Link down warning message is logged in Microsoft Windows System Event log on system boot with ICPM - IBM BladeCenter

Resolving The Problem

Source

RETAIN tip: H203383

Symptom

When a blade is running on Microsoft Windows and is used with Intelligent Copper Pass-thru Module (ICPM), the following link down warning message might be logged temporarily in the Windows system event log during boot:

Afterwards, the following link up event is logged:

Note: The Broadcom model name (BCMXXXX) changes depends on the system.

Affected configurations

The system may be any of the following IBM servers:

• BladeCenter E, type 8677, any model
• BladeCenter H, type 8852, any model
• BladeCenter HS22, type 7870, any model
• BladeCenter HS22V, type 7871, any model
• BladeCenter S, type 8886, any model

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

• Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, 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

The system is configured with one or more of the following IBM Options:

• 2 or 4 Port Ethernet Expansion Card for BladeCenter, Option part number 44W4479, replacement part number 44W4488
• Intelligent Copper Pass-thru Module (ICPM) for IBM BladeCenter, Option part number 44W4483, replacement part number 44W4486

The Broadcom device driver for the Blade System is affected.

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: http://www.ibm.com/systems/info/x86servers/serverproven/compat/us/

Solution

This symptom is fixed by Broadcom NetXtreme II Ethernet CD T6.0.4.3 or later.

The file is or will be available by selecting the appropriate machine type on the 'Product View' of IBM Support's Fix Central web page, at the following URL:

• http://www.ibm.com/support/fixcentral/systemx/groupView?query.productGroup=IBM%2FBladeCenter

Additional information

The "Link Down" warning message might be logged temporarily during system boot and then later the link gets established and stays up. This warning message does not reflect system functionality. The message can be ignored safely in this scenario because the link is eventually established.

The ICPM is designed to function as a direct connection between the Network Interface Controller (NIC) on the Blade and an external switch. However, ICP has access to all Blades exposed to an external NIC for each Blade slot. In order to accomplish this functionality, both the internal and external connections have to be present before either link will come up and establish a connection from the Blade to the external switch.

Link negotiation takes longer with an ICPM than if the Blade is connecting directly to an Ethernet Switch Module in the BladeCenter. This delta in link negotiation time causes the Broadcom driver to intermittently send a link down indication to the operating system, generating the link down warning message and subsequent link up messages in Windows system event log.

As the number of installed ICPMs increase, the frequency of logging this warning message would also increase in general.

From Broadcom Windows driver in CD T6.0.4.3 or later, initial link negotiation timer was extended from 0.5 to 10 seconds to absorb the delta in link negotiation time. This is the same value as the Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE) boot link negotiation and a reasonable one.

On the other hand, for Linux systems, the driver fix is not available and it is working as designed. Please refer to RETAIN tip H201993 (MIGR-5086979) for more detail.