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Asset ID: 1-71-1008787.1
Update Date:2010-01-01
Keywords:

Solution Type  Technical Instruction Sure

Solution  1008787.1 :   Sun StorEdge[TM] T3 Array Slow Boot Time Causes Host System to Boot with Unconfigured LUNs  


Related Items
  • Sun Storage T3 Array
  •  
Related Categories
  • GCS>Sun Microsystems>Storage - Disk>Modular Disk - Other
  •  

PreviouslyPublishedAs
212064


Steps to Follow
The StorEdge T3 array can take well over two minutes per controller to boot (become online and ready) after the power has been turned on.

In a partner group, it can take up to 7 minutes for the entire partner group to go online and start accepting commands from the host. If the host system is powered on at the same time as the T3, it is possible for the host system to boot 'quicker' than the array, and therefore not detect the presence of LUNs on T3 partner groups that are still coming online. This can cause a multitude of problems at bootup time for the host.

Workaround(s):

An obvious, manual solution to this problem is to prevent the host system from booting until the T3 has completed its boot cycle. This would involve manual intervention to interrupt the host boot cycle until the T3 units come online. In an unmanned data center that experiences a catastrophic AC power loss and recovery, something better is needed.

As an alternative, host systems can be sent into an Open Boot PROM sleep cycle, allowing enough time for the T3 arrays to fully boot.

This can be accomplished in 2 ways:

The first method uses an executable script and is the least likely to allow operator data entry error. It can be executed from the command line and is activated at the next scheduled reboot

Note: This method will erase existing contents from the nvramrc.   The nvramrc is often used to hold boot configuration commands or parameters and may cause boot failure if overwritten.   This method should only be used if
there are no existing nvramrc contents. Use the second method to populate the nvramrc if there are existing nvramrc contents.
To determine whether nvramrc contents exist, use either of the following commands:
From the unix command line:
% eeprom nvramrc
ok printenv nvramrc
#!/bin/sh
eeprom fcode-debug\ =true
eeprom use-nvramrc\ =true
eeprom nvramrc='probe-all install-console banner
: wait_for_t3
." Waiting 90 seconds for T3 " cr
d# 90 0 do
i .d (cr
d# 1000 ms
loop
;
wait_for_t3'

The second method should be used if there are existing contents in the nvramrc. These contents may be in the form of device aliases or similar entries used for system configuration or boot parameters.

Enter the following command sequence at the OBP prompt on the host system connected to the T3 partner group.   Control character and carriage return sequences are shown inside brackets [ ].
ok nvedit
[ctl a]   >>> These three commands will populate
[cr]         >>> the sleep script ahead of any
[ctl p]   >>> preexisting nvramrc commands.
probe-all install-console banner
: wait_for_t3
." Waiting 90 seconds for T3 " cr
d# 90 0 do
i .d (cr
d# 1000 ms
loop
;
wait_for_t3
[ctl c]
ok nvstore
ok setenv use-nvramrc  true
ok reset


Product
Sun StorageTek T3 Array

Internal Comments

None.


Previously Published As
21735

Change History
Date: 2006-06-21
User Name: 71396
Action: Add Comment
Comment: *** This is an automatic message. This document has received 0 hits in Sunsolve in 60 days (see http://krep.emea.sun.com/stats/dochistory.cgi?docid=21735 ). If it does not receive any hit in the next 30 days, it will be automatically archived. See http://kmo.central.sun.com/VAM/ for further details. ***
Version: 0
Date: 2003-05-20
User Name: Administrator
Action: Migration from KMSCreator
Comment: updated by : Gary Northup
comment : added comments about 1st method being an executable script
added "cr" at end of "Waiting" line in method 2
it was missing and caused resulting output to be overwritten.
date : Jan 10, 2001



updated by : Gary Northup
comment : Added instruction that provides a workaround for the case
of preexisting nvramrc contents getting overwritten by either method..
Jason Jasner pointed this out this discrepancy.
date : Jan 5, 2001



updated by : Gary Northup
comment : changed from srdb to infodoc
added category properties
date : Jan 5, 2001



updated by : Gary Northup
comment : added storedge disk array property
(there isn't a T3/T300 property)
date : Nov 6, 2000



updated by : Gary Northup
comment : edited synopsis
date : Jan 27, 2000
Version: 0
Product_uuid
2a6d7d50-0a18-11d6-8e0b-f0bd33b24928|Sun StorageTek T3 Array

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