C H A P T E R 5 - Hot Swap Software Commands

C H A P T E R 5

Hot Swap Software Commands

5.1 Understanding Hot Swap

Certain FRUs in the Netra CT server are hot-swappable (see Section 1.5.1, Hot-Swappable FRUs). Hot swap, a key feature of the PICMG standard, means that a CompactPCI card that meets the PICMG standard can be reliably inserted into or extracted from a powered and operating CompactPCI platform without affecting the other functions of the platform.

The Netra CT system has hot-swap modes shown in TABLE 5-1.


Type of Hot Swap	Description
Basic	The hardware connection/disconnection process is performed automatically by the hardware, while the software connection process requires user assistance through the `cfgadm` `(1M`) command
Full	Both the hardware and the software connection process are performed automatically
High Availability	High availability hot swap provides the ability to control the hardware connection process. This provides a higher degree of control than just indicating insertion and extraction of a board. The hardware connection process is controlled by software on high availability systems, such as the Netra CT server

The Netra CT system is configured for full hot swap by default. You can change the mode of the slot for the CPU boards and I/O boards to basic or full hot swap using the cfgadm(1M) command. You might want to change the hot-swap state of a slot to basic, for example, if you need to insert or remove a third-party I/O board that does not have full hot-swap support.

Note that whenever you reboot or power your server on and off, the hot-swap states revert back to the default full hot-swap state for all I/O slots.

5.1.1 How High Availability Hot Swap Works

By default, the Netra CT server is configured to accept any cPCI FRU unless you specifically set an allowable plug-in for a specific slot (refer to the Netra CT Server System Administration Guide for more information.)

When a board is inserted into the Netra CT server, the alarm card checks the midplane FRU ID information for allowable FRUs for that slot, then checks the inserted board's FRU ID to make sure the board is allowed in the particular slot. If the board is allowed in the slot, the alarm card powers up the board. If the board is not allowed in the slot, the alarm card sends an SNMP trap to the MOH application.

If a host or satellite CPU board is in use, that is, has applications currently running, the alarm card CLI power commands, such as poweron or poweroff, will not work for that CPU board.

5.1.2 Hot Swap with Boards That Don't Support Full Hot Swap

You might want to change the hot-swap state of a slot from full to basic if you need to insert or remove a third-party I/O board that does not have full hot-swap support.

To determine the current hot-swap state of a slot, you use the prtconf(1M) command. To enable or disable a type of hot swap on a slot, you use the cfgadm(1M) command. For many cfgadm commands, you must know the attachment point ID for the I/O slot that you will be working on.

5.1.3 System Status Panel LED States and Meanings

The LEDs on the system status panel gives you information that will need to determine what state a board is in and whether it is safe to remove from the system. Refer to TABLE 5-1 for more information.


Green Power LED state	Amber Okay to Remove LED state	Meaning	Action
Off	Off	The slot is empty or the system thinks that the slot is empty because the system didn't detect the card when it was inserted.	If there is a card installed in this slot, then one of the following components is faulty: the card installed in the slot the alarm card the system controller board Remove and replace the failed component to clear this state.
Blinking	Off	The card is coming up or going down.	Do not remove the card in this state.
On	Off	The card is up and running.	Do not remove the card in this state.
Off	On	The card is powered off.	You can remove the card in this state.
Blinking	On	The card is powered on, but it is offline for some reason (for example, a fault was detected on the card).	Wait several seconds to see if the green Power LED stops blinking. If it does not stop blinking after several seconds, enter `cfgadm` and verify that the card is in the `unconfigured` state, then perform the necessary action, depending on the card: Alarm card--You can remove the alarm card in this state. All other cards--Power off the slot through the alarm card software, then remove the card.
On	On	The card is powered on and is in use, but a fault has been detected on the card.	Deactivate the card using one of the following methods: Use the `cfgadm -f -c unconfigure` command to deactivate the card. Note that in some cases, this may cause the system to panic, depending on the nature of the card hardware or software. Halt the system and power off the slot through the alarm card software, then remove the card. The green Power LED will then give status information: If the green Power LED goes off, then you can remove the card. If the green Power LED remains on, then you must halt the system and power off the slot through the alarm card software.

5.2 Using the `cfgadm` Utility

You can perform the following hot swap procedures using the cfgadm utility:

Deactivate and activate hot-swappable FRUs

Enable and disable full hot swap for I/O slots in a server

Enable and disable basic hot swap for I/O slots in a server

5.2.1 Logging In to the Netra CT Server

In order to use the cfgadm utility, you must be able to log in to the server either remotely, where you would log in to the Netra CT server as root through another server on the network, or directly, where you would connect a terminal console directly to your Netra CT server.

For more information on connecting a terminal console to your system, refer to Appendix B.

5.2.2 Running the `cfgadm` Utility

For all cfgadm commands, you must know the attachment point ID for the I/O slot that you will be working on. To list the attachment point IDs for the I/O slots in a server, log into the server and, as root, enter the following command:

# cfgadm

For a Netra CT 810 server, you should get feedback similar to the following:

Ap_Id				Type				Receptacle					Occupant					Condition

AL-8				mcd/fhs				connected					configured					ok

CPU				bridge/fhs				connected					configured					ok

IO-2				stpcipci/fhs				connected					configured					ok

IO-3				unknown				empty					unconfigured					unknown

IO-4				stpcipci/fhs				connected					configured					ok

IO-5				unknown				disconnected					unconfigured					ok

IO-6				unknown				empty					unconfigured					unknown

IO-7				unknown				empty					unconfigured					unknown

For a Netra CT 410 server, you should get feedback similar to the following:

Ap_Id				Type				Receptacle					Occupant					Condition

AL-1				mcd/fhs				connected					configured					ok

CPU				bridge/fhs				connected					configured					ok

IO-2				unknown				disconnected					unconfigured					unknown

IO-4				stpcipci/fhs				connected					configured					ok

IO-5				stpcipci/fhs				connected					configured					ok

The attachment point ID is shown in the first column of the readout; for example, the attachment point ID for I/O slot 2 in a Netra CT 810 server would be IO-2.

