swinstall hangs, where the source is on NFS path

[Ravi_8]

Hi,

We have AFS tree wherein all installables are stored, this AFS file system(/afs) will be mounted to all the machines. when i use swinstall to install any software,
#swinstall -s /afs/, this swinstall process hangs.If i copied the same to machine, swinstall works like a champion
(#cp /afs/ /usr/x
# swinstall -s /usr/x works very well)

whereas i am not facing this problem in AIX or in solaris.

pls note: No problem in hostname/DNS/NFS

does anybody has the solution for this kind of problem

thanx

[Cheryl Griffin]

Check the log file to see what errors are being recorded, if any: /var/adm/swagent.log

Also, try specifying the hostname in the command to see if that gets you any further:
# swinstall -s hostname:/usr/x
Cheryl

[Ravi_8]

Hi Cheryl

It hangs again
swinstall -s hostname:/afs/x

swinstall hangs

here is the swagentd.log file

NOTE: There is no entry for group id 32555 in the group database.
This is not a serious error, except that it may result in the
denial of some expected access rights. Check /etc/group
and/or the NIS group database.
* Started source agent on
"/afs/ddcafs/pub/mq/MQ5.2/hp11/hpux11/mqs520.v11" for
root@ignsrv, pid=9708, 03/06/03 18:10:36 IST

[Pete Randall]

Hi Ravi,

Is /afs the name of your nfs mount point? If so, I think the "swinstall -s hostname:/afs/x" command would need to be "swinstall -s hostname:/x", wouldn't it?

Pete

[Bill Hassell]

swinstall (actually, the entire design of the Software Distributor utilities) has networking built-in so NFS is not necessary. In fact, SD utils need to lock directories under certain circumstances which can be problematic in NFS and non-standard filesystems.

All you need to do is to create an SD depot (or multiple depots) on your reference machine. Then use swreg to announce the depots to any other system. Now you won't have to NFS mount the depots at all. Just tell swinstall that the source is machine:/depot_pathname

Using SD's built-in networking is much more preferrable than using NFS as you don't incur NFS overhead (and possible problems like you are seeing).

[Ravi_8]

Pete

we have 3 projects MQ (mqseries) java and TX.
/afs/ddcafs/pub is common for all.
from this point onwards(/afs/ddcafs/pub) we have branches mq,java,tx (/afs/ddcafs/pub/mq for MQ series project, /afs/ddcafs/pub/tx for tx series project) In these branches (paths)respective installables are stored
/afs/ddcafs/pub/mq/MQ5.2/hp11/hpux11/mqs520.v11(This is the path for MQseries version 5.2 for HP-UX 11.0 installable)

/afs/dcafs/pub is mounted to all servers

In HP-UX
#swinstall -s /afs/ddcafs/pub/mq/MQ5.2/hp11/hpux11/mqs520.v11

hangs

whereas in AIX
#installp -s /afs/ddcafs/pub/mq/MQ5.2/aix/aix433/mqs520.v11 works excellently, similarly in Solaris also it works.

I am facing this problem in all HP servers we have.

[Pete Randall]

Ravi,

As Bill noted, nfs is problematical at best, especially with SD. I have had it work fine at times and completely fail at others. When it fails I just shrug and rcp the depot to the machine where I need it. I should look into swreg'ing a common depot but have just been too darn lazy.

I would say that you're probably going to need to modify your methods.

Pete

[Ravi_8]

Bill/Pete

happy to see your responses.

actually i am doing the same now,

copying the /afs/ddcafs/pub/mq/MQ5.2/hp11/hpux11/mqs520.v11 to any one of the file systems (say /tmp)

and then
#swinstall -s /tmp/mqs520.v11

this works fine.

I am under question now from my Project Managers, how it fails only in HP-UX when it is working on all other unix flavours?

It's loop hole in HP-UX is it?

[Pete Randall]

The other Unix flavors don't use Software Distributor - that's the only answer I can think of! Tell your boss "it's a feature".

