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Solaris 8 2/02 Release Notes Supplement for Sun Hardware

Sun Remote System Control 2.2 Release Notes

This document deals with Sun Remote System Control (RSC) 2.2 hardware and software issues. For complete information about using RSC, see the Sun Remote System Control (RSC) 2.2 User's Guide.

What's New in RSC 2.2

Several new features are available in RSC 2.2:

Before Installing Sun Remote System Control Software

RSC software is included as part of the default installation set for this Solaris Supplement CD. You should install RSC server components on a compatible Solaris server only; you can install the client software on any computer that meets the Solaris or Windows operating environment requirement. You must install and configure the RSC software before you can use RSC.

Important: Before upgrading from a previous version of RSC server software or reinstalling the software, log in to the server as superuser and back up your configuration data using the following commands:

# rscadm show > remote_filename

# rscadm usershow >> remote_filename

Use a meaningful file name that includes the name of the server that RSC controls. After installation, you can refer to this file to restore your configuration settings if necessary. Reverting to a previous version of RSC server software after installing version 2.2 is not recommended. However, if you do revert, you will need to restore your configuration information and also power cycle the server.

You can install the RSC 2.2 server software package, SUNWrsc, on:

You can install the RSC 2.2 client software packages on:

Installation on the Solaris operating environment places the Sun Remote System Control (RSC) 2.2 User's Guide in the location /opt/rsc/doc/locale/pdf/user_guide.pdf. Installation on the Windows operating environment places the User's Guide in the location C:\Program Files\Sun Microsystems\Remote System Control\doc\locale\pdf\user_guide.pdf.

The following sections describe Sun Remote System Control (RSC) 2.2 issues.

RSC General Issues

This section describes issues that affect RSC running on all platforms (Sun Enterprise 250, Sun Fire 280R, Sun Fire V880, and Sun Fire V480 servers):

Alert Messages May Be Delayed (BugID 4474273)

If the RSC variables page_enabled and mail_enabled are set to true and multiple alert messages are generated within a short interval, the first message is delivered in a timely fashion but each subsequent message issued during the interval is delayed by 3-4 minutes.

Keyswitch Position in RSC GUI Is Unknown When RSC Is on Battery Power (BugID 4492888)

When the RSC card is running on battery power, the keyswitch slot in the RSC GUI displays as a gray dot, and the mouse-over text on the keyswitch reads Current Keyswitch Position Unknown.

Wrong Information Provided on alerts.html (BugID 4522646)

When configuring the page_info1 or page_info2 fields, you may use any digit or the alphanumeric characters #, @, and , (comma) when specifying a pager phone number, but the PIN area may only contain digits (0-9). In the RSC GUI, the online help for this function is incorrect. For more information about how to configure RSC to work with a pager, refer to the Sun Remote System Control (RSC) 2.2 User's Guide.

rsc-console Will Switch to Tip Connection During Boot if diag-switch? Is Set to true (BugID 4523025)

If diag-switch? is set to true and you use the bootmode -u command to reboot your workstation, rsc-console will revert to the serial (tip) connection after Solaris restarts, even if you have previously redirected the console to RSC.

If this occurs, manually redirect the console ouput to RSC again after the reboot operation has completed. Refer to the Sun Remote System Control (RSC) 2.2 User's Guide for more information.

Power On From GUI/CLI Is Allowed, Yet Doesn't Work, With Keyswitch Turned to Off (BugID 4524277)

If the system's state changes from battery power to standby power and the keyswitch is in the off position, the RSC software should generate a warning that you cannot turn the system power back on when you issue a poweron command from either the CLI or the GUI. The RSC software should issue this warning. You need to move the keyswitch back into the on position.

If this happens, use the resetrsc command.

RSC bootmode -u Command Fails to Toggle the Console (BugID 4525310)

This intermittent problem has been observed on Sun Fire V880 servers running OpenBoot PROM version 4.4.6. Occasionally, the bootmode -u command fails to redirect the console to RSC. If this happens, use the resetrsc command.

OBP 4.4.3 Displays ERROR: RSC-Initiated Reset Instead of a Warning Message (BugID 4514863)

On servers running OpenBoot PROM software version 4.4.3, an RSC-initiated system reset produces the following message:


ERROR: RSC-initiated Reset

This message serves as a warning-level message only; no action is required.

RSC Restart Error on Japanese Windows 98 Systems

If you install the RSC client on the Japanese version of Microsoft Windows 98, RSC does not start again once you exit from the client and the javaw stack error appears, unless you reboot the system. This situation occurs only on the initial version of Windows 98, and does not happen on other versions of Microsoft Windows (95, 98 Second Edition, NT).

Workaround: Download and install the Microsoft IME98 Service Release 1 (IME98-SR1) from the Microsoft Website. The crash does not occur after IME98-SR1 has been installed.

RSC Issues for Sun Fire 280R, Sun Fire V880, and Sun Fire V480 Servers

This section describes issues that affect RSC running on Sun Fire 280R, Sun Fire V880, and Sun Fire V480 servers.

Removing and Installing the RSC Card

Caution – Caution –

Removing or installing the RSC card while the system has the AC power cord connected could damage your system or your RSC card. Only qualified service personnel should remove or replace the RSC card. Contact your qualified service representative to perform this service operation.