To view the online help for cfgadm, as root, enter:

# cfgadm -h pci

You should get the following feedback:

PCI hotplug specific commands:

   -c [connect|disconnect|configure|unconfigure|insert|remove] ap_id [ap_id...]

   -x enable_slot ap_id [ap_id...]

   -x disable_slot ap_id [ap_id...]

   -x enable_autoconfig ap_id [ap_id...]

   -x disable_autoconfig ap_id [ap_id...]

   -x led[=[fault|power|active|attn],mode=[on|off|blink]] ap_id [ap_id...]

You can also view the man page for the cfgadm utility by entering man cfgadm at the prompt.

5.2.3 Basic and Full Hot Swap `cfgadm` Commands

The Netra CT servers are set to full hot swap by default. Full hot swap on an I/O slot means that you do not have to manually deactivate or activate the I/O card when replacing it in the server; those processes are handled automatically.

To determine the current hot swap state for all of the I/O slots in your Netra CT server, go to Determining the Current Hot Swap State.

To change the default settings for one or more I/O slots in your Netra CT server to basic hot swap, go to Enabling Basic Hot Swap on I/O Slots.

To change the settings for one or more I/O slots in your Netra CT server back to full hot swap, go to Enabling Full Hot Swap on I/O Slots.

5.2.3.1 Determining the Current Hot Swap State

To determine the current hot swap state for the I/O slots, as root, enter:

# prtconf -v -P

For a Netra CT 810 server, the output is similar to the following:

cphsc, instance #0

            System properties:

                name='instance' type=int items=1

                    value=00000000

                name='default-hotswap-mode' type=string items=1

                    value='full'

            Driver properties:

                name='AL-8-autoconfig' type=string items=1 dev=none

                    value='enabled'

                name='IO-7-autoconfig' type=string items=1 dev=none

                    value='enabled'

                name='IO-6-autoconfig' type=string items=1 dev=none

                    value='enabled'

                name='IO-5-autoconfig' type=string items=1 dev=none

                    value='enabled'

                name='IO-4-autoconfig' type=string items=1 dev=none

                    value='enabled'

                name='IO-3-autoconfig' type=string items=1 dev=none

                    value='enabled'

                name='IO-2-autoconfig' type=string items=1 dev=none

                    value='enabled'

               name='CPU-autoconfig' type=string items=1 dev=none

                    value='enabled'

               name='hotswap-mode' type=string items=1 dev=none

                    value='full'

If you see value 'basic' underneath the default-hotswap-mode line, then all of the I/O slots in the Netra CT server have been set to basic hot swap. You should see value 'disabled' for every I/O slot in the system in this situation.

If you see value 'full' underneath the default-hotswap-mode line, then at least one of the I/O slots in the Netra CT server has been set to full hot swap. You must look at the entries for individual I/O slots to determine if they have been set to basic or full hot swap mode in this situation:

If you see value 'enabled' underneath a <slot#-autoconfig> line, then that slot is set to full hot swap.

If you see value 'disabled' underneath a <slot#-autoconfig> line, then that slot is set to basic hot swap.

5.2.3.2 Enabling Basic Hot Swap on I/O Slots

All of the I/O slots in the Netra CT server are set to full hot swap by default. You can disable full hot swap on one or more I/O slots, bringing those slots to a basic hot swap state. That means that if an I/O card becomes faulty and needs replacing, you must manually deactivate the I/O slot using the cfgadm utility before you can remove the card, and then manually reactivate the I/O slot after replacing the card.

If you want to disable full hot swap on one or more I/O slots, bringing those slots to a basic hot swap state, as root, enter:

# cfgadm -x disable_autoconfig ap_id

Note - Whenever you reboot or power your server on and off, the hot swap states revert back to the default full hot swap state for all I/O slots. If you want one or more I/O slots set to the basic hot swap setting, you must manually reset the I/O slots after rebooting or powering your server on and off.

Deactivating a Hot Swappable FRU

To deactivate an I/O card in a basic hot swap state, as root, enter:

# cfgadm -c unconfigure ap_id

where ap_id is the attachment point ID. For example, to deactivate an I/O card in slot 4, as root, enter:

# cfgadm -c unconfigure IO-4

Reactivating a Hot Swappable FRU

To connect an I/O card, as root, enter:

# cfgadm -c connect ap_id

where ap_id is the attachment-point ID.

To activate an I/O card, as root, enter:

# cfgadm -c configure ap_id

where ap_id is the attachment point ID.

5.2.3.3 Enabling Full Hot Swap on I/O Slots

If you changed the hot swap states for one or more I/O slots from the default full hot swap setting to the basic hot swap setting, you can change use the cfgadm utility to change the I/O slots back to the default full hot swap setting.

To enable full hot swap for an I/O slot in a Netra CT server, as root, enter:

# cfgadm -x enable_autoconfig ap_id

where ap_id is the attachment point ID in the server that you want to have full hot swap enabled on. For example, to enable full hot swap for I/O slot 4, as root, you could enter the following:

# cfgadm -x enable_autoconfig IO-4

You can also enable full hot swap on all slots at once by rebooting the server, which automatically reverts back to the default full hot swap setting for all I/O slots.