2 Using Oracle Explorer Data Collector

Using Oracle Explorer Data Collector from an Alternate Path

Follow the procedure below to install and use Oracle Explorer Data Collector from an alternate path after you have downloaded the latest installer (see "Download Oracle Explorer Data Collector"):

1. Complete steps 1 through 7 in "Extracting Individual Packages".

   Note:

   The Remote Diagnostic Agent (RDA) needs to be installed, too, in order for Oracle Explorer to be able to collect all information.

2. As superuser, install Explorer. Run:

   pkgadd -R <alternate root> -d . SUNWexplo SUNWexplu

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

4. To run Explorer from alternate path, use the -d option to locate the alternate default configuration file:

   <alternate root>opt/SUNWexplo/bin/explorer -d <alternate root>/etc/opt/SUNWexplo/default/explorer

Run Oracle Explorer Data Collector with NFS

Installing Oracle Explorer on multiple servers can be a time-consuming task. To reduce the installation time, install Oracle Explorer on one system and then use NFS mount to share the install directory with other systems.

1. Create an Oracle Explorer Data Collector defaults file for the NFS client by performing the following substeps on the NFS server with the tool installed:

   Note:

   Most values in the NFS server's Oracle Explorer Data Collector defaults file are valid for all servers in the environment.

   1. Record the NFS client's host name and host ID.

   2. Become superuser.

   3. Go to the Oracle Explorer default directory.

      cd /etc/opt/SUNWexplo/default

   4. Copy and rename the defaults file to associate it with the host (for example, explorer.hostname).

      cp explorer nfs_dir/explorer.hostname

   5. Edit the new explorer.hostname file to reset the following variable (where hostid is the client's hostid):

      EXP_SERIAL_$hostid="Client's serial number"

2. Reference the client's Oracle Explorer Data Collector defaults file.

   Note:

   When using the explorer command on an NFS client, you must specify the Oracle Explorer Data Collector defaults file as input, and you must specify the output directory location. If you do not specify the client's Oracle Explorer defaults file, the NFS server's defaults file is used. If you do not specify the output directory location, an attempt is made to write the output to the NFS server's explorer_install_dir/output directory. The NFS mounted file system might not allow writing over the NFS mount.

   Use the following Oracle Explorer options:

   • Specify the defaults file with -d nfs_client_accessible_dir/explorer.host-name

   • Specify the directory in which to write the output with -t /var/tmp (which is a local writable directory)

3. Direct output to a local, writable directory by performing the following substeps on the NFS client:

   1. Become superuser.

   2. Mount the explorer_install_dir directory from the NFS server

   3. Change directories into the mount point.

   4. Execute the following command to send output to the client's /var/tmp/output directory:

      # explorer -d nfs_dir/explorer.hostname -t /var/tmp

4. Do the following to schedule Oracle Explorer Data collector to run on an NFS client using cron:

   1. Verify that the NFS server is available.

   2. Verify that the explorer_install_dir directory is mounted on the NFS server.

   3. Do not send messages to standard output or to standard error.

   4. Redirect to specific files or /dev/null

Use FTP to Submit Oracle Explorer Data Collector Files

This section describes the procedure to manually submit a Oracle Explorer output file to the Oracle Explorer database (ConfigDB).

Use HTTP/HTTPS to Submit Oracle Explorer Data Collector Files

This section describes the procedure to manually submit an Oracle Explorer Data Collector output file to the database (ConfigDB).

For HTTP, the upload link is: http://supportfiles.sun.com/upload

For HTTPS, the upload link is: https://supportfiles.sun.com/upload

Oracle Explorer Data Collector files need to be uploaded to the following destinations for automatic submission to the correct configdb.

• AMER - explorer-amer

• APAC - explorer-apac

• EMEA - explorer-emea

Run Explorer for Different Modules/Groups

Explorer can be run for the following modules/groups:

• explorer -w all

  Runs all modules.

• explorer -w all,interactive

  If the modules tagged to the group all require user interaction, the user is prompted for input.

• explorer -w default

  Runs modules tagged to default

• explorer -w default,interactive

  Runs modules tagged to default group. If the modules tagged to the group default require user interaction, the user is prompted for input.

• explorer -w extended

  Runs modules tagged to extended group.

• explorer -w extended, interactive

  Runs all modules tagged to extended group using interactive mode if the corresponding *input.txt file is not populated.

• explorer -w <module name>

  If the <module name> requires user interaction, it runs in interactive mode.

• explorer -w default,<module name>

  Modules tagged under the group default and module_name are executed. Even if the modules tagged under the group default require user interaction, the user is NOT prompted for input. If the module_name requires user input (the corresponding configuration file *input.txt is not populated with relevant information), the user is prompted for input; if the module_name does not require user input, it is executed if hardware compatibility is met.

Troubleshooting Explorer

This section addresses known issues and workaround solutions for the Oracle Explorer Data Collector.