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• Part No: 300-1396-05 or lower
• Part Description: Module AC Transfer Switch

• Xoption Number: SF-CAB
• Xoption Description: SunFire Cabinet

• Xoption Number: SF-XCAB
• Xoption Description: SunFire Cabinet

This configuration can lead to a greater system interruption hazard during failover of the RTS than a single power source configured into a single RTU with one RTS connected.

Configuring a single source into 2 RTS units installed into the same RTU is not recommended by SUN.

Sun Fire Servers (3800/4800/4810/6800) may encounter power failover issues when system RTS/RTU units are configured from a single power source. This configuration can lead to a greater system interruption hazard during failover of the RTS than a single power source configured into a single RTU with one RTS connected.

Configuring a single source into 2 RTS units installed into the same RTU is not recommended by SUN. There are however, a few installations where this configuration exists. Customers with down-rev RTS (300-1396-05 or below) units in a single-source configuration are at the greatest risk of failover issues if a power cycle occurs. This issue was mitigated but not eliminated by corrective action that was initiated on October 15, 2002 by updating the affected part number revision from 300-1396-05 to 300-1396-06.

There are no software commands for determining whether a system has an affected RTS or not.

Please follow these steps to determine if a system or cabinet is affected:

1. Determine if the customer has a fully supported configuration. The two supported configurations are:

    A: Two independent sources of power connected to the RTU.

    B: One source of power connected to one RTS in a RTU with the other RTS either not installed or left disconnected.

If either of these configurations exist, there is no further action required as the customer has no risk of this condition ever occurring.

2. If it is determined that the customer has a single source of power supplying 2 RTS units in the same RTU, a discussion should now occur with the customer. Make them aware of the risk involved with this configuration.

For more information on supported wiring, refer to the "Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 System Installation Guide" from the Sun System Handbook.

http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/hardware/docs/pdf/817-2353-12.pdf

If a discussion with the customer reveals a need for a single source connected to dual RTS configuration, it may be helpful to understand the customer's level of risk. Please proceed to step 3.

3. There should be a sticker on the face of the RTS unit. It should contain the part number of the RTS. If the part number of either RTS unit is 300-1396-04 or 300-1396-05, it is not supported in a single source connected to dual RTS configuration. If the part number is 300-1396-06 (or above) it will supply limited support to single Source power to both RTS units.

Corrective action was made available in manufacturing by phasing in a fix via 300-1396-06 to allow for a longer switch over. This action was initiated to try to prevent oscillating between two RTS units installed in a single RTU when their single input source is power cycled.

For Sun Fire 3800/4800/4810/6800 systems with a single source input connected to two RTS's in a single RTU box, bring the system into a supported configuration or inform the customer of the risks associated with 300-1396-05 (or below) RTS units.

To configure an RTU/RTS, the step-by-step information is available publicly in:
http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/hardware/docs/pdf/817-2353-12.pdf

As this is a rare configuration, the following Best Practices guide promotes the proper RTU/RTS setup to insure that the system being checked is not susceptible to this issue:

    http://www.sun.com/blueprints/0901/sunfireconfig.pdf

RTS units are highly reliable. The possibility of a failover issue and an unplanned outage in the Single Source to Dual RTS configuration is actually greater than the possibility of an RTS failure causing an outage.

• This FIN was created new using I1133-1 as the original document (published 10/13/2004).  
• Updated the URL to correct link.

None

• Manual: Sun Fire 6800/4810/4800/3800 System Installation Guide.
• URL: http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/hardware/docs/pdf/817-2353-12.pdf
  http://www.sun.com/blueprints/0901/sunfireconfig.pdf

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