User's Guide

Installing HyperFabric

Installing HyperFabric Adapters

Chapter 3

Card Compatibility

This section explains card compatibility considerations for doing OLAR.

Online Addition (OLA) Multiple cards can be added at the same time. When adding a

card online, the ﬁrst issue to resolve is whether the new card is compatible with the

system. Each OLAR-capable PCI slot provides a set amount of power. The replacement

card cannot require more power than there is available.

The card must also operate at the slot’s bus frequency. A PCI card must run at any

frequency lower than its maximum capability, but a card that could operate at only 33

MHz would not work on a bus running at 66 MHz. rad provides information about the

bus frequency and power available at a slot, as well as other slot-related data.

If an HP 9000 system has one or more slots that support OLAR and OLA will be used to

install a HyperFabric adapter in one of those slots. Refer to the Interface Card OL*

Support Guide for information on how to install the adapter in the HP 9000 or Integrity

server.

After adding a new HyperFabric adapter, SMH tries to locate the HyperFabric software.

If SMH cannot locate the HyperFabric software, the new adapter cannot be used until

the software is installed (remember that software installation requires a system reboot).

If SMH locates the HyperFabric software, it determines whether the new adapter is

functional. If it is not functional, an error message is displayed.

If the new adapter is functional, SMH displays a message telling the user to conﬁgure

the adapter and start HyperFabric. If only one adapter is being added, issue the

clic_init -c command or use SMH to conﬁgure the adapter, and then issue the

clic_start command or use SMH to start HyperFabric. If multiple adapters are being

added, add all of the adapters ﬁrst, and then run clic_init -c and clic_start or use

SMH. See “Performing the Conﬁguration” on page 69 and “Starting HyperFabric” on

page 95 for more information about conﬁguring and starting HyperFabric.

CAUTION Do not change any conﬁguration information for an existing HyperFabric adapter or

switch while you are using clic_init -c to conﬁgure a new adapter.

When you have completed the adapter installation, go to “Installing the Software” on

page 47.

Online Replacement (OLR) When replacing an interface card online, the

replacement card must be identical to the card being replaced (or at least be able to

operate using the same driver as the replaced card). This is referred to as like-for-like

replacement and should be adhered to, because using a similar but not identical card can

cause unpredictable results. For example, a newer version of the target card that is

identical to the older card in terms of hardware might contain an updated ﬁrmware

version that could potentially conﬂict with the current driver. For example, an A6386A

adapter must be replaced with another A6386A adapter. In addition, the old adapter and

new adapter must have the same revision levels.

When a replacement card is added to an HP 9000 system, the appropriate driver for that

card must be conﬁgured in the kernel before beginning the replacement operation. SMH

ensures the correct driver is present. (In most cases, the replacement card will be the

same type as a card already in the system, and this requirement will be automatically

met.) Keep the following things in mind: