Document fins/I0555-1

FIN #: I0555-1

SYNOPSIS: Automatic ap_reboot feature has been disabled within EDD/Alternate
          Pathing configuration.

DATE: 02/23/00

KEYWORDS: Automatic ap_reboot feature has been disabled within EDD/Alternate
          Pathing configuration.


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- Sun Proprietary/Confidential: Internal Use Only -
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                            FIELD INFORMATION NOTICE
                  (For Authorized Distribution by SunService)



SYNOPSIS:  Automatic ap_reboot feature has been disabled within 
           EDD/Alternate Pathing configuration. 


TOP FIN/FCO REPORT: Yes


PRODUCT_REFERENCE:  E10000 SSP Alternate Pathing


PRODUCT CATEGORY: Server / SW Admin 


PRODUCTS AFFECTED: 

Mkt_ID   Platform   Model   Description               Serial Number 
------   --------   -----   -----------               ------------- 

Systems Affected
----------------

  -      E10000     ALL     Ultra Enterprise 10000          -


PART NUMBERS AFFECTED:


REFERENCES:

BugID:		4247481,4252609,4291172,4265626
Patch:		106190,108134,108544
Documents:	AP User's Guide (Part No. 805-5444-10)	


PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:

With ssp 3.1, Alternate Pathing (AP) enabled and 106190 patch
installed, very large I/O configured domains could be abruptly
interrupted and forced to reboot repeatedly causing an infinite loop
when AP is enabled.  This would sometimes lead to filesystem damage and
OS recovery. BugId 4265626 documents this issue.

The Open Boot Prom (OBP) booting action script is running when the boot
process goes into the OBP booting state.  There is a 10 minute timer
that determines whether OBP is hung.  If the timer expires and the state
is still in OBP booting, the ap_reboot_host script will run if
Alternate Pathing (AP) is configured.  

SSP 3.1 patch 106190 was released to address a problem (bugId
4252609) where the SSP Event Detection Daemon (EDD) would not detect
and reboot a domain that has failed to boot beyond OBP. The fix in the
patch attempted to calculate and configure the approximate OBP boot
time and retry a bringup if it took too long. However, the timings
could be mis-calculated which could abruptly interrupt and force the
domain to reboot in an infinite loop and consequently lead to
filesystem damage and OS recovery. For this reason, the patch was
pulled back and removed from Sunsolve.

As the fix to bugID 4252609, the new patch modifications integrated
into ssp 3.1, 3.1.1, 3.2, is to remove the timer from the OBP booting
action script.  This in effect removes the automatic ap_reboot feature
as described in the AP User's Guide (see the "AP Boot Sequence" section
in the Sun Enterprise Server Alternate Pathing User's Guide).

IMPLEMENTATION: 
 
         ---
        |   |   MANDATORY (Fully Pro-Active)
         ---    
         
  
         ---
        | X |   CONTROLLED PRO-ACTIVE (per Sun Geo Plan) 
         --- 
         
                                
         ---
        |   |   REACTIVE (As Required)
         ---


CORRECTIVE ACTION: 

The following recommendation is provided as a guideline for authorized
Enterprise Services Field Representatives and Enterprise Customers to
prevent the above problem from occurring;

Install the following SSP release patchIDs:

106190 (SSP 3.1)
108134 (SSP 3.1.1)
108544 (SSP 3.2)

In case the above boot failure is encountered, the workaround is to
manually execute ap_reboot_host in order to boot the alternate path
when a boot failure occurs.

The syntax for ap_reboot_host is:

ap_reboot_host -d <domain_name> 


COMMENTS:
 
A general solution is being developed to re-enable the automatic
ap_reboot feature. The status of this development can be tracked in
bugId 4291172.


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Implementation Footnote:

i)   In case of MANDATORY FINs, Enterprise Services will attempt to    
     contact all affected customers to recommend implementation of 
     the FIN. 
   
ii)  For CONTROLLED PROACTIVE FINs, Enterprise Services mission critical    
     support teams will recommend implementation of the FIN  (to their  
     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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