Frequently Asked Questions

This document provides answers to questions about Sun^TM Explorer.

Sun Explorer includes some third-party redistributable software. Please read the Chapter 1, Sun Explorer Third Party License Agreement, in Sun Explorer Third Party License Agreement to learn about the terms and conditions under which this software is included and is available for use.

The following books contain additional information about Sun Explorer:

• Sun Explorer Release Notes

• Sun Explorer User’s Guide

For questions about Sun Explorer, contact the explorer@sun.com alias.

About Sun Explorer

• What is Sun Explorer?

• What architecture or machines does Sun Explorer run on?

• What's changed since the last version of Sun Explorer?

• What scripts and commands does Sun Explorer run?

• Does Sun Explorer support command-line arguments?

Downloading and Installing Sun Explorer

• How do I get Sun Explorer?

• How do I install Sun Explorer?

• How much space does the target Sun Explorer output directory require?

• Do I have to delete and re-install the SUNWexplo and SUNWexplu packages to update Sun Explorer to the latest version?

• Is there a way to install one copy of Sun Explorer and share it among all my systems?

• How do I opt-out of the Service Tag Module?

• Can Explorer be installed via Jumpstart successfully?

Using Sun Explorer

• How do I mask my IP address?

• What's that “defaults” file and can I get rid of it?

• My machine locks up when running a script. How do I disable the script?

• Is there a way to improve Sun Explorer's run time?

• Why does the t3 module run so long?

• Why does the t3extended module run so long?

• Why is Greenwich Mean Time used by Sun Explorer and included in the Sun Explorer output file name?

• How will my Sun Explorer data be used?

• Is my Sun Explorer data safe and secure?

• I have tools that use the Sun Explorer output. The format of the output has changed. Why?

• How do I submit my Sun Explorer output to Sun?

• Is proxy support available when I configure Sun Explorer to send its output automatically by way of HTTPS?

• How do I use FTP to transfer my Sun Explorer output?

• Is there a way for me to run an analysis on the Sun Explorer output myself?

• What is munpack and why do I need it?

• I received Sun Explorer output in multiple parts. How do I get the tar file?

• What is causing my email submission of Sun Explorer output to be rejected by Sun external mail servers?

• How do I add or edit a Sun Explorer cronjob?

• How do I delete a Sun Explorer cronjob?

• How can I set up Sun Explorer to run weekly, but send a copy of the summary information only to myself?

• How can I run a particular module or group in interactive mode?

• How do I run all the modules?

• Where can I find the output of an Image Packaging System (IPS) command, pkg info -l?

• How do I run Explorer in OpenSolaris?

• Is there a way to push Explorer images in the destination specified by supportfiles.sun.com?

• Can Explorer be installed in alternate path and still be used?

• Can I install Explorer in pkg(5) form?

• What happens to the legacy packaging mechanism (SVR4) followed by Explorer? Will Explorer be still available in that form?

• Can one get an on-disk distribution of Explorer in pkg(5) form?

• Does pkg uninstall SUNWexplo/SUNWexplu for IPS do the same as pkgrm SUNWexplo/SUNWexplu does in SVR4?

• Does Explorer collect write cache status data?

• What should I do if Explorer fails to capture ILOM snapshot data on T5120/T5140/T5220/T5240 systems?

• Can explorer handle output files that are of 2GB or more in size?

• I have the most recent version of Explorer installed on my system. The rprtfru output (prtfru_-x.out) on my system shows "unrecognized value" for some vendors. Why?

• Can I run Explorer on sparc 7 machine?

• Why is the 'System Type' field in the Explorer README file is empty on my machine?

• I have read that explorer now has its own module for collecting serial number. What is the module and where is this serial number stored?

• Serial number collected by explorer 'platform_serial' module is different from that in Explorer README. Why is that so?

Getting Additional Information

• Where are the Sun Explorer man pages?

• Where can I submit my questions about Sun Explorer?

About Sun Explorer

What is Sun Explorer?

Sun Explorer is a data collection tool. The tool comprises shell scripts and a few binary executables.

What architecture or machines does Sun Explorer run on?

Sun Explorer currently runs on Solaris^TM SPARC® and Solaris x86 architectures.

