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Solaris 7 11/99 Release Notes Supplement for Sun Hardware

Dynamic Reconfiguration of Sun Enterprise 6x00, 5x00, 4x00, and 3x00 Systems

These release notes provide the latest information on Dynamic Reconfiguration (DR) functionality for Sun EnterpriseTM 6x00, 5x00, 4x00, and 3x00 systems running update Solaris 7 11/99. For more information on Sun Enterprise Server Dynamic Reconfiguration, refer to the Dynamic Reconfiguration User's Guide for Sun Enterprise 3x00/4x00/5x00/6x00 Systems.

The 11/99 update includes support for CPU/Memory boards on Sun Enterprise 6x00, 5x00, 4x00, and 3x00 systems.

Supported Hardware

Before proceeding, ensure the system supports dynamic reconfiguration. If you see the following message on your console or in your console logs, the hardware is of an older design and not suitable for dynamic reconfiguration. 

Hot Plug not supported in this system

Supported I/O boards are listed in the "Solaris 7 11/99" section on the web site

http://sunsolve5.sun.com/sunsolve/Enterprise-dr/

I/O board type 2 (graphics), type 3 (PCI), and type 5 (graphics and SOC+) are not currently supported.

Firmware Notes

FC-AL Disk Arrays or Internal Drives

For Sun StorEdgeTM A5000 disk arrays or for internal FC-AL disks in the Sun Enterprise 3500 system, the firmware version must be ST19171FC 0413 or later. For more information, refer to the "Solaris 7 11/99" section at the web site:

http://sunsolve5.sun.com/sunsolve/Enterprise-dr/

PROM Updates for CPU and I/O Boards

Users of Solaris 7 11/99 software who wish to use dynamic reconfiguration must be running CPU PROM version 3.2.22 (firmware patch ID 103346-xx) or later. This firmware is available from the web site. See "How To Obtain Firmware".

Older versions of the CPU PROM may display the following message during boot: 

Firmware does not support Dynamic Reconfiguration

Caution - Caution -

CPU PROM 3.2.16 and earlier versions do not display this message, although they do not support dynamic reconfiguration of CPU/memory boards.

  1. To see your current PROM revision, enter .version and banner at the ok prompt. Your display will be similar to the following:

    ok .version
    Slot 0 - I/O Type 1 FCODE 1.8.22 1999/xx/xx 19:26 iPOST 3.4.22 1999/xx/xx 19:31
    Slot 1 - I/O Type 1 FCODE 1.8.22 1999/xx/xx 19:26 iPOST 3.4.22 1999/xx/xx 19:31
    Slot 2 - CPU/Memory OBP 3.2.22 1999/xx/xx 19:27 POST 3.9.22 1999/xx/xx 19:31
    Slot 3 - I/O Type 4 FCODE 1.8.22 1999/xx/xx 19:27 iPOST 3.4.22 1999/xx/xx 19:31
    Slot 4 - CPU/Memory OBP 3.2.22 1999/xx/xx 19:27 POST 3.9.22 1999/xx/xx 19:31
    Slot 5 - CPU/Memory OBP 3.2.22 1999/xx/xx 19:27 POST 3.9.22 1999/xx/xx 19:31
    Slot 6 - CPU/Memory OBP 3.2.22 1999/xx/xx 19:27 POST 3.9.22 1999/xx/xx 19:31
    Slot 7 - CPU/Memory OBP 3.2.22 1999/xx/xx 19:27 POST 3.9.22 1999/xx/xx 19:31
    Slot 9 - CPU/Memory OBP 3.2.22 1999/xx/xx 19:27 POST 3.9.22 1999/xx/xx 19:31
    Slot 11 - CPU/Memory OBP 3.2.22 1999/xx/xx 19:27 POST 3.9.22 1999/xx/xx 19:31
    Slot 12 - CPU/Memory OBP 3.2.22 1999/xx/xx 19:27 POST 3.9.22 1999/xx/xx 19:31
    Slot 14 - CPU/Memory OBP 3.2.22 1999/xx/xx 19:27 POST 3.9.22 1999/xx/xx 19:31
    ok banner
     16-slot Sun Enterprise E6500
     OpenBoot 3.2.22, 4672 MB memory installed, Serial #xxxxxxxx.
     Ethernet address 8:0:xx:xx:xx:xx, Host ID: xxxxxxxx.

