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Re: Securing the console port on an ES47

 
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John A.  Beard
Regular Advisor

Re: Securing the console port on an ES47

The whole reason we are doing this is that we are experiencing a number of system crashes that have yet to be properly explained (not sufficient data in dumps, etc). We have already upgraded everything possible in the VMS and firmware department, and now HP is saying that it potentially might be down to line noise coming being directed onto the console port.

The concept of securing the console port was so that any future similar incidences would not cause the servers to drop down to the SRM prompt...this issues has nothing to do with the who can or cannot gain acess to the port.
Glacann fear cr├нonna comhairle.
Art Wiens
Respected Contributor

Re: Securing the console port on an ES47

Do you have an AMS? You can set it to record the console logging that you can scroll back through to see what possibly might have happened.

BTW, if you have no physical console connected, how can HP say it's line noise on the console port? Solar flares? :-)

Cheers,
Art
John A.  Beard
Regular Advisor

Re: Securing the console port on an ES47

By no physical connection I meant that there is no PC or VT device permanently attached. We have cables attached through the SMC NAT routers to the ES47's.
Glacann fear cr├нonna comhairle.
Volker Halle
Honored Contributor

Re: Securing the console port on an ES47

John,

re: unexplainable crashes

The only type of system crashes, which could be explained by 'noise on the console line', would be CPUSANITY or CPUSPINWAIT crashes. This should be visible in the CLUE CONFIG data and the state of the CPUs. I've never heard something like this before, it seems a bit far-fetched ...

Volker.
John A.  Beard
Regular Advisor

Re: Securing the console port on an ES47

Hi Volker,

This whole business has proved to be very strange on a number of fronts.

Just to add some complexity to the issue, this problem has cropped up on all eight ES47s spread across two sites spanning a 12 month period.

It has affected both production servers and boxes that would have had absolutely no activity taking place.

I am due to speak with someone from HP in the next 5 minutes and I will mention the points you raised previously.
Glacann fear cr├нonna comhairle.
Art Wiens
Respected Contributor

Re: Securing the console port on an ES47

It's pretty hard to believe that "line noise" on an ethernet cable could form a Ctl/P character but "anything's possible". I would push HP a bit harder and escalate to someone who could properly interpret those crash dumps. Perhaps Volker! ;-) (I know he doesn't work for HP ... maybe they can sub-contract it :-)

Cheers,
Art
John A.  Beard
Regular Advisor

Re: Securing the console port on an ES47

HP has had what crash dumps were available and could find nothing. The error logs did not show any hardware errors also.

On some occasions, we would connect to MBM but could not get a response from the server in question. We had no option but to issue a power off and power on command and that overrides the console setting of HALT and rebooted the box.

Glacann fear cr├нonna comhairle.
Art Wiens
Respected Contributor

Re: Securing the console port on an ES47

I've had "similar" experiences not being able to access the console ... not sure if you have an AMS and/or if you tried, but I found that doing a "Broadcast to connected users ..." (available by right-clicking the MBM platform console entry) cleared up whatever was "stuck" and I was then able to use the console.

FWIW,
Art
Bob Blunt
Respected Contributor

Re: Securing the console port on an ES47

John, if you're not getting good dump analysis and you have a valid software support contract then you NEED to have the case elevated, and note that word, ELEVATED to the VMS backline, most of whom are still loosely attached to Colorado Springs. Choose ONE case that's already open, if they've closed it have it reopened.

IF you aren't getting to the VMS backline then speak with your local field engineering manager. They can open an escalation and have the REAL big guns engaged, but there are tons of processes involved with an escalation and it can be cumbersome. Start with a polite but very FIRM insistance that you need the VMS backline. There are other steps that can be taken if you're not being taken seriously but that can get real ugly.

bob
Volker Halle
Honored Contributor

Re: Securing the console port on an ES47

John,

if your systems are set up correctly, $ TYPE CLUE$HISTORY should show the crash history (1 line per crash). If you can make this information available in an attached .TXT file, I'll have a look at the types of crashes and might be able to give further advice.

For each crash, there should also be a CLUE$COLLECT:CLUE$node_ddmmyy_hhmm.LIS file, which contains the most important footprint data for each crash. Feel free to mail those files to me.

Volker.