Support Notes for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 Support Pack 1 for HP Integrity Servers

Kernel
• Avoid kernel dump errors on PCI Express servers
The Kdump (kernel dump) feature of kexec can be used on PCI Express servers though
PCI Express errors may occur. To avoid error messages, boot with the pci=noaer.
Hardware
• System panics occur if fibre channel storage arrays are directly connected
System panics may occur on HP Integrity servers running Linux that have fibre channel
storage arrays directly connected.
If you want to connect fibre channel storage to HP Integrity Servers running Linux, you
must connect through a fibre channel switch.
For the BL860c BladeSystem server, you must use either the fibre channel switch module
(AE370A/AE371A/AE372A) or an external fibre channel switch.
• System is unbootable after adding new disks
When you add new disks, the system may fail with one of the following messages:
init=
or
VFS root not found
To fix this issue, the use of persistent device names must be configured before adding new
storage devices.
To switch to persistent device names on a system that has already been installed, you should
use the YaST2 partitioner as follows:
1. For each partition, select Edit, and then select FStab Options.
Any mount option except Device nameprovides you persistent device names.
2. Rerun the boot loader module in YaST to switch the bootloader to using the persistent
device name.
3. Start the module.
4. Select Finish to write the new proposed configuration to disk.
You must execute these steps before adding new storage devices. For further information,
see the Persistent Storage Device Names article at the openSUSE website:
http://en.opensuse.org/Persistant_Storage_Device_Names
• SCSI errors cause system failures
SCSI errors and resets for any reason cause system failures. For example, if your disks have
a problem, such as a parity or disk error that causes a SCSI reset, the system will fail.
Combining a Seagate drive with the ds2100 disk carrier causes electrical problems on the
SCSI bus and subsequent reset attempts that also result in system failure. Do not use Seagate
drives with this disk carrier.
Software
• MCA errors on servers with discontiguous memory
When Linux boots on an mid-range/high-end (cellular) HP Integrity server with discontiguous
memory, a cell may be in a state in which too little contiguous memory available and could
cause an MCA.
If you experience this issue, try one of the following methods to resolve the problem:
— Change the memory configuration so that the memory in each cell is equal.
— Change the CLM (Cell Local Memory) setting to increase the size of contiguous memory.
Known Issues 13