Applies to:
Oracle Database - Enterprise Edition - Version 7.0.16.0 and later
Generic UNIX
Checked for relevance on 08-FEB-2013
Purpose

To identify the Unix command necessary to trace Unix system calls for a process.
Scope

This article is intended for use by any Unix user who needs to provide Oracle Support with O/S level trace information from a process.  The commands listed here may be not generally available within the operating system, and so you should consult your hardware/Operating System supplier to purchase/license use of these tools if they are not available.
Details
How to Trace Unix System Calls for a Process

The following platforms support a trace utility that can be used to identify what a process is doing:

O/S Version

Trace Utility

Oracle/Sun Solaris, Unixware 7.0

truss, e.g.:

$ truss -aefo

$ truss -rall -wall -p

HP/UX 11

tusc, e.g.:

$ tusc -afpo  

(See: http://hpux.connect.org.uk/hppd/hpux/Sysadmin/tusc-8.0/)

IBM AIX 4.x

trace, e.g.:

Log on as root.

# trace -a -L 4000000 -T 2000000 -o ./trace.out;

# owsctl start admin

# trcstop

# trcrpt -O exec=on,pid=on trace.out > trcrpt.1

Or if present sctrace, e.g.:

$ sctrace -Amo

$ prpt -p

Note:

'sctrace' has been discontinued by Veritas Software

Corporation Inc. (formerly The Kernel Group Inc)

as off Jan. 8, 2002.

IBM AIX 5L

truss, e.g.:

$ truss -aefo

Linux

strace, ktrace/kdump, ltrace e.g.:

$ strace -fo

SGI IRIX 6.x

par, e.g.:

$ par -siSSo

HP Tru64 Unix

trace or truss, e.g.:

$ trace -fo

$ truss -aefo

Apple Mac OS X

ktrace/kdump, e.g.:

$ script kdump.out

$ /usr/bin/ktrace -adi

$ /usr/bin/kdump

$ exit

$ more kdump.out

Sequent Dynix/PTX

truss, e.g.:

$ truss -aefo

Data General DG/UX R4.20MU06

dg_trace, e.g.:

$ dg_strace -fxto [] [-p ]


References
NOTE:1812.1 - TECH: Getting a Stack Trace from a CORE file on Unix

NOTE:314533.1 - Installing TUSC for HP-UX 11.00, 11.11,11.23,11.31(PA-RISC and Itanium) on the fly as a non-root user
NOTE:28588.1 - TECH: Using Truss / Trace on Unix