HPUX 20.30 and A3495A NIC sporadically fails after network move...

[Peter Rupp_2]

Hi folks,
We're stumped here, and hoping somebody could lend us some advice.

We have several HPUX 10.20 systems on older H/I/G equipment that use the A3495A 10/100Mbs nic that is configured via the file /etc/rc.config.d/hpbasetconf.

Previously, these systems were living in a remote data center connected older Bay Networks switche -- The A3495A and network port-switch were both locked down at 100Mbs/FDX, and everything ran fine for years.

We moved the systems to a new location using Cisco 6500 equipment and setup the ports the exact same way (locked down at 100/FDX), and the cards as well....thats when the problems started:

On half the systems, when HPUX is booted, or at some undetermined amount of time after boot...the A3495A's "self test" amber light comes on - indicating a hardware failure. Then the netork comes down. Sometimes the server bootes with no problems (self test light off), and networking works, other times it fails...completely random.

We tried setting both card and switch to AUTO negotiate, and the same inconsistent behaviors - sometimes the card works, and unexplainabley fails.

The only errors we get are during bootup, we simply get "FAILED TO INITIALIZE CARD" message.

In some cases, we can activate the card via repeatidly executing: /sbin/init.d/hpbaset start.

Sometimes the card works, or in other cases the card completely vanishes from the ioscan, and lanscan displays!

We tried replacing the cable, which appeard to work...for a while, then the same problem occured again.

I don't know how the card's are initialized, but for some reason, they cannot seem to talk to the newer CISCO 6500 switches.

If there's any advice you have, I would really apprecaite it.

Thanks for your help.

[Bernhard Mueller]

Peter,

I remember a similar (single) issue with such a card in an H60 w/10.20.

First you need to have PHNE_27079 installed (plus dependencies).

Second, the card failed and afterwards would never come up without error even after reboot or completely disappeared as long as we did not plug the server's power cord....

Regards,
Bernhard

[Peter Rupp_2]

Bernhard,
Thank you for the help. I reviewed the patch and we are hoping to install RSN. I will let you know how it goes.
Thank you, and Take care.
Peter