Sun Fire[tm] X4100 and X4200 ILOM Upgrade Procedure Flaws

Asset ID:	1-73-1001326.1
Update Date:	2010-08-25
Keywords:

Solution Type FAB (standard) Sure

Solution 1001326.1 : Sun Fire[tm] X4100 and X4200 ILOM Upgrade Procedure Flaws

Related Items


Sun Fire X4100 Server
 Sun Fire X4200 Server

Related Categories


GCS>Sun Microsystems>Sun FAB>Standard>Controlled Proactive

PreviouslyPublishedAs
201788

Product
Sun Fire X4100 Server
Sun Fire X4200 Server

Bug Id
<SUNBUG: 6415975>

Impact

Symptoms

Failing to follow the instructions to apply the supplied pre-flash script prior to the flash upgrade may corrupt the ILOM service processor. Error messages may be seen on the ILOM service processor serial management port, such as:

    ...........................................................
    ....................................umount: /conf: device is busy
    umount: /conf: device is busy
    Node totlen on flash (0xffffffff) != totlen in node ref (0x000002c8)
    Node totlen on flash (0xffffffff) != totlen in node ref (0x0000070c)

This issue has presented itself if, after the ILOM flash upgrade occurs, it is not possible to login to the ILOM service processor via the serial management or network management port. Resetting the ILOM/BIOS password via the password jumper does not help. The ILOM service processor may also print other error messages or not display a login prompt.

Root Cause

Root cause can be attributed to an intermittent failure to unmount the /conf partition during an "sp flash upgrade" or "flush filesystem blocks" procedure.

Workaround

Follow the instructions in the Sun Fire X4100 and X4200 Product Notes (.pdf file), and apply the supplied pre-flash script to ILOM service processors, prior to performing flash upgrade.

See the Product Notes and pre-flash README file, for detailed information and examples on how to automate application of the pre-flash script.

Future releases of ILOM service processor firmware will correct the deficiency.

Note: In the event that flash corruption occurs, a manual flash recovery process is available (see "Recovering from a Failed Flash Update" in Sun Fire X4100 and Sun Fire X4200 Servers Product Notes for details on manual recovery). It is a very complicated process, which may completely corrupt the ILOM service processor flash if done incorrectly, which will then need to be replaced.

Modification History
Date: 27-JUN-2006

Updated doc to include new impact and resolution section information.

Date: 27-JUN-2006

Converted this doc from a PFIN to a FIN.

Previously Published As
102325
Internal Comments

None.

Hardware Remediation Details

Related Information

URL: http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/hardware/docs/html/819-1162-16/

Internal Contributor/submitter
Christopher.P.Johnson@sun.com

Internal Eng Business Unit Group
KE Authors

Internal Eng Responsible Engineer
Patrick.Boyle@sun.com

Internal Services Knowledge Engineer
sean.hassall@sun.com

Internal Kasp FAB Legacy ID
102325

Internal Sun Alert & FAB Admin Info
Critical Category:
Significant Change Date:
Avoidance: Service Procedure
Responsible Manager: null
Original Admin Info: null

Internal SA-FAB Eng Submission
The Sun Fire[tm] X4100 and X4200 Servers provide a combined ILOM service processor and bios upgrade option. Flaws have been discovered in the ILOM upgrade feature, which may result in corruption of the ILOM service processor firmware, and motherboard SUN FRU id record. This is most likely to occur if
the server remains powered on at the beginning of the flash update, or if the service processor configuration is preserved during upgrade.

Product_uuid
54e2ac49-df71-11d9-89e6-080020a9ed93|Sun Fire X4100 Server
c6e795ef-df6f-11d9-89e6-080020a9ed93|Sun Fire X4200 Server

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