The snap command assists you in compiling system configuration information quickly and easily. Once this information is compiled, you can view it and compress it for downloading to diskette or tape or for remote transmission. You may be asked by support specialists to execute the snap command to help them accurately identify your system problem.
Note: If you intend to use a tape to send a snap image to IBM for software support, the tape must be one of the following formats:
Using other formats will prevent or delay IBM software support from being able to examine the contents.
Approximately 8 MB of temporary disk space is required when executing all of the snap options on an average system. If only one or two options are chosen, the disk space required will be substantially less, depending on the option. The program automatically checks for free space in the /tmp/ibmsupt directory or the directory specified with the -d flag. If there is not enough space, you will have to expand the file system. You can suppress this check for free space by using the -N option.
The default directory for the output from the snap command is /tmp/ibmsupt. If you desire to name an optional directory, use the -d option with the path of the desired output directory. Each execution of the snap command appends to previously created files. See Cleaning Up Optional Software and Service Updates for instructions on cleaning up the files.
Only root has execute permissions for this command.
The cleanup option, -r, should be used to remove the information saved by the snap command and to retrieve disk space.
The main options of the snap command are:
| -g | Gathers the output of the lslpp -L command. Support specialists use the output to re-create your operating system environment if other problem determination techniques fail. The output is stored in /tmp/ibmsupt/general/lslpp.L. Also, the -g flag gathers general system information and outputs it to /tmp/ibmsupt/general/general.snap. |
| -D | Gathers dump and /unix (assumes dump device to be /dev/hd7). |
| -a | Gathers information for all of the groups. |
| -c | Creates a compressed tar image of all files in the /tmp/ibmsupt directory tree (or other output directory).
Note: Other information that is not gathered by the snap command can be copied to the snap directory tree before executing the tar/compress option. For example, you may be asked by the support specialist to provide a test case that demonstrates the problem. The test case should be copied to the /tmp/ibmsupt directory. When the -c option of the snap command is executed, the test case will be included. |
| -o | Creates a tar file and downloads it to removable media. |
| -v | Displays the output of the commands executed by the snap command. |
Before executing the snap -c or snap -o commands, any additional information required by the Support Center should be copied to the /tmp/ibmsupt/testcase directory (or an alternate directory).
The snap -c and snap -o commands are mutually exclusive. Do not execute both during the same problem-determination session. The snap -c command should be used to transmit information electronically. The snap -o command should be used to transmit information on a removable output device.
For instructions on how to gather information on selected groups (kernel, printer, SNA, NFS, TCP/IP, security, async, language, and file system), enter the snap command (with no options) at the system prompt.
If you think a command started by the snap command is suspended due to an inaccessible server, first press Ctrl+C. Then enter one of the following commands:
| Enter | For no action; return to current operation. |
| s | To attempt to kill current operation. |
| q | To quit snap. |