lanboot not being seen by ignite server but bootpquery is

[N Ward]

I'm using a VM to test ignite server recovery on and its on the same subnet as its ignite server. If I issue a bootpquery using the macaddress I get a response from the ignite server. All good.

However, if I then try a lanboot (even with a profile for the ignite server) it fails with no valid PXE offer received. I have used tcpdump on the ignite server and the lanboot traffic doesn't even appear to be hitting the ignite server, but the bootpquery does? Any ideas?

[Shibin_2]

I hope you might have done other diagnostics such as dhcptools etc.

Read this thread, it may help.

http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1049782

[N Ward]

Hi, yes I have used dhcptools -v and there are no errors. If I issue bootpquery from the client, all the correct information comes back from the ignite server.

I have tried both lanboot on its own and with a dedicated profile for the ignite server. (lanboot -dn profile) tcpdump is not picking up anything hitting the ignite server, but does pick up the bootpquery test ok.

[Fabio Ettore]

Hi,
I'd take a look at tftpd service on Ignite-UX Server.
First of all is it enabled on the Ignite-UX Server (check /etc/inetd.conf)? If it's enabled you should see the port 69 on listening, something like the following:

# netstat -an|grep -i 69
udp 0 0 *.69 *.*

http://bizsupport2.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c02023840/c02023840.pdf

If all of above is ok check the tftp functionality by a quick test as indicated on FAQ at point 6-7.

HTH.

Best regards,
Fabio

[N Ward]

Hi Fabio, yes I have done this and can tftp the relevant file to the client no problem.

Further information:

the client is a VM running on an Itanium VM Host, the ignite server is an Itanium BL860 on the same subnet.

[N Ward]

I have also checked the vswitch port type and it is 'lan' not 'avio_lan' and the port is active when the client is at the EFI prompt.

[Fabio Ettore]

I suppose your Ignite-UX Server (Blade) is 11.31, which OS for the VM guest?
Could you boot in the past other systems from this Ignite-UX Server?

Also check that Ignite-UX Server has already the complete filesets for all OS:

swlist -l fileset Ignite-UX:

Ignite-UX.BOOT-KRN-11-11 C.7.10.472 Installation Boot Kernel for B.11.11 clients
Ignite-UX.BOOT-KRN-11-23 C.7.10.472 Installation Boot Kernel for B.11.23 clients
Ignite-UX.BOOT-KRN-11-31 C.7.10.472 Installation Boot Kernel for B.11.31 clients


The reason of such problem is most likely because of bootpd/tftp issues. Since it's not your case I'd check further things with HP Support.

[N Ward]

Thanks, both are running 11.23 and are itanium.

I think due to the fact that tcpdump does not detect traffic hitting the ignite server when the client attempts lanboot it must be network related.

[Fabio Ettore]

Yes, it could be network related but not clear the reason why you can tftp and bootpquery successfully by command line.

Do you see tftp traffic on port 69 of the server when running tftp by command line from the client?

Could you install other systems from this Ignite-UX Server in the past?

[N Ward]

This is the first server I am trying I'm using it as a testbed for restoring.

I haven't checked the port when using tftp but presumably its is fine, since I can tftp the boot file without issue. Also, that wouldn't explain no network traffic received by tcpdump when issuing lanboot? Its a mystery, I was hoping it was the avio_lan issue, however the adapters are type 'lan'. Thanks for your input.

[Scot Bean]

I would focus on getting 'EFI> lanboot select -dn ' working.

This method is the most reliable, even across multiple subnets. If this is not working, things are seriously poor.

Make sure you 'select' the lan port with a wire in it.

[N Ward]

There are two NICS in the client but only one in the ignite server, I'm using the one in the client thats on the same subnet as the ignite server. I have done a

traceroute -s

and it hits the ignite server in a single hop.

If I interrupt the boot and do a search for bootable devices, the NIC cards don't show, is this correct?

As for the profile I have everything configured with the client and server address and using the ignite server address as the gateway.

lanboot select -dn then selecting the appropriate card fails.

Is their anything specific I should be aware of considering its a VM client and the ignite server is not a VM Host its a separate server (a BL860 blade) that is on the same subnet. Should I use a boothelper? I cannot find anything that says a VM is any different.

[Fabio Ettore]

I don't think there's something special for VM to be configured.
I booted/recovered successfully a VM 11.23 a couple of months ago from a Ignite-UX Server 11.11 with no special setting.

>>As for the profile I have everything configured with the client and server address and using the ignite server address as the gateway.

I think the problem might be in dbprofile configuration as tftp works successfully from the client to the server as you mentioned. I'm not sure that configuring Ignite-UX server as gateway is good, I'd suggest either configuring dbprofile without gateway (without -gip) or configuring dbprofile with the real gateway of your network (even if client and server are on the same subnet).

[N Ward]

Thanks for your input. The dbprofile is as you have stated, in fact I have tried several versions, some that stray away from what is required. I captured everything from a tcpdump yesterday on the ignite server and was able to see the following in the output. Keep in mind that the client says no valid offer received and the bootpd daemon does not start.

15:49.012321 IP 0.0.0.0.bootpc > 255.255.255.255.bootps: UDP, length 548

So there is something on the network, but its not triggering the ignite server to respond.

[N Ward]

Anyone have any idea why the client boot request would be seen by the ignite server, but not trigger the bootpd daemon to start and yet a bootpquery on the running client starts the bootpd daemon without issue and returns the correct data?

[Shane Seymour]

Ensure you do not have an inetd.sec file that allows or denys access to bootpd/tftp based on IP address.

You did not indicate if the system sent another response and the same MAC address sent additional traffic leading to a failure. PXE booting is more than just a DHCP conversation.

[Shane Seymour]

You need to make sure that you follow the Ignite documentation abut this. It is very easy to get wrong unless you read and understand the following:

http://bizsupport1.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01942571/c01942571.pdf

Starting on page 50 and reading through to end of of page 54.

If you want to use a DHCP device group for replies you must add certain options (ncid for example) to allow it to work. That option prevents the class id from being returned, if you return a class id the system will expect to perform a full PXE conversation which HP-UX can't provide (no PXE proxy server).

If you haven't set bootpd up to not send back the DHCP class id it will attempt to contact the PXE proxy on the same host that the reply came from (unless you've set some other configuration items which the documentation doesn't discuss) and that times out and prints an error about not recieving a valid offer (the are multiple reaons why that error can be printed though).

[N Ward]

Hello Shane, I haven't fixed this yet, due to it taking up so much time, I need to revisit it, which I will be doing shortly.
I have read about the class id issue and I believe I have taken care of it, but like I said I do need to revisit it. I will update the thread shortly. Thanks for your response.

[Stephan.]

I did not read everything, but this remember me of a problem i had over a year ago. Everything seems to be configured fine but tftp runs in a timeout.

Try to tftp the boot file from a running server with a block size of 8192.

f.e.
tftp -B 8192
tftp> get /opt/ignite/boot/nbp.efi

You can set mode to bin and turn on verbose before to see more details.

But if this does not work my wild guess would be ask your network guys if they drop packages wich have the don't fragment bit AND fragmented bit set at the same time (Some IDS systems does this and f.e. Cisco Nexxus does this).

I have a still open enhancement request for this at the hp labs (fix is promised sometimes this year).

hth
Stephan