IT36068: SWITCHES REMOVED BUT FABRICS REMAIN AND CAUSE PROBES TO FAIL

IBM Spectrum Control 5.4.4 (August 2021)

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• Several fabrics were decommissioned and removed from Network
  Advisor. Tried to remove them from Spectrum Control and only
  the switches were removed. The empty fabrics remained
  unexpected. Additionally, an old unreachable Network Advisor
  data source was incorrectly being referenced. Due to these
  issues, the probes continued to fail, even for the valid
  fabrics.
  
  Could not clean up the environment by only editing
  the connection info and using remove from database. Required
  manual database cleanup.
  
  - Empty fabrics left behind after all their switches were
  deleted.
  - CIMOM left behind even if it did not monitor anything.
  - Failed probe logs did not contain any error or warning
  messages about the failure.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * IBM Spectrum Control users with multiple Brocade CIMOMs      *
  * managing the same switches                                   *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * Fabrics, Ports, and Brocade CIMOMs are left behind after     *
  * switch deletion, without any possibility of deleting them    *
  * from                                                         *
  * WebUI.                                                       *
  *                                                              *
  * This fix will make it possible to delete empty Fabrics       *
  * (ie, with no switch) from the WebUI. Deleting them will also *
  *                                                              *
  * delete the leftovers CIMOMs which used to manage them.       *
  *                                                              *
  *                                                              *
  * The scenario encountered was several fabrics were            *
  * decommissioned and removed from Network Advisor.             *
  * Then attempted to remove them from Spectrum Control          *
  * and only the switches were removed. The empty fabrics        *
  * remained unexpectedly.                                       *
  *                                                              *
  * Additionally, an old unreachable Network Advisor data        *
  * source was incorrectly being referenced.                     *
  *                                                              *
  * Due to these issues, the probes continued to fail, even      *
  * for valid fabrics.                                           *
  *                                                              *
  * Could not clean up the environment by editing the            *
  * connection info and using remove from database. It           *
  * required manual database cleanup.                            *
  *                                                              *
  * - Empty fabrics left behind after all their switches were    *
  * deleted.                                                     *
  *                                                              *
  * - CIMOM left behind even if it did not monitor anything.     *
  *                                                              *
  * - Failed probe logs did not contain any error or warning     *
  * messages about the failure.                                  *
  *                                                              *
  *                                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• The fix for this APAR is targeted for the following release:
  
  IBM Spectrum Control 5.4.4   [ 5.4.4-IBM-SC ]
  ( release target 3Q 2021 / August )
  
  http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?&uid=swg21320822
  The target dates for future releases do not represent a formal
  commitment by IBM. The dates are subject to change without
  notice.
  

Temporary fix

Comments

APAR Information

• APAR is sysrouted FROM one or more of the following:

• APAR is sysrouted TO one or more of the following:

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  TPC

• Fixed component ID

  5608TPC00

Applicable component levels