System Reference Code (SRC) Information

System reference codes (SRCs) are a sequence of data words (codes) that can help identify system status, describe a failure (for example, hardware, Licensed Internal Code (LIC), or software), and identify the failing unit and its location.

SRCs can display on the control panel, appear in a system console message, or appear in the product activity log. For details, see Product Activity Log. For details on how SRC information displays on the control panel, see SRC formats.

The system uses the following procedure to gather information about errors:

The system gathers information about an error as the system detects the error.
The Product Activity Log (PAL) records and stores the error information.
An SRC encodes information used to evaluate or identify a system-detected hardware or software error, failure, or status. The failure information may include the failing condition or part (or unit) that can be exchanged or replaced and its location.
The SRC links to the problem determination procedure when the element detecting the failure cannot isolate the failing condition.
The SRC link completes the isolation process.

In summary, the SRC provides the first-failure-data-capture information. The customer or support representative uses SRCs during problem determination, repair actions, and verification. The SRC provides a link to the problem determination procedures (hardcopy or softcopy). Use the SRC and the problem determination procedures to isolate the problem.