Ask the Expert: Best Practice for fixing ViPR SRM Topology Maps and Queries on it

Welcome all,

This Ask the Expert session is now open for questions. For the next couple of weeks our SMEs will be around to reply to your questions, comments or inquiries about our topic. Let's make this conversation useful, respectful and entertaining for all.

Cheers!

What issues are there with the topology maps?  What steps do we need to go through to fix them and how can we query them repeatedly and have consistent results?
Thank you

Hello Sean,

You have different scenarios with the Topology maps, few of them as follows,

1. Maps do not show any objects( Hosts, Arrays & Switches ).

2. Maps do not show for only for few objects.

3. Maps not being displayed for passively discovered hosts.

4. Maps not being displayed after upgrading to newer version of SRM, etc.

Starting SRM version 3.6, a Diagnostic UI is available for both Topology service and Topology-Mapping-Service, which allows easy access to all diagnostic and recovery features mentioned below.

The diagnostic UI is web based and available via the following URLS:

https:// :48443/Backends/Topology-service/Default/diagnostics/ui

Primary Backend on SRM is where the Topology service is installed.

Topology Mapping Service is installed on each collector installed on SRM and the URL for it is

https:// :48443/Backends/Topology-Mapping-Service/Default/diagnostics/ui

Using the above two links you will be able to find if the raw values for the discovered objects are being polled in SRM and we can troubleshoot accordingly.

Prior to SRM 3.6 we have SPARQL queries to query the topology data.

Thanks & Regards,

Krishna

Hi Sean,

I would like to add more points to Krishna's previous post on troubleshooting.

Starting from 3.6 maps service is removed from frontend host. Frontend will query the Topology db directly and display the maps.

Few points to keep in mind about topology issues:

1. SNIA libraries should be up-to-date on the hosts that is discovered in SRM.

2. Some times Topology mapping service(Collector host) might not be in sync with Topology service (Primary backend)

    i. Synchronization can be manually triggered by using below link:

        https:// :48443/Backends/Topology-Mapping-Service/Default/diagnostics/ui

    ii. Accept the security exception

    iii. Username - admin, Password - changeme

    iv. Click on Resynchronize at the bottom of the page to send the latest data to Topology Service.

3. If you would like to see the objects stored in Topology database, you can query them using this link:

    i. Navigate to this link -   https:// :48443/Backends/Topology-service/Default/diagnostics/ui

    ii. Accept Security Warning

    iii. Username - admin, password-changeme

    iv. Click on Launch Explorer

    v. There would be variety of options in the drop down list.

    vi. For example if you would like to verify the host details

        In Type: select http://ontologies.emc.com/2013/08/srm#Host option

        In Filter By select : http://ontologies.emc.com/2013/08/srm#displayname

        Enter hostname in value field. Click on Object id to view the details.Drill down to see more details.

Troubleshooting:

1. Verify is the correct backend name is specified in collector configuration files:

    cat /opt/APG/Backends/Topology-Mapping-Service/Default/conf/tmsconfig.xml

    Primary Backend Name

2. If the maps are not available you can refresh the topology database by deleting the data folder on Collector host:

    i. Stop all the services on Collector host.

    ii. Navigate to /opt/APG/Backends/Topology-Mapping-Service/Default and remove data folder.

    iii. Restart all the services.

3. Edit /opt/APG/Backends/Topology-Mapping-Service/Default/topology-mapping-service.properties and

    change com.emc.srm.topology.mapping-service.rawValueRDFUpdateManager.ignoreAction=false to true.

     Details about this flag: 

     # Collectors flag each RawValue as either "FORCE_REFRESH" or "NO_ACTION"

     # From the mapping service perspective, this means either "map" or

     # "don't bother mapping", respectively.  If you wish the mapping service to

     # always map regardless of the RawValue flag, then set this flag to true.

    Restart topology mapping service after changing the above flag.

4. If you need support from EMC to troubleshoot topology related issues please open an SR by uploading below logs:

    i. Diagnostic logs from Collector, PBE and Frontend hosts.

    ii. Journal copy from Collector host : /opt/APG/Backends/Topology-Mapping-Service/Default/data/topology/local  

        /LocalStore.jnl

Regards

Gnanendra

How does topology maps work for IBM VIO Servers / Client LPARS. In my case it only displays the Host and does not display the end to end storage connectivity.

What steps can I follow to troubleshoot this issue in detail. Any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks

Vaishak

Did you discover the servers both via the Physical Host SP and the IBM LPAR SP?  You need both to collect all the required information.

Dan

Topology maps related question:

I assume you have added IP address/hostname of both VIO Server and VIO Clients (i.e; LPAR) on discovery center.

  1. If you do not see HBA tables being populated you would need to verify SNIA libs on the host.

  2. Use INQ tool that gets pushed into $USR_HOME. If you do not allow SRM to push INQ on the host, please download them from generic-rsc collector. INQ for correct OS variant (i.e.; AIX 64 bit?) needs to be installed on host. Run the option inq -snia_test to verify whether your SNIA libraries are reported correctly.

SRM will require INQ to identify correct HBA Port WWN values from INQ values to report end to end connectivity on maps.

Disk Information:

Please send support logs from the host; perl ./LunMappingDetection.pl support=/tmp/ _log.txt

Hey Brian,

Please upload the physical host/ibm lpar collector logs along with the information requested by Raghu to the below ftp share.

https://ftp.emc.com/action/login?domain=ftp.emc.com&username=VTTEGIZV5&password=DBAu9FxuA5

This link will be active for 7 days.

Regards

Gnanendra

Hello Gnan,

I have uploaded the Collector Diagnostics and also the logs for IBM LPAR and Generic RSC to the FTP Link.

Thanks a lot for your assistance in this regard.

Vaishak

Hello Vaishak,

I see a lot of errors in the LPAR logs,

" unable to find valid certification path to requested target"

" Error while connecting to WinRM host SSEXMSP1.gwl.bz"

"PKIX path building failed: sun.security.provider.certpath.SunCertPathBuilderException: unable to find valid certification path to requested target."

Did you run the option "inq-snia_test" to verify whether your SNIA libraries are reported correctly ? share the output of this command as well.

This need a detailed investigation, I would request you to open a SR with "EMC Support", we need to document all these issues. Once the SR is opened, please email me the SR number @ Krishna.yalamanchi@emc.com, I will take it further.

Also please send support logs from the host:

perl ./LunMappingDetection.pl support=/tmp/ _log.txt.

Thanks & Regards,

Krishna

This Ask the Expert event has officially ended, but don't let that retract you from asking more questions. At this point our SME are still welcomed to answer and continue the discussion though not required. Here is where we ask our community members to chime in and assist other users if they're able to provide information.

Many thanks to our SMEs who selflessly made themselves available to answer questions. We also appreciate our users for taking part of the discussion and ask so many interesting questions.

ATE events are made for your benefit as members of ECN. If you’re interested in pitching a topic or Subject Matter Experts we would be interested in hearing it. To learn more on what it takes to start an event please visit our Ask the Expert Program Space on ECN.

Thanks for leaving this open for questions.

I am trying to get topology working on a Linux host.  When I run "inq -snia_test", I get the following error:

!!! SNIA INITIALIZATION FAILED - THIS CONFIGURATION MAY BE UNSUPPORTED !!!

This is running on an RHEL 6.7 system.  I have verified that libHBAAPI.so.2 is in /usr/lib64.

Am I missing a configuration step?  This seems to be the only thing I'm missing to get topology working for my hosts.

Thanks.