Server Crash -- Netdbump Configuration

[Smith, Albert]

Netdump configuration requires two computers. One acts as the netdump
server and the other one acts as the netdump client. Install the
"netdump-server" package on the server and the "netdump" package on the
client.
I. Configuration

On the netdump server, as root, type:

passwd netdump

and supply a password for netdump just like what you do to an ordinary
user. Then do the following:

chkconfig netdump-server on
service netdump-server start

On the netdump client, edit /etc/sysconfig/netdump then uncomment and
set the NETDUMPADDR variable to the IP address of the netdump server.
For example:

NETDUMPADDR=10.199.243.39

Then execute:

service netdump propagate

and supply the netdump password that was configured on the netdump
server. Finally, execute:

chkconfig netdump on
service netdump start

II. Testing

To test if the netdump configuration is correct, perform the following
on the netdump client:

 
cp /usr/share/doc/netdump-xxxxxx/crash.c .
gcc -DKERNEL -DMODULE -I/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/build/include -c
crash.c
    insmod ./crash.o

This will crash the system and you will see a kernel dump on the netdump
server in the directory /var/crash/<IP of client><date>/. You will see
the file "vmcore-incomplete" while the client is dumping data to the
server. The file is renamed to "vmcore" once it is completed.

The size of "vmcore" will vary and may reach several gigs. On a system
with 512Mb of RAM, the above test created a vmcore of approximately
510Mb.
III. Troubleshooting

Netdump client service startup failures are usually due to NIC or module
incompatibility problems. You will notice "insmod" errors when this
happens.

Netdump does not work for all NICs so make sure that yours is
compatible. Below is a list of supported NICs at the time of writing:

   1. Broadcom bcm57xx using the tg3 driver. Does not work with bcm5700
driver.
   2. 3Com 3c59x
   3. Intel eepro100 and e100
   4. tlan
   5. tulip


Albert Smith
Sr. Unix Systems Administrator
HPCSA, RHCT  
Genex Services
440 E. Swedesford Rd.
Wayne, PA 19087
albert.smith at genexservices.com
(610) 964-5154