Document fins/I0541-2


FIN #: I0541-2

SYNOPSIS: Restrictions on multi-initiator config using FC100/P card on A5x00

DATE: Aug/02/00

KEYWORDS: Restrictions on multi-initiator config using FC100/P card on A5x00


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                            FIELD INFORMATION NOTICE
                  (For Authorized Distribution by SunService)



SYNOPSIS:  Restrictions on multi-initiator config when using FC100/P
           PCI FCAL-initiator card, and A5X00 Storage Array.


Sun Alert:          No

TOP FIN/FCO REPORT: No

PRODUCT_REFERENCE:  Multi hosted PCI FCAL failures

PRODUCT CATEGORY:   Storage / Service


PRODUCTS AFFECTED:

Mkt_ID   Platform   Model   Description          Serial Number
------   --------   -----   -----------          -------------
Systems Affected
----------------
   -       A20       ALL    Ultra 450                  -
   -       A25       ALL    Ultra Enterprise 450       -
   -       A26       ALL    Enterprise 250             -


NOTE: All Sun SPARC platforms using PCI FC100/P card.  This may
      include any Sun SPARC platform fitted with PCI expansion bus.

X-Options Affected
------------------
X6729A         -      -    FC-AL PCI Card (FC100/P)                   -
X2652A       E3500    -    FC-AL Interface Board                      -
X6731A         -      -    FC-AL GBIC Module 100MB/s                  -
SG-XARY51%   A5000    -    Sun StorEdge A5000 14-Drive FC-AL Arrays   -
SG-XARY01%   A5000    -    Sun StorEdge A5000 14-Drive FC-AL Arrays   -
SG-XARY53%   A5100    -    Sun StorEdge A5100 14-Drive FC-AL Arrays   -
SG-XARY52%   A5200    -    Sun StorEdge A5200 22-Drive FC-AL Arrays   -


PART NUMBERS AFFECTED:

Part Number   Description       Model
-----------   -----------       -----
375-0040-04   FC-AL PCI Card      -


REFERENCES:

BugId:  4243157 - Multi-hosted PCI fcal A5000 breaks mirrors when one 
                  node is rebooted.
ESC:    520843 
        523486


PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:

 -----------------
|FROM FIN I0541-1:|
 -----------------
A problem may occur with FCAL loop comprising A5x00 storage array and
at least two (2) host connections to the same A5x00 (i.e.
Multi-initiator) where one of the host connections is through the PCI
FC100/P initiator card and no intervening hub or switch is involved,
and where both host-connections are on the same loop.

The symptoms appear when the PCI FC100/P card equipped host is either
halted, powered down, or during reboot.
	
During the reboot of the PCI FC100/P equipped host, the other host with
FCAL initiator-card on the loop may experience the loop going offline
permanently, mirrors or metadisks being broken.  Messages files may be
filled with LIP messages.

Sample error messages:

Dec  8 05:18:17 name unix: transport rejected (-2)
Dec  8 05:18:17 name unix:
Dec  8 05:18:17 name unix: WARNING: /pci@4,4000/SUNW,
                           ifp@4/ssd@w2100002037141659,0 (ssd32)
Dec  8 05:18:17 name unix: transport rejected (-2)
Dec  8 05:18:17 name unix:
Dec  8 05:18:18 name unix: ifp0:    LIP occured
Dec  8 05:18:18 name unix: ifp0:    Loop up
Dec  8 05:18:18 name unix: ifp0:    Loop reconfigure in progress
Dec  8 05:18:18 name unix: ifp0:    Loop reconfigure done
Dec  8 08:17:41 name unix: ifp0:    Loop down
Dec  8 08:17:46 name unix: ifp0:    LIP reset occured
Dec  8 08:17:46 name last message repeated 1 time
Dec  8 08:17:46 name unix: ifp0:    LIP occured
Dec  8 08:17:46 name unix: ifp0:    Loop up
Dec  8 08:17:46 name unix: ifp0:    Loop reconfigure in progress
Dec  8 08:17:46 name unix: ifp0:    Loop reconfigure done
Dec  8 08:18:23 name unix: ifp0:    LIP reset occured
Dec  8 08:18:23 name unix: ifp0:    LIP occured
Dec  8 08:18:24 name unix: ifp0:    LIP reset occured
Dec  8 08:18:24 name unix: ifp0:    LIP occured
Dec  8 08:18:24 name unix: ifp0:    Loop reconfigure in progress
Dec  8 08:18:24 name unix: ifp0:    Loop reconfigure done

NOTE: The A5X00 Front-Panel-Module may display the loop-connection
     "lightning bolt" icon as having a flickering or unsteady status.

NOTE: The A5X00 Front-Panel-Module's "node-count" display, may show
      0 (zero) nodes on the affected loop, during the bootup.

The root-cause of this issue is an incompatibility between the PCI
FC100/P card, and the IB-card on the A5X00 Storage Array.  The FC100/P 
card, and the IB-card, have conflicting concept of "loop up" status.
This may cause the IB-card to conclude that a loop connection to the 
FC100/P card is up and in healthy state, when in fact the FC100/P card 
is down or being rebooted or firmware reloaded and not passing on
Fibre-Channel packets across the network.

All currently shipping FC100/P cards, and all currently shipping
StorEdge A5X00 IB-cards, are affected.

 -----------------------
|UPDATE FOR FIN I0541-2:|
 -----------------------

The Corrective Action on FIN I0541-1 provides two different options 
or solutions to the above mentioned problems as follows:

      OPTION-1: The FC100/P card is the only Initiator on any one loop       
                where Sun A5x00 Storage Array are direct connected.

      OPTION-2: A Sun FCAL hub is placed between the FC100/P card(s), 
                and the A5X00 Storage Array.  In this case, more than 
                one host-adapter on the same loop, may be used. 

.  Due to resistance from the Field over the cost of implementation,
   OPTION-2 has been removed from the Corrective Action.  This option
   would have required the customer to purchase and connect a hub to
   the A5x00 Storage Array.  The Corrective Action now recommends only 
   OPTION-1 for avoiding this FC100/P card problem.

This restriction is advantageous from high-availability/RAS point of
view since having each host on a separate loop removes a single point
Of failure (SPOF) in Multi Initiator configurations.


IMPLEMENTATION:

         ---
        |   |   MANDATORY (Fully Pro-Active)
         ---


         ---
        |   |   CONTROLLED PRO-ACTIVE (per Sun Geo Plan)
         ---


         ---
        | X |   REACTIVE (As Required)
         ---


CORRECTIVE ACTION:

Enterprise Customers and Authorized Enterprise Field Service
Representatives that use or install multi-initiator configurations as
described in BugId 4243157, should note the following recommendations
in order to avoid the encountering above mentioned problem:

A new restriction is placed on the use of Sun PCI FC100/P
FCAL-initiator host adapter card (option 6729A) with Sun A5X00 Storage
Array (see option list above) in multi-initiator configurations where
no hub or switch is used.    

EXAMPLE:

  If an FC100/P card is used on the A-loop of a particular direct-connect
  A5x00 StorEdge Array, then another host and/or initiator card may
  be connected to the B-loop only of that A5x00 StorEdge Array - the
  second host may not share the A-loop with the FC100/P card.


COMMENTS:

None

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Implementation Footnote:

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     respective accounts), at the convenience of the customer.

iii) For REACTIVE FINs, Enterprise Services will implement the FIN as the
     need arises.
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