not specified, the file is looked for relative to the user's current working directory.

remote_file_or_dir

Contains the name of the file or directory to which the file or directory is copied.

Description

|The pcp command copies files from the local host to one or |more others in parallel. It uses the defined remote copy method. |The -D, -r, and -p flags |are passed to the remote copy method. You must verify that your secure |copy program supports the flags passed.

|Note:

If using AIX rcp, the pcp command uses the secure version |of rcp. Your .klogin and |.rhosts files need to be set up to authorize you on each of |the nodes to which you are copying a file. Refer to the chapter on |security in PSSP: Administration Guide. Otherwise, you |will see:

|Permission denied

|messages from the nodes for which you are not authorized. |

|Environment Variables

|PSSP 3.4 provides the ability to run commands using secure remote |command and secure remote copy methods.

|RCMD_PGM - remote command method, either rsh or |secrshell
|DSH_REMOTE_CMD - remote command executable
|REMOTE_COPY_CMD - remote copy executable |

|For example, if you want to run pcp using a secure remote |method, enter:

|export RCMD_PGM=secrshell
|export DSH_REMOTE_CMD=/bin/ssh
|export REMOTE_COPY_CMD=/bin/scp
|pcp -wc55n02 /tmp/file1 /tmp/file2

Security

|You must have access to the AIX remote commands or the secure remote |commands to run this command.

If you specify the -D flag, this command will automatically forward the DCE credentials if K5 is an enabled AIX authentication method and the user of the command has DCE credentials that can be forwarded. The special DCE credentials for root, called the machine or self host principal credentials, cannot be forwarded. To obtain DCE credentials that can be forwarded as a root user, a root user must issue dce_login -f with a DCE principal other than a self host principal.

Location

/usr/lpp/ssp/bin/pcp

Related Information

PSSP commands: hostlist, pexscr

AIX commands: rcp

|Secure shell commands: scp

Examples

To copy a local file to host1 and host2 and rename it on those hosts, enter:
```
pcp -w host1,host2 /etc/fileq /etc/filen
```
To copy a file in the current directory to a particular directory on all of the nodes in the SP system, enter:
```
pcp '-a' sysctl.acl /etc
```
To copy a directory subtree to all the hosts in the SP system that are currently responding, except for 'badnode,' enter:
```
hostlist -av -e badnode | pcp -w - -r /etc/new /etc/new
```
To copy a directory subtree to all of the hosts in the SP system that are currently responding, except for 'badnode,' enter:
```
pcp "-av -e badnode" -r /etc/new /etc/new
```

pdf

Purpose

pdf - Displays file system statistics on multiple nodes in parallel.

Syntax

pdf [-w - | noderange | 'hostlist args'] [ file system1 [file system2 ... ]]

Flags

The pdf command requires the first flag or parameter on the command line to be a specification of the hosts on which the command is to be executed.

-w -: Specifies that host names should be read from standard input. Host names can be in any format accepted by rsh.

Operands

noderange

'hostlist args'

Specifies flags and arguments to be passed to the hostlist command. Hostlist allows several ways of listing hosts based on various criteria. Refer to the hostlist command.

Note:: To use the working collective file specified by the WCOLL environment variable, you must specify a null string as the first argument. Refer to the dsh command for more information about a working collective.

Acceptable parameters to the pdf command are zero or more blank-separated file system names to be displayed. If no parameters are supplied, all local file systems (on each specified node) are displayed.

Description

The pdf command displays file systems and their usage statistics on one or more nodes in parallel. pdf is similar to the df command, but does not use it. Differences are:

The pdf command can be executed on more than one node at a time.
Execution is authorized to any authenticated user (this can be changed by the system administrator).
The pdf command output contains more information than that of the df command.

|Environment Variables

|PSSP 3.4 provides the ability to run commands using secure remote |command and secure remote copy methods.

|RCMD_PGM - remote command method, either rsh or |secrshell
|DSH_REMOTE_CMD - remote command executable
|REMOTE_COPY_CMD - remote copy executable |

|For example, if you want to run pdf using a secure remote |method, enter:

|export RCMD_PGM=secrshell
|export DSH_REMOTE_CMD=/bin/ssh
|export REMOTE_COPY_CMD=/bin/scp

Security

Since pdf uses sysctl, proper authentication and authorization to issue these commands is necessary.

Location

/usr/lpp/ssp/bin/pdf

Related Information

Commands: hostlist, sysctl

Examples

To list all file systems and their usage statistics on all hosts in the SP system, enter:
```
pdf '-a'
```
To list the usage statistics for the /tmp file system on nodes named node1 and node2, enter:
```
pdf -w node1,node2 /tmp
```

penotify

Purpose

penotify - Adds, removes, or shows AIX error log notification objects.

