AIX Error Log Customization
AIX has a very flexible error logging daemon to log hardware and software errors. The log is typically accessed with the
errpt command.
Unfortunately, checking the log is a manual process. Using some custom ODM entries, we can cause AIX to run commands in response to errors, which can then be used for notification.
Below I document a simple configuration which uses the ODM to log each error entry to syslog, and forward the complete entry via email.
Basic ODM Commands
- To check whats already there:
odmget -q"en_name LIKE 'ZZZ_*'" errnotify
- To backup the current contents of the errnotify ODM:
odmget errnotify > errnotify.backup
A restore would involve a deletion of all entries, and then
adding back the backup file contents.
- To add the error notify customizations, where stanzas are in file
custom_odm_additions:
odmadd custom_odm_additions
- To remove all customizations (ZZZ_*):
odmdelete -o errnotify -q"en_name LIKE 'ZZZ_*'"
- To test a given error label:
echo "ERROR_LABEL\nTESTING" | /usr/lib/ras/ras_logger
- To update the customizations:
First, remove all customizations.
Then, repeat customization.
ODM Entries
- Make Errdaemon log entry type and number to syslog
errnotify:
en_pid = 0
en_name = "ZZZ_syslog_err"
en_persistenceflg = 1
en_method = "/usr/bin/logger AIX Error $1 $4 $3 $9"
- Mail each error entry to root, ideally where root's email is forwarded to the administrator.
errnotify:
en_pid = 0
en_name = "ZZZ_mail_err"
en_persistenceflg = 1
en_method = "errpt -a -l $1 | mail -s \"Errpt $1 $4 $3 $9\" root"
Command line arguments to ODM methods
Quoted from:
http://inetsd01.boulder.ibm.com/doc_link/en_US/a_doc_lib/aixprggd/genprogc/error_notice.htm
| Argument | Value |
|---|
| $1 | Sequence number |
| $2 | Error ID |
| $3 | Class |
| $4 | Type |
| $5 | Alert flags value |
| $6 | Resource name |
| $7 | Resource type |
| $8 | Resource class |
| $9 | Error label |
References
A detailed overview of using the ODM for error reporting -
http://www.blacksheepnetworks.com/security/resources/aix-error-notification.html
to top