How To Obtain Firmware

For information about updating your firmware, refer to the "Solaris 7 11/99" section at the following web site:

http://sunsolve5.sun.com/sunsolve/Enterprise-dr/

At this site, you will find information on how to:

If you cannot use the web site, contact your Sun support service provider for assistance.

Software Notes

Enabling Dynamic Reconfiguration

In the /etc/system file, two variables must be set to enable dynamic reconfiguration and an additional variable must be set to enable the removal of CPU/memory boards.

  1. Log in as root.

  2. To enable dynamic reconfiguration, edit the /etc/system file and add the following lines to the /etc/system file: 

    set pln:pln_enable_detach_suspend=1
set soc:soc_enable_detach_suspend=1

  3. To enable the removal of a CPU/memory board, add this line to the /etc/system file: 

    set kernel_cage_enable=1

    Setting this variable enables the memory unconfiguration operation.

  4. Reboot the system to put the changes into effect.

Quiesce Test

On a large system, the quiesce-test command (cfgadm -x quiesce-test sysctrl0:slotnumber) may run as long as a minute or so. During this time no messages are displayed if cfgadm does not find incompatible drivers. This is normal behavior.

Disabled Board List

If a board is on the disabled board list, an attempt to connect the board may produce an error message: 

# cfgadm -c connect sysctrl0:slotnumber
cfgadm: Hardware specific failure: connect failed: board is disabled: must override with [-f][-o enable-at-boot]

  1. To override the disabled condition, use the force flag (-f) or the enable option (-o enable-at-boot) with the cfgadm command: 

    # cfgadm -f -c connect sysctrl0:slotnumber

    # cfgadm -o enable-at-boot -c connect sysctrl0:slotnumber

  1. To remove all boards from the disabled board list, set the disabled-board-list variable to a null set with the system command: 

    # eeprom disabled-board-list=

  1. If you are at the OpenBootTM prompt, use this OBP command instead to remove all boards from the disabled board list: 

    OK set-default disabled-board-list

    For further information about the disabled-board-list setting, refer to the section "Specific NVRAM Variables" in the Platform Notes: Sun Enterprise 3x00, 4x00, 5x00, and 6x00 Systems, part number 805-4454.

Disabled Memory List

For information about the OBP disabled-memory-list setting, refer to the section "Specific NVRAM Variables" in the Platform Notes: Sun Enterprise 3x00, 4x00, 5x00, and 6x00 Systems.

Unloading Detach-Unsafe Drivers

If it is necessary to unload detach-unsafe drivers, use the modinfo(1M) line command to find the module IDs of the drivers. You can then use the module IDs in the modunload(1M) command to unload detach-unsafe drivers.

Interleaved Memory

A memory board or CPU/memory board that contains interleaved memory cannot be dynamically unconfigured.

To determine if memory is interleaved, use the prtdiag command or the cfgadm command.

To permit DR operations on CPU/memory boards, set the NVRAM memory-interleave property to min.

For related information about interleaved memory, see "Memory Interleaving Set Incorrectly After a Fatal Reset, Bug-ID 4156075 " and "DR: Cannot Unconfigure a CPU/Memory Board That Has Interleaved Memory, Bug ID 4210234".

Self-Test Failure During a Connect Sequence

If the error "cfgadm: Hardware specific failure: connect failed: firmware operation error" is displayed during a DR connect sequence, remove the board from the system as soon as possible. The board has failed self-test, and removing the board avoids possible reconfiguration errors that can occur during the next reboot.

If you want to immediately retry the failed operation, you must first remove and reinsert the board, because the board status does not allow further operations.

Dynamic Reconfiguration Feature in Sun Enterprise SyMON Software

As noted in the Dynamic Reconfiguration User's Guide for Sun Enterprise 3x00/4x00/5x00/6x00 Systems, Sun Enterprise SyMONTM system monitoring and management software supports dynamic reconfiguration. However, the user's guide listed the wrong reference. The correct reference is Sun Enterprise SyMON 2.0.1 Supplement for Sun Enterprise Midrange Servers.

Known Bugs

For the latest bug and patch information, refer to: http://sunsolve5.sun.com/sunsolve/Enterprise-dr.

cfgadm -v Not Working Properly, bug-ID 4149371

Category: RFE

The memory test should give occasional indications that it is still running. During a long test, the user cannot easily determine that the system is not hanging.

Workaround: Monitor system progress in another shell or window, using vmstat(1M), ps(1), or similar shell commands.

Memory Interleaving Set Incorrectly After a Fatal Reset, Bug-ID 4156075

Category: Bug

Memory interleaving is left in an incorrect state after a Sun Enterprise x500 server encounters a Fatal Reset. Subsequent DR operations fail. The problem only occurs on systems with memory interleaving set to min.

Workarounds: Two choices are listed below.

vmstat Output Is Incorrect After Configuring Processors, Bug-ID 4159024

Category: Bug

vmstat shows an unusually high number of interrupts after configuring CPUs. With vmstat in the background, the interrupt field becomes abnormally large (but this does not indicate a problem exists). In the last row in the example below, the interrupts (in) column has a value of 4294967216:

# procs memory page disk faults cpu
r b w swap free re mf pi po fr de sr s6 s9 s1 -- in sy cs us sy id
0 0 0 437208 146424 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 50 65 79 0 1 99
0 0 0 413864 111056 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 198 137 214 0 3 97
0 0 0 413864 111056 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 286 101 200 0 3 97
0 0 0 413864 111072 0 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 4294967216 43 68 0 0 100

Workaround: Restart vmstat.

POST System Board Status Displays Only 1 of the 2 Failing CPUs, Bug-ID 4200513

Category: Bug

If two CPUs on a single board fail before reporting to the master CPU, the POST system status display lists one CPU as failing, but the second CPU may not be listed at all.

Workaround: None.

DR: Cannot Unconfigure a CPU/Memory Board That Has Interleaved Memory, Bug ID 4210234

Category: RFE

Cannot unconfigure a CPU/Memory board that has interleaved memory.

To unconfigure and subsequently disconnect a CPU board with memory or a memory-only board, it is necessary to first unconfigure the memory. However, if the memory on the board is interleaved with memory on other boards, the memory cannot currently be unconfigured dynamically.

Memory interleaving can be displayed using the prtdiag or the cfgadm commands.

Workaround: Shut down the system before servicing the board, then reboot afterward. To permit future DR operations on the CPU/memory board, set the NVRAM memory-interleave property to min. See also "Memory Interleaving Set Incorrectly After a Fatal Reset, Bug-ID 4156075 " for a related discussion on interleaved memory.

DR: Cannot Unconfigure a CPU/Memory Board That Has Permanent Memory, Bug ID 4210280

Category: RFE

To unconfigure and subsequently disconnect a CPU board with memory or a memory-only board, it is necessary to first unconfigure the memory. However, some memory is not currently relocatable. This memory is considered permanent.

Permanent memory on a board is marked "permanent" in the cfgadm status display: 

# cfgadm -s cols=ap_id:type:info
Ap_Id Type Information
ac0:bank0 memory slot3 64Mb base 0x0 permanent
ac0:bank1 memory slot3 empty
ac1:bank0 memory slot5 empty
ac1:bank1 memory slot5 64Mb base 0x40000000

In this example, the board in slot3 has permanent memory and so cannot be removed.

Workaround: Shut down the system before servicing the board, then reboot afterward.

cfgadm Disconnect Fails When Running Concurrent cfgadm Commands, Bug-ID 4220105

Category: Bug

If a cfgadm process is running on one board, an attempt to simultaneously disconnect a second board fails.

A cfgadm disconnect operation fails if another cfgadm process is already running on a different board. The message is: 

cfgadm: Hardware specific failure: disconnect failed: nexus
error during detach: address

Workaround: Do only one cfgadm operation at a time. If a cfgadm operation is running on one board, wait for it to finish before you start a cfgadm disconnect operation on a second board.

Fatal Reset on init 5 After DR Operations, Bug-ID 4220852

Category: Bug

After DR operations have been run, an attempt to power down a system with the init 5 command may cause a fatal reset.

Workaround: Reset the system, then power it off by entering the command power-off at the ok prompt.

Cannot Drain And/or Detach Sun Enterprise Server Boards That Host QFE Cards, Bug-ID 4231845

When a server is configured as a boot server for Solaris 2.5.1-based x86 clients, it has several rpld jobs running, whether or not such devices are in use. These active references prevent DR operations from detaching these devices.

Workaround: To perform a DR detach operation:

  1. Remove or rename the /rplboot directory.

  2. Shut down NFS services with this command: 

    # sh /etc/init.d/nfs.server stop

  3. Perform the DR detach operation.

  4. Restart NFS services with this command: 

    # sh /etc/init.d/nfs.server start