The latest Generally Available T10000A microcode (1.37.114) should be considered an important and necessary field update.

Asset ID:	1-73-1019232.1
Update Date:	2010-09-15
Keywords:

Solution Type FAB (standard) Sure

Solution 1019232.1 : The latest Generally Available T10000A microcode (1.37.114) should be considered an important and necessary field update.

Impact

Depending on the hardware level the drive may become unusable. See Contributing Factors section for more detail.

Contributing Factors

T10000A Tape Drive 1.34.114 Microcode is the latest Generally Available microcode. Field personnel should proactively engage their customers to highlight the need to install this code ASAP for the following reasons;

1. This code enables use of the KMA 2.0 encryption feature for T10000 drives.

2. This code supports all the hardware variants for the connectivity listed
   in item 1. All new build tape drives and those returning from the repair
   process will be shipped with 1.37.114 installed.

   If this code is downgraded to a lower level due to customer change control
   considerations, there is a possibility that certain hardware levels will
   not work with the down-level code, and this may cause the tape drive to
   become unusable. Once in this state the drive cannot be recovered in the
   field and must be replaced.

3. This code has a significant number of fixes for FICON drives and is required
   if the FICON drive is installed in an SL8500 library where the library has
   3.77 firmware or higher. Those customers who have installed it todate have
   seen a significant reduction in the number of problems they have experienced.
   The Engineering Change field instructions list these issues and fixes along
   with the instructions for installation.

4. This microcode has changes to allow up to 256 open systems hosts to attach
   to a drive.

5. This code has a change to fix a problem where the SL8500 library stops
   communicating with the drive.

Symptoms

Depending on the hardware level, the drive may become unusable if the code is down leveled from the 1.33.107 installed on new drives or drives coming from flex. The “fixes” will bring significant benefits to the customers tape environment, reduced failures and increased stability.

Corrective Action

Workaround

No workaround available - see Resolution section below.

Resolution

Working with your customer, download, schedule and install the 1.37.114 code on all T10000A tape drives.

Only those authorized to service this product should be implementing this or any tape drive code. This is not customer installable.

This code upgrade should be provided via onsite service at no charge, for all customers who hold a valid service contract with Sun.

Identification of Affected Parts (how to):

The code and the Engineering Change instructions detailing the prerequisites, supported configuration, installation and fix list are posted on the Uniform Software Repository (USR) web page, which can be accessed via the below URL;

http://dlrequest.sfbay.sun.com:88/

Once at this site search on T10000 which takes you to the list of available microcode. Select T10000 and download the 1.34.114.zip file. The code load file, instructions, and FSC listing files are zipped into the one file. This code requires Virtual Op Panel version 1.0.11 which is also listed when you search for the T10000 code on the USR site.

For information about FAB documents, its release processes, implementation strategies and billing information, go to the following URL:

http://tns.central/fab

For Sun Authorized Service Providers go to:

http://tns.central/SPE/fab/

In addition to the above you may email:

[email protected]

Internal Contributor/submitter
[email protected]

Internal Eng Responsible Engineer
[email protected]

Internal Services Knowledge Engineer
[email protected]

Internal Eng Business Unit Group
NWS (Storage)

Internal Sun Alert & FAB Admin Info
30-Apr-2008: Completed draft and sent to Extended Review.
02-May-2008: No feedback from Ext Rvw - sending to Publish.
07-May-2008: Added in FAB Footer template.
17-Dec-2009: Replaced Product with Swordfish Nomenclature

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