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            - Sun Proprietary/Confidential: Internal Use Only -
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                        FIELD INFORMATION NOTICE
               (For Authorized Distribution by SunService)

FIN #: I0878-1

Create Date: Oct/21/02

SunAlert: No

Top FIN/FCO Report: Yes

Products Reference: Sun Fire 15K/12K System Controllers

Product Category: Server / SW Admin

Product Affected: 

Systems Affected:
-----------------  
Mkt_ID      Platform      Model      Description      Serial Number
------      --------      -----      -----------      -------------
  -           F12K         ALL       Sun Fire 12K           -
  -           F15K         ALL       Sun Fire 15K           -


X-Options Affected:
-------------------
Mkt_ID       Platform   Model   Description            Serial Number
------       --------   -----   -----------            -------------
  -             -         -          -                       -

Parts Affected: 

Part Number     Description           Model
-----------     -----------           -----
     -               -                  -

References: 

Manual:  806-3205-10: Solstice DiskSuite 4.2.1 User's Guide

URL: http://docs.sun.com/db/doc/806-3205?q=Solstice+DiskSuite+4.2.1+User%27s+Guide

Issue Description: 

Sun Fire 12K/15K System Controllers (SCs) built prior to September 2002
may not be able to save a crash dump due to a misconfiguration issue.
The SCs were configured at Sun Manufacturing to save the crash dump to
a disk device (/dev/dsk/c0t2d0s1) rather than to a Solstice DiskSuite
(SDS) metadevice.  Without a crash dump available for failure analysis,
system failures may not be properly diagnosed.

To identify an affected Sun Fire 12K/15K SC, run the Solaris 'dumpadm'
command as root.   Example output from a misconfigured SC is shown
below.

    # dumpadm

       Dump content: kernel pages
       Dump device: /dev/dsk/c0t2d0s1 (dedicated) Savecore
       directory: /var/crash/sms01-sc0 (minfree = 2000KB)
       Savecore enabled: yes

In this example the "Dump device" is configured as a regular disk
device, /dev/dsk/c0t2d0s1, rather than an SDS metadevice such as
/dev/md/dsk/d20.  Using a metadevice as the dump device is necessary
when running SDS.  This practice is described in Internal SRDB 11964
and also in the Creating Mirrors chapter of the Solstice DiskSuite
4.2.1 User's Guide, 806-3205.

Root cause determined that Sun Manufacturing had been using an
improper SC disk configuration that resulted in the error.  All F12/15K
SCs built prior to September 2002 may be misconfigured.  During the
last week of August 2002, Manufacturing released the corrected
configuration.

It is recommended that all F12/15K System Controllers (SCs) be properly
configured to capture a crash dump.  Please follow the procedure provided
in the Corrective Action section below.

Implementation: 

---
          |   |   MANDATORY (Fully Proactive)
           ---


           ---
          | X |   CONTROLLED PROACTIVE (per Sun Geo Plan)
           ---


           ---
          |   |   REACTIVE (As Required)
           ---

Corrective Action: 

The following recommendation is provided as a guideline for authorized
Sun Services Field Representatives who may encounter the above
mentioned problem.

Service personnel should correct the SC crash dump device configuration
during the next scheduled maintenance window.  If the SDS configuration
has not been altered from what was built by Manufacturing, the correct
crash dump device should be "/dev/md/dsk/d20".  Slice 1 of the disk is
traditionally used for the swap device.  Verify that this metadevice
points to slice 1 on each of the two SC disks.  

The SDS 'metastat -p' command can be used to display the configuration.  
For example:

    % metastat -p

      d10 -m d11 d12 1
      d11 1 1 c0t2d0s0
      d12 1 1 c0t3d0s0
      d20 -m d21 d22 1
      d21 1 1 c0t2d0s1
      d22 1 1 c0t3d0s1
      d30 -m d31 d32 1
      d31 1 1 c0t2d0s7
      d32 1 1 c0t3d0s7

The output shows that the "d20" metadevice is a mirror that contains
disk devices c0t2d0s1 and c0t3d0s1.  Thus verified, the 'dumpadm'
commmand can be used to set the correct crash dump device as shown.

    % dumpadm -d /dev/md/dsk/d20

The output for a correct crash dump device configuration is shown in the 
example below.

    % dumpadm

       Dump content: kernel pages
       Dump device: /dev/md/dsk/d20 (swap)
       Savecore directory: /var/crash/sc0 (minfree = 2000KB)
       Savecore enabled: yes

If the SDS disk configuration has been altered from what was built by
Manufacturing, it will be necessary to determine the correct SDS
metadevice.  The SDS 'metastat -p' command can be used as shown above.
Please see the SDS documentation (P/N 806-3205-10) on the following URL
for full details:

http://docs.sun.com/db/doc/806-3205?q=Solstice+DiskSuite+4.2.1+User%27s+Guide

Comments: 

None

============================================================================

Implementation Footnote: 

i)   In case of MANDATORY FINs, Enterprise Services will attempt to    
     contact all affected customers to recommend implementation of 
     the FIN. 
   
ii)  For CONTROLLED PROACTIVE FINs, Enterprise Services mission critical    
     support teams will recommend implementation of the FIN  (to their  
     respective accounts), at the convenience of the customer. 

iii) For REACTIVE FINs, Enterprise Services will implement the FIN as the   
     need arises.
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