3.5 Oracle Exalytics

This section explains the features and tasks specific to Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics.

• Scope and Supported Platforms for Running Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics
  Oracle EXAchk for Oracle Exalytics is a health check tool that audits important configuration settings within an Oracle Exalytics machine.
• Prerequisites for Running Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics
  
• Installing Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics
  Follow these procedures to install Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics.
• Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics Usage
  Oracle EXAchk runs the appropriate collections and audit checks based on the status of the components.
• Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics Output
  Identify the checks that you must act immediately to remediate, or investigate further to assess the checks that might cause performance or stability issues.
• Running Subsets of Checks
  You can run Oracle EXAchk using a specific profile. A profile contains selective sets of checks pertaining to specific components.
• Troubleshooting Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics
  Troubleshoot and fix issues related to Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics.

3.5.1 Scope and Supported Platforms for Running Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics

Oracle EXAchk for Oracle Exalytics is a health check tool that audits important configuration settings within an Oracle Exalytics machine.

Oracle EXAchk examines the following components:

• Server

• Operating System, Firmware, BIOS

• Ethernet network, InfiniBand switches

• RAM, hard disks

• Software installed on the machine - OBIEE and TimesTen

Run Oracle EXAchk in the following conditions:

• Before and after deploying an Oracle Exalytics machine

• As part of the monthly maintenance program for an Oracle Exalytics machine

• Before and after making any changes in the system configuration

• Before and after any planned maintenance activity

• For troubleshooting hardware or software failures

• For troubleshooting performance degradation

Supported Platforms

• Machine: Oracle Exalytics In-Memory Machine

• Operating systems: Oracle Exalytics Base Image 1.0.0.5.0 and later

Note:

Virtualization is not supported for Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics.

3.5.2 Prerequisites for Running Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics

1. If OBIEE was not installed by Domain Management Utility (DOMU), then you must set the RAT_BI_HOMES environment variable before running Oracle EXAchk.

   $ export RAT_BI_HOMES=location of BI Middleware homes

2. Specify multiple BI homes installed on the machine in a space-delimited list.

   For example:

   $ export RAT_BI_HOMES=/u01/app/oracle/product/fmw /u02/app/oracle/product/fmw

   Note:

   If you run Oracle EXAchk using the TimesTen profile, then you need not set the RAT_BI_HOMES environment variable.
3. To view Oracle EXAchk related environment variables that are already configured on the system:

   $ env | grep RAT

3.5.3 Installing Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics

Follow these procedures to install Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics.

1. Log in to the machine as the root user.
2. Create a directory to hold the Oracle EXAchk binaries.
   For example:

   $ mkdir /opt/exalytics/exachk

3. Go to the /opt/exalytics/exachk directory.
4. Download the exachk.zip file to the /opt/exalytics/exachk directory.
5. Extract the contents of the exachk.zip file.

   $ unzip exachk.zip

3.5.4 Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics Usage

Oracle EXAchk runs the appropriate collections and audit checks based on the status of the components.

1. Log in to the machine as the root user.
2. Go to the directory where you installed Oracle EXAchk.

   For example:

   $ cd /opt/exalytics/exachk

3. Start Oracle EXAchk.

   $ ./exachk

Oracle EXAchk checks the status of the components of the Oracle Exalytics machine. Depending on the status of each component, the tool runs the appropriate collections and audit checks. When Oracle EXAchk completes the health check, it produces an HTML report and a zip file. You can use the zip file to log a service request with My Oracle Support.

Note:

Do not rename any of the Oracle EXAchk output report files or folders.

3.5.5 Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics Output

Identify the checks that you must act immediately to remediate, or investigate further to assess the checks that might cause performance or stability issues.

The following is specific to Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics:

Oracle EXAchk Summary

This section of the report summarizes the key data collected from the Oracle EXAchk environment:

• Operating system and Kernel version

• System identifier

• Base image version

• Compute node name

• Version of Oracle EXAchk

• Version of TimesTen

• Collection folder

• Date when the check was run

Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics Message Definitions

Table 3-11 Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics Message Definitions

Message Status	Description or Possible Impact	Action to be Taken
FAIL	Shows checks that did not pass due to issues.	Address the issue immediately.
WARNING	Shows checks that might cause performance or stability issues if not addressed.	Investigate the issue further.
INFO	Indicates information about the system.	Read the information displayed in these checks and follow the instructions provided, if any.

3.5.6 Running Subsets of Checks

You can run Oracle EXAchk using a specific profile. A profile contains selective sets of checks pertaining to specific components.

To run Oracle EXAchk using a profile:

$ ./exachk -profile profile_name

Oracle supports the following profiles for Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics:

Table 3-12 Profiles Supported for Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics

Profile	Description
obiee	Using this profile, you can run Oracle EXAchk to do a selective check of the OBIEE software component.
timesten	Using this profile, you can run Oracle EXAchk to do a selective check of the TimesTen software component.

3.5.7 Troubleshooting Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics

Troubleshoot and fix issues related to Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics.

If you face any problems running Oracle EXAchk, then create a service request through My Oracle Support.

Refer to My Oracle Support Note 1566134.1 for the latest known issues specific to Oracle EXAchk on Oracle Exalytics.

• Runtime Command Timeouts
  
• Error Messages in exachk_error.log
  

3.5.7.1 Runtime Command Timeouts

Description: During the health check process, if a particular compute node, storage server, or switch does not respond to the health check command within a pre-defined duration, Oracle EXAchk terminates that command.

Cause: To prevent the program from freezing, Oracle EXAchk automatically terminates commands that exceed default timeouts. On a busy system, Oracle EXAchk terminates commands when the target of the check does not respond within the default timeout.

Action: To avoid runtime command timeouts from occurring during health checks, ensure that you run the tool when there is least load on the system.

3.5.7.2 Error Messages in exachk_error.log

Description: Most of these errors do not indicate any serious problems with Oracle EXAchk or the system.

Action: To prevent these errors from appearing on the screen and cluttering the display, Oracle EXAchk directs them to the exachk_error.log file. You need not report any of these errors to Oracle Support.