Before you follow the procedures in the Sun Fire 280R Server Service Manual or Sun Fire 880 Server Service Manual to remove or install the RSC card, perform this procedure to ensure that there is no AC power present in the system.

  1. Shut down and halt the system.

  2. With the system at the ok prompt, turn the keyswitch to the Off position.

    Standby power is still present in the system at this point.

  3. Disconnect all AC power cords from their back panel receptacles.

    This ensures that there is no standby power voltage present in the system.

  4. Follow the procedure you require in your service manual.

Additional RSC Alerts

RSC generates the following alerts on a Sun Fire 280R or Sun Fire V880 server when the RSC card begins battery use after a power interruption:

00060012: "RSC operating on battery power."

RSC generates the following alerts when the host system has shut down from RSC. The messages appear in the log history.

00040000: “RSC Request to power off host.”

00040029: “Host system has shut down.”

If you shut down the system using the keyswitch, or by using the OpenBoot PROM poweroff command, the above alert 00040029 is the only alert displayed.

These alerts are not documented in the Sun Remote System Control (RSC) 2.2 User's Guide.

Going from Battery to Standby, the Locator LED Will Turn On in the GUI (BugID 4524272; Sun Fire V480 Servers Only)

When the RSC hardware changes state from battery power to standby power, the Locator LED on the Sun Fire V480 appears illuminated in the GUI only. It does not illuminate on the system.

If this situation happens, use the resetrsc command.

RSC Issues for Sun Fire 280R Servers Only

This section describes issues that affect RSC running on Sun Fire 280R servers only. See the Sun Fire 280R Server Product Notes for other Sun Fire 280R server issues.

Soft Reset With xir Does Not Work Correctly (BugID 4361396, 4411330)

The xir command does not bring the server to the ok prompt as expected. This issue may have been resolved for your server type; see your hardware platform release notes.

Boot Sequence Sometimes Bypasses RSC (BugID 4387587)

In rare instances, the system may bypass the RSC card during startup. To check whether the system booted and is online, use the ping command to see if the card is alive, or log in using telnet or rlogin. If the system is not connected to the network, establish a tip connection to the system. (Be sure that console I/O is not directed to the RSC card.) Use the tip connection to view boot messages on the troubled system, or reboot the system. For help in diagnosing the problem, see your hardware Owner's Guide.

False Drive Fault Reported at Power On (BugID 4343998, 4316483)

When you power on the system, it may report a false internal drive fault that is recorded in the Sun Remote System Control (RSC) log history.

If the error is reported by RSC, you should disregard the report if the system boots successfully to the Solaris operating environment. In most cases the erroneous fault does not reappear. You can verify the disk after the boot process by using the fsck utility.

Note –

Any disk drive error message reported by the Solaris operating environment is a real disk drive error.

If a disk fault is reported at the ok prompt and the system fails to boot to the Solaris operating environment, there may be a problem with the disk drive. Test the disk drive with the OpenBoot Diagnostics tests documented in the “Diagnostics, Monitoring, and Troubleshooting” chapter in the Sun Fire 280R Server Service Manual.

Command rscadm resetrsc Fails (BugID 4374090)

After a cold restart or after powering on the system, the RSC command rscadm resetrsc fails; this is a known condition. You need to reset the host system for the command to function correctly.

There are three ways you can reset the host. Use one of the following commands:

The RSC rscadm resetrsc command will now function correctly.

RSC Issue for Sun Fire V880 Servers Only

This section describes an issue that affects RSC running on Sun Fire V880 servers only.

Soft Reset With xir Does Not Work Correctly (BugID 4361396, 4411330)

The xir command does not bring the server to the ok prompt as expected. This issue may have been resolved for your server type; see your hardware platform release notes.

RSC Issues for Sun Enterprise 250 Servers Only

This section describes issues that affect RSC running on Sun Enterprise 250 servers only. See the Sun Enterprise 250 Server Product Notes for other Sun Enterprise 250 server issues.

Increased Number of RSC User Accounts Not Supported

Support for a maximum of 16 RSC user accounts has been added for RSC 2.2. However, Sun Enterprise 250 servers continue to be limited to four RSC user accounts because of hardware limitations.

Do Not Run OpenBoot PROM fsck Command From the RSC Console (BugID 4409169)

Do not issue the fsck command from the redirected RSC console.

Reset the system's input-device and output-device settings to ttya. Then reboot the system and access the system through its local console or terminal and execute the OpenBoot PROM fsck command directly.

Do Not Run OpenBoot PROM boot -s Command From the RSC Console (BugID 4409169)

The command boot -s does not work from the RSC console.

Reset the system's input-device and output-device settings to ttya. Then reboot the system and access the system through its local console or terminal and execute the boot -s command directly.

Change to the serial_hw_handshake Variable Requires a System Reboot (BugID 4145761)

In order for changes to the RSC configuration variable serial_hw_handshake to take effect, the server must be rebooted. This also affects the Enable Hardware Handshaking check box in the RSC graphical user interface. This limitation is not stated in the documentation.

Power Supply Alerts Display Incorrect Index in the GUI (BugID 4521932)

In the Sun Enterprise 250, the power supplies are numbered 0 and 1, but the RSC GUI refers to them as Power Supply 1 and Power Supply 2 in the event log and in alerts.