Resolving The Problem

Source

RETAIN tip: H193107

Symptom

System x servers, using Microsoft Windows BASP v6.2.31 and v6.2.24, transmit gratuitous ARP (GARP) resulting in the loss of network connectivity to servers running AIX, Solaris 10, or UNIX. The servers do this by incorrectly taking the IP addresses from those systems and using the Team's MAC Address to ARP as if the xSeries server was the other box.

Affected configurations

The system may be any of the following IBM servers:

• System x3650, type 7979, any model

This tip is not option specific.

The Windows BASP device driver for the Broadcom NICs is affected.

The system is configured with at least one of the following:

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server 64-bit Limited Edition, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows 2003 Server for 32-bit Servers, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows 2003 Server for 64-bit Servers, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, Datacenter Edition, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, EE x64, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, x64 Edition, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows NT 3.51 Server, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows NT 4 Enterprise Edition, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows NT 4 Server, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows NT Terminal Server Edition, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Datacenter 32-bit, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Datacenter 64-bit, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Enterprise 32-bit, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Enterprise 64-bit, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Standard 32-bit, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Standard 64-bit, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Vista 64-bit Business Edition, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Vista, x64 Business, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Vista, x64 Enterprise, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Vista, x64 Home Basic Edition, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Vista, x64 Home Premium, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Vista, x64 Ultimate, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Vista, x86 Business, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Vista, x86 Enterprise, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Vista, x86 Home Basic Edition, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Vista, x86 Home Premium, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Vista, x86 Starter Edition, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows Vista, x86 Ultimate, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows XP 32-bit Professional, any service pack
• Microsoft Windows XP 64-bit Professional, any service pack

Note: This does not imply that the network operating system will work under all combinations of hardware and software.

Please see the compatibility page for more information:

• IBM ServerProven

Solution

Update the BASP Driver from v6.2.24 or 6.2.31 to 6.2.32 or later and on Microsoft Windows systems only.

Broadcom NetXtreme 1:

Install both the Drivers and BASP Management Software from the following URL:

• Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet drivers software release

Broadcom NetXtreme II xSeries and BladeCenters:

Install the Drivers from the following URL:

Broadcom NetXtreme II device driver Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003

Install the BASP Management Software from the following URL:

• Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet drivers software release

Workaround

The Broadcom BACS2/BASP configuration allows for an Active/Standby configuration which changes the way the MAC addresses of the NICs are resolved on the network or ARP'd (Address Resolution Protocol). In Active/Standby, only one MAC address is ARP'd on the network.

Additional information

This issue was first seen on BladeCenter 8853 system, but has been found to affect all xSeries Broadcom NIC servers.

In an Active configuration, the BASP Program will GARP for the active MAC of the team. In Microsoft Windows BASP v6.2.31 and v6.2.24, the team takes the IP addresses from the AIX, Solaris 10 servers, and Team's MAC Address to ARP as if the xSeries server was the other box.

In active standby, the second NIC in the team is not active, and the BASP Software does not have to GARP for the team on both interfaces, until the Primary NIC fails, and then does not GARP until the Primary is restored. This also impact the load balancing as the only primary NICs pass traffic.

In Smart Load Balancing teams, the newer versions of BASP correct the behavior and do not process erroneous GARPs.