HP-UX Virtual Partitions Release Notes vPars A.04.03 December 2006 Update Documentation Web Site: http://docs.hp.com Manufacturing Part Number : T1335-90056 E0612 U.S.A. © Copyright 2006 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
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1 vPars Release Notes What is in this Document This document covers the vPars A.04.03 release.
vPars Release Notes What’s New in this Version of vPars (A.04.03) What’s New in this Version of vPars (A.04.03) CAUTION December 2006 Update Please note that the 11.11 kernel patch PHKL_34915 mentioned in the September 2006 Release Notes under “Patch and Patch Bundles” has been found to be bad. The original context for this patch in the September 2006 Release Notes is below: “PHKL_35144 is intended only for PA systems and should be available in mid-October 2006.
vPars Release Notes What’s New in this Version of vPars (A.04.03) With this feature, you can specify vPars administration capabilities for zero, one, or more designated virtual partitions. Only superusers within the designated virtual partitions can perform the vPars administration commands that affect other virtual partitions; a superuser within a non-designated virtual partition can perform only operations that affect itself.
vPars Release Notes vPars Documents vPars Documents This section lists the official vPars documents. All documents, including additional topic-specific papers related to using vPars, are available at the HP Documentation web site at http://docs.hp.com/hpux/11i/index.html#Virtual%20Partitions. • HP-UX Virtual Partitions Release Notes (this document) This describes what’s new as well as known problems for a specific vPars release.
vPars Release Notes Ordering vPars Ordering vPars Product Numbers vPars A.04.01 and later have different product numbers than vPars A.03.xx and earlier: T1335BC T1335AC vPars A.04.xx for HP-UX 11i v2 vPars A.03.xx for HP-UX 11i v1 Software Depot You can order this release of vPars from the HP Software Depot at: http://www.hp.com/go/softwaredepot For licensing and configuration information as well as required firmware, see the HP-UX Virtual Partitions Ordering and Configuration Guide.
vPars Release Notes Ordering vPars 8 Chapter 1
2 Read Before Installing This section contains helpful information that you should read before installing vPars, including the following: • Required Patches • Firmware Checklist • Virtual Partition Checklist • Switching Modes on Integrity Systems Chapter 2 9
Read Before Installing Patches and Patch Bundles Patches and Patch Bundles For vPars A.04.03, please make sure to install the following patch bundles and patches: • From HP-UX 11i v2 (11.
Read Before Installing Patches and Patch Bundles Please note that the 11.23 patch PHKL_35144 does not exhibit a problem and does not need to be replaced.
Read Before Installing vPars Checklist vPars Checklist This section is a brief checklist of common but significant items that you should check while performing your vPars setup. Firmware Checklist ✓ Check Server Firmware: Please check the vPars Ordering & Configuration Guide for the required server firmware. For the non-nPartition-able systems, please note that firmware upgrades must be done outside of the vPars environment (in standalone mode).
Read Before Installing vPars Checklist Granularity For Integrity systems, the granularity for both ILM and CLM should be set high: the larger the granularity values, the faster the memory tests will complete on bootup. If you are seeing delays in while booting in vPars mode relative to booting in nPars mode, this may be caused by a small granularity value. For information on granularity and granularity values, see the A.04.xx resources chapter in Installing and Managing HP-UX Virtual Partitions.
Read Before Installing Switching Modes between vPars and nPars on Integrity Systems Switching Modes between vPars and nPars on Integrity Systems This section regarding modes and the new vPars commands for use on Integrity systems is included in Chapter 5 of the Installing and Managing HP-UX Virtual Partitions document but is duplicated here so that users are aware of this for vPars A.04.01 when using Integrity systems. Please see Chapter 2 for further information on using vPars A.04.
Read Before Installing Switching Modes between vPars and nPars on Integrity Systems Note: Remember to issue a parconfig reset after setting the mode. parconfig nPars only sets the mode to nPars. You must issue the parconfig reset to reset the system so that it boots into nPars mode. Note: parconfig does not support switching to vPars mode. In other words, you can use parconfig to set the mode to nPars, but you cannot use parconfig to set the mode to vPars.
Read Before Installing Switching Modes between vPars and nPars on Integrity Systems Chapter 2 16
3 Known Problems and Workarounds This section describes the critical known problems of which you should be aware before installing this version of vPars. For information on specific defects, see the HP ITRC at http://itrc.hp.com.
