IBM Support

HMC Enhanced View: Collecting PEDBG from the HMC

Troubleshooting


Problem

This document describes how to collect diagnostic data from the HMC that might be required for problem determination. This document references the HMC enhanced UI in the preparation section. Enhanced UI is available in Version 8 and later of the HMC.

Resolving The Problem

This document describes how to collect HMC diagnostic data (pedbg data) for use with problem determination. For issues involving servers managed by two HMCs, the data should be collected on both HMCs.

Section 1. Preparing to Collect the Data


Step 1: (Optional) Enable remote command execution
To collect pedbg remotely, you must:

Enable remote command execution
Users and Security>Systems and Console Security
Enable Remote Command Execution
Configure the HMC firewall to allow remote ssh connections
HMC Management > Console Settings> Change Network Settings, Lan adapters Tab, Select the interface used for remote access, click Details, then the Firewall tab. Secure Shell is selected by default, click Allow Incoming button, then OK, OK to save.
Obtain an ssh client such as PuTTY

For further information see HMC Version 8 Enhanced: Enabling ssh/remote command execution


Step 2: Ensure a user ID of hscpe with a task role of hmcpe exists on the HMC.
The hscpe ID is not a built-in ID like hscroot, it must be created. To administer HMC users, you must be logged in as hscroot or a hmcsuperadmin user.


Locally (at the HMC): Open a restricted shell locally on the HMC by selecting HMC Management in the left frame. Select Console Management > Open a Restricted Shell terminal in the right frame.

Remotely: Open an ssh session (PuTTY) to the HMC.

Determining whether the hscpe user ID exists and what roles are assigned to it.

lshmcusr --filter "names=hscpe"

If the hscpe user ID exists, you should see output similar to the following:

name=hscpe,taskrole=hmcpe,description=Service,pwage=99999,resourcerole=

If the hscpe user ID does not exist, you should receive the message No results were found.
Creating the hscpe user ID:

mkhmcusr -u hscpe -a hmcpe -d IBM Service

When this command is run, you are prompted to enter a new password for the new user.
Resetting a lost password

chhmcusr -u hscpe -t passwd

When this command is run, you are prompted to enter a new password for the user.

Section 2. Collecting Data Using PEDBG

Step 1: Log in as user hscpe.
You must be logged in to a restricted shell terminal session as user hscpe with role hmcpe to collect pedbg.

Remotely: Start an ssh (PuTTY) session with user hscpe.

Locally: Log in to the local HMC console as user hscpe. Then open a Restricted Shell terminal windows by selecting HMC Management in the navigation area, then select Console Management > Open a Restricted Shell terminal in the work frame (right frame).
To switch to user ID hscpe when the user is already logged on locally with another user ID run the following command in the restricted shell terminal (Remote Command Execution must be enabled):

ssh hscpe@localhost
If prompted to verify authenticity of the host, reply yes and press enter.  Enter the hscpe password when prompted.

Step 2: Re-create the problem.
If possible, re-create the problem before collecting a pedbg. Otherwise, note the HMC date and time. Notify your support representative of the date and time of the problem being investigated relative to the HMC clock.  If the HMC clock is not current, inform your support representative of this also. For example, "The problem occurred approximately 2:00 PM on March 16. The HMC time is 30 minutes slow so that would be about 1:30 PM HMC time.".


Step 3: Collect pedbg
Note: For problems involving managed servers managed by two HMCs, collect pedbg files from both HMCs.


Run PEDBG command
Run the pedbg command with the options specified by the support representative.

If the support representative did not specify the options (or for issues that need more than a few hours of historic data) type the following:
pedbg -c -q 4

If the problem was re-created immediately before pedbg collection, the "-q 3" option can typically be used, which results in a much smaller file:
pedbg -c -q 3

If the support representative requested dumps from the managed system(s) and HMC data type the following to collect all dumps + all historic data:
pedbg -c -q d4

Section 3. Getting the Data to IBM
There are many ways the data can be sent to IBM. The following is a list of preferred methods, starting with the quickest and easiest method. The method used varies depending on the type of network access available to the HMC and the availability of media.

