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Re: bl860/bl870, OpenVMS and Flex10

 
Uwe Zessin
Honored Contributor

Re: bl860/bl870, OpenVMS and Flex10

Sounds like an internal engineering nickname.
It is not helpful to use it when talking to mere mortals...
.
The Brit
Honored Contributor

Re: bl860/bl870, OpenVMS and Flex10

Dick,

I have just spent a couple of minutes meticulously re-reading your response and I find it very confusing.

1. You reference a product I have never heard of (probably for the reason given by Uwe).
2. You agree that VMS support is not there yet.
3. You advise me to install a Mezz card which you tell me is not available yet.
4. However if I meet all of these requirements, it will work for me.

I am left to assume that you are an HP Engineering type, running your environment on equipment and soft/firmware which is not generally available to us out here.

Not truly helpful. You could have just said that it will not work for me until certain products become available later in the year.

I am sure that, internally at least, there are several variations on the Flex-10 module, however I have never seem any documentation in the public area to indicate that there are different models of Flex-10 available.

As a final comment, I have upgraded my modules to the very latest version of VC, i.e. 2.33, with no effect. From discussions with HP engineering, it implication is that the fix for SmartLink involved something called DCC (Device Channel Control, I think), and unless the NIC driver knows about DCC, you are screwed.

Solutions are being found on a Blade/OS/App level, almost all of which involve an upgrade to the NIC driver. For Windows and Linux/Unix system this is fairly common practice (I'm told), however with OpenVMS it is not. This would certainly fit with the "...wait for V8.4." responses.

My most recent information is that; If you are running on bl860 or bl870's (first generation, with 5704 LOM's), Version 8.4 will fix the problem. However, if you are using the new "I2" blades, V8.4 will not fix the problem, but that a "patch" is due for release in ~August, for the new generation blades (bl860c I2, bl870c I2 and bl890c)

Dave
The Brit
Honored Contributor

Re: bl860/bl870, OpenVMS and Flex10

Issue finally resolved. The problem turned out to be that the bl8x0c 5704 LOM NICs are not able to Autonegotiate with the New Flex-10 modules. NIC speed must be "forced" to 1Gb.

Solution: (Obvious once the problem is known)

1. Within the VC profile, for each Ethernet port, Select "Custom" and "1Gb" from the Port Speed Setting dropdown menu. After changing all of the ports, Apply the profile changes (can be done dynamically). (Note: if you select Auto, it will say that the negotiated speed is 1Gb, but the NICs will not function)

2. Within Openvms. In LANCP set the EW devices to permenantly "NoAuto".

$ mc lancp
LANCP> Define Device EWA0 /NoAuto
LANCP> Define Device EWB0 /NoAuto
LANCP> Set Device EWA0 /NoAuto
LANCP> Set Device EWA0 /NoAuto
LANCP> exit

As the "set device" command executes, OPCOM shows the devices joining the FAILSET LLA0, followed by a "Link Up" on EWA0.

Hope this helps someone.

Dave.
The Brit
Honored Contributor

Re: bl860/bl870, OpenVMS and Flex10

See Above.
Richard Stockdale
Frequent Advisor

Re: bl860/bl870, OpenVMS and Flex10

Let me address your issues:

>>1. You reference a product I have never heard of (probably for the reason given by Uwe).

There is only one Flex-10 capable switch. If you have one, it is a Bergstrom switch. I don't know the official name of it.

>>2. You agree that VMS support is not there yet.

VMS supports this switch. But not the Flex-10 capability. You aren't using Flex-10 capability.

>>3. You advise me to install a Mezz card which you tell me is not available yet.

I'm not suggesting that. I'm saying that Flex-10 is only a factor if you have one of these mezz cards.

>>4. However if I meet all of these requirements, it will work for me.

No. It will work for you regardless. You aren't using Flex-10.

>>..e an HP Engineering type, running your environment on equipment and soft/firmware which is not generally available to us out here.

Except for the mezz card, I am using the same equipment that should be in the field.

>>I am sure that, internally at least, there are several variations on the Flex-10 module, however I have never seem any documentation in the public area to indicate that there are different models of Flex-10 available.

No, there is only ONE Flex-10 interconnect module.

>>As a final comment, I have upgraded my modules to the very latest version of VC, i.e. 2.33, with no effect. From discussions with HP engineering, it implication is that the fix for SmartLink involved something called DCC (Device Channel Control, I think), and unless the NIC driver knows about DCC, you are screwed.

DCC is a component of Flex-10. You don't have it. Only NIC drivers for Flex-10 capability NICs know about DCC.
Richard Stockdale
Frequent Advisor

Re: bl860/bl870, OpenVMS and Flex10

>>Issue finally resolved. The problem turned out to be that the bl8x0c 5704 LOM NICs are not able to Autonegotiate with the New Flex-10 modules. NIC speed must be "forced" to 1Gb.

>>Solution: (Obvious once the problem is known)

This is a workaround (and perfectly acceptable). Any issue with this switch and the 5704 LOMs on the bl860,bl870 should be resolved by an escalation to the support group.

- Dick