Issue with Ignite boot of new vPAR

[Chris Magargee_2]

Our Ignite server (running 11.23) is serving PA and IA. It has multiple LAN connections to 5 VLANs in our Data Center. I am having issues when trying to Ignite boot new IA vPARs on one of the those VLANs. The interface on the Ignite Server for that VLAN appears to be configured correctly like the others and responds, but when I try to boot the vPAR and it gets its information from bootptab, it points to a Boot Server and DHCP Server on a different VLAN, while it gets it own IP address, Subnet Mask, and Gateway correct.

Here's the entry in bootptab:

HostA:\
hn:\
vm=rfc1048:\
ht=ether:\
ip=156.81.205.144:\
ha=001E0BFDC09A:\
sm=255.255.255.128:\
gw=156.81.205.129:\
ds=156.81.231.251:\
bp=156.81.205.180:\
bf=/opt/ignite/boot/nbp.efi

Here's what I get when it tries to boot:

Client MAC Address: 00 1E 0B FD C0 9A ...

LAN Configuration:
Client MAC Address : 00 1E 0B FD C0 9A
Client IP Address : 156.81.205.144
Gateway IP Address : 156.81.205.129
Subnet Mask : 255.255.255.128
Boot Server IP Address : 156.81.205.40
DHCP Server IP Address : 156.81.205.40

Retrieving File Size........................................-

Boot file name: /opt/ignite/boot/nbp.efi
Boot file size: 0 bytes

PXE-E18: Timeout. Server did not respond.

As you can see the "bp" was set to 156.81.205.180 in bootptab, but somehow it gets changed to 156.81.205.40 during the boot. Now 156.81.205.40 is the "bp" on the other half of this segmented Subnet and that works fine for servers on that lower half.

The funny thing though every once in awhile it does get the information correct, tftp retrieves the files, and Ignite fires up. I have an opportunity to try repeated boots since this vPAR is going to be SAN boot and I am waiting for its allocation.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Chris

[Tim Nelson]

Is it possible that on occasion this server is getting its DHCP from some other server on the same net ? This is typically the issue with lanbooting.

What command are you using for the vparboot ?

There is can option to force it to a specific IP/ignite server.

Also. do you have both bootpd and instl_bootd running ?

[Tim Nelson]

# vparboot -p -I ,/opt/ignite/boot/Rel_B.11.23/WINSTALL

[Chris Magargee_2]

>Is it possible that on occasion this server is getting its DHCP from some other server on the same net ? This is typically the issue with lanbooting.

That is possible, but there should not be another Ignite/DHCP server on that Subnet segment, then again you never know. I can check into that.

>What command are you using for the vparboot ?

vparboot -p HostA -I

>There is can option to force it to a specific IP/ignite server.

I thought hat is only for PA-RISC, correct? This is a Itanium vPAR.

>Also. do you have both bootpd and instl_bootd running ?

Yes we do. I have been using instl_bootd for PA-RISC, but I guess I can shut that down and setup any needed PA-RISC in bootptab.

Thanks!
Chris