What's changed since the last version of Sun Explorer?

See the CHANGES file in the explorer_install_dir/doc directory, which describes all the changes since the last release of Sun Explorer.

What scripts and commands does Sun Explorer run?

This varies from version to version. Most of the scripts that Sun Explorer runs are located in the explorer_install_dir/tools/ directory. You can get a list of all the collected files and executed commands if you specify the following option on the command line:

-l path_to_log_file

The resulting file contains the list of all files and commands collected by each Sun Explorer module. For more information, see Chapter 3, Sun Explorer Commands, in Sun Explorer User’s Guide.

Does Sun Explorer support command-line arguments?

Yes. Sun Explorer supports many command-line arguments. To find out what arguments the current version of Sun Explorer supports, consult the man page:

man -M explorer_install_dir/man explorer

More information is available in the README.man file, which is located at:

explorer_install_dir/doc

Downloading and Installing Sun Explorer

How do I get Sun Explorer?

The Sun Explorer is distributed on the Services Tools Bundle (STB) and is made available via its download link.

Use the following procedure to download the latest Services Tools Bundle:

1. Go to the Sun Explorer Document Collection web page and read the Sun Explorer Third Party License Agreement, which explains the terms and conditions under which the third-party software that is included in Sun Explorer is available for use.

2. Go to the STB site at: http://www.sun.com/service/stb/index.jsp and click the Software Download and Documentation link in the Resources section.

3. In the drop-down lists, select the appropriate Platform and Language for your download.

4. Review the STB License Agreement and mark the I agree check box to proceed with downloading.

   The Sun Download Center might require you to log in before proceeding.

5. Click install_stb.sh to download the installer.

How do I install Sun Explorer?

See the installation procedures in Chapter 1, Sun Explorer How-To’s (FTP, NFS, Installation, Upgrade), in Sun Explorer User’s Guide.

How much space does the target Sun Explorer output directory require?

The target directory for Sun Explorer output must satisfy at least one of the following conditions, or else Sun Explorer will not run:

• The target output directory must have at least 60 MBytes of available space.

• The size of the previous Sun Explorer output does not exceed the available space in the target output directory.

Do I have to delete and re-install the SUNWexplo and SUNWexplu packages to update Sun Explorer to the latest version?

It depends whether you are updating the Image Packaging System (IPS) format of Explorer.

• To upgrade the IPS format of Explorer to a higher version, removal of packages is not required.

  ---

  Note –

  For permanent removal of the IPS version, you should run explorer -clean to remove all traces of the application including configuration files and cron entry. Data files stored in output directry is not removed.

  ---

• To upgrade the non-IPS format of Explorer to a higher version, use the commands pkgrm SUNWexplo and pkgrm SUNWexplu to remove the currently installed Sun Explorer packages before attempting to install a new version as superuser. Also refer to the upgrade instructions found on the SunSolve web site.

Is there a way to install one copy of Sun Explorer and share it among all my systems?

Yes. Install Sun Explorer on an NFS-exportable file system and mount that file system on the other systems on which you want to run Sun Explorer. You need to create a defaults file for each system on which you will be running Sun Explorer. Create one file with the common information in it, and make copies for each system on which you want to run Sun Explorer. The best approach would be to use the host ID in the file name for the defaults file. For each defaults file, enter the machine-specific information. (The defaults file is easy to read and follow.)

If any of the client systems run Solaris 7 or older, make sure the NFS installation used the EXP_NFS_DEPLOY option. See How to Install Sun Explorer Manually in Sun Explorer User’s Guide

When you are ready, you can run Sun Explorer on each of the systems by using the following syntax along with any other options you want to use:

explorer -d name_of_defaults_file

Sun Explorer can also be run using cron as long as the NFS mount is accessible when the cron job runs. See How to Run Explorer With NFS in Sun Explorer User’s Guide.

You can also specify serial numbers and platform names for all systems in one defaults file. See the description of the EXP_SERIAL_hostid variable in the explorer(4) manual page.

How do I opt-out of the Service Tag Module ?

Run explorer as ./explorer -w \!servicetags

Can Explorer be installed via Jumpstart successfully?