Syntax

penotify: [-a] [ -c class] [-f add] [-l label] [ -m method]
: [-n name] [-p pid] [ -t type] [-w hosts] [-A alert]
: [-C rclass] [-N rname] [ -P] [-T rtype]

penotify: [-a] [ -f remove] [-w hosts] [-n name]

penotify: [-a] [ -f show] [-w hosts] [-n name]

Flags

-a: Executes on all nodes in the system partition.
-c class: Specifies the error class.
-f func: Specifies the function: add, remove, or show.
-h: Displays usage information.
-l label: Specifies the error label.
-m method: Specifies the notification method.
-n name: Specifies the name of the notification object.
-p pid: Specifies the process ID for the notification object.
-t type: Specifies the error type.
-w hosts: Runs the command on a file or a list of host names.
-A alert: Specifies the match alertable errors (true or false).
-C rclass: Specifies the resource class.
-N rname: Specifies the resource name.
-P: Specifies whether to persist across system restart (yes, if -P is provided).
-T rtype: Specifies the resource type.

Operands

None.

Description

Use this command to add, remove, or show notification objects in the errnotify Object Data Management (ODM) class. The AIX errdemon matches logged errors to objects in this class to execute a method defined in the class object. The error class, error label, error type, alert, resource name, resource class, and resource type parameters are used for matching to logged errors. Refer to the AIX General Programming Concepts: Writing and Debugging Programs for descriptions of error notification object class fields.

When a match occurs, the errdemon executes the notify method passing up to nine ($1-$9) parameters related to the logged error.

If the -w parameter begins with a slash (/), it is interpreted as a file containing a list of nodes to execute the command on; otherwise, it can be a comma-delimited list of host names or a single-quoted, blank-delimited list of host names. If neither the -a nor -w parameters are used, the command defaults to the local node.

Security

The penotify command consists of a client script and a server procedure which is executed by the Sysctl facility. Sysctl callbacks perform access authorization according to the configuration of security services on the server nodes. The server uses the Sysctl ACL callback for granting access which requires the caller to have a principal entry in the log management ACL: /etc/logmgt.acl. This principal must log into the proper authentication service prior to using this command.

Location

/usr/lpp/ssp/bin/penotify

Related Information

The AIX Version 4 General Programming Concepts: Writing and Debugging Programs

The PSSP: Administration Guide

Examples

To view all notification objects on nodes k4710, k4712, and k4715, enter:
```
penotify -w k47n10,k47n12,k47n15 -f show
```
To remove the notification object named HDISK0_ERR on all nodes, enter:
```
penotify -a -f remove -n HDISK0_ERR
```
To add a notification object to the nodes in the /tmp/nodelist file, enter:
```
penotify -w /tmp/nodelist -f add -n PEND_ERR -P \
         -m'/spdata/sys1/EN_meth/EN_pend $1' -t PEND -c S
```
This adds a notification object named PEND_ERR to all nodes in the /tmp/nodelist file. The object will persist when the system is restarted, and will match error records of type PEND and class S. The method that is executed by errdemon when a matching error occurs will be /spdata/sys1/EN_meth/EN_pend, and it will be passed the $1 parameter (sequence number). The notification method must be accessible to each node.

perspectives

Purpose

perspectives - Invokes the launch pad of the SP Perspectives graphical user interface (GUI).

Syntax

perspectives: [-userProfile name] [-systemProfile name] [-noProfile ]
: [-backgroundColor colorName ]
: [-foregroundColor colorName] [-fontFamily name]
: [-fontSize size] [-fontBold] [-fontItalic] [-nosplash] [-h]

Flags

-userProfile name: Upon initialization, loads the specified user profile. If a user profile named "Profile" exists in the user's home directory, it will be loaded by default if the -userProfile flag is not specified.
-systemProfile name: Upon initialization, loads the specified system profile instead of the default system profile. The default system profile is named "Profile."
-noProfile: Upon initialization, does not read either profile.
-backgroundColor colorName: Overrides the background color specified by any profile or default with the specified color. Refer to Appendix A, "Perspectives Colors and Fonts" in PSSP: Command and Technical Reference for a list of valid color names.
-foregroundColor colorName: Overrides any foreground color specified by any profile or default with the specified color. Refer to Appendix A, "Perspectives Colors and Fonts" in PSSP: Command and Technical Reference for a list of valid color names.
-fontFamily name: Overrides any font family with the specified font. The list of valid family names is dependent on the X server. Refer to "Perspectives Fonts" in PSSP: Command and Technical Reference for a list of valid fonts.
-fontSize size: Overrides any font point size with the specified size. Valid values are 6-30 points.
-fontBold: Sets the font to bold.
-fontItalic: Sets the font to italics.
-nosplash: Does not display the splash screen before the Perspectives main window is displayed.
-h: Displays usage information on the options available for the command.

