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Re: Flex NIC not linking / Connecting to VC Module

 
EddyC
Occasional Visitor

Flex NIC not linking / Connecting to VC Module

We have a reoccurring issue where new blades in the enclosure do not connect or link within virtual connect, instead their port status (as viewable in the interconnects details page shows as "not linked") we have had this case a number of time and have raised a number of cases with HP but it normally resolves it's self over time, although it doesn't appear to be this time.

 

Picture can be seen here

 

 

A few details,

 

The blades, BL460 and BL465 G7's with the standard onboard flex NIC's

the enclosure, C7000's with HP VC Flex-10 Enet Module fitted

 

VC firmware version: occurred under multiple revisions but currently on 3.5.1

OA firmware version: mixed, currently 3.32

Blade firmware version: mixed firmware versions over the past year (too many to list)

 

resolution approaches tried include:

 

  • reseated/ rebooted servers
  • moved servers to different bay
  • copied existing working profiles and applied to servers and rebooted
  • assigned the same profiles to different blades with the same result
  • created new profiles with lesser or single network and applied to server

After any information if anyone else has had a similar issue or found a fix?

 

5 REPLIES 5
PGTRI
Honored Contributor

Re: Flex NIC not linking / Connecting to VC Module

hi,

 

It looks like FW issue. I will suggest to update the different components to the latest FW versions. They have a lot of fixes.

 

Thanks

 

regards,

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Re: Flex NIC not linking / Connecting to VC Module

We're currently experiencing a very similar issue with our first batch of BL460c Gen8 units.

We ordered these with 530FLB LOMs and 530M mezz cards in the second expansion slot (1st slot is an 8gbps FC mezz).

 

These link to 1/10 VC Enet modules in bays 1/2 and 7/8 of c7000 enclosures, or at least should  link. What we actually see is "not linked" displayed on all ports except the first port of the mezz card, and even this is intermittent on reset of the blade.

This has effectively rendered all our Gen8 units unusable.

 

Case open with HP (4643347419) and we've been informed that it will be fixed by a firmware update but the ETA for said update is not available. However, we've not been provided any detailed information on the root cause or failure mode and so confidence in this fix being effective and arriving soon is low.

If anybody has any further information on this it would be much appreciated.

 

We're on FW 3.60 on all Enet modules. Blades have the latest firmware available on the BL460 drivers page.

 

Thanks,

Alex Castledine

marcelkoedijk
Frequent Advisor

Re: Flex NIC not linking / Connecting to VC Module

This sure likes a firmware issue. Known that de VC, OA, System BIOS, ILO, IO Interfaces always must be matched with a SSP bundle firmware. Isnt advised to use singe firmware files found on the HP websites.

 

Use bundled firmware SSP October 2012, supported for atleast one year by HP.

 

See link:

http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/service_packs/documentation/index.html

 

And firmware update information provide also on this site:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c02049593/c02049593.pdf

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c02225412/c02225412.pdf

 

remember, the converged network firmware and driver must be matched and are important.

Re: Flex NIC not linking / Connecting to VC Module

Hi Marcel,


Thanks for that.

 

The latest firmware is what's in the SPP package for October 2012 and that's what we've applied.

We're locked to the 3.60 VC / 3.56 OA release as this is the last supported release for the 1/10 & 1/10-F VC Enet modules. 3.70 for VC has an install restriction for these modules so can't be applied.


We're not converging currently, Enet and FC are on separate fabrics / uplinks. (I hope this is what you meant)

 

Had an update on the support case today but still no ETA on a firmware / driver update that is promised to resolve this...

Re: Flex NIC not linking / Connecting to VC Module

After much tortuous time spent with HP support this issue has finally been identified as a firmware issue on the 530FLB and 530M adapters.

We've received a beta of the firmware from HP (should be on general release this month apparently) and a new version of driver to work with it from VMWare.

 

Some not so good elements of our support experience (in case anybody from HP is listening...):

- Explaining to first level support what a 1/10 VC Enet interconnect module is

- Explaining to first level support that this module is not compatible with VC firmware 3.70. I actually had to get the release notes PDF out in a screen sharing session with them to prove this

- Trying to explain that a i386 Linux firmware package would not work with the latest Support Pack for ProLiant as it was built on a x86_64 syslinux kernel. In the end I had to find the x64 version of the beta firmware package myself and it was pure luck that these are hosted on an HP FTP server that allows anonymous access