A P P E N D I X A - Inserting a 3.2x Controller Into a 4.1x Chassis

A P P E N D I X A

Inserting a 3.2x Controller Into a 4.1x Chassis

When you replace a controller in a dual-controller configuration with a new controller with compatible firmware, the firmware of the remaining functional controller automatically overwrites the firmware of the new replacement controller to maintain compatibility. This is referred to as cross-loading.

Cross-loading works in the following situations:

Replacing a 4.1x controller with another 4.1x controller

Replacing a 4.1x controller with a 3.66 controller (Sun StorEdge 3310 SCSI controller FRUs only)

Replacing a 3.25 controller with a 3.66 controller (Sun StorEdge 3310 SCSI controller FRUs only)

Replacing a 3.2x controller with another 3.2x controller

Replacing a 3.2x controller with a 4.1x controller

Cross-loading does not work when you replace a 4.1x controller with a 3.2x controller. If you replace a 4.1x controller with a 3.2x controller in a dual configuration without upgrading the 3.2x controller, the replacement controller will not be recognized.

The following procedures show how to perform a controller replacement with a 3.2x controller in a dual-controller configuration. For all other controller replacement procedures, see Chapter 6, Chapter 7, and Chapter 8 in this guide.

A.1 Replacing a 4.1x Controller with a 3.27 Controller (FC and SATA Only)

Note - This procedure only applies if you are replacing a 4.1x I/O controller with a 3.27 I/O controller in a dual-controller FC or SATA configuration. For all other FC and SATA controller replacement procedures, see Chapter 6 in this guide.

The 3.27 controller FRU part numbers are:

370-5537-06 (X-Option 595-6578-05) for the Sun StorEdge 3510 FC array

370-6773-01 (X-Option 595-7419-01) for the Sun StorEdge 3511 SATA array

If you have a 4.1x dual-controller configuration where one controller fails and you have a 3.27 replacement controller module FRU, perform the following steps.

1. Keep the array powered on and make sure that the connected hosts are inactive.

2. Save the NVRAM configuration settings to disk.

a. From the RAID firmware Main Menu, choose "system Functions right arrow controller maintenance Save nvram to disks."

b. Choose Yes to confirm.

A message informs you that NVRAM information has been successfully saved.

3. Power off the array.

4. Write down the cabling configuration for the controller-to-host connections for both controllers.

5. Remove all cables and SFPs from the failed controller module.

For clarity, the failed 4.1x controller module will be referred to as controller module A for the remainder of this procedure. The working 4.1x controller module will be referred to as controller module B.

6. Turn the thumbscrews on the left and right sides of controller module A counterclockwise until the thumbscrews are disengaged from the chassis.

7. Grasp the handle and carefully pull out controller module A.

Set aside controller module A.

8. Remove all cables from controller module B.

9. Turn the thumbscrews on the left and right sides of controller module B counterclockwise until the thumbscrews are disengaged from the chassis.

10. Grasp the handle and carefully pull out controller module B.

Note - Use care not to confuse the failed controller module A with the working controller module B.

11. Insert the 3.27 replacement controller.

a. Gently slide the controller module into the unit.

Caution - Be sure that the module is properly inserted into the guide rails of the array.

b. Insert the controller FRU into the slot, and push forward until you begin to feel resistance as the connecting pins engage.

c. Push the controller FRU until the connecting pins are fully seated and the RAID controller fits flush against the back plate of the RAID array.

Failure to insert the controller carefully as described above can cause one of the following problems:

The surviving controller might reset, causing the storage to go offline since neither controller is operational. Recovery: Wait until both RAID controllers initialize and come up in redundant mode with no intervention required.

The replacement controller might become primary and the surviving controller might become secondary. This causes storage to go offline. Recovery: Wait while both RAID controllers initialize and come up in redundant mode with no intervention required.

If the controller status LED is blinking green on both controllers, then both controllers are primary controllers. Recovery: Take out the replacement controller and reinsert it, carefully following the instructions above. If this does not remedy the problem, power-cycle the array.

12. Turn the thumbscrews on the left and right sides of the new 3.27 controller module clockwise until they are finger-tight, to secure the module and to make the module's front panel flush with the chassis.

Note - To ensure that a thumbscrew is finger-tight, tighten it with a screwdriver and then loosen the thumbscrew counterclockwise a quarter turn.