Yes, Explorer can be installed via Jumpstart successfully. However, during the Jumpstart installation some system resources, like crontab, are not available. In such cases appropriate warning message will be displayed on the console. In case of 'crontab' example, Explorer installation will throw the following message to the console:

'Cron process is not running hence skipping cron related operations'

Using Sun Explorer

How do I mask my IP addresses?

Sun Explorer 3.5 and later releases allow for the masking of IPv4 addresses. Sun Explorer 4.3 and later releases allow for the masking of IPv6 addresses. To mask IP addresses, use the following commands:

• For sh and ksh, use explorer -w !ipaddr

• For csh and bash, use explorer -w \!ipaddr

What's that “defaults” file and can I get rid of it?

The defaults file (/etc/opt/SUNWexplo/default/explorer) is used to gather customer information. This file is created during the installation of package SUNWexplo before the Sun Explorer 4.3 release. After Sun Explorer 4.3, the defaults file is created and updated by the explorer -g command.

Sun Explorer cannot run without the defaults file, and the version of the defaults file must match the version of the package. The file is used to provide valuable information so that the Sun Explorer data can be retrieved more easily by Field Engineers and System Support Engineers. The defaults file should not be removed. Sun Explorer notifies you when fields are missing from the defaults file.

More information on the defaults file format is available in the explorer(4) man page.

man -M explorer_install_dir/man -s 4 explorer

My machine locks up when running a script. How do I disable the script?

Because Sun Explorer can stress the system, it might uncover an operating system bug. In this case, you can disable a module temporarily or permanently.

• For a temporary, one-time change when using the sh or ksh shells, type the following command:

  explorer -options -w default,!module_name

• For a temporary, one-time change when using the csh or bash shells, type the following command:

  explorer -options -w default,\!module_name

  For example, the explorer -v -w default,!nbu command disables the netbackup module.

• For a permanent change, type the following command to open the file in a vi editor:

  vi explorer_install_dir/etc/default/explorer

  Then locate the EXP_WHICH section and modify it to suit your needs.

Is there a way to improve Sun Explorer's run time?

Sun Explorer's run time is a function of the server it is running on. Servers with many disks run substantially longer than servers with a small number of disks. Servers under a heavy load also run longer than servers with lighter I/O. Sun Explorer allows individual data gathering modules to be excluded or groups of modules to be excluded. For data gathering on a scheduled (weekly) basis, if possible, exclude the network and storage modules:

• When using sh or ksh, use explorer -w default,!storage,!network

• When using csh or bash, use explorer -w default,\!storage,\!network

See Sun Explorer Modules in Sun Explorer User’s Guide to determine which modules will be skipped.

Why does the t3 module run so long?

The t3 script checks each disk to determine if it is a SUN-T3 model. This check takes longer on servers with a large number of disks than on servers with a small number of disks. This check is done even if no SUN-T3 disks are attached to the server. If the server does not have any SUN-T3 disks attached, this module can be excluded from the Sun Explorer runs as follows:

• When using sh or ksh, use explorer -w t3

• When using csh or bash, use explorer -w !t3

Why does the t3extended module run so long?

The t3extended script logs in to the T3 array for each command. No alternative other than streaming four to six commands per telnet session is provided. For servers with a large number of T3 arrays attached, this process takes a considerable amount of time. If possible, avoid running the t3extended module as part of the scheduled (weekly) Sun Explorer run as follows:

• When using sh or ksh, use explorer -w t3extended

• When using csh or bash, use explorer -w !t3extended

Why is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) used by Sun Explorer and included in the Sun Explorer output file name?

Sun Explorer uses the GMT time format to allow processing of Sun Explorer files from all over the world. Using one time format allows Sun to know exactly when each Sun Explorer process was run without performing time conversions. Converting the time would require that the Sun Explorer output file be parsed and the TZ variable extracted.

How will my Sun Explorer data be used?

Information gathered from customer machines is transmitted to Sun and stored to enable faster, more effective diagnosis and customer support. The data is also reviewed in the aggregate, without reference to individual customers, for planning future offerings and enhancements.

Is my Sun Explorer data safe and secure?

Data can be transmitted using the secure Net Connect transport (encrypted) or via the HTTPS Sun Explorer upload tool (see How do I submit my Sun Explorer output to Sun?).

