Glossary

ACL

Available component list on high-end systems, access control list on midrange systems.

ap_id

Attachment point identifier; an ap_id specifies the type and location of the attachment point in the system and is unambiguous. There are two types of identifiers: physical and logical. A physical identifier contains a fully specified path name, while a logical identifier contains a shorthand notation.

attachment point

A collective term for a board and its card cage slot. A physical attachment point describes the software driver and location of the card cage slot. A logical attachment point is an abbreviated name created by the system to see the physical attachment point.

cfgadm command

cfgadm is the primary command for dynamic reconfiguration on the Sun Fire midrange systems. For information about the command and its options, see the cfgadm(1M), cfgadm_sbd(1M), and cfgadm_pci(1M) man pages.

condition

The operational status of an attachment point.

configuration (system)

The collection of attached devices known to the system. The system cannot use a physical device until the configuration is updated. The operating system assigns functional roles to a board and loads device drivers for the board and for devices attached to the board.

configuration (board)

The operating system assigns functional roles to a board and loads device drivers for the board and for devices attached to the board.

connection

A board is present in a slot and is electrically connected. The temperature of the slot is monitored by the system.

detachability

The device driver supports DDI_DETACH and the device (such as an I/O board or a SCSI chain) is physically arranged so that it can be detached.

disconnection

The system stops monitoring the board and power to the slot is turned off. A board in this state can be unplugged.

DR

Dynamic reconfiguration.

domain

A logical grouping of system boards that are electrically connected. Domains are separated from each other and do not interact with one another. Each domain runs its own copy of the operating system and has its own host identifier.

domain administration

The responsibility for connecting and configuring system boards to create domains; and for unconfiguring and disconnecting system boards, either to move them to different domains or to replace defective system boards.

dynamic reconfiguration

Dynamic reconfiguration (DR).

hot-plug

Hot-plug boards and modules have special connectors that supply electrical power to the board or module before the data pins make contact. Boards and devices that do not have hot-plug connectors cannot be inserted or removed while the system is running.

hot swap

A hot swap device has special DC power connectors and logic circuitry that allow the device to be inserted without the necessity of turning off the system.

IP multipathing (IPMP)

Internet Protocol multipathing. Enables continuous application availability by load balancing failures when multiple network interface cards are attached to a system. If a failure occurs in a network adapter, and if an alternate adapter is connected to the same IP link, the system switches all the network accesses from the failed adapter to the alternate adapter. When multiple network adapters are connected to the same IP link, any increases in network traffic are spread across multiple network adapters, which improves network throughput.

logical DR

A DR operation in which hardware is not physically added or removed. An example is the deactivation of a failed board that is then left in the slot (to avoid changing the flow of cooling air) until a replacement is available.

occupant

Hardware resource such as a system board or a disk drive that occupies a DR receptacle or slot.

platform

A specific Sun Fire system model, such as the Sun Fire E6900 system,

platform administration

The process of setting up domains on a Sun Fire system; re-allocating resources between domains; and monitoring performance on each domain.

physical DR

A DR operation that involves the physical addition or removal of a board. See also "Logical DR."

quiescence

A brief pause in the operating system to allow an unconfigure and disconnect operation on a system board with non-pageable OpenBoot PROM (OBP) or kernel memory. All operating system and device activity on the backplane must cease for a few seconds during a critical phase of the operation.

receptacle

A receiver such as a board slot or SCSI chain.

state

The operational status of either a receptacle (slot) or an occupant (board).

suspendability

To be suitable for DR, a device driver must have the ability to stop user threads, execute the DDI_SUSPEND call, stop the clock, and stop the CPUs.

suspend-safe

A suspend-safe device is one that does not access memory or interrupt the system while the operating system is in quiescence. A driver is considered suspend-safe if it supports operating system quiescence (suspend/resume). It also guarantees that when a suspend request is successfully completed, the device that the driver manages will not attempt to access memory, even if the device is open when the suspend request is made.

suspend-unsafe

A suspend-unsafe device is one that allows a memory access or a system interruption while the operating system is in quiescence.

unconfiguration

The system detaches a board logically from the operating system and takes the associated device drivers off-line. Environmental monitoring continues, but any devices on the board are not available for system use.