Pete

[Bill Hassell]

Using swreg couldn't be easier. Just create the depot you want (in this case it's already done), then register the path on your main_server as in:

swreg -l depot /afs/ddcafs/pub/mq/MQ5.2/hp11/hpux11/mqs520.v11

Now, go to any HP-UX machine and checkout the depot remotely as in:

swlist -l depot @ main_server

If it shows up in your list, you can use your swinstall command:

swinstall -s main_server:/afs/ddcafs/pub/mq/MQ5.2/hp11/hpux11/mqs520.v11 \*

The hang is probably a combination of NFS and AFS wierdness along with the special calls SD makes to handle multiple depot distribution. You can leave the NFS mountpoint, just perform swinstall after you've registered the depot. That needs to be done only once and registration survives a reboot of the main_server.

Another advantage of SD's networking is you can browse multiple depots on the server...you don't need to know the exact depot path. swinstall (interactively) will show you the depots on the main_server.

[Helen French]

Try using this option:

# swinstall -x write_remote_files=true ....

[Ravi_8]

Pete

# swlist -l depot @ hprts3
# Initializing...
# Target "hprts3" has the following depot(s):
/afs/ddcafs/pub/mq/MQ5.2/hp11/hpux11/mqs520.v11

again it hangs,

shiju's option also the same.

note: NFS server (/afs/ddcafs/pub) is on AIX

[Pete Randall]

Sorry, Ravi. At this point I'm out of answers other than to copy it so you can install from a local source. I know that's not the ideal solution but it works . . .


Pete

[Ravi_8]

Bill/Pete

Thanx for your time and responses

I am working on this, I will post the solution if i could solve

[Helen French]

What about NFS patches? Do you have the latest patches installed? I would do this first as it doesn't give any proper error messages and just hangs.

[Ravi_8]

Shiju

all the servers are with recent patche bundle (Dec 2002)

[Helen French]

Does it lists the depot information:

# swlist -d @ /afs/package_name

[Ravi_8]

Shiju

# swlist -d @ /afs/ddcafs/pub/mq/MQ5.2/hp11/hpux11/mqs520.v11
# Initializing...
# Contacting target "hprts3"...
#
# Target: hprts3:/afs/ddcafs/pub/mq/MQ5.2/hp11/hpux11/mqs520.v11
#

#
# No Bundle(s) on hprts3:/afs/ddcafs/pub/mq/MQ5.2/hp11/hpux11/mqs520.v11
# Product(s):
#

MQSERIES B.11.520.00 MQSeries for HP-UX
#

[Helen French]

OK, now it's clear that the SD-UX access the information correctly. Could you try install using the GUI swinstall? Specify the source path and see it comes up? During installation check the log files and post if any relevant error message arise.

[Ravi_8]

Hi,

swinstall.log :
----------------


====== 03/06/03 21:25:19 IST BEGIN swinstall SESSION (interactive)

NOTE: The interactive UI was invoked, since no software was
specified.

* Session started for user "root@hprts3".

swagent.log:
-------------
======= 03/06/03 21:25:23 IST BEGIN install AGENT SESSION (pid=26330)

* Agent session started for user "root@hprts3.in.ibm.com".
(pid=26330)


even in GUI mode also it hangs.

[Ravi_8]

Hi,

after some time swinstall GUI window closes,

full swinstall.log is like this:

======= 03/06/03 21:25:19 IST BEGIN swinstall SESSION (interactive)

NOTE: The interactive UI was invoked, since no software was
specified.

* Session started for user "root@hprts3".

ERROR: RPC exception: "Connection closed (dce / rpc)" 03/06/03
21:40:24 IST
ERROR: A Remote Procedure Call to an agent has failed. Could not
start a management session for
"hprts3:/afs/ddcafs/pub/mq/MQ5.2/hp11/hpux11/mqs520.v11".
Make sure the host is accessible from the network.
* Beginning Selection

[Helen French]

Check and see if this solution helps TKB #3100343651:

http://www1.itrc.hp.com/service/cki/docDisplay.do?docLocale=en_US&docId=200000063202258

[Helen French]

Also make sure you have these setup correctly:

1) system IP address entry in /etc/hosts file
2) name resolution
3) stop and start swagentd

[Charles Holland]

Just my .02 but on the server that the depot resides on, did you indicate in the exports file that the place allows root.

/usr/dir1/dir2 ...root=server1,server2,etc...

Without this type of entry I found that I couldn't get to the depot to install from.

Again just my .02

[Charles Holland]

Just my .02 but on the server that the depot resides on, did you indicate in the exports file that the place allows root.

/usr/dir1/dir2 ...root=server1:server2:etc...

Without this type of entry I found that I couldn't install from the depot.

Again just my .02