Once the data is received, Sun protects it to the same high standards it applies to its own information resources. Data storage machines are tightly secured and both physical and electronic access to the machines is restricted to approved support personnel only.

Removal or sharing of any data outside of Sun is not permitted by Sun's Data Stewardship policies. Only internal Sun employees and approved contractors can access the stored Sun Explorer data, which is controlled by Sun's internal network-access control policy.

I have tools that use the Sun Explorer output. The format of the output has changed. Why?

The output format from Sun Explorer is based largely upon the output from system commands. If those commands have different output when a new version or bug fix comes out, then the Sun Explorer output will also change.

How do I submit my Sun Explorer output to Sun?

Sun Explorer output can be submitted to the proactive database using HTTPS, email, or FTP.

For HTTPS transfer, there are two methods:

• Manually submit the Sun Explorer output file one time.

  To do this, go to https://supportfiles.sun.com/upload and submit the output file using your browser.

• Automatically submit the Sun Explorer output file every time you run Sun Explorer.

  To do this, use the explorer -g option to configure Sun Explorer to send its output automatically by means of HTTPS every time the explorer command is run with the -P option. See Is proxy support available when I configure Sun Explorer to send its output automatically by way of HTTPS? for information on proxy support.

For email transfer, use one of the following email addresses:

• For APAC: explorer-database-apac@sun.com

• For EMEA: explorer-database-emea@sun.com

• For AMER: explorer-database-americas@sun.com

For FTP transfer, see How do I use FTP to transfer my Sun Explorer output?

You can also use multiple transport options with explorer, for example:

explorer -transport mailto:explorer-database-americas@sun.com -transport ftp://server-name.sun.com/dest_dir

Is proxy support available when I configure Sun Explorer to send its output automatically by way of HTTPS?

Yes. Sun Explorer 5.5 and later uses curl for HTTPS upload support. The HTTPS_PROXY environment variable allows curl to use a proxy server. The following example shows how to use the HTTPS_PROXY environment variable:

HTTPS_PROXY=proxy.example.com:8080
export HTTPS_PROXY
explorer ...

Explorer 5.7 and later enables you to run the Explorer -g command that asks for proxy server information so you no longer need to set HTTPS_PROXY yourself.

For more information about curl, see http://curl.haxx.se/docs/manpage.html#ENVIRONMENT.

How do I use FTP to transfer my Sun Explorer output?

To configure Sun Explorer to use FTP as a transport, the /.netrc file needs to be created and populated with the destination site. The /.netrc file should be mode 600 (-rw-------). Here is an example entry:

machine server-name.sun.com login anonymous password email@domain

For destination sites, see How to Use FTP to Submit Sun Explorer Files in Sun Explorer User’s Guide.

The following command transfers the explorer output using FTP:

explorer -transport ftp://server-name.sun.com/dest_dir

Is there a way for me to run an analysis on the Sun Explorer output myself?

Analysis reports for Sun Explorer submitted through Sun Net Connect can be obtained with Sun System Analysis, which is a for-fee service.

For Platinum contracts, subscription to Sun System Analysis is included into the contract. Regular Sun Explorer analysis is also done as a part of Sun Preventive Services program.

Results from Sun Explorer submissions can also be obtained from your local Field Engineer or System Support Engineer. You can also view the raw text files, which are located at:

explorer_install_dir/output/explorer.hostid.hostname.current_date_ time

What is munpack and why do I need it?

The munpack utility is a freeware utility used to decode MIME messages. Because Sun Explorer can come in multiple parts, a tool is needed to put the MIME messages together into the original explorer tar file. The munpack utility is available for download at ftp://ftp.andrew.cmu.edu/pub/mpack/.

I received Sun Explorer output in multiple parts. How do I get the tar file?

Sun Explorer 3.5 and later splits large Sun Explorer outputs into multiple parts to pass through mail servers with size limits.

