This chapter provides details for using Oracle Explorer Data Collector and how to submit output files to Oracle Support.

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).

AMER and APAC Submissions

1. Open a terminal window and type: ftp supportfiles.sun.com

2. Type the following user name and password to log in:

   Username: anonymous Password: your_email_address

3. Type the following commands at the ftp prompt:

   Note:

   The title explorer.filename is the name of the file to upload. Use explorer as the file name prefix.

   Soniye dil nahi lagda tere bina song. For example: explorer.80a711xy.abcdf-2002.04.01.12.40-tar.gz

EMEA Submissions

1. Open a terminal window and type: ftp sunsolve.sun.co.uk

2. Type the following user name and password to log in:

   Username: anonymous Password: your_email_address

3. Type the following commands at the ftp prompt:

   Note:

   The title explorer.filename is the name of the file to upload. Use explorer as the file name prefix.

   For example: explorer.80a711xy.abcdf-2002.04.01.12.40-tar.gz

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.

ACT Truncated Output

Oracle Explorer Data Collector Release 6.6 may truncate the ACT output on certain Solaris 10 systems that has ACT versions between 8 and 8.14 installed. This truncation is done to avoid file system overflow described in ACT bug 6897128.

Work around: Download and install the latest version of ACT into the system.

Running Oracle Explorer Data Collector in the Background

If you attempt to run Oracle Explorer Data Collector as a background process in a terminal without -SR, -esc, or -case options, then the tool may wait for you to input (on Explorer type) at the background. In such cases, the tool will not complete its execution and will wait on your input.

Work around: You may note a stopped message on the terminal indicating the suspended process at the background. You will need to bring the suspended process to foreground and then provide the appropriate response to all the Oracle Explorer Data Collector to continue its run.

IPS Actions, Triggered by STB Installation (Solaris 11)

For systems running Solaris 11, most installation tasks are done through the Image Packaging System (IPS). The steps taken for IPS are:

• Publish the file-based IPS repository, extracted from install_stb.sh. Run:

• For software that is in IPS format, the installer will launch:

• When all the software is installed, the file-based repository is unpublished with:

Note:

The individual IPS actions can take time, which might give the impression that the STB installer on Solaris 11 is slow or even hanging.

Failing IPS Actions during an STB Install

In some cases, you may get errors such as:

• STB-02004: Cannot publish the IPS repository

• STB-02023: IPS installation of support/sneep failed

• STB-02023: IPS installation of support/act failed

• STB-02013: Cannot unpublish the IPS repository

If you get such an error message, the most likely cause is that there is an active IPS repository on the system, which can no longer be reached. To list the active IPS repositories, run:

Output should look like:

In this case, we see a file based IPS repository point to /var/tmp/stb/extract/ipsrepo. If someone has removed this file, the IPS actions, triggered by the STB installation, will all fail.

A similar case can happen when an HTTP-based repository can no longer be reached.

The remedy in this cases is to “de-activate” the non-reachable IPS repository by “pkg set-publisher –G <ips repository> <publisher>”.

Tracing an STB Installation

You might find the STB installation slow or might even think the installation is hanging.

If you thing this is the case, start by using the “-verbose” option with “./install_stb.sh” so that you get more information of what the installer is doing currently.

If you are still convinced that the installer is hanging, please send a full trace to Oracle. You can do this by:

Do not forget to type “I(install)” to start the actual installation.

This chapter provides information for installing, configuring, and running the Oracle Explorer Data Collector. The following topics are discussed:

Additional Oracle Explorer Data Collector Resources

You can find additional information about the Oracle Explorer Data Collector in the My Oracle Support knowledgebase, including:

• Oracle Explorer Data Collector: Modules, Module Groups, Module Aliases Summary (Doc ID 1536532.1)

• Oracle Explorer Data Collector Implementation Best Practice (Doc ID 1006990.1)

• How to Upload Data to Oracle Such as Explorer and Core Files (Doc ID 1020199.1)

Log in to My Oracle Support at:

A set of man pages are included with the Oracle Explorer Data Collector. To access the man pages in Solaris versions prior to Solaris 11, you can add the location of the Explorer man pages to the MANPATH environment variable, or you can indicate the location of the Explorer man pages explicitly in the man command.

Solaris 8, 9, and 10

The man pages are located in the /opt/SUNWexplo/man directory for Solaris 8, 9, and 10.

There are three man pages for explorer in sections 1m, 4, and 5.

For example, to access the Explorer man page of section 1m on Solaris 10, run:

Or, if the MANPATH environment variable is set, the command would be:

Solaris 11

For Solaris 11 and later, man pages are already on the default man path.

The man pages are located in the /usr/lib/explorer/man directory for Solaris 11 and later.

To access the Explorer man pages using the default man path, run:

To access the Explorer man page of section 4 on Solaris 11, run:

2.1 Standard Oracle Explorer Data Collector Installation

The preferred method for installing Oracle Explorer Data Collector is via the Oracle Services Tools Bundle (STB), because Oracle Explorer relies on the presence of the other software packages on the system.