*

Secure FTP directly from HMC to IBM

If the HMC has a network connection that allows secure FTP to the Internet, type the following command to send the file directly to IBM Support (Note: IBM FTP sites require an IBM registered ID):

sendfile -S -f /dump/HMClogsxxxxxxxx.zip -h testcase.software.ibm.com -d /toibm/hw/ -n TSddddddddd.HMClogsxxxxxxxxx.zip -u {IBM Support FIle Transfer ID**}

**For FTPS and SFTP servers you need to create an IBM Support File Transfer ID . The IBM Support File Transfer ID is valid until revoked. The password part of it is only displayed at creation time. If the password to a Transfer ID is lost, you must delete the Transfer ID and create a new one.  Each IBM Support Transfer ID is linked an IBMid.  If you do not already have an IBMid, you can obtain one here.

Parameter Reference
-f The pedbg .zip file name created in Section 2, Step 3. The command ls /dump can be used to display the file name.
Note: Type "
/dump/HMClo" then hit the tab key to complete the name using the shell's tab completion feature.
-n

pedbg .zip file renamed to start with case number in the following format.

Case number: TSddddddddd.HMClogsxxxxxxxxx.zip where

  • TSddddddddd is the support case number
  • HMClogsxxxxxxxxx.zip is the original file name as used with the -f parameter.
 
-d Directory to upload to: For IBM i /toibm/os400/ ; for AIX /toibm/aix/
-S or -s

IBM no longer allows unsecure FTP.  -s (SCP) or -S (SFTP) can be used for testcase repository.  Use -S (strict SFTP) for the ecurep and blue diamond repositories (requires HMC V8R8.7.0 SP2, V9R920 or later).

*
Use removable media (USB flash drive) to move the pedbg to another workstation with Internet access.
To copy the pedbg file to media:
  1. Insert the formatted USB flash drive. For USB, wait several seconds for the USB device to be detected.
  2. Run the command: pedbg -c -q 9
  3. Reply yes to the prompt "Would you like to move .zip file to a DVD or other device?"
  4. Enter the device name from the list when prompted.
The device name is the mount point for the target device. For example, for the first USB flash drive its typically "/media/sdb1".
Once on USB flash, use another workstation to upload the data. See "Sending the pedbg to IBM from another workstation or server with internet access".
*
Use SCP or FTP to copy the pedbg file to another workstation with Internet access.

If another server or workstation on the network has Internet access and network access to the HMC, then the data can be copied to the other server with FTP or SCP and uploaded to IBM support from there.

SCP (secure copy)
SCP (secure copy) can be used to copy the file from the HMC. Using SCP on a Microsoft Windows PC requires the installation of a 3rd party Windows secure copy utility such as PuTTY pscp.

Example of copying the file to a PC using pscp:
  • "C:\Program Files\PuTTY\pscp" -scp hscpe@myhmc:/dump/HMClogs.cs6hmcb0312H04.zip c:\temp\

For further information on this process, refer to IBM Support document Copying an HMC File to a Microsoft Windows PC Using PuTTY.

FTP/SFTP
Use the sendfile command to FTP the data from the HMC to another server. Refer to Secure FTP direction from HMC to IBM for an example of the syntax or use the --help option.
*

Sending the pedbg to IBM from another workstation or server with internet access

a. Rename the pedbg file

Rename the pedbg file, adding the case number to the beginning of the file name using the format:

TSddddddddd.HMClogsxxxxxxxxx.zip

Where:

  • TSddddddddd The HMC case number.
  • HMClogsxxxxxxxxx.zip  The pedbg .zip file name created in Section 2, Step 3.

b. Send the file to IBM
Select the preferred server for your geography. 
Preferred servers depending on geography
Geography Server
North America Testcase https://testcase.boulder.ibm.com
Europe ECuRep http://www.ecurep.ibm.com/app/upload
Asia Pacific Testcase or EcuRep
For further information, including command line instructions, see Instructions for Sending Data to IBM Support.

[{"Product":{"code":"SSB6AA","label":"Power System Hardware Management Console Physical Appliance"},"Business Unit":{"code":"BU054","label":"Systems w\/TPS"},"Component":"HMC","Platform":[{"code":"PF025","label":"Platform Independent"}],"Version":"Version Independent","Edition":"Standard","Line of Business":{"code":"LOB08","label":"Cognitive Systems"}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
30 March 2023

UID

nas8N1022548