Instructions for dtmail:

1. For each part, from the Message menu, select Copy To Mailbox, and then Select Mailbox.

2. Enter a file name, and then select Copy.

3. Repeat Step 1 and Step 2 until each part is in its own file.

4. Use munpack on the files.

Instructions for other mail readers:

1. Save each part to a file, for example exp.1, exp.2, and exp.3.

2. Use munpack on the files.

   The following is an example of what the output might look like:

   $ munpack exp.? Saving part 1 of 3 7746.989349175@goal Saving part 2 of 3 7746.989349175@goal Saving part 3 of 3 7746.989349175@goal explorer.83085a73.goal-2001.05.08.18.42-tar.gz (application/octet-stream)

What is causing my email submission of Sun Explorer output to be rejected by Sun external mail servers?

While there a several possible causes, one possibility is a reverse-lookup failure. All email directed to Sun is reverse-address checked. If the sender's return address is not a valid, reachable address, the email is rejected. Before sending an email, verify that your return email address can be accessed externally.

How do I add or edit a Sun Explorer cronjob?

Run the explorer -gcommand to add or edit a Sun Explorer cronjob. When prompted about whether you want to schedule running Sun Explorer in cron, answer yes.

You can choose to schedule running Sun Explorer on a weekly basis or on a monthly basis. Sun Explorer adds an entry in the root crontab file. The following are example crontab entries:

• Monthly at midnight on the first day of the month:

  0 0 1 * * /opt/SUNWexplo/bin/explorer -q -e # SUNWexplo

• Weekly at midnight on Sunday:

  0 0 * * 0 /opt/SUNWexplo/bin/explorer -q -e # SUNWexplo

To modify an entry, use the crontab (1) command.

How do I delete a Sun Explorer cronjob?

Sun Explorer version 5.4 to 5.13 deletes any crontab entry that contains trailing comment #SUNWexplo during removal of Explorer. Moreover, it deletes old cron entry when you run explorer -g and opt to not schedule the cron job. Explorer 6.0 onwards asks you if you want to save the cron entry for future use during cron entry creation. If you opt to save it, Explorer leaves the cron entry commented out during removal; otherwise, it removes the entry. Explorer looks for the exact executable with full path to identify the cron entry, instead of the trailing comment #SUNWexplo.

How can I set up Sun Explorer to run weekly, but send a copy of the summary information only to myself?

Modify the superuser's crontab entry with any of the following options (that is, explorer -E myaddress@mycompany.com).

• -e | -mail

  Can be used to automatically email Sun Explorer output to the recipients specified in the etc/default/explorer configuration file.

• -E email_address| -myemail email_address

  Automatically emails Sun Explorer output to email-address of your choice.

• -r

  Use User email address in etc/default/explorer file for the address where receipts of Sun Explorer should go. This feature is not currently implemented on the receiving end.

• -R email_address

  Use email_address for the address where receipts of Sun Explorer should go.

How can I run a particular module or group in interactive mode?

To run an individual module in interactive mode, use -w <module name>. To run a group in interactive mode, specify the keyword interactive with the group alias.

Interactive mode can be used only if the configuration file (*input.txt) does not contain information.

How do I run all the modules?

Use the explorer -w all command.

Where can I find the output of an IPS command, pkg info -l?

The output can be found in the <explorer output directory>/patch+pkg/pkg_info-l.out file.

How do I run Explorer in OpenSolaris?

In OpenSolaris, Explorer is packaged and installed differently than on other operating systems; however, the commands and various options used to run Explorer remain the same.

Is there a way to push Explorer images in the destination specified by supportfiles.sun.com?

Yes, by using the -hd option:

usage: /opt/SUNWexplo/bin/explorer -hd <destination directory>
eg   : /opt/SUNWexplo/bin/explorer -hd europe-cores/uk/incoming

Can Explorer be installed in alternate path and still be used?

To use Explorer from an alternate path, complete the following steps. For detailed information about installing and using Explorer in an alternate path, see How to Use Explorer from an Alternate Path in Sun Explorer User’s Guide.

1. Create a default configuration file for alternate root instance as <alternate root>/etc/opt/SUNWexplo/default/explorer running <alternate root>/opt/SUNWexplo/bin/explorer -g.

2. Run Explorer from the alternate path, using -d option to locate the alternate default configuration file:<alternate root>opt/SUNWexplo/bin/explorer -d <alternate root>/etc/opt/SUNWexplo/default/explorer.