Packages, which are installed via STB, depend on the architecture and operating system on which you install.

Note:

The Oracle Explorer Data Collector is supported on Oracle Solaris Releases 8, 9, 10, 11 Express, and 11.

See Download and Install Oracle Services Tools Bundle for instructions to download and install Oracle STB.

2.1.1 Non-standard Installations

It is possible to install the Oracle Explorer Data Collector without installing other STB components, but since the Oracle Explorer Data Collector delegates its collection work to the Oracle Remote Diagnostic Agent (RDA), it is necessary to install RDA together with Explorer to have the full functionality of Explorer.

See Download and Install Oracle Services Tools Bundle for instructions to download and install Oracle STB.

To install Explorer on Solaris 11 and Solaris 11 Express systems:

1. Extract the file-based IPS repository.

2. Install the support/explorer package from the IPS repository.

To install Explorer on Solaris 8, 9, and 10 systems:

1. Extract the SVR4 package streams for the Explorer component (SUNWexplo, SUNWexplu, SUNWrda).

2. Install these SVR4 package streams with the pkgadd command.

2.2 Oracle Explorer Data Collector Configuration

After you have installed Explorer and RDA, you will need to configure Explorer. This section provides configuration instructions for the following Explorer components:

2.2.1 Location of RDA

Explorer needs RDA for all of its collections and will look for RDA on the standard locations. Explorer will check for the RDA_HOME entry in the rdainput.txt file. When no entry exists, the following locations are scanned for a valid RDA distribution:

• The ./rda directory.

• If the support/explorer IPS package is installed, then the /usr/lib/rda directory.

• If the SUNWrda package is installed, then the BASEDIR(SUNWrda)/rda directory.

• The /usr/lib/rda directory.

Note:

The RDA installation includes the Diagnostic Assistant, which is the recommended for submitting Explorer collection result files to Oracle Support. For more information, see Diagnostic Assistant: General Information (Doc ID 201804.1) in My Oracle Support:

2.2.2 Explorer Software Directory

When Explorer is installed via standard packaging operation, the following locations are used:

• /usr/lib/explorer on Solaris 11 and Solaris 11 Express (IPS installation).

• /opt/SUNWexplo on Solaris 8, 9, and 10 (SVR4 installation).

It is possible to move the files to a different location; however, you will need to set the EXP_SOFT environment variable.

2.2.3 Explorer Configuration Directory

Explorer needs a configuration directory to put its configuration files. You can set the EXP_CONFIG environment variable to indicate the location of the configuration directory. When this environment variable is not set, the following locations are used:

• /etc/explorer on Solaris 11, Solaris 11 Express, or higher (IPS installation).

• /etc/opt/SUNWexplo on Solaris 8, 9, and 10 (SVR4 installation).

The following configuration information can be present:

• An Oracle Wallet can be present to store Explorer passwords. The management of the Wallet is delegated to the Diagnostic Assistant (DA). The wallet is stored in the da subdirectory of the Explorer configuration directory.

• An Oracle Wallet can be present to store Explorer passwords. We call this wallet the Explorer wallet. The management of the Explorer wallet is delegated to the Diagnostic Assistant (DA). The wallet is stored in the da subdirectory of the Explorer configuration directory. Since it is possible to have multiple Explorer configuration directories, you can have multiple Explorer wallets.

• The module input files contain information for the configuration of a module (for example, information on the hostname of the system controller with credential information).

  The location and name of the input files can be altered by command line arguments of Explorer and by environment variables. Check the man pages of Explorer for details.

• The defaults file contains general configuration information for Explorer. Its name is 'explorer' and the file is located in the 'default' subdirectory of the Explorer configuration directory.

2.2.4 Explorer Temporary Directory

Explorer needs a temporary, but secure directory. You can set the EXP_TMP environment variable to indicate its location. When EXP_TMP is not set, the following locations are used:

• /var/explorer/tmp on Solaris 11 and Solaris 11 Express (IPS installation).

• /opt/SUNWexplo/tmp on Solaris 8, 9, and 10 (SVR4 installation).

Note:

If you choose to use a different location for the temporary directory, it must have 0700 protection and be owned by root.

2.2.5 Explorer Output Directory

To store its collection result file, Explorer will create a subdirectory in the output directory of Explorer. The following locations are used for the output directory:

• /var/explorer/output on Solaris 11 or later

• /opt/SUNWexplo/output on Solaris 8, 9, and 10.

It is possible to specify an alternative location of the output directory in the defaults file or by using a command line argument of Explorer.

2.2.6 Explorer Target Directory and Collection Result File

The collection result of Explorer is stored in a subdirectory of the Explorer output directory, which contains the host ID, the host name, and a time stamp. For example:

The last step in the Explorer collection is to package this target directory in the collection result file in compressed tape archive (tar) format.

A typical name this compressed package is:

2.2.7 Configure cron to Run Explorer Regularly

Most users run Explorer as part of best practices for system administration. You can create a cron entry for Explorer to run during off-peak hours. For example:

This command sets the Explorer job to:

• Run every day at 2 a.m.

