How to run the Support Tool on IBM i

This article is now available in our new Knowledge Base: How to run the Support Tool on IBM i

Issue

An issue occurred with Zend Server that needs further research.  The support tool provides logs and settings that we can review without having to tie the customer up in a remote session.

Environment

Zend Server for IBM i Version 6 or higher running on any supported version of IBM i

Resolution

To run the Support Tool, please log in with a *SECOFR class user profile, go to a 5250 command line, and go to the Zend Server menu:

Zend Server 9 or 2018:

go zendphp7/zsmaint

Zend Server 8.5.3 to current version of 8.x:

go zendsvr6/zsmaint

Zend Server 6, 7, or 8 prior to 8.5.3:

go zendsvr6/zsmenu

For Zend Server versions 8.5.3 or higher, please use option "40. Run Support Tool".

For previous Zend Server versions, please use option "3. Run Support Tool".

A job named ZSVR_REP will be submitted.  You should be able to find this job by using this command on the command entry line in the menu: 

wrksbmjob *job

Please allow this job to complete.  In the Work with Job menu, please use option "4. Work with spooled files."  There should be a QPRINT spool file containing a single page telling the path and name of the archive file.  The following notes tell how the file should be named, but the best thing is to look at the report to see the actual file name output by the job.

Starting at version 9.1.2, the Support Tool archive output will be in a file named according to this pattern:

/tmp/ZSST_VERSION_$TIMESTAMP.tar.gz

VERSION will be replaced with the numeric version.  $TIMESTAMP will be replaced by the actual timestamp. For example, if the Support tool was run for version 9.1.2 on December 6, 20173 at 17:50:13, the file would be:

/tmp/ZSST_9.1.2_2017-12-06-175013.tar.gz

For versions prior to 9.1.2, the Support Tool archive output will be in a file named according to this pattern:

/tmp/zend_server_report_bug_$TIMESTAMP.tar.gz

$TIMESTAMP will be replaced by the actual timestamp. For example, if the Support tool was run on July 2, 2013 at 14:15:43, the file would be:

/tmp/zend_server_report_bug_070213141543.tar.gz

When opening a case with Zend Support, please include this file as an attachment.  If responding to an email sent to you from an existing Support case, please attach this file as an email attachment on your response. One easy way to do this is to use iSeries Navigator to locate the file in the Integrated File System, then drag the file out of Navigator onto your desktop, then drag the file from your desktop into your case submission form or email reply.

Note:  If the output file is too big to send, it is likely that the php.log file has become too big.  Here is an article that can help you keep the php.log file from becoming too large:

php.log rotation for IBM i