XCAT_Commands

• xCAT Commands and Database Tables
  • Database support
  • Hardware Control
  • Monitoring
  • Inventory
  • Parallel Commands
  • Deployment
  • csm to xCAT migration tools
  • Kit commands
  • Others

xCAT Commands and Database Tables

Note: some of these commands run on Linux and AIX, some are targeted only for AIX or Linux.

Database support

• DB Tables - Complete list of xCAT database tables descriptions.
• chdef - Change xCAT data object definitions.
• chtab - Add, delete or update rows in the database tables.
• dumpxCATdb - dumps entire xCAT database.
• gettab - searches through tables with keys and return matching attributes.
• lsdef - used to display xCAT object definitions which are stored in the xCAT database.
• lsflexnode - Displays the information of a flexible node. ( 2.5 or later)
• mkdef - used to create xCAT data object definitions.
• mkflexnode - Create a flexible node. ( 2.5 or later)
• mkrrbc - Adds or deletes BladeCenter management module and switch node definitions in the xCAT cluster database.
• mkrrnodes - adds or deletes nodes in the xCAT cluster database. Allows creation/deletion of many nodes at once.
• nodeadd - Adds nodes to the xCAT cluster database.
• nodech - Changes nodes' attributes in the xCAT cluster database.
• nodels - lists the nodes, and their attributes, from the xCAT database.
• noderm - removes the nodes in the noderange from all database table.
• restorexCATdb - restore the xCAT database.
• rmdef - remove xCAT data object definitions.
• rmflexnode - Remove a flexible node. ( 2.5 or later)
• runsqlcmd - Runs sql commands input from a file against the currect xCAT DB ( 2.5 or later)
• tabdump - display an xCAT database table in CSV format.
• tabedit - view an xCAT database table in an editor and make changes.
• tabgrep - list table names in which an entry for the given node appears.
• tabprune - delete records from the eventlog and auditlog tables (2.4 or later).
• tabrestore - replaces the contents of an xCAT database table with the contents in a csv file.
• xcatstanzafile - Format of a stanza file that can be used with xCAT data object definition commands.

Hardware Control

• getmacs - Collects node MAC address.
• lshwconn - Display the connection status for FSP and BPA nodes (2.3)
• lsslp - Discovers selected networked services information within the same subnet.
• lsvm - Lists partition profile information for HMC- and IVM-managed nodes.
• mkhwconn - Sets up connections for FSP and BPA nodes to HMC nodes (2.3).
• nodestat - display the running status of a noderange
• rbeacon - Turns beacon on/off/blink or gives status of a node or noderange.
• rcons - remotely accesses the serial console of a node.
• renergy - remote energy management tools (2.3)
• replaycons - replay the console output for a node
• reventlog - retrieve or clear remote hardware event logs
• rflash - Performs Licensed Internal Code (LIC) update support for HMC-attached P5/P6
• rmhwconn - Remove the connections from the FSP and BPA nodes to the HMC nodes (2.3).
• rmigrate - Execute migration of a guest VM between hosts/hypervisors .
• rmvm - Removes HMC- and IVM-managed partitions.
• rnetboot - Cause the range of nodes to boot to network.
• rpower - remote power control of nodes
• rscan - Collects node information from one or more hardware control points.
• rsetboot - Sets the boot device to be used for BMC-based servers for the next boot only.
• rspconfig - configures various settings in the nodes' service processors.
• rspreset - resets the service processors associated with the specified nodes
• switchblade - reassign the BladeCenter media tray and/or KVM to the specified blade
• wcons - windowed remote console
• wkill - kill windowed remote consoles

Monitoring

• monadd - Registers a monitoring plug-in to the xCAT cluster.
• moncfg - Configures a 3rd party monitoring software to monitor the xCAT cluster.
• mondecfg - Deconfigures a 3rd party monitoring software from monitoring the xCAT cluster.
• monls - Lists monitoring plug-in modules that can be used to monitor the xCAT cluster.
• monrm - Unregisters a monitoring plug-in module from the xCAT cluster.
• monstart - Starts a plug-in module to monitor the xCAT cluster.
• monstop - Stops a monitoring plug-in module to monitor the xCAT cluster.
• regnotif - Registers a Perl module or a command that will get called when changes occur in the desired xCAT database tables.
• unregnotif - unregister a Perl module or a command that was watching for the changes of the desired xCAT database tables.

Inventory

• rinv - remote hardware inventory.
• rvitals - retrieves remote hardware vitals information.
• sinv - Checks the software configuration of the nodes in the cluster.

