Chapter 7
FC Bridge

This chapter supports the newest release and the previous release of firmware qualified for use on IBM FC Bridges with the DYNIX/ptx V4.4.x operating systems. It contains the following information:


7.1 Current Release V1.5.5

V1.5.5 is the June 2001 release of FC Bridge firmware for DYNIX/ptx V4.4.10, V4.4.9, V4.4.8, and V4.4.7. It contains the following sections:


7.1.1 V1.5.5 Compatibility Information

V1.5.5 of the FC Bridge firmware is compatible with:


7.1.2 V1.5.5 Changes Since the Previous Release

V1.5.5 is a maintenance release and includes the same functionality as Version V1.5.3, with the addition of improved compatibility in interactions with IBM 2109 and SilkWorm 2000 FC Switches.


7.1.3 V1.5.5 FC Bridge Problem Reports


7.1.3.1 Problems Fixed in V1.5.5

The following problems were fixed in V1.5.5:


7.1.3.2 Open Problem Reports

At this time, no Critical or Serious problems have been reported specifically against the V1.5.5 FC Bridge firmware. See "FC I/O Subsystem-Level Problem Reports," Chapter 2 for possible I/O subsystem-level problems involving FC Bridges.


7.2 Previous Release V1.5.3

V1.5.3 is the August 2000 release of FC Bridge firmware for DYNIX/ptx V4.4.6 and V4.4.4.

This section contains the following information:


7.2.1 V1.5.3 Compatibility Information

V1.5.3 of the FC Bridge firmware is compatible with:


7.2.2 V1.5.3 Changes Since the Previous Release

V1.5.3 includes the same functionality as Version V1.5.2, with the following improvements:


7.2.3 V1.5.3 FC Bridge Problem Reports

The following problems have been reported against the V1.5.3 FC Bridge firmware. See "FC I/O Subsystem-Level Problem Reports," Chapter 2 for possible I/O subsystem-level problems involving FC Bridges.

Occasional FC Bridge Link Failure Following an IBM 2109 or SilkWorm 2000-Family FC Switch Power Cycle (251946)

Occasionally, during the initialization phase between an IBM 2109 or a SilkWorm 2000-family FC Switch and an FC Bridge, the Bridge will fail to establish the low-level hardware FC link with the FC Switch and stop trying. This condition can occur during a building or lab power interruption (also called "lights out") or following an FC Switch OLR procedure. In the power interruption scenario, the Bridge normally completes its POST faster than the switch. In the switch replacement scenario, the FC Bridges are normally left powered up during the service activity, and then the replacement FC Switch is powered up. In both cases, the Bridge is then vulnerable to missing the initialization window of the switch firmware. After a "lights out" event or after an FC Switch OLR operation, establish new telnet sessions with each switch in all fabrics and verify with the switchShow command that all existing FC Bridges have re-linked to the FC Switches.

Workaround: If a previously existing Bridge is missing from the listings, make sure that all I/Os are stopped through the fabric to which that Bridge is physically attached. Then do the following steps:

  1. Deconfigure the fabric to which that Bridge is physically cabled.

  2. Power down that Bridge.

  3. Power up the Bridge.

  4. Verify with the switchShow command that all Bridges have logged into their host switches.

  5. From the parent-level above the fabric, reconfigure the fabric.

  6. Verify with the dumpconf command that all devices are found.


7.3 Install FC Bridge Software

Use the distribution CD-ROM labeled "Fibre Channel Software for DYNIX/ptx V4.4.4, V4.4.6, V4.4.7, and V4.4.8" or "DYNIX/ptx V4.4.10 Operating System and Layered Products Software," as appropriate.

  1. Insert the distribution CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive in the boot Pbay connected to Quad 0 of a system.

  2. Log in as root.

  3. Referring to the DYNIX/ptx V4.4.10 and Layered Products Software Installation Release Notes or, the version of these release notes appropriate to the host, use the ptx/ADMIN menu system and the ptx/INSTALL utility to load the Fibre Channel Bridge software.

  4. Remove the distribution CD-ROM.

To download and flash the software to firmware, use the procedure in the next section .


7.4 Download to FC Bridge Firmware

Use these procedures to perform either of the following tasks:


7.4.1 Gather Device Information

From the PTX Console window on the console PC, issue the dumpconf | grep ^fcbr command and locate the name of each FC Bridge to be upgraded. Write them down for use when running the fcdl download utility.


7.4.2 Perform the Downloading Operation

Use the utility named fcdl located in /usr/service/bin to download the new software and flash the firmware PROM on the Main board of the FC Bridge over the Fibre-Channel fabric connections. This utility is intended for use by Customer Support personnel only.

