IT33891: DS8000 PROBES FAIL WHEN MICROCODE VERSION INFORMATION IS BLANK

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• Storage Insights probes for DS8000 devices collect microcode
  information from the DS8000 device. When the DS8000 device
  provides an empty microcode version, the probe fails and logs
  the following:
  
  Probe failure messaging is as follows:
  Error
  HWNEP0129E The operation failed because the device returned
  unexpected values.
  Error HWNEP0134E Following exception
  occurred: com.ibm.tpc.ep.base.EPHdlrRunException: Retrieved
  empty MicrocodeLevel for lpars.
  Error HWNEP0135E External
  process failed with error code -101.
  Error HWN021503E The
  action cannot be completed
  Information HWN021709I Collection
  for storage system DS8000-2107-75XXXXX-IBM completed.
  Error
  BTADS0102E The probe with the run ID 68332 completed with
  errors.
  
  The LPARs not reporting microcode numbers to Storage
  Insights are:
   [EP-SubJob: DS8000-2107-xxxxxxx-IBM-8124]
  [EP_DS_CLI_Probe.getStorageServers] [ERROR] Retrieved empty
  MicrocodeLevel for lpar: SF75KXXXXXXXX
   [EP-SubJob:
  DS8000-2107-xxxxxxx-IBM-8124]
  [EP_DS_CLI_Probe.getStorageServers] [ERROR] Retrieved empty
  MicrocodeLevel for lpar: SF75KXXXXXXXX
  
  
  This happens when the
  DS8K has a CEC that is down. A CEC being down should not cause
  a probe to fail, nor should missing microcode level
  information. DS8K support and development are aware of the
  issue; possible change to DS8K behavior in this situation is
  also being analyzed. This APAR addresses the IBM Storage
  Insights behavior in response to this DS8K condition.
  
  
  ________
  ____________________________________________
  
  The defect is
  against component: Storage Insights
  Server/Manager
  build/release (TPC): 5.3.7
  Problem as described by customer:
  Degraded monitoring status for DS8K systems;
  Initial customer
  impact (low/med/high): low
  

Local fix

• N/A
  

Problem summary

• ****************************************************************
  * USERS AFFECTED:                                              *
  * IBM Spectrum Control & Storage Insights users monitoring     *
  * DS8000 while the device has a CEC that is down               *
  ****************************************************************
  * PROBLEM DESCRIPTION:                                         *
  * Storage Insights probes of a DS8000 device collects          *
  * microcode                                                    *
  * information from the DS8000 device. When the DS8000 device   *
  * provides an empty microcode version, the probe fails and     *
  * logs                                                         *
  * the following:                                               *
  *                                                              *
  * Probe failure messaging is as follows:                       *
  *                                                              *
  * Error HWNEP0129E The operation failed because the device     *
  * returned unexpected values.                                  *
  *                                                              *
  * Error HWNEP0134E Following exception occurred:               *
  * com.ibm.tpc.ep.base.EPHdlrRunException:                      *
  * Retrieved empty MicrocodeLevel for lpars.                    *
  *                                                              *
  * This happens when the DS8K has a CEC that is down. A CEC     *
  * being down should not cause a probe to fail, nor should      *
  * missing                                                      *
  * microcode level information.  DS8K support and development   *
  * are                                                          *
  * aware of the issue; possible change to DS8K behavior in this *
  *                                                              *
  * situation is also being analyzed.                            *
  *                                                              *
  * This APAR addresses the IBM Storage Insights behavior in     *
  * response to this DS8K condition.                             *
  ****************************************************************
  * RECOMMENDATION:                                              *
  ****************************************************************
  

Problem conclusion

• The fix for this APAR is targeted for the following release:
  
  IBM Storage Insights 4Q20   [ 5.4.1-IBM-SC ]
  IBM Spectrum Control 5.4.1   [ 5.4.1-IBM-SC ]
  
  ( release target 4Q 2020 / November )
  
  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

  STORAGE INSIGHT

• Fixed component ID

  5608TPCSI

Applicable component levels