SPARC T3 Sun System Firmware version 8.0.4.b Patches (WITHDRAWN) May Cause FRUID Data to be Deleted

Asset ID:	1-77-1314609.1
Update Date:	2011-04-19
Keywords:

Solution Type Sun Alert Sure

Solution 1314609.1 : SPARC T3 Sun System Firmware version 8.0.4.b Patches (WITHDRAWN) May Cause FRUID Data to be Deleted

Applies to:

SPARC T3-4 - Version: Not Applicable and later   [Release: N/A and later ]
Netra T3-1 - Version: Not Applicable and later    [Release: N/A and later]
Solaris SPARC Operating System - Version: 10 10/09 U8 and later    [Release: 10.0 and later]
SPARC T3-1 - Version: Not Applicable and later    [Release: N/A and later]
SPARC T3-1B - Version: Not Applicable and later    [Release: N/A and later]
Information in this document applies to any platform.
___________________________________

Date of Workaround Release: 18-Apr-2011

Date of Resolved Release: 19-Apr-2011
__________________________________

Description

Upgrading the Sun System Firmware to version 8.0.4.b on the SPARC T3 Systems listed below will cause manufacturing data to be lost in the Field Replaceable Unit ID (FRUID) if there is a subsequent replacement of the Service Processor (SP) or other component containing a FRUID. FRUID information is used by the self healing and reporting features of Solaris 10.

The patches listed below that deliver Firmware version 8.0.4.b have been WITHDRAWN and are no longer available.

Likelihood of Occurrence

This issue can occur on the following platforms:

SPARC Platform

SPARC T3-1 with Sun System Firmware version 8.0.4.b (as delivered in patch 145665-02) and without patch 145665-03
SPARC T3-1B with Sun System Firmware version 8.0.4.b (as delivered in patch 145666-03) and without patch 145666-04
SPARC T3-2 with Sun System Firmware version 8.0.4.b (as delivered in patch 145667-03) and without patch 145667-04
SPARC T3-4 with Sun System Firmware version 8.0.4.b (as delivered in patch 145668-02) and without patch 145668-03
Netra SPARC T3-1 with Sun System Firmware version 8.0.4.b (as delivered in patch 145669-02) and without patch 145669-03

Notes:

1. The trigger for this issue occurs when a SP card running System Firmware 8.0.4.b which contains cached FRUID data is moved into a different system. The system that the SP has been moved to may experience the deletion of its FRUID data when the system boots up, and an audit determines that the old/incorrect cached data in the SP is inconsistent with the FRIUD of the system.

2. The FRUID corruption only occurs when replacing system components with FRUIDs. Disk drives and Fans can be replaced without any issues as they do not contain a FRUID.

3. To determine the Firmware version on one of these systems, the following command can be run:

-> show /HOST

/HOST
    Targets:
        bootmode
        console
        diag
        domain
        tpm

    Properties:
        autorestart = reset
        autorunonerror = false
        bootfailrecovery = poweroff
        bootrestart = none
        boottimeout = 0
        hypervisor_version = Hypervisor 1.9.0.b 2010/09/15 01:48
        macaddress = 00:21:28:a6:7a:fa
        maxbootfail = 3
        obp_version = OpenBoot 4.32.0.b 2010/09/29 19:13
        post_version = POST 4.32.0.a 2010/09/24 20:30
        send_break_action = (Cannot show property)
        status = Solaris running
        sysfw_version = Sun System Firmware 8.0.0.e 2010/09/30 13:33 <<------<<<<

    Commands:
        cd
        set
        show
->

Possible Symptoms

There are no predictable symptoms that would indicate the described issue has occurred.

Workaround or Resolution

If System Firmware version 8.0.4.b has already been installed, this issue can be avoided by re-installing an earlier firmware version prior to 8.0.4.b.

This issue is addressed in the following releases:

SPARC Platform

SPARC T3-1 with Sun System Firmware version 8.0.4.c as delivered in patch 145665-03 or later
SPARC T3-1B with Sun System Firmware version 8.0.4.c as delivered in patch 145666-04 or later
SPARC T3-2 with Sun System Firmware version 8.0.4.c as delivered in patch 145667-04 or later
SPARC T3-4 with Sun System Firmware version 8.0.4.c as delivered in patch 145668-03 or later
Netra SPARC T3-1 with Sun System Firmware version 8.0.4.c as delivered in patch 145669-03 or later

Patches

<SUNPATCH:145665-03>
<SUNPATCH:145666-04>
<SUNPATCH:145667-04>
<SUNPATCH:145668-03>
<SUNPATCH:145669-03>

Modification History

Date of Workaround Release: 18-Apr-2011
Re-Release as Resolved: 19-Apr-2011 - Updated Contributing Factors and Resolution

This regression was caused by the change made for 7006437 and fixed by 7034289

The problem manifests itself in this way: FRUID data is stored in the non-volatile
seeproms and is also cached on the service processor under persist/seeprom which
is used to speed up access to the FRUID data. ILOM is responsible for keeping the
seeproms and the cached files in sync. When the SP boots, ILOM checks the contents
of the cached files against the data in the actual seeprom to see if there are any
differences in the data or any corrupted data.

Here is where the bug comes into play: If ILOM detects differences between the
cached files and the data in the seeprom, it attempts to correct the data either
in the seeprom or the cached file. One of the routines used to read out the data
actually returns bogus data and the result is a corrupted FRU.

Why would the cached data be different from that of the actual seeprom?
Mainly when either a new SP or SP from another machine or another FRU is
changed in the system, exposing the problem.

Internal Contributor/Submitter: [email protected]
Internal Eng Responsible Engineer: [email protected]
Oracle Knowledge Analyst: [email protected]
Internal Eng Business Unit Group: Systems Group-SVS (SPARC Volume Systems)
Internal Escalation ID: None
Internal Pending Patches: 145665-03, 145666-04, 145667-04,
145668-03, 145669-03

Note:
Specific Product and Platform choices have been added to this
Sun Alert to conform with and enable MOS Hot Topics delivery.
(for this doc: Solaris SPARC Operating System - GENERIC (All Platforms)
If you have any questions regarding these items, please email:
[email protected]

Please send technical questions to the following email:
[email protected]
and copy the Responsible Engineer/Contributor listed

References

<SUNBUG:7034289>
<SUNPATCH:145665-03>
<SUNPATCH:145666-04>
<SUNPATCH:145667-04>
<SUNPATCH:145668-03>
<SUNPATCH:145669-03>

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