-C H A P T E R

C H A P T E R 2

Accessing the Controller Firmware

The RAID controller firmware can be configured using a VT100-compatible terminal or a workstation running a terminal emulation program. Topics covered in this chapter include:

Setting Up the Serial Port Connection

To Set Up the Serial Port Connection

Viewing the Initial Firmware Windows

Accessing the Firmware Application From a Solaris Host

To Use the tip Command

Navigating Firmware Menus

Quick Installation (Reserved)

Upgrading Firmware

Setting Up the Serial Port Connection

The RAID controller can be configured by means of a Solaris workstation running a VT100 terminal emulation program, or by a Microsoft Windows terminal emulation program such as HyperTerminal.

Note - You can also monitor and configure a RAID array over an IP network with the Sun StorEdge Configuration Service program after you assign an IP address to the array. For details, refer to the Sun StorEdge 3000 Family Installation, Operation, and Service Manual for your array or the Sun StorEdge 3000 Family Configuration Service User's Guide.

To Set Up the Serial Port Connection

1. Use a serial cable to connect the COM port of the RAID array to an unused serial port on your server.

A DB-9-to-DB-25 serial cable adapter is provided to connect the serial cable to DB-25 serial ports on workstations.

Make sure that a null modem cable can be attached to the host serial port. The null modem cable has serial signals swapped for connecting to a standard serial interface.

FIGURE 2-1 RAID Array COM Port Connected Locally to the COM Port of a Workstation or Computer Terminal

Figure shows RAID array COM port connected locally to the COM port of a workstation or computer terminal.

2. Power up the array.

It can take two or three minutes for both controllers to be initialized before communication is possible over the connection.

3. Set these serial port parameters on the workstation:

38,400 baud

8 bit

1 stop bit

No parity

Note - Refer to the Sun StorEdge 3000 Family Installation, Operation, and Service Manual for your array for more detailed information about cabling and configuration procedures. Appendices provide specific information for each of the supported operating systems you can use to connect to the serial port of the array.

Accessing the Firmware Application From a Solaris Host

You can specify the baud rate of 38,400 when you type the tip command.

To Use the tip Command

1. Connect the RAID array COM port to a serial port of a Solaris workstation (see FIGURE 2-1).

Use the tip command to access the array locally.

# tip -38400 /dev/ttyn

where n is the COM port identifier. For instance, if you have connected the array to the COM port identified as ttyb, use this command:

# tip -38400 /dev/ttyb

2. Refresh your screen by holding down the Control key on your keyboard (this is abbreviated Ctrl on some keyboards) and pressing the letter L key on your keyboard.

Viewing the Initial Firmware Windows

You see the initial controller screen (FIGURE 2-2) when you first access the RAID controller firmware.

FIGURE 2-2 Initial Screen of the Terminal Emulation Application.

Screen capture shows initial controller screen when you first access the RAID controller firmware.

The initial screen is displayed when the RAID controller is powered on. Use the up and down arrow keys to choose the VT100 terminal emulation mode, and then press Return to enter the Main Menu.


Component	Description
Cursor	Move the cursor to a desired item, and then press Return to select.
Controller name	Identifies the type of controller.
Progress indicator	Indicates the current data transfer rate or progress of an event.
Gauge range	Use + or - keys to change the gauge range in order to view the progress indicator.
Cache status	Indicates the percentage in the controller cache that differs from what is saved to disk.
PC graphic (ANSI mode)	Enters the Main Menu and operates in ANSI mode.
(VT100 mode)	Enters the Main Menu and operates in VT100 mode.
PC graphic (ANSI+color mode)	Enters the Main Menu and operates in ANSI color mode.
Show transfer rate+show cache status	Press Return on this item to show the cache status and transfer rate.

The progress indicator is displayed when necessary to indicate the percentage of completion of a particular task or event. Sometimes the event is represented by a descriptive title, such as "Drive Copying:"

Screen capture showing the initial firmware screen with a progress indicator labelled "Drive Copying" and 87% completed.

Event messages showing full descriptive titles for the progress indicator include:

Drive Copying

Flash Erasing

Flash Programming

For other events, the progress indicator merely shows a two-letter code in front of the percentage completed. These codes and their meanings are shown in the following table:


Prefix	Description
IX:	Logical Drive Initialization
PX:	Parity Regeneration
EX:	Logical Drive Expansion
AX:	Add SCSI Drives

Navigating Firmware Menus

The firmware screens described in this document, along with the steps you follow, are the same regardless of whether you have connected to the controller through an IP address or through a serial port connection.

Note - The firmware functionality is similar for both Fibre Channel and SCSI arrays, but the contents of some informational screens vary between platforms.

Once you have chosen the VT 100 Terminal Emulation display mode, the Main Menu is displayed.

FIGURE 2-3 Firmware Main Menu

Firmware Main Menu with eleven commands listed.

Note - Since Fibre Channel and SCSI arrays share the same controller firmware, most menu options are the same. Parameter values might vary according to the product.

Use the following keys to navigate within the Main Menu and all its submenus.

Arrow keys	To select menu options
Return or Enter	To perform the selected menu option or display a submenu
Esc	To return to the previous menu without performing the selected menu option
Ctrl-L (Ctrl key and L key together)	To refresh the screen information
Press a letter as a keyboard shortcut for commands which have a boldface capital letter	To access a Main Menu command quickly

The firmware procedures use the term "Choose" as a shortcut description. Quotation marks are used to indicate a specific menu option or a series of menu options.

Procedure	Meaning
Choose "menu option"	Highlight the menu option and press Return. or Press the key that corresponds to the capitalized letter in the menu option if one is available.
Choose "menu option 1 menu option 2 menu option 3"	This represents a series of nested menus options which are selected with arrow keys. Press Return after each selection in order to access the next menu item and to complete the series.

Procedure

Meaning

Choose "menu option"

Highlight the menu option and press Return.

Press the key that corresponds to the capitalized letter in the menu option if one is available.

Choose "menu option 1 right arrow menu option 2 menu option 3"

This represents a series of nested menus options which are selected with arrow keys. Press Return after each selection in order to access the next menu item and to complete the series.

Quick Installation (Reserved)

Caution - Do not use this command unless directed by Technical Support.

Upgrading Firmware

Firmware upgrades are performed by downloading firmware patches. For firmware upgrade procedures and any prerequisite upgrades, refer to the release notes for your array.