Diagnosis Guide

Requisite function

This is a list of the software directly used by the file collections component of PSSP. Problems within the requisite software may manifest themselves as error symptoms in file collections software. If you perform all the diagnostic routines and error responses listed in this chapter, and still have problems with the file collections component of PSSP, you should consider these components as possible sources of the error. They are listed with the most likely candidate first, least likely candidate last.

1. File collections must be chosen to be installed by the customer.
2. In order for file collections to work properly, the subsystem depends on proper AIX and network configuration.
3. Hostname resolution must be functioning. A route must exist from the node to the file collection server. This is either the control workstation or the node's boot/install server if you have chosen to configure a boot/install server. The network must be functioning properly. The cron subsystem must be functioning properly.
4. During SP installation, the necessary configuration is done for routes and hostnames by the Install and Configure scripts.
5. During File Collections configuration on each node, the /usr/lpp/ssp/install/bin/filec_config script adds an entry to the root crontab file to kick off automatic updates to the collections residing on that node. If the cron subsystem is taken off-line or problems occur, the collections on that node are not updated.
6. File Collections depends on the configuration script being run on the control workstation, any boot/install servers and nodes during installation and possibly customization. Should errors occur during SP install or customization, then you may experience File Collection errors or File Collections may not even be installed.
7. File Collections does not take advantage of the authentication mechanisms on the SP system other than its internal checking of AIX hostnames and its specific user id.

SP configuration

During configuration of File Collections, installed files are copied from /usr/lpp/ssp/filec to their proper location in directories /var/sysman and /usr/lpp/ssp/bin. If these files are updated during the application of a PTF, the install script ensures that the files in /var/sysman and /usr/lpp/ssp/bin are updated. However, if an error occurs during this processing, the files may not be updated properly.

IBM ships and installs the following files:

• supfilesrvr
• sup
• supscan
• filec_config
• filec_host
• supper
• file.collections
• lists
• Set of data files in each collection of node.root, user.admin, sup.admin, power_system:
  • list
  • lock
  • prefix
  • refuse
  • supperlock

Other files are created during configuration. If SP system configuration errors occur, these files may not be created.

• supfilesrv.pid
• Set of files in each collection of: node.root, user.admin, sup.admin, power_system:
  • host

This list is for the current level of PSSP. Some files may not exist for older levels of PSSP.

On a node, File Collections relies on the /etc/mastername command to supply the boot/install server hostname. The boot/install server could be the control workstation or a node which has been configured as a boot/install server. The /etc/mastername command, in turn, relies on the existence of the /etc/ssp/server_name file. This file is updated when necessary by the SP Installation and Configuration code. This is the method used by File Collections to obtain the File Collections server name when running on a node.

Normally, configuration errors can be corrected by running /usr/lpp/ssp/bin/services_config. The services_config script calls filec_config with the input parameters necessary to configure File Collections.