Known Problems and Workarounds Doorbell Cancel Function May Fail on sx2000 Integrity Servers in vPars mode Doorbell Cancel Function May Fail on sx2000 Integrity Servers in vPars mode Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGag01420 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.xx on Integrity Description The PCI doorbell is a physical button located adjacent to each hot-plug PCI slot. It is also known as the attention button.
Known Problems and Workarounds On Integrity Servers, Booting a Tape Device May Cause the vPars Monitor to Reset On Integrity Servers, Booting a Tape Device May Cause the vPars Monitor to Reset Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGag13374 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.xx on Integrity Description Tape recovery, including booting from a tape device, is not supported on Integrity servers.
Known Problems and Workarounds Booting a FC Tape Device May Cause the Target Virtual Partition to Hang Booting a FC Tape Device May Cause the Target Virtual Partition to Hang Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGag09885 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.03 on PA Description If you attempt to boot a virtual partition using a FC (fibre channel) tape device that has been configured using the :TAPE attribute, the target virtual partition may hang.
Known Problems and Workarounds On sx2000 Integrity Servers, Booting an OS Kernel while in the Wrong Mode May Cause a Panic Instead of Displaying Error Messages On sx2000 Integrity Servers, Booting an OS Kernel while in the Wrong Mode May Cause a Panic Instead of Displaying Error Messages Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGag06132 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.02, A.04.
Known Problems and Workarounds nPartition May Reset when Both the Primary and Alternate Boot Paths are Assigned and Autosearch is On nPartition May Reset when Both the Primary and Alternate Boot Paths are Assigned and Autosearch is On Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGag09508 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.xx on PA Description Under certain conditions where a virtual partition has both its primary and alternate boot paths assigned and the Autosearch is set to On, the nPartition may reset.
Known Problems and Workarounds nPartition May Reset when Both the Primary and Alternate Boot Paths are Assigned and Autosearch is On • have exactly one CPU by hardware path (the -a cpu:hardware_path option of the vparmodify or vparcreate command) assigned to each virtual partition that has the autosearch flag set to search. For more information on assigning CPUs by hardware path, see the A.04.xx Resources chapter in the Installing and Managing HP-UX Virtual Partitions manual.
Known Problems and Workarounds First vparcreate Takes a Long Time to Complete First vparcreate Takes a Long Time to Complete Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGag08408 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.xx on Integrity Description The first vparcreate command used to create a new vPars database takes a long time to complete.
Known Problems and Workarounds A Virtual Partition Remains in Load State with sx2000 Chipset and Madison9M CPU A Virtual Partition Remains in Load State with sx2000 Chipset and Madison9M CPU Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGaf88969 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.02, A.04.03 on Integrity Description On Integrity systems running the sx2000 chipset and Madison9M CPU, a virtual partition remains in the load state for at least 30 seconds and does not complete its boot process.
Known Problems and Workarounds A Virtual Partition Remains in Load State with sx2000 Chipset and Madison9M CPU 1. Issue a hard reset using vparreset to the virtual partition. For example, if winona2 remains in the load state, to issue a hard reset: winona1# vparreset -p winona2 -h 2. When the target partition is in the down state, attempt booting the partition using vparboot. For example: winona1# vparboot -p winona2 The virtual partition should recover and boot properly.
Known Problems and Workarounds In Specific Configurations, One Virtual Partition Does Not Load with vparload -all In Specific Configurations, One Virtual Partition Does Not Load with vparload -all Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGaf71303 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.xx on Integrity Description In certain configurations, one virtual partition does not load when you execute the vparload -all command at the MON> prompt.
Known Problems and Workarounds Monitor Assigns All Available ILM Memory to a Virtual Partition rather than Requested Amount Monitor Assigns All Available ILM Memory to a Virtual Partition rather than Requested Amount Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGaf71610 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.
Known Problems and Workarounds Monitor Assigns All Available ILM Memory to a Virtual Partition rather than Requested Amount . [Available ILM (Base /Range)]: [Available ILM (MB)]: (bytes) (MB) When a boot of any other partition is attempted, the boot fails because it is unable to find any available memory: keira1# vparboot -p keira2 vparboot: Booting keira2. Please wait... keira1#No memory range to load kernel keira2 Error reading program segments Failed to load (0/0/0/2/0.6.0.0.0.0.
Known Problems and Workarounds IPMI Messages Do Not Get Logged During Boot or Shutdown of a Virtual Partition IPMI Messages Do Not Get Logged During Boot or Shutdown of a Virtual Partition Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGaf63872, PHKL_33433 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.
