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Understanding the cl-support Output File

The cl-support script generates a compressed archive file of useful information for troubleshooting. The system either creates the archive file automatically or you can create the archive file manually.

Automatic cl-support File

The system creates the cl-support archive file automatically for the following reasons:

  • When there is a core dump file for any application (not specific to Cumulus Linux, but something all Linux distributions support), located in /var/support/core.
  • When one of the monitored services fails for the first time after you reboot or power cycle the switch.

Manual cl-support File

To create the cl-support archive file manually, run the cl-support command:

cumulus@switch:~$ sudo cl-support

If the Cumulus Linux support team requests that you submit the output from cl-support to investigate issues you experience, and you need to include security-sensitive information, such as the sudoers file, use the -s option:

cumulus@switch:~$ sudo cl-support -s

cl-support Script Options

OptionDescription
-h:Display the available cl-support script options with a description.
-c:Run only modules matching core files (if no -e modules).
-D:Display debugging information.
-d:Do not run modules in the provided comma separated list.
-e:Only run modules in the provided comma separated list. -e all runs all modules and submodules, including all optional modules.
-j:Create json output files for modules, where supported.
-l:List the available modules, then exit.
-M:Do not set a timeout for modules. Use this option with -T.
-m:Run modules serially and set the module memory limit in MB; -m 0 runs serially without limits.
-p:Add a prefix to the cl-support archive file name.
-r:Provide the reason for running the cl-support script. You must enclose the reason in quotes.
-S:Use a different output directory than the default /var/support.
-s:Include security sensitive information, such as the sudoers file.
-T:Set the timeout in seconds for creating the cl-support archive file. 0 disables the timeout.
-t:Provide a tag string as part of the cl-support archive file name.
-v:Run in verbose mode to display status messages.

cl-support Examples

The following example does not run the cl-support script on the ptp4l.ptp4l and what-just-happened.wjh modules.

cumulus@switch:~$ sudo cl-support -d ptp4l.ptp4l,what-just-happened.wjh
cl-support: cl-support is running without memory limits
Please send /var/support/cl_support_leaf01_20240214_183635.txz to Cumulus support.

The following example runs the cl-support script and displays debugging information:

cumulus@switch:~$ sudo cl-support -D
DEBUG: Memory headroom set as 256MB
DEBUG: Available memory 576MB
DEBUG: Allowed memory consumption calculated at 320MB
DEBUG: Using calculated memory limit
DEBUG: Last parallel mode archive creation used 4MB
DEBUG: /usr/bin/systemd-run -q -P -G -p MemoryMax=320M /usr/bin/time -v -o /tmp/tmp.f8L5l6odWn /usr/lib/cumulus/cl-support -D
DEBUG: run_timeout 90 synced
...

The following example runs the cl-support script, lists available modules, then exits.

cumulus@switch:~$ sudo cl-support -l
Default modules: synced.synced ptp4l.ptp4l what-just-happened.wjh
   gdb.coreinfo openvswitch.dump ptmd.ptm switchd.mlx switchd.stack
   switchd.fuse clag.clag network.kernel network.ifquery network.sfp
   network.sfphex network.net_use network.ifupdown2_policy dot1x.config
   system.versions system.logs system.systemd system.dmesg system.hwinfo
   system.memory_use system.configs system.pkg system.misc system.uefi
   system.time frr.frr neighmgr.neighmgr nvue.config lldp.lldp
Optional modules: switchd.verbose clag.clagkerneldB system.pkgverify
   frr.ospftable frr.ospf6table frr.evpntable frr.bgptable nclu.config

The following example adds a prefix to the generated cl-support archive file name:

cumulus@switch:~$ sudo cl-support -p myprefix
Please send /var/support/myprefix_support_leaf01_20240214_184135.txz to Cumulus support.

The following example provides the reason for running the cl-support script:

cumulus@switch:~$ sudo cl-support -r "switchd crash"
Please send /var/support/cl_support_leaf01_20240214_184806.txz to Cumulus support.

For information on the directories included in the cl-support archive, see: