This document supports the newest release and the previous release of firmware qualified for use on IBM FC Bridges with the DYNIX/ptx V4.5.x operating systems.
New Release: V1.5.5, Section 7.1
Previous Release: V1.5.3, Section 7.2
ATTENTION FC Bridge firmware V1.5.4 is not supported for use on DYNIX/ptx V4.5.x.
See Table 1-1 for the latest recipe for the best set of SAN FC firmware to run on a given operating system.
The December 2000 release of FC Bridge firmware is named V1.5.5.
This section contains the following:
V1.5.5 of the FC Bridge firmware is compatible with:
DYNIX/ptx V4.5.2 and other members of system-software release sets as listed in Table 1-1, "'Best Recipe' FC-Firmware Release Sets for DYNIX/ptx V4.5.x System," in Chapter 1.
Switched and two-node arbitrated-loop fabrics
ATTENTION By default, the FC Bridge firmware is configured to support a switched fabric. For information on how to reconfigure it for other fabric types as needed, see the Service Note "Setting the Topology on the FC Bridge via the RS-232 Port," ( http://crg8.sequent.com/cgi-bin/doc?technote=hw/fibre/fibrech/30 ).
All OFC and non-OFC multimode fiber-optic FC components
EMC Symmetrix Storage Subsystems running at least V5265.44.28 firmware.
CLARiiON DASS Storage Subsystems running at least LIC firmware V9.55.01.
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-family FC Switches.
The following problems were fixed in V1.5.5:
(251104) FC Bridge firmware incorrectly reported to the switch name server that it supported all FC classes of service, when it is only a class 3 device.
(251946) Occasionally, during the initialization phase between a SilkWorm 2000-family FC Switch and an FC Bridge, the Bridge would fail to establish the low-level hardware FC link with the Switch and stop trying.
(251947) During the initialization process (FLOGI) between a SilkWorm 2000-family switch and an FC Bridge, an unknown frame type received by the FC Bridge caused it to crash.
At this time, no 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.
The FC Bridge V1.5.5 software is installed on the system when the cfwdl-Compatible Firmware Bundle is installed on your host. The cfwdl-Compatible Firmware Bundle contains firmware that is downloaded only with the common firmware downloader, cfwdl. For details on the other software installed by this bundle, refer to the cfwdl-Compatible Firmware Bundle V1.2.x Release Notes.
The name of the firmware file for FC Bridge V1.5.5 is fcbr_155.sqfw.
Download firmware in any or all FC Bridges by using the procedures provided in the "Download Firmware with cfwdl," chapter of the DYNIX/ptx V4.5.2 and Layered Products Software Installation Release Notes.
The May 2000 release of FC Bridge firmware is named V1.5.3.
This section contains the following:
V1.5.3 of the FC Bridge firmware is compatible with:
DYNIX/ptx V4.5.1 and other members of system-software release sets as listed in "'Best Recipe' FC-Firmware Release Sets for DYNIX/ptx V4.5.x Systems," Table 1-1, in Chapter 1.
Switched and two-node arbitrated-loop fabrics
ATTENTION The firmware is configured to support a switched fabric by default. See the Service Note "Setting the Topology on the FC Bridge via the RS-232 Port ," ( http://crg8.sequent.com/cgi-bin/doc?technote=hw/fibre/fibrech/30 ) for information on how to reconfigure it for other fabric types as needed.
All OFC and non-OFC multimode fiber-optic FC components
EMC Symmetrix Storage Subsystems running at least V5265.44.28 firmware.
CLARiiON DASS Storage Subsystems running at least LIC firmware V9.55.01.
V1.5.3 is a maintenance release and includes the same functionality as Version V1.5.2, with the following improvements:
Retries failed FLOGIs before timing out (PR251618).
Returns correct response to FC Switch in the event of a FLOGI timeout (PR251619).
The following problems have been reported specifically 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.
Occasionally, during the initialization phase between a SilkWorm 2000-family FC Switch and an FC Bridge, the Bridge will fail to establish the low-level hardware FC link with the 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:
Deconfigure the fabric to which that Bridge is physically cabled.
Power down that Bridge.
Power up the Bridge.
Verify with the switchShow command that all Bridges have logged into their host switches.
From the parent-level above the fabric, reconfigure the fabric.
Verify with the dumpconf command that all devices are found.
The FC Bridge V1.5.3 software is installed on the system when the cfwdl-Compatible Firmware Bundle is installed on your host. The cfwdl-Compatible Firmware Bundle contains firmware that is downloaded only with the common firmware downloader, cfwdl. For details on the other software installed by this bundle, refer to the cfwdl-Compatible Firmware Bundle V1.0.x Release Notes.
The name of the firmware file for FC Bridge V1.5.3 is fcbr_153.sqfw.
Procedures for using the cfwdl utility to download firmware in any or all FC Bridges are provided in the "Downloading Firmware with cfwdl," chapter of the DYNIX/ptx V4.5.1 and Layered Products Software Installation Release Notes.