Known Problems and Workarounds Virtual Partition Hangs When IPMI Fails to Get a Lock Virtual Partition Hangs When IPMI Fails to Get a Lock Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGaf64706, PHKL_33433 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.xx on Integrity Description When multiple virtual partitions are shutting down or rebooting at the same time, one virtual partition hangs attempting to get an IPMI response due to a stuck bit. This causes IPMI messages from the other virtual partitions to fail.
Known Problems and Workarounds Booting of Monitor Fails After a Lan Boot is Attempted Booting of Monitor Fails After a Lan Boot is Attempted Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGaf62265 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.xx on Integrity Description Booting of the vPars Monitor fails after a lan boot is attempted.
Known Problems and Workarounds Unmounted Disks May Remain in Open State Unmounted Disks May Remain in Open State Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGaf61957, PHKL_33432 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.xx on Integrity Description Unmounted disks will remain in an open state if a virtual partition is booted. Symptoms Unused (unmounted) disks remain in an open state. Commands such as pvcreate may later fail on those disks. Workaround Install PHKL_33432.
Known Problems and Workarounds Deletion by a Combination of CLP and Total CPU Count on the Same Command Line May Fail Occasionally Deletion by a Combination of CLP and Total CPU Count on the Same Command Line May Fail Occasionally Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGaf66559 Applicable on ❏ ❏ vPars A.04.xx on Integrity vPars A.04.xx on PA Description Deletion by a combination of 1. CLP (cell local processor) (-d cell:cell_ID:cpu::number) and then 2.
Known Problems and Workarounds Deletion by a Combination of CLP and Total CPU Count on the Same Command Line May Fail Occasionally • Chapter 3 Change the order of the command line options, using the CPU count syntax before the CLP syntax (-d cell:cell_ID:cpu::number) on the command line.
Known Problems and Workarounds Panic Caused by Unequal Amounts of Allocated ILM Panic Caused by Unequal Amounts of Allocated ILM Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGaf64296 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.xx on PA Description Unequal amounts of ILM allocated from cells may cause a system panic. Symptoms The system panics when unequal amounts of ILM are allocated from the cells to the nPartition. In other words, each cell is not providing an equal amount of ILM to the nPartition.
Known Problems and Workarounds Panic Caused by Unequal Amounts of Allocated ILM Total Cell Memory - cell configured CLM = cell ILM contribution determine how much CLM memory to configure for each cell such that all cells have an the same amount of cell ILM contribution. 3. Configure the corresponding CLM on each cell using parmodify. For example, # parmodify -p -m 0::::W -m 1::::X -m 2::::Y -m 3::::Z where W, X, Y, and Z are the corresponding CLM values found in Step 2.
Known Problems and Workarounds vparstatus Displays the Same Memory Range Multiple Times vparstatus Displays the Same Memory Range Multiple Times Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGaf66570 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.xx on Integrity Description vparstatus displays invalid memory ranges multiple times. Symptoms vparstatus -v, vparstatus -M, vparstatus -A, or vparstatus -A -M display an invalid memory range multiple times.
Known Problems and Workarounds setboot Extraneous Output in stdout and stderr setboot Extraneous Output in stdout and stderr Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGaf41706 and JAGaf47668, PHCO_33044 Applicable on ❏ ❏ vPars A.04.xx on Integrity vPars A.04.xx on PA Description In a vPars environment, setboot may display extraneous output. Symptoms setboot may display this extraneous mpctl error message: winona1# setboot mpctl: Invalid argument ... or the extraneous note: winona1# setboot ...
Known Problems and Workarounds System Activity Events Reported Through IPMI by EMS System Activity Events Reported Through IPMI by EMS Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGaf62654 Applicable on ❏ ❏ vPars A.04.xx on Integrity vPars A.04.xx on PA Description In a vPars environment, system activity events are decoded and reported on all virtual partitions.
Known Problems and Workarounds System Activity Events Reported Through IPMI by EMS Workaround Note that in a vPars environment, when system events are reported via EMS either from system firmware or an OS instance, the system events are decoded and reported on all virtual partitions. The OS instance that is shown as sending the event is not necessarily indicative of the actual virtual partition that encountered the problem.
Known Problems and Workarounds Virtual Partition Does Not Boot After Root Mirror is Created Virtual Partition Does Not Boot After Root Mirror is Created Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGaf54464 Applicable on ❏ vPars A.04.xx on Integrity Description A virtual partition does not boot from its mirror root disk because there is no longer a valid EFI to hardware path mapping in the vPars database. Symptoms After creating a mirror root disk, the virtual partition fails to boot from this disk.