Note:: Most flags accepted by X will also be recognized. For example, -display displayname .

Operands

None.

Description

Use this command to invoke the SP Perspectives Launch Pad. The Launch Pad is a small, customizable GUI from which the user can start (or launch) executables associated with maintaining and monitoring an IBM RS/6000 SP.

The main window shows an icon for each executable that can be launched. Double-clicking on an icon launches the associated executable. To see descriptions of the applications that can be started from the Launch Pad select Options ... Show Application Details. To add, modify or delete applications select Options ... Customize Applications.

Preferences that define the look and layout of the Perspectives Launch Pad window are prioritized in the following order:

Command line options
User preferences profile
System preferences profile
Default values

Files

The User's Preferences are read from and saved to $HOME/.perspectives(User Profile Name).

The System Preferences are read from and saved to /usr/lpp/ssp/perspectives/profiles/$LANG/.perspectives(System Profile name).

The Perspectives application resource file /usr/lpp/ssp/perspectives/app-defaults/$LANG/Perspectives.

Security

Any user can run the perspectives command. However, only the icons that the user has AIX execute permission for will be shown in the main window.

Implementation Specifics

This command is part of the IBM Parallel System Support Programs (PSSP) Licensed Program (LP).

Prerequisite Information

For information on using Perspectives, see the online help and the "Using SP Perspectives" chapter in the PSSP: Administration Guide.

Location

/usr/lpp/ssp/bin/perspectives

|Related Information

|Specific Perspective windows may be brought up directly by invoking the |following commands: spevent, sphardware, |spsyspar, and spvsd.

Examples

To invoke the Perspectives Launch Pad, enter:
```
perspectives
```
To force Perspectives to display a 14 point type regardless of what is set in the preference files, enter:
```
perspectives -fontSize 14
```

pexec

Purpose

pexec - Specifies the parallel execution of a command.

Syntax

pexec [-w - | noderange | 'hostlist args'] command command_args

Flags

The pexec commands requires the first flag or parameter on the command line to be a specification of the hosts on which the command is to be executed.

-w -: Specifies that host names should be read from standard input. Host names can be in any format accepted by rsh.

Operands

noderange

'hostlist args'

Specifies flags and arguments to be passed to the hostlist command. Hostlist allows several ways of listing hosts based on various criteria. Refer to the hostlist command.

Note:: To use the working collective file specified by the WCOLL environment variable, you must specify a null string as the first argument. Refer to the dsh command for more information about a working collective.

command

Specifies a command to execute on the hosts in parallel.

cmd_args

Specifies arguments to the command.

Description

The pexec command issues a command on multiple hosts in parallel. The output is formatted so that distinct output is displayed only once. The pexec command uses dsh to execute the specified command on multiple hosts. The output of the ls command is written to standard output and formatted. The pls, prm, pmv, pfind, and pps commands are simply links to pexec.

Note:: If any of the pls, prm, pfind, pps, pmv are renamed, they do not work properly.

Files

working collective file: See the dsh command.

|Environment Variables

|PSSP 3.4 provides the ability to run commands using secure remote |command and secure remote copy methods.

|RCMD_PGM - remote command method, either rsh or |secrshell
|DSH_REMOTE_CMD - remote command executable
|REMOTE_COPY_CMD - remote copy executable |

|For example, if you want to run pexec using a secure remote |method, enter:

|export RCMD_PGM=secrshell
|export DSH_REMOTE_CMD=/bin/ssh
|export REMOTE_COPY_CMD=/bin/scp

Security

|You must have access to the AIX remote commands or the secure remote |commands to run this command.

Location

/usr/lpp/ssp/bin/pexec

Related Information

Commands: dsh, dshbak, hostlist

Examples

|To list the contents of /usr from each host1, host2, and |host3 (described previously), enter:
```
|pexec -w host1,host2,host3 ls /usr
```
To copy a directory subtree to all the hosts in the SP system that are currently responding, except for "badnode," enter:
```
hostlist -a -v -e badnode | pexec -w -cp -r /etc/new /etc/new
```
Another way to enter the command in the previous example follows:
```
pexec "-a -v -e badnode" cp -r /etc/new /etc/new
```

pexscr

Purpose

pexscr - Runs local and remote programs in parallel.

Syntax

pexscr

Flags

None.

Operands

None.

