IJ06644: ADAPTER FIRMWARE UPGRADE CAN FAIL OR ADAPTER MAY BECOME UNUSABLEAPPLIES TO AIX 6100-09

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• **************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:
  * Systems running the AIX 6100-09 Technology Level
  * or VIOS 2.2.x.x
  * with devices.pciex.df1060e214103404.com below the
  * 6.1.9.401 level.
    **************************************************************
  * ERROR DESCRIPTION:
  * Fibre-Channel adapters utilizing the emfcdd driver could be
  * impacted if an adapter firmware upgrade is performed on
  * unused fcs instances while, at the same time, running fcstat
  * on another unused fcs instance associated with the same
  * adapter.
  *
  * Other performance or health related processes may also
  * trigger this if they also open unused fcs instances
  * similarly to fcstat.
  *
  * The firmware update could fail or in some cases the adapter
  * firmware may become faulty where the physical adapter is no
  * longer usable.
  *
  * This problem has not been observed if all fcs instances
  * associated with the physical adapter are in-use during the
  * adapter firmware upgrade.
  *
  * Find out if a system has any adapters using an affected
  * driver with lsdev, for example:
  *
  * # lsdev -F "name ddins" | grep emfcdd
  *
  * Note: on a VIOS, this must be run as root using
  * 'oem_setup_env'.
    **************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:
  * Install APAR IJ06644.
  * Prior to fix availability, an interim fix is available from
  * either
  * ftp://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/ifixes/ij06644/
  * https://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/ifixes/ij06644/
  * Installation of the ifix requires a reboot.
    **************************************************************
  

Local fix

• 1) retry adapter microcode upgrade
  or
  2) perform microcode upgrade on actively used fcs
  instances
  or
  3) stop monitoring applications from polling the adapter
  or
  4) If all adapters fcs instances are unused, place
  protocol driver associated with
     the firmware upgrade in a defined state with the
  following command:
  
  Example: Assuming your upgrading firmware on fcs0
  rmdev -Rl fscsi0
  
  The above will place fscsi0 in a defined state
  

Problem summary

• Adapter microcode update might fail with FCA_ERR6 and sense
  code 518
  

Problem conclusion

• code modified to return error to the open thread, if adapter
  microcode update is already in progress
  

Temporary fix

•   *********
    * HIPER *
    *********
  

Comments

APAR Information

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

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

  IJ08633 IJ08641 IJ09173 IJ09174 IJ09175 IJ09176 IJ09583

Fix information

• Fixed component name

  VIRTUAL I/O SER

• Fixed component ID

  5765G3400

Applicable component levels