Initiating and Collecting Dumps on IBM Power Systems Not Managed by an HMC (FSP / eBMC)

Summary

This document describes how to initiate and collect dumps when system is not managed by an HMC. It presents information about dumps such as service processor dumps and various kind of system (platform) dumps. This tip focuses on two methods on how to initiate dumps and collect them from various OS's and service processor Advanced System Management Interface (ASMI).

Objective

Purpose of this document is an attempt to collect the most useful information that provides best practice of dumps initialization and collection used by IBM Support professionals when the IBM Power System server is not managed by the Hardware Management Console (HMC).

Dump initialization and collection is usually done only upon direction of the next level of support or service provider.

Environment

Regardless, if service processor is an FSP (Flexible Service Processor) or eBMC ( Enterprise Base Management Controller), DUMP collection on an unmanaged system by an HMC (Hardware Management Console) is requires more steps, compared to the system managed by an HMC.

DUMP initialization on an unmanaged system can only be triggered from the system operator panel or service processor Advanced System Management Interface (ASMI). The DUMP once initiated always go to the OS, when the OS is running. If the OS is not running, the dump stays on the service processor.

Steps

Dumps Initialization:

Control Panel Initalization

Control Panel Dump initalization procedure is the same on the Power Systems with the FSP as well as the eBMC.

Please refer to IBM Documentation pages:

Performing FSP, eBMC dump by using the control panel

Performing System (Platform) dump by using the control panel

ASMI Initialization

On FSP

1. On the ASMI Welcome pane, specify your user ID and password, and click Log In.
2. In the navigation area, expand System Service Aids and click respective dump (System or Service Processor) menu option.
3. To save the setting changes and instruct the system to immediately process a service processor dump with the current settings, click Save settings and initiate dump for System dump and Initiate dump for Service Processor dump.
   

On eBMC

1. Log on to the ASMI.
2. In the navigation area of the ASMI, click Logs and services > Dumps.
3. Select respective dump as the dump type from the drop-down menu.
   
4. Click Initiate Dump.

Dump collection:

If the dump is initiated on the system while the OS is running, it can be collected from the OS. If the dump initialization is done on the system in Power off status or OS is not booted, the dump stays in the service processor.

AIX

Copying a dump by using an AIX command

Linux

Copying a dump by using a Linux command

IBM i

Copy MSD directly to and from IFS file

ASMI

Dumps collection from FSP ASMI:

Generating and collecting an FSP or system dump on a non-managed or Novalink-managed POWER system

Dumps collection from eBMC ASMI:

DUMP's can be downloaded to the PC connected to the eBMC ethernet port and ASMI run in the browser. They are available in the Dumps available on BMC table in Logs > DUMPs section.