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Using Platform Utilities and Tools

Using Platform Utilities and Tools

5.1 Call Processing Diagnostic Tools

5.1.1 Protocol Conversion Tracing

Purpose

The Protocol Conversion Trace function is a diagnostic tool used to trace Protocol Data Unit (PDU) problems. It captures all PDUs sent or received on a 64Kbps signaling path. All traffic channels that are logically connected to those on the desired signaling path are also captured. This raw data provides the Conversion Analyzer with a view in both directions of a call of the following:

Operating Characteristics

Conversion tracing is started by issuing the MML Start Trace command, and stopped using the MML Stop Trace command. During the period between the start and stop trace commands, called the "capture" period, the trace function writes the PDUs to the capture file. See "MML Commands" for Stop Trace Procedures.

Installation and Configuration Instructions

Automatically installed at time of initial installation.

Site Configurations

No site configuration required.

Other Affected Files or Commands

The operational service state of the signal path will affect the collection of PDUs.

5.1.2 Starting a Trace on a Signaling Channel

Purpose

This command starts a protocol conversion trace on a signal path. For a more detailed explanation of the process, see "MML Commands."

Format

mml> STA-SC-TRC:<sigPath id>:<parms>; 

Description

<sigPath ID>

Logical identifier for the signaling path.

<parms>

One or more optional parameters.

<logfile>

File where the captured PDUs are stored. This file is automatically created by the TransPath system and stored in the trace directory (see directory tree diagram). If this value is not present, the TransPath system will open a file with the default name "<signaling path id>.log".

<prd>

Duration in seconds to trace.

The log can be used as input to the Conversion Analyzer, to identify and isolate signaling protocol problems. For performance reasons, the log file is written from the TransPath system until the 8 Kb boundary has been reached or until the capture session has been stopped.

Status Return

COMPLD

Path has commenced tracing.

SNVS

Trace cannot be performed because the path is already being traced.

Examples

In this example, a capture session is started for all PDUs going through the signaling path identified as T-1-1. It stores the trace log in ./var/trace/T-1-16.log as in the following:

mml> STA-SC-TRC:T-1-1

In the next example, a capture session is started for the signaling path identified as T-2-18. Output is stored in ./var/trace/Signal01.trc. This session runs for 600 seconds (10 minutes) as in the following:

mml> STA-SC-TRC:T-2-18:log="Signal01.trc",prd=600

5.1.3 Stopping a Trace on a Signaling Channel

Purpose

This command stops protocol conversion trace on a signal path or all signal paths. For a more detailed explanation of the process, see "MML Commands."

Format

mml> STP-SC-TRC:<sigPath id>
mml> STP-SC-TRC:ALL

Description

<sigPath id> is the logical identifier for the signaling path. <ALL> is the logical identifier for all signaling paths currently being traced.

Status Return

SNVS

The stop trace cannot be performed because the trace has already been stopped.

Examples

The following command example will stop a capture session on the path identified as T-1-1.

mml> STP-SC-TRC:T-1-1 

This next example will stop all active capture sessions.

mml> STP-SC-TRC:ALL

5.1.4 Analyzing the Signaling Channel Trace

Signal channel trace analysis is done at the Technical Assistance Center. The file is to be supplied to the technical assistance center for examination and evaluation.

5.2 Rotating the Log File

5.2.1 Purpose

The Log Rotation program performs maintenance on the following TransPath system system logs:

The program is set up to maintain one current and eight historical copies for each of the logs given above. For the command format, see "MML Commands." The current and all historical versions of the log are stored in the /var/log directory.


Note The alarm function in the Dumper replaces the Alarm Log.

Operating Characteristics / Procedure

The Log Rotation program is named: log_rotate.sh. This program must be run as the Superuser because it affects syslogd, the UNIX system log daemon. The cron process executes the rotate script daily at 04:05 hours, local time.

The Log Rotation program operates in the following manner:

    1. The age of a historical file is determined by its numeric suffix.

    2. The youngest historic file is <log name>.0 and the oldest is <log name>.7.

    3. Each execution of the program will move <log name>.6 to <log name>.7, then <log name >.5 to <log name> .6 and so on.

    4. Finally, it will move the current log to <log name> .0, create a new <log name> file, and then start storing in it again.

Installation and Configuration Instructions

The installation automatically puts an entry for log_rotate.sh in the UNIX crontab so it runs automatically at 04:05 hours once a day. No further configuration is necessary.

Automatic execution of log_rotate.sh can be modified by editing the log_rotate.sh entry in /var/spool/cron/crontabs/root. SuperUser access is necessary to do this.

Site Configuration

No site configuration is required.

Other Affected Files or Commands

If your disk space is low, the diskmonitor may automatically delete old historical log files, without warning.

5.3 Checking the Disk Space Utilization

Purpose of Disk Monitoring Process (DSKM-01)

This Disk Monitor program periodically checks the amount of disk space used within the configurable set of disk partitions. This ensures that there is sufficient disk space available in each disk partition for TransPath system to continue to operate at peak performance. If any disk partition exceeds the configurable usage threshold, TransPath system will generate a "DISK" alarm, a warning of a disk partition overrun, and a warning of insufficient disk space.

The disk-monitoring program is named diskmonitor.sh.

Operating Characteristics

The Disk Monitor program is run periodically by the Process Manager, according to the chkInterval configuration value set in the processes.dat file. If any disk in the filesys list in diskmonitor.sh has been filled beyond the maximum (MAX) capacity, the Disk Monitor generates a "DISK" alarm. The Disk Monitor will automatically clear the alarm when all disks have receded below the MAX threshold. While in alarm, the log trimmer script will run the files residing in the spool and log directories.

Log File Trimmer

When disk space utilization is over the set threshold in the script, old log files will be trimmed. The diskmonitor.sh script invoked periodically by the Process manager also trims old platform, command, and alarm log files in the ../var/log and ../var/spool directories. The script will delete previous days log files from the directories mentioned above until the disk space utilization recedes below the set threshold. The script will not trim log files that are at most 24 hours old.

Installation and Configuration Instructions

The Default Installation Location

The diskmonitor.sh program is initially installed in the following directory path:

TransPath/local/

Configuration Instructions

In order for the disk monitoring program to function correctly, the following two files must be configured (edited) to the site requirements: diskmonitor.sh and process.dat

Site Configurations

During initial installation, the customer must access and configure the diskmonitor.sh "Customizable Variables" to the specific site requirements. This means that the MAX and filesys in diskmonitor.sh are preset to default settings and must be configured to customer site requirements. Configure the diskmonitor.sh doing the following steps:

Step 1 filesys - Replace the preset-defined file systems with the customer required site configurations.

Step 2 MAX - Change the preset-defined partition threshold to the desired configurable partition usage threshold required to generate the alarm. The units of disk space in use is expressed as a percentage of the amount of available partitioned disk space (the maximum value = 100%).

processes.dat Site Configuration

On the "DSKM-01" line, change the chkInterval value to the desired site sampling time period required for running the disk monitor program. Do not change any other values on this line.


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