• Run Explorer on every module.

• Send the Explorer collection result file to Oracle Support using the Diagnostic Assistant, which is defined in the defaults file in the Explorer Configuration Directory.

2.3 Using Oracle Explorer Data Collector

This section provides details for how to run Oracle Explorer Data Collector.

The Oracle Explorer Data Collector is designed to run at a regularly scheduled time (proactive) or manually, on demand (reactive).

2.3.1 Run Explorer Proactively

In a proactive environment, you can run Explorer at regular intervals typically via a cron job.

2.3.2 Run Explorer Reactively

You can run Explorer manually, on demand (reactive) for any reason at any time for any modules and groups. Typically, though, you would run Explorer reactively as part of the troubleshooting associated with a particular Service Request. For example, to run Explorer on all modules, use the Diagnostic Assistant to upload the collection result file to Oracle Support, and associate it with a Service Request:

2.3.3 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 mandatory or extended group.

• explorer -w <module name>

  Runs <module name> and modules tagged to the mandatory group.

• 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.

2.4 Submitting Explorer Collection Result Files

After the Oracle Explorer Data Collector has created a collection result file, it can be sent to a different server. You can use the defaults file in the Explorer Configuration Directory to define your preferred method of transport.

You can transfer Explorer collection results:

• Immediately after the collection via the -P command-line option.

• At any time when an Explorer collection exists via the -N command-line option.

You can send the Explorer result directly to Oracle, which requires an internet connection, or you can send it to a different server. The actual transfers to Oracle are in that case done from this other server.

The following methods are supported:

• Using the Diagnostic Assistant (DA) - Recommended when Explorer collections are sent directly from this machine to Oracle. The method is available in Explorer 8.02 or later.

2.4.1 Using the Diagnostic Assistant (DA)

The Diagnostic Assistant (DA) is included as part of the RDA installation of STB. This recommended feature takes advantage of Oracle's common upload destination (transport.oracle.com).

To set up DA as the default transport method, you must create or update the Explorer defaults file with the explorer -g command. The DA transport is proposed as the default transport since Explorer 8.02. Alternatively you can use the explorer -T DA command line option to use the DA transport for this run of Explorer.

To upload Explorer collection result files to Oracle, the My Oracle Support (MOS) username and password must be known. To store both username and password and to provide other information to upload files to MOS, go to the da subdirectory of the RDA distribution and run the following command:

Enter at least the MOS username and password. After this configuration step, Explorer can upload collection results to Oracle by using DA.

For more information, see Diagnostic Assistant: General Information (Doc ID 201804.1) in My Oracle Support:

2.4.2 Using HTTP/HTTPS

You can use http/https to transfer files from the Explorer machine to a different server. Setting it up is analogous to setting DA up.

This transport method is mainly used for non-authenticated HTTPS or FTPS methods to a different server.

2.4.3 Using Secure File Transport (SFT)

Oracle Secure File Transport (SFT) supports data transfer between customer environments and Oracle. The SFT tool is used to periodically deliver Explorer data collector files for proactive reporting and for sending Explorer, core, log, or other files for support services diagnostics. SFT is designed to support customer network environments in which Explorer clients do not have Internet access and to provide a central point to manage Explorer telemetry.

In other words, the SFT server is a hub. Typically, it will accept Explorer collection results from other servers and send them to Oracle.

For details, see the Oracle® Secure File Transport User's Guide:

2.4.4 Using FTP

It is possible to transfer files via FTP. It is up to the customer to asses the risks in using this transport method. It is no longer possible to use FTP to send files directly to Oracle.

2.5 Explorer Security Guidelines

1. Assess the privileges for the Explorer distribution. Only the user, who installs the software, needs write access to the software directory structure. All other users, including users who run Explorer collections, must only have read access to the Explorer distribution with execute privileges on the directories and the executables.

2. Make sure that the Explorer secure temporary directory is owned by root with permission set to 700 as protection.

3. Make sure that the Explorer configuration directory structure is owned by root and only accessible by root. The input files and credential store are ignored when group or others can access them. The same applies to the input files specified by command line argument or environment variable. The configuration directory and the input files should not be located on a Network Files System (NFS) drive.

4. When you need credentials for your Explorer collections, make sure to create the credential store (Explorer wallet) and to store your credentials in it. Ensure that you remove all passwords from the input files.

5. Explorer creates the collection results in the Explorer output directory so that they are only accessible by root. Place the output directory on a location where those restrictions can be enforced.

6. When connecting to external devices over an open network, use a preferred secure protocol such as ssh or ftps instead of telnet and ftp. Avoid well-known credentials for external devices.

7. Assess the transfer of the Explorer collection results to other boxes. Ensure that confidentiality and the integrity of the data is preserved. When transferring the collection results - especially when sending over the Internet, use a protocol where the data are encrypted with strong ciphers and transfer to servers where the identity can be verified.