Document fins/I0738-1
FIN #: I0738-1
SYNOPSIS: Access to raw partitions on A1000/A3x00/A3500FC LUN's by non-root
users is not allowed with some patch levels of RM 6.22 and RM6.22.1
DATE: Nov/16/01
KEYWORDS: Access to raw partitions on A1000/A3x00/A3500FC LUN's by non-root
users is not allowed with some patch levels of RM 6.22 and RM6.22.1
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- Sun Proprietary/Confidential: Internal Use Only -
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FIELD INFORMATION NOTICE
(For Authorized Distribution by SunService)
SYNOPSIS: Access to raw partitions on A1000/A3x00/A3500FC LUN's by non-root
users is not allowed with some patch levels of RM 6.22 and RM6.22.1.
Sun Alert: No
TOP FIN/FCO REPORT: No
PRODUCT_REFERENCE: A1000/A3x00/A3500FC LUNs
PRODUCT CATEGORY: Storage / Service
PRODUCTS AFFECTED:
Systems Affected
----------------
Mkt_ID Platform Model Description Serial Number
------ -------- ----- ----------- -------------
- ANYSYS - System Platform Independent -
X-Options Affected
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Mkt_ID Platform Model Description Serial Number
------ -------- ----- ----------- -------------
- A1000 - StorEdge A1000 Array -
- A3500 - StorEdge A3500 Array -
- A3500FC - StorEdge A3500FC Array -
X6538A - - X-OPT A3500FC CONTROLLER -
6538A - - FCTY CONTROLLER A3500FC -
X2611A - - OPT INT I/O BD FOR EXX00 -
X2612A - - OPT INT I/O BD EXX00 W/FC-AL -
X2622A - - OPT INT GRAPHICS I/O BD EXX00 -
PART NUMBERS AFFECTED:
Part Number Description Model
----------- ----------- -----
704-6708-10 CD, SUN STOREDGE RAID Manager6.22 -
704-7937-05 CD, RM 6.22.1 -
REFERENCES:
BugId: 4479887: RDAC open log messages when RDBMS (Oracle, Sybase)
accesses raw lun partitions.
PatchId: 
112125:
112126:
FIN: I0643-1
DOC: 805-7758-13: Sun StorEdge ? RAID Manager 6.22.1 Release Notes.
805-7758-12: Sun StorEdge ? RAID Manager 6.22 Release Notes.
806-7792-13: Sun StorEdge RAID Manager 6.22 Upgrade Procedure.
URL: http://www.sun.com/storage/disk-drives/raid.html
PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:
Access to Oracle, Sybase and other databases on the StorEdge A1000 and
A3x00 Array may fail when PatchID 108834 (or higher) or 108553
(or higher) have been installed on RAID Manager 6.22, or if running
RAID Manager 6.22.1. Access to database logs or other files that are
directly stored on A1000/A3x00/A3500FC LUNs can also appear to fail.
Non-root users can not access raw partitions.
This problem is independent of host or host bus adapter type and
independent of which version of Solaris is being used. It occurs if
Oracle, Sybase and other database data or logs are on raw partitions on
A3x00/A3500FC LUNs. If the LUNs are covered by a file system such as
the default UFS Solaris file system or if the LUNS are accessed through
a volume manager like Solstice Disk Suite or Veritas Volume Manager,
then the error won't occur. It will also occur on A1000 LUNs if RDAC is
enabled (default).
Error messages appear on the system log, usually /var/adm/messages,
making the problem appear more serious. Here are some of the error
messages that can be seen. The "i/o to invalid geometry may or may not
appear":
Jun 22 05:57:49 sapphire unix: WARNING:
/sbus@e,0/QLGC,isp@1,10000/sd@4,5(sd842):
Jun 22 05:57:49 sapphire unix: i/o to invalid geometry
Jun 22 05:57:49 sapphire unix: ID[RAIDarray.rdriver.3001] Errored I/O,
with errno 5, returned to the Array driver on sapphire_003, LUN 5
Jun 22 05:57:49 sapphire unix: ID[RAIDarray.rdriver.1001] The errored
I/O is a read at sector: 262145
Jun 22 05:57:49 sapphire unix: ID[RAIDarray.rdriver.1003] The errored
I/O is being routed to the Resolution daemon
Jun 22 05:57:50 sapphire unix: ID[RAIDarray.rdriver.1005] The Array
Resolution Daemon is resuming I/Os on sapphire_003, LUN 5
Jun 22 05:57:50 sapphire unix: ID[RAIDarray.rdriver.6001] The Array
driver/daemon has recovered an Errored I/O on sapphire_003, Lun 5,
sector 262145
Jun 22 05:57:50 sapphire unix: ID[RAIDarray.rdriver.3004] The Array
driver has failed a controller on sapphire_003 due to an RDAC open
failure of LUN 5
The RDAC module needs to see which controllers own which LUNs when an
open(2) is performed. It does this by issuing a USCSI mode select
command which is only allowed for root. Database administrators often
change the ownership of the LUNs in /dev/rdsk to user Oracle or Sybase
and then run commands as that user. The commands fail with EPERM, but
RDAC doesn't react to this error code specifically so it thinks the LUN
is inaccessible, causing bogus error messages.
It appears that I/O is being sent to a raw partition to a LUN. The
rdriver is getting a read error at specific sectors on that LUN. The
rdriver then notifies the resolution daemon that there is a problem.
The resolution daemon then resumes I/O to that module. Next, the
resolution daemon reports to the rdriver that the I/O has been
recovered on that controller to that lun at that sector. The host is
notified through the rdriver that the I/O has been written to the
media. Upon acknowledgment from the host, Oracle commits that
transaction to the redo buffers. Finally, the rdriver notes that a
controller on that module has failed due to a RDAC open failure to that
LUN.
NOTE: The error messages are not correct and can be ignored. No
controller failover actually occurs in these cases.
A fix is under development by engineering to allow the USCSI command,
to be done by rdriver using the kernel credentials. This will be
delivered in a patch to RM 6.22.1.
IMPLEMENTATION:
---
| | MANDATORY (Fully Pro-Active)
---
---
| | CONTROLLED PRO-ACTIVE (per Sun Geo Plan)
---
---
| X | REACTIVE (As Required)
---
CORRECTIVE ACTION:
The following recommendation is provided as a guideline for authorized
Enterprise Services Field Representatives who may encounter the above
mentioned problem.
1) Upgrade to RM 6.22.1 and install Patch 112125 for Solaris 8 or Patch
112126 for other Solaris versions.
OR
2) Using a file system like the Solaris UFS file system on top of the LUN's
will prevent the problem from happening. Using a volume manager like
Solstice Disk Suite or Veritas Volume Manager on top of the LUN's will
also prevent the problem. Both solutions will work whether the access is
from Oracle or other database managers to the data, or even if the access is
to the logs or any other programatic or direct command line access to
raw partitions on an A1000/A3x00.
COMMENTS:
None
=============================================================================
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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