13. Power on the array.

14. Upgrade the firmware on the replacement controller to version 4.1x.

Refer to the patch README file for your array for specific instructions on loading firmware onto your new controller.

15. Reconnect the original cables to the new I/O controller module.

Caution - You must connect the hosts to the correct host channels on the I/O controller module, or your configuration will not work correctly.

16. Check the "Controller Unique Identifier" parameter to ensure that it is set to the correct value.

From the RAID firmware Main Menu, choose "view and edit Configuration parameters right arrow Controller Parameters Controller Unique Identifier <hex>."

17. If the "Controller Unique Identifier" is not set, type the value 0 (to automatically read the chassis serial number from the midplane) or type the hex value for the original serial number of the chassis (used when the midplane has been replaced).

The Controller Unique Identifier is used to create Ethernet MAC addresses and worldwide names. The value 0 is immediately replaced with the hex value of the chassis serial number. A nonzero value should be specified only if the chassis has been replaced, but the original chassis serial number must be retained; this feature is especially important in a Sun Cluster environment to maintain the same disk device names in a cluster.

18. Insert controller module B into the unit.

a. Keep the array powered on and gently slide the controller module into the unit.

Caution - Be sure that the module is properly inserted into the guide rails of the array.

b. Insert the controller FRU into the slot, and push forward until you begin to feel resistance as the connecting pins engage.

c. Push the controller FRU until the connecting pins are fully seated and the RAID controller fits flush against the back plate of the RAID array.

Failure to insert the controller carefully as described above can cause one of the following problems:

The surviving controller might reset, causing the storage to go offline since neither controller is operational. Recovery: Wait until both RAID controllers initialize and come up in redundant mode with no intervention required.

The replacement controller might become primary and the surviving controller might become secondary. This causes storage to go offline. Recovery: Wait while both RAID controllers initialize and come up in redundant mode with no intervention required.

If the controller status LED is blinking green on both controllers, then both controllers are primary controllers. Recovery: Take out the replacement controller and reinsert it, carefully following the instructions above. If this does not remedy the problem, power-cycle the array.

19. Turn the thumbscrews on the left and right sides of controller module B clockwise until they are finger-tight.

20. Reconnect the original cables to controller module B.

Controller module B automatically becomes the secondary controller.

Caution - Wait a minimum of 10 minutes for the firmware cross-load to be completed. If controller module B is removed for any reason during the period when the status LED is amber (for 10 minutes or more), the controller can be rendered inoperable and must be returned for repair.

To monitor this process, see Section 6.3.3, Monitoring the Automatic Firmware Update with a Recently Installed Controller FRU.

If after the firmware cross-load you hear an audible alarm and see a blinking amber Event light on the front of your array, the SCSI Enclosure Services (SES) firmware or its associated Programmable Logic Device (PLD) code in the new controller has a version that is different from the code in the other I/O controller in your array. To solve this mismatch, see Section 6.3.4, SES Firmware Update Sometimes Required with I/O Controller Module Replacements.

Note - The beep code that identifies an SES or PLD firmware mismatch is the repeating Morse code letter "R" (dot dash dot).

21. Check that the secondary controller is active on the array by entering one of the following commands:

From the RAID firmware Main Menu, choose "view and edit Peripheral devices View Peripheral Device Status."

The "Redundant Controller: Enabled" status indicates an initialized secondary redundant controller.

Enter the following CLI command.

sccli> show redundancy-mode

The "Redundancy Status: Enabled" indicates an initialized secondary redundant controller.

A.2 Replacing a 4.1x Controller with a 3.25 Controller (Sun StorEdge 3310 SCSI Controller FRUs Only)

Note - This procedure only applies if you are replacing a 4.1x SCSI controller with a 3.25 SCSI controller in a dual-controller SCSI configuration. For all other SCSI controller replacement procedures, see Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 in this guide.

The 3.25 SCSI controller FRU part numbers are:

370-5403-03 (X-Option 595-6572-03) for the 3.25 controller firmware model

370-5403-04 (X-Option 595-6572-04) for the 3.66 controller firmware model

If you have a 4.1x dual-controller configuration where one controller fails and you have a 3.25 replacement controller module FRU, perform the following steps.

1. Keep the array powered on.

2. Save the NVRAM configuration settings to disk.

a. From the RAID firmware Main Menu, choose "system Functions right arrow controller maintenance Save nvram to disks."

b. Choose Yes to confirm.