Parallel Commands

• pcons - runs a command on the noderange using the out-of-band console.
• pping - parallel ping.
• ppping - parallel ping between nodes in a cluster.
• prsync - parallel rsync
• pscp - parallel remote copy ( supports scp and not hierarchy)
• psh - parallel remote shell ( supports ssh and not hierarchy)
• pasu - parallel ASU utility
• xdcp - concurrently copies files too and from multiple nodes. ( scp/rcp and hierarchy)
• xdsh - concurrently runs commands on multiple nodes. ( supports ssh/rsh and hierarchy)
• xdshbak- formats the output of the xdsh command.
• xcoll - Formats command output of the psh, xdsh, rinv command

Deployment

• copycds-cdrom - client side wrapper for copycds supporting physical drives.
• copycds - Copies Linux distributions and service levels from CDs to install directory.
• genimage - Generates a stateless image to be used for a diskless install.
• geninitrd - Regenerates the initrd for a stateless image to be used for a diskless install.
• imgexport - Exports an xCAT image (2.5+)
• imgimport - Imports an xCAT image or configuration file into the xCAT tables (2.5+)
• liteimg - Modify statelite image
• mkdsklsnode - xCAT command to define and initialize AIX/NIM diskless machines.
• mknimimage - xCAT command to create AIX image definitions.
• makeroutes - connect nodes to the Management Node using Service node as gateway. ( 2.5+)
• mknb - creates a network boot root image for node discovery and flashing
• nimnodecust - xCAT command to customize AIX/NIM standalone machines.
• nimnodeset - xCAT command to initialize AIX/NIM standalone machines.
• nodeset - set the boot state for a noderange
• packimage - Packs the stateless image from the chroot file system.
• rbootseq - Persistently sets the order of boot devices for BladeCenter blades.
• rinstall - Begin installation on a noderange
• rmdsklsnode - Use this xCAT command to remove AIX/NIM diskless machine definitions.
• rmnimimage - xCAT command to remove an xCAT osimage definition and the associated NIM resources.
• setupiscsidev - creates a LUN for a node to boot up with, using iSCSI.
• snmove - moves nodes from one Service Node to another. ( 2.5 or later)
• updateSNimage - (No longer used) Adds the needed Service Node configuration files to the install image.
• updatenode - Reruns postsctipts or runs additional scripts on the nodes.
• winstall - Begin installation on a noderange and display in wcons
• xcat2nim - Use this command to create and manage AIX NIM definitions based on xCAT object definitions.
• xcatchroot- Use this command to modify an xCAT AIX diskless operating system image. (2.5)
• chkosimage- Use this command to check an osimage. (2.5 or later)

csm to xCAT migration tools

• csm2xcat-Migrates a CSM database to a xCAT database.
• cfm2xcat - (2.3+)Migrates a CSM cfmupdatenode set to the xdcp -F sync files setup in xCAT.
• groupfiles4dsh- Creates a directory of nodegroup files to be used with AIX dsh.

Kit commands

• lskit- Lists information for one or more Kits.

Others

• lsxcatd - query xcatd daemon (2.6+)
• makedhcp - Creates new dhcp configuration files and updates live dhcp configuration using omapi.
• makedns - sets up domain name services (DNS) from the entries in /etc/hosts.
• makehosts - sets up /etc/hosts from the xCAT hosts table.
• makeconservercf - creates the conserver.cf configuration file and stops and starts conserver.
• makeknownhosts - creates a ssh known_hosts file from the input node range.
• makenetworks - populates the xCAT networks table, using network information from the local system
• mysqlsetup - automatically setup of the MySQL database and xCAT to use MySql.
• noderange - Supported syntax for compactly expressing a list of node names.
• pgsqlsetup - ( 2.5 or later)automatically setup of the PostgreSQL database and xCAT to use PostgreSQL.
• xcatconfig - setups up MN during install. Can be used to reinitialize keys, credentials, site table after install.
• xcatd - xCAT daemon
• xcatstart - Starts the xCAT daemon (xcatd) on AIX ( removed in xCAT2.4)
• xcatstop - Stops the xCAT daemon (xcatd) on AIX. (removed in xCAT2.4)
• restartxcatd - restart the xCAT daemon (xcatd) on AIX. (xCAT2.4 or later)
• xcatchroot - AIX command (2.4+) to modify an xCAT diskless operating system image.
• xCATWorld - Sample client program for xCAT.
• xpbsnodes - PBS pbsnodes front-end for a noderange.
• Summary of xCAT Commands