Question from HP labs -- machine readable output

[Brad Klein]

Hello,

The Partition Management team would like your input regarding the machine readable output from command-line interfaces. The questions we have specifically address the parstatus and vparstatus commands such as the following two examples.

# /usr/sbin/parstatus -p 0 -M
partition:0 :Active :1 :1 :cab0,cell0:rex01

# /usr/sbin/vparstatus -A -M
6.13;1:6.0.1,6.0.2,6.0.3,6.0.4,6.0.12,6.0.14:0x0/64,0x10000000/448;512:N

Relating to the example commands shown, we would appreciate your feedback by answering the following questions.

1. Do you use the machine readable format? How important is this feature, a must have, important to have, nice to have, or don't care?

2. If you use the machine readable output, how what language do you use to parse the data? Shell, Perl, C/C++, Java, or something else.

3. What do you use the machine readable output for (e.g. to gather inventory information, nightly status, make automated configuration changes, etc.)?

4. Would you prefer an XML format over a character delimited format such as that shown in the examples?

5. If an XML format were provided for the status command associated with a new technology, would it be acceptable to not provide the traditional character delimited output?

Thanks in advance for your time,

The Partition Management Team

[Pete Randall · Accepted solution]

Brad,

1. No. Don't care.

2. See number 1

3. See number 1

4. See number 1

5. See number 1

I wasn't even aware that such a thing existed and find it hard to imagine what it might be used for. It will be interesting to me to see what sort of responses you get.


Pete

[R. Sri Ram Kishore_1]

Hi,

1. Yes. Nice to have.
2. Perl.
3. Status.
4. Nice to have.
5. Nice to have.

Regards,
Sri Ram

[Michael Tully]

1. DOn't care if it is in text, GUI

2) Don't care

3) Status but, it could be useful to changes, changes to partitions would be once in a blue moon.

4) Don't care

5) Don't care

[H.Merijn Brand (procura]

1. Yes all the time, but not for the output of the commands mentioned, because I don't use vpar.
Given the fact that I /might/ use it in the future on machines where vpar is applicable (we only have small machines ourselves, but some customers have large machines), parsing that kind of data is important for me. See also answer to 2.

2. I parse *all* data with perl. Always. And since perl is /the/ ultimate tool for parsing data, I don't care what the data looks like, I can parse it anyway :)
Fixed delimiters is prefered, since split then easily works

3. All of the above and more. Parsing data is a hobby.

4. Nooooooo! Why take away the fun and make things slow?

5. Nooooooo! XML output should be a (non-default) option. But of course, that's just /my/ opinion.

Enjoy, Have FUN! H.Merijn [ who is seeing HPUX::vpar on some horizon ]

[Borislav Perkov]

1. Do not care.
2. Perl.
3. Nightly status.
3. Nice to have
4. Nice to have.

Regards,
Borislav

[Tim Hempstead]

1. Sometimes, depends on the situation ... I'd class it as Nice to Have as you can normally also get scripts to interpret the human readable output.

2. Shell

3. Depends on the command but can be all of the examples listed.

4. No, but XML would be nice as an option

5. Preferably have both as an option, maybe consider going fully over to XML if its found to work well, (and the community thinks its a good idea after using it!)

Regards

Tim

[Duncan Edmonstone]

1. Yes, all the time - the feature is vital - more commands should have this option. e.g. ioscan has this for most of its output, but not for the device files (if the -n option is included)

2. Generally shell commands - formats which can easily be fed into awk/cut/perl are the best.

3. All of these - particularly automated config changes

4. Why not? as long as there are still character delimited options as well!

5. No as stated above - it should still be available with character delimited format.

Thanks, and again, good to see HP engineering teams canvassing opinions of us lowly sysadmins!

HTH

Duncan

[Geoff Wild]

1. yes - very important.

2. shell

3. check status and use for inventory (documentation) purposes.

4. No - character delimited is better.

5. DON'T take away the character!

Rgds...Geoff

[Victor BERRIDGE]

Hi,

1) yes
2) shell/perl
3) status
4) will we have the choice?
5) No

All the best
Victor

[Prashant Zanwar_4]

1. Yes, quite important..Say must to have.
2. Perl, shell
3. config backup, information
4. Will be great
5. Please still provide traditional charcter delimited outpur.

Thanks
Prashant

[Cognizant]

1) yes, important
2) shell, awk
3) nightly status
4) no no no!
5) not acceptable, keep the character output

[Tony Contratto]

1. Yes - important to have
2. shell/awk/perl
3. inventory, status
4. no
5. no

[Olivier Masse]

1. Important to have
2. Shell
3. Inventory information
4. No, please!
5. No

[Hoang Chi Cong_1]

Dear,
here is my opinion:

1. Yes nice to have

2. Shell/C/C++

3. Nightly stautus,depend on my system!
4. No! Not at all.

5. No!

Regard,

Jim