A message informs you that NVRAM information has been successfully saved.

3. Power off the array.

For clarity, the failed 4.1x controller module will be referred to as controller module A for the remainder of this procedure. The working 4.1x controller module will be referred to as controller module B.

4. Turn the thumbscrews on the left and right sides of controller module A counterclockwise until the thumbscrews are disengaged from the chassis.

5. Grasp the handle and carefully pull out controller module A.

Set aside controller module A.

6. Turn the thumbscrews on the left and right sides of controller module B counterclockwise until the thumbscrews are disengaged from the chassis.

7. Grasp the handle and carefully pull out controller module B.

Note - Use care not to confuse the failed controller module A with the working controller module B.

8. Insert the 3.25 replacement controller.

a. Gently slide the controller module into the unit.

Caution - Be sure that the module is properly inserted into the guide rails of the array.

b. Insert the controller FRU into the slot, and push forward until you begin to feel resistance as the connecting pins engage.

c. Push the controller FRU until the connecting pins are fully seated and the RAID controller fits flush against the back plate of the RAID array.

Failure to insert the controller carefully as described above can cause one of the following problems:

The surviving controller might reset, causing the storage to go offline since neither controller is operational. Recovery: Wait until both RAID controllers initialize and come up in redundant mode with no intervention required.

The replacement controller might become primary and the surviving controller might become secondary. This causes storage to go offline. Recovery: Wait while both RAID controllers initialize and come up in redundant mode with no intervention required.

If the controller status LED is blinking green on both controllers, then both controllers are primary controllers. Recovery: Take out the replacement controller and reinsert it, carefully following the instructions above. If this does not remedy the problem, power-cycle the array.

9. Turn the thumbscrews on the left and right sides of the new 3.25 controller module clockwise until they are finger-tight, to secure the module and to make the module's front panel flush with the chassis.

Note - To ensure that a thumbscrew is finger-tight, tighten it with a screwdriver and then loosen the thumbscrew counterclockwise a quarter turn.

10. Power on the array.

11. Upgrade the firmware on the replacement controller to version 4.1x.

Refer to the patch README for your array for specific instructions on loading firmware onto your new controller.

Caution - You must connect the hosts to the correct host channels on the SCSI controller module, or your configuration will not work correctly.

12. Check the "Controller Unique Identifier" parameter to ensure that it is set to the correct value.

From the RAID firmware Main Menu, choose "view and edit Configuration parameters right arrow Controller Parameters Controller Unique Identifier <hex>."

13. If the "Controller Unique Identifier" is not set, type the value 0 (to automatically read the chassis serial number from the midplane) or type the hex value for the original serial number of the chassis (used when the midplane has been replaced).

14. Insert controller module B into the unit.

a. Keep the array powered on and gently slide the controller module into the unit.

Caution - Be sure that the module is properly inserted into the guide rails of the array.

b. Insert the controller FRU into the slot, and push forward until you begin to feel resistance as the connecting pins engage.

c. Push the controller FRU until the connecting pins are fully seated and the RAID controller fits flush against the back plate of the RAID array.

Failure to insert the controller carefully as described above can cause one of the following problems:

The surviving controller might reset, causing the storage to go offline since neither controller is operational. Recovery: Wait until both RAID controllers initialize and come up in redundant mode with no intervention required.

The replacement controller might become primary and the surviving controller might become secondary. This causes storage to go offline. Recovery: Wait while both RAID controllers initialize and come up in redundant mode with no intervention required.

If the controller status LED is blinking green on both controllers, then both controllers are primary controllers. Recovery: Take out the replacement controller and reinsert it, carefully following the instructions above. If this does not remedy the problem, power-cycle the array.

15. Turn the thumbscrews on the left and right sides of controller module B clockwise until they are finger-tight.

Controller module B automatically becomes the secondary controller.

To monitor this process, see Section 8.3.3, Monitoring the Automatic Firmware Update for a Recently Installed Controller FRU.

16. Check that the secondary controller is active on the array by entering one of the following commands:

From the RAID firmware Main Menu, choose "view and edit Peripheral devices View Peripheral Device Status."

The "Redundant Controller: Enabled" status indicates an initialized secondary redundant controller.

Enter the following CLI command.

sccli> show redundancy-mode

The "Redundancy Status: Enabled" indicates an initialized secondary redundant controller.