Known Problems and Workarounds Virtual Partition Appears to Hang After Typing control-s Virtual Partition Appears to Hang After Typing control-s Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGae98555 Applicable on ❏ ❏ vPars A.04.xx on PA vPars A.03.xx on PA Description While a virtual partition is shutting down, panicking, or booting, typing control-s to suspend its console output may cause the virtual partition to stop making forward progress. The virtual partition may appear to hang.
Known Problems and Workarounds TC Command of the GSP TC Command of the GSP Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGae41558 Applicable on ❏ ❏ vPars A.04.xx on PA vPars A.03.xx on PA Description Initiating a TC (Transfer of Control) at the GSP (Guardian Service Processor) while the vPars Monitor is booted may cause the hard partition/system to hang. Symptoms If the vPars Monitor is booted and if a TC is issued via the GSP, the hard partition/system may hang.
Known Problems and Workarounds Configuring an Ultra2 or Ultra160 Card with vparutil Configuring an Ultra2 or Ultra160 Card with vparutil Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGaf00411 Applicable on ❏ ❏ vPars A.04.xx on PA vPars A.03.xx on PA Description On the nPartition-able servers, using the vparutil command to configure an Ultra2 or Ultra160 SCSI card can cause the virtual partition that owns the SCSI card to fail to boot.
Known Problems and Workarounds Autoboot Fails from Fibre Channel Device via Brocade 3800 Switch Autoboot Fails from Fibre Channel Device via Brocade 3800 Switch Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGae78109 Applicable on ❏ ❏ vPars A.04.xx on PA vPars A.03.xx on PA Description Using a fibre channel mass storage device via a Brocade 3800 switch with firmware version 3.1.1 within a rp5405, L3000/rp5470, or N4000/rp7400 server running PDC 43.
Known Problems and Workarounds Virtual Partition Fails to Load after a Reboot Virtual Partition Fails to Load after a Reboot Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGae88150 Applicable on ❏ ❏ vPars A.04.xx on PA vPars A.03.xx on PA Description When using an rp7405, rp7410, or rp8400 with firmware version 6, which includes PDC 17.005, the virtual partitions will not boot to the up state after a reboot. Symptoms The virtual partitions will not boot after a reboot.
Known Problems and Workarounds System Resets During a Crash Dump Due to Watchdog Timer System Resets During a Crash Dump Due to Watchdog Timer Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGae79790 Applicable on ❏ ❏ vPars A.04.xx on PA vPars A.03.xx on PA Description During a crash dump of a virtual partition, hardware heartbeats are delayed long enough such that the watchdog timer is triggered. If the watchdog timer has been configured to reset, then the entire system is reset (TOC).
Known Problems and Workarounds System Resets During a Crash Dump Due to Watchdog Timer -> Automatic System restart will be updated. Current Triggering alert levels are: 13 Do you want to modify them? (Y/[N]): n Automatic System Restart configuration has been updated GSP Host Name: keira GSP> On nPartition-able servers, use the following procedure: GSP> cm Enter HE to get a list of available commands GSP:CM> ar This command modifies the automatic system restart configuration of the selected partition.
Known Problems and Workarounds Topology of A5158A Changes from Fabric to Public Loop After the Virtual Partition Reboots Topology of A5158A Changes from Fabric to Public Loop After the Virtual Partition Reboots Related JAG or Patch ID Number JAGaf15533 Applicable on ❏ ❏ vPars A.04.xx on PA vPars A.03.xx on PA Description When the A5158A is connected to the Brocade 2800 or 12000 switch, the topology of the A5158A changes after the virtual partition reboots.
Known Problems and Workarounds Topology of A5158A Changes from Fabric to Public Loop After the Virtual Partition Reboots brocade01:admin> switchshow switchName: brocade01 switchType: 2.4 switchState: Online switchMode: Native ... port 0: -- No_Module port 1: -- No_Module port 2: -- No_Module port 3: sw Online F-Port 50:06:0b:00:00:10:23:fa port 4: sw Online F-Port 50:06:0b:00:00:00:f4:28 ... The switch information after the reboot shows: brocade01:admin> switchshow switchName: brocade01 switchType: 2.
Known Problems and Workarounds Topology of A5158A Changes from Fabric to Public Loop After the Virtual Partition Reboots TL Chip Revision No is PCI Sub-system Vendor ID is PCI Sub-system ID is Topology = = = = 2.3 0x00103c 0x000006 PTTOPT_FABRIC ...
