Sun Systems Fault Analysis Workshop

The Sun Systems Fault Analysis Workshop teaches system administrators and field engineers how to analyze faults, perform diagnostics analysis, and use Sun's Predictive Self-Healing technology and DTrace toolkit for the SPARC-based and x86-based Solaris computing environments. These skills directly translate to higher availability levels and increased uptime of the Solaris Operating System (Solaris OS). The course provides instruction in the use of a fault analysis method, platform-based diagnostic tools, and the fault isolation capabilities of the Service Management Facility and Fault Management Architecture as well as providing hands-on fault isolation practice in the workshop.

Students who can benefit from this course:

• System Administrators, System Maintainers, and Field Engineers

This course counts towards the Hands-on course requirement for the Oracle Solaris 10 System Administrator Certification. Only instructor-led inclass or instructor-led online formats of this course will meet the Certification Hands-on Requirement. Self Study CD-Rom and Knowledge Center courses DO NOT meet the Hands-on Requirement.

Audience
Course Topics Introducing the Fault Analysis and Diagnosis Methodology

• Describe the fault analysis methodology
• Introduce the fault diagnosis methodology
• Identify the basic layers in Sun systems
• Identify the error types that occur in Sun systems

Performing Solaris OS Diagnostics

• Use the device management commands
• Use the disk and file system management commands
• Use the software package management commands
• Use the file-checking commands
• Use the CPU and memory management commands
• Use the network management commands
• Use the general-purpose commands
• Use the program execution management commands

Introducing OBP Components, Features, and Diagnostics

• Introduce OBP components
• Introduce Non-Volatile RAM
• Display system information using OBP commands
• Modify OBP variables
• Run OBP diagnostics

Enabling and Monitoring POST Diagnostics

• Introduce POST concepts
• Manipulate the OBP Device Tree
• View extended diagnostics during POST

The Boot Sequence

• Compare phases of the Boot process
• Isolate boot process errors

Predictive Self-Healing

• Describe contract file system
• Describe the benefits of Predictive Self-Healing
• Describe the Fault Management Architecture
• Interpret recommended system maintenance actions using FMA message ID(s)
• Describe the Service Management Facility (SMF)
• Write a service manifest
• Manage services using SMF
• Diagnose problems using SMF

Introducing Types of System Failures

• Introduce system crashes and core files
• Generate a system crash dump
• Interpret watchdog resets

Analyzing Core Dumps Using the mdb Utility

• Introduce the mdb utility
• Analyze the source of a crash dump

Working With the DTrace Toolkit

• Introduce the Solaris Dynamic Tracing (DTrace) facility
• Interpret DTrace Command-Lines
• Select the correct DTrace tools for given monitoring requirements
• Write D Scripts

Course Objectives

• Outline the fundamentals of fault analysis and diagnosis
• Execute OBP diagnostics and POST
• Diagnose the system using online tools
• Diagnose the system using online tools
• Analyze system degradation using the FMA and SMF facilities
• Select analysis tools from the DTrace Toolkit