Description

|The pexscr command executes particular commands on |particular processors in parallel. It reads lines of the following |format from standard input:

|host_name: arbitrary_command

|and executes each arbitrary_command on the specified |host. All commands are run in parallel. The dsh command |is used to run the remote commands and local commands are run directly. |Host names can include any parameter that may be specified on the dsh |command, except the credential forwardability flags, -d or |-D, due to the automatic detection feature of credential |forwardability.

|Environment Variables

|PSSP 3.4 provides the ability to run commands using secure remote |command and secure remote copy methods.

|RCMD_PGM - remote command method, either rsh or |secrshell
|DSH_REMOTE_CMD - remote command executable
|REMOTE_COPY_CMD - remote copy executable |

|For example, if you want to run pexscr using a secure remote |method, enter:

|export RCMD_PGM=secrshell
|export DSH_REMOTE_CMD=/bin/ssh
|export REMOTE_COPY_CMD=/bin/scp

Security

|You must have access to the AIX remote commands or the secure remote |commands to run this command.

Location

/usr/lpp/ssp/bin/pexscr

Related Information

Commands: dsh, rsh

Examples

To remove a file on host1 and rename a file on host2 simultaneously, enter:

pexscr <<END
 
host1: rm /tmp/shnozzola
host2: mv /tmp/shnozzola /tmp/bozo
END

pfck

Purpose

pfck - Displays file system statistics on multiple hosts in parallel based on usage criteria.

Syntax

pfck: [-w - | noderange | 'hostlist args'] { [ -s num] [-f num]
: [-u num] [-pf num] [-pu num] [-is num] [-if num] [-iu num]
: [-pif num] [-piu num] }

Flags

The pfck command requires the first flag or parameter on the command line to be a specification of the hosts on which the command is to be executed.

-w -: Specifies that host names should be read from standard input. Host names can be in any format accepted by rsh.

These flags specify file system usage statistics criteria to be applied in searching for file systems to display. At least one of the flags must be specified. Multiple flags are allowed.

-s num: Indicates that the file system size is greater than num kilobytes (KB).
-f num: Indicates that the file system free space is less than num kilobytes (KB).
-u num: Indicates that the file system used space is greater than num kilobytes (KB).
-pf num: Indicates that the file system free space is less than num percent.
-pu num: Indicates that the file system used space is greater than num percent.
-is num: Indicates that the file system inodes are greater than num.
-if num: Indicates that the file system free inodes are less than num.
-iu num: Indicates that the file system used inodes are greater than num.
-pif num: Indicates that the file system free inodes are less than num percent.
-piu num: Indicates that the file system used inodes are greater than num percent.

File system usage statistics criteria are logically ORed together when comparing against actual usage information. That is, if a file system meets any of the search criteria, it is displayed.

Operands

noderange

Indicates a specification via "node number." The node number corresponds to the position of a node in a frame and its slots. A node number indicates frame and slot. For example, frame 1 slot 1 would be referred to by 1. Frame 2 slot 1 would be node number 17, while frame 3 slot 2 would be 34. If a node occupies more than one slot, either node number refers to that node. Node numbers can be specified as ranges such as 1-3, which would refer to frame 1 slots 1-3, or 23-29,50,2, which would refer to frame 2 slots 7-13, frame 4 slot 2 and frame 1 slot 2. This option is only valid for an SP system.

'hostlist args'

Specifies flags and arguments to be passed to the hostlist command. Hostlist allows several ways of listing hosts based on various criteria. Refer to the hostlist command.

Note:: To use the working collective file specified by the WCOLL environment variable, you must specify a null string as the first argument. Refer to the dsh command for more information about a working collective.

Description

The pfck command displays file systems and their usage statistics from one or more nodes in parallel based on usage criteria.

Since pfck uses sysctl, proper authentication and authorization to issue these commands is necessary.

|Environment Variables

|PSSP 3.4 provides the ability to run commands using secure remote |command and secure remote copy methods.

|RCMD_PGM - remote command method, either rsh or |secrshell
|DSH_REMOTE_CMD - remote command executable
|REMOTE_COPY_CMD - remote copy executable |

|For example, if you want to run pfck using a secure remote |method, enter:

|export RCMD_PGM=secrshell
|export DSH_REMOTE_CMD=/bin/ssh
|export REMOTE_COPY_CMD=/bin/scp

Security

Since pfck uses sysctl, proper authentication and authorization to issue these commands is necessary.

Location

/usr/lpp/ssp/bin/pfck

Related Information

Commands: hostlist, sysctl

Examples

To list all file systems on the nodes named node1, node2, and node4 which are greater than 98% full, enter:
```
pfck -w node1,node2,node4 -pu 98
```
|To list all file systems with less than 20% free space on all nodes |in the SP system, enter:
```
|pfck '-a' -pf 20
```
|In this example, the -a flag is a hostlist |arg.

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