  1. Make sure that you are in the directory containing the Fibre Channel Bridge software:

    # cd /usr/ssw/fw/fcbridge
  2. Start up the fcdl utility with the following full-path command and respond to the questions with answers similar to the bold-type answers in the following example for the first FC Bridge to be upgraded:

    # /usr/service/bin/fcdl     (Full path to the fcdl utility.)    
    +************************+
    | FIBRE CHANNEL BRIDGE |
    | FIRMWARE DOWNLOAD |
    | UTILITY |
    +*********************** +


    File with new firmware? b_fw.bin
    reading firmware from b_fw.bin....
    Name of scsibus or bridge name? fcbr0
    Device: fcbr0 Fabric: fabric0 Port ID: 0xfee000
    ---------------------------------------------------
    (The utility lists the parameters that it will use.)

    File: [b_fw.bin}
    Device: [fcbr0 0x2]
    Version: [V1.05.05]
    Build Date:[Wed May 16 17:09:08 PDT 2001]
    Name: [Opfw]
    Size: [524288]
    Offset: [0]


    Flash with these parameters (y/n/q) : y
    ...Download successful.
    ---------------------------------------------------

    File: [b_fw.bin}
    Device: [fcbr0 0x2]
    Version: [V1.05.05]
    Build Date:[Wed May 16 17:09:08 PDT 2001]
    Name: [Opfw]
    Size: [524288]
    Offset: [0]


  3. Ignore the repeat listing of parameters and quit the fcdl utility.


    Flash with these parameters (y/n/q) : q

  4. After the PROM on the first Bridge has been flashed, the fcdl utility must be restarted and a new value must be supplied for the fabric name that connects the next FC Bridge to be upgraded:

    # /usr/service/bin/fcdl
    File with new firmware?  b_fw.bin
    reading firmware from b_fw.bin....
    Name of scsibus or bridge name? fcbr1
    Device: fcbr1 Fabric: fabric0 Port ID: 0xfee000
    ---------------------------------------------------
    (The utility lists the parameters that it will use.)

    File: [b_fw.bin}
    Device: [fcbr01 0x3]
    Version: [V1.05.05]
    Build Date:[Wed May 16 17:08:09 PDT 2001]
    Name: [Opfw]
    Size: [524288]
    Offset: [0]


    Flash with these parameters (y/n/q) : y
    ...Download successful.
    ---------------------------------------------------

    File: [b_fw.bin}
    Device: [fcbr1 0x3]
    Version: [V1.05.05]
    Build Date:[Wed May 16 17:08:09 PDT 2001]
    Name: [Opfw]
    Size: [524288]
    Offset: [0]


    Flash with these parameters (y/n/q) : q
  5. Repeat Step 4 until all FC Bridges have been upgraded to the same firmware version level.

  6. When all the FC Bridges in a system have been upgraded, bring the system down to the firmware level with the init 0 command.


    ATTENTION

    After downloading, each FC Bridge must be power-cycled for the new firmware to take effect. Certain NV-RAM parameters must also be reset during the power-up process. Perform the next step carefully for each FC Bridge.



    ATTENTION

    For help in locating the correct, just-updated-bridge(s) to power down, use the command fcinfo -I <number_of_seconds> <device_name> for each Bridge to flash the red LED on the front of the Bridge specified in the command. The number of seconds argument can be a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 60.


  7. Power-cycle each FC Bridge that has been upgraded:

    1. Use the rocker switch on the front panel of a Bridge to turn its power off.

    2. When all indicators on the front panels are off, power on each Bridge by holding down the CONFIG RESET button on each front panel for at least five seconds at the time that the power is switched on.

    3. After a successful POST, the N_port of an FC Bridge will automatically log in to its attached F_port of the fabric.


    ATTENTION

    BY default, the firmware sets the FC Bridge for a switched-fabric topology. If the installed configuration is using arbitrated-loop or point-to-point fabric instead, the Bridge can be reconfigured at this point in the upgrade procedure by doing the following optional steps:

    1. Connect to the service-only RS-232 port of the Bridge with an ASCII terminal or a PC in terminal-emulation mode.

    2. On the terminal or PC screen, at the fwmon: prompt, enter the following command to change from the factory-default for switched-fabric configuration to arbitrated-loop and point-to-point configuration:

      fwMon: fw l 1 
      (The first argument is the letter l and
      the second is the numeral one.)

      Following the next power cycle, the Bridge will come up configured for arbitrated-loop fabric operation. This same configuration also supports point-to-point fabric.

    3. To re-configure for switched-fabric operation, enter:

      fwMon: fw l 2

      or do a power cycle while holding down the CONFIG RESET button for at least five seconds.

    4. Go to the next step in the regular procedure.


  8. Power-cycle all FC Bridges one more time, but without the configuration reset, to make sure that the newly-installed parameters are the active parameters.

  9. On each FC Bridge front panel, when the DC OK indicator is green and the UNIT STATUS indicator is yellow (waiting for an FC Link to be established) or green, boot the operating system to its normal level.

  10. After the operating system has booted, verify that the UNIT STATUS indicator on each FC Bridge front panel is green and the OS messages indicate that FC Links have been established.

  11. Verify with the dumpconf -d command that each newly-upgraded FC Bridge and its connected devices are seen and configured by the OS.

This completes the firmware upgrade procedure.