Can I install Explorer in pkg(5) form?

Explorer supports pkg (5) standard of packaging mechanism from 6.0 onwards and can be installed using STB for OpenSolaris bundles.

What happens to the legacy packaging mechanism (SVR4) followed by Explorer? Will Explorer be still available in that form?

In addition to being delivered in pkg(5) form, Explorer will continue to be delivered as an SVR4 package.

Can I get an on-disk distribution of Explorer in pkg(5) form?

No. pkg(5) or the Image Packaging System (IPS) does not support on-disk distribution of packages at this time. Explorer must be published first to a Depot server and must be installed from there using the STB for OpenSolaris bundle.

Does pkg uninstall SUNWexplo/SUNWexplu for Image Packaging System (IPS) do the same as pkgrm SUNWexplo/SUNWexplu does in SVR4?

No, IPS packaging mechanism does not support or invoke any script during pkg uninstall, so pkg uninstall cannot remove the cron job for Explorer automatically. A new command line option, explorer -clean has been provided to uninstall Explorer pkg(5), remove all traces of Explorer including configuration files and cron entry. This command should be run to remove the application completely. For upgrading to a higher version of Explorer pkg(5), removal of configuration files and cron entry are not required.

Does Explorer collect write cache status data?

No, starting from 6.1 Explorer does not collect write cache status data. Though the write cache status data is important in the diagnosis of data integrity and performance issues, it causes unwanted failover behavior in some Veritas DMP configurations. Hence, this function collect_writecache has been commented out. If this data is important in some user specific need, you can collect the write cache status data by un-commenting the function call, collect_writecache in the disks module located under tools/disks.

What should I do if Explorer fails to capture ILOM snapshot data on T5120/T5140/T5220/T5240 systems?

Explorer needs a user with admin privileges in order to connect to ILOM to execute snapshot command. For information on how to create such user in ILOM kindly refer to "Managing User Accounts" section of "Integrated Lights Out Manager (ILOM) Administration Guide

Can explorer handle output files that are of 2GB or more in size?

Yes, Explorer 6.3 and higher versions bundle large file aware gzip binary (gzip 1.3.9). This gzip binary is capable of handling large files that contains 2GB or more data.

If system already has a gzip installed, the bundled gzip utility will not be installed on the host.

I have the most recent version of Explorer installed on my system. The rprtfru output (prtfru_-x.out) on my system shows "unrecognized value" for some vendors. Why?

Explorer 6.3 has updated the bundled rprtfru binary. It recognizes all of the vendors who are listed in the recent libfrureg.so.1 library. rprtfru will not detect other unregistered vendors and will thus tag them as 'unrecognized value'.

Can I run Explorer on sparc 7 machine?

Explorer 6.3 (and higher) does not support sparc 7. However you can run explorer by installing gzip on your system.

Why is the 'System Type' field in the Explorer README file is empty on my machine?

You are probably running explorer X86 9 or below. smbios command output, which explorer uses for parsing system type, may return empty string in these architectures.

have read that explorer now has its own module for collecting serial number. What is the module and where is this serial number stored?

Explorer 6.3 and higher versions has a new module 'platform_serial' which attempts gathering serial data from various data sources. The output is stored in sysconfig/platform_serial file on the explorer output directory.

Serial number collected by explorer 'platform_serial' module is different from that in Explorer README. Why is that so?

The README file and the platform_serial module have their own data sources from where explorer attempts to gather serial number. During certain scenarios these sources can contain different serial data and hence the difference. Most of the time, the data collected by 'platform_serial' module will be the latest and correct one. There is already a Change Request in Explorer to make the serial data consistent between the README and platform_serial files. It will be fixed in the future release of Explorer.

Getting Additional Information

Where are the Sun Explorer man pages?

Sun Explorer's man pages are located in explorer_install_dir/man. A summary of Sun Explorer's man pages is in explorer_install_dir/doc/README.man.

To view the man pages, use the following commands:

man -M explorer_install_dir/man explorer
man -M explorer_install_dir/man -s 4 explorer
man -M explorer_install_dir/man -s 5 explorer

Where can I submit my questions about Sun Explorer?

For questions about Sun Explorer, contact the explorer@sun.com alias.