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Dropped sessions with Serial over LAN (SOL) and BOOTP on the same port - IBM eServer BladeCenter JS20

Troubleshooting


Problem

Loading the BOOTP code on the Network Interface Connection (NIC) port that is performing Serial over LAN (SOL) disrupts the SOL session. Sometimes the code exits (fails to find a BOOTP server) and the session resumes. Most of the time the SOL session drops during BOOTP. The session can be reestablished within seconds of the BOOTP code completing.

Resolving The Problem

Source

RETAIN tip: H181655 

Symptom
  • Loading the BOOTP code on the Network Interface Connection (NIC) port that is performing Serial over LAN (SOL) disrupts the SOL session.
  • Sometimes the code exits (fails to find a BOOTP server) and the session resumes.
  • Most of the time the SOL session drops during BOOTP.
  • The session can be reestablished within seconds of the BOOTP code completing.
Affected configurations
  • IBM eServer BladeCenter JS20, type 8842, any model
Solution

If BOOTP is attempted and the SoL session is lost, it can be reestablished once the boot using BOOTP completes. If the BOOTP exits, it can be retried.  

Additional information

The problem is that the Broadcom SoL firmware and BOOTP run on the same internal processor inside the Broadcom 5704 NIC. The JS20 cannot specify which NIC port to use for BOOTP. The end result of this is that loading the BOOTP code on the NIC port that is doing SoL disrupts the SoL session. Sometimes the code exits (fails to find a BOOTP server) and the session resumes. Most of the time the SoL session drops during BOOTP. The session can be reestablished within seconds of the BOOTP code completing.

 

Document Location

Worldwide

Operating System

BladeCenter:SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8

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Document Information

Modified date:
29 January 2019

UID

ibm1MIGR-55282