LSI Logic MPT setup utility counting link errors - IBM BladeCenter and System x

Resolving The Problem

Source

RETAIN tip: H196506

Symptom

Servers running Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) containing LSI Basic or Integrated Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) controllers flashed to any firmware level are effected.

The LSI Logic MPT Setup Utility may display Link Errors under PHY Properties -> Advanced Adapter Properties table. Users may see a large number of Link errors in the PHY Properties window such as the example below:

Link Error Link Error
Settings Count
Invalid DWORDs 1045
Lost of DWORD Sync 0
Running Disparity Errors 1008
PHY Reset Errors 0
Reset Link Error Counts

Affected configurations

The system may be any of the following IBM servers:

• BladeCenter HS22, Type 7870, any model
• System x3200 M3, Type 7327, any model
• System x3200 M3, Type 7328, any model
• System x3250 M3, Type 4251, any model
• System x3250 M3, Type 4252, any model
• System x3250 M3, Type 4261, any model
• System x3550 M2, Type 4198, any model
• System x3550 M2, Type 7946, any model
• System x3650 M2, Type 4199, any model
• System x3650 M2, Type 7947, any model

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

• IBM 3 Gb SAS HBA v2, Option 44E8700
• Paddle board with LSI 1064E SAS Controller
• ServeRAID-BR10i SAS/SATA Controller, Option 44E8689

This tip is not software specific.

• The SAS Controller BIOS and firmware for the LSI Basic or Integrated RAID SAS controllers for non-BOFM enabled, UEFI systems is affected.

The system has the symptom described above.

Solution

This behavior will be corrected in a future release of UEFI Boot Service Driver (BSD) for Integrated RAID SAS controllers.

The target date for this release is scheduled for Fourth Quarter 2010.

The file will be available from the IBM System x Support web site at the following URL:

http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=psg1MIGR-65666

Workaround

Clear the 'Link Error Counts' from the LSI Logic MPT Setup Utility by going into the 'Phy Properties' window and performing the following steps:

1. From the 'Advanced Adapter Properties' window, navigate to the 'Phy Properties' Window.
2. Select 'Reset Link Error Counts'.
3. Press Enter.

A new 'Reset Link Error Counts' window will appear. The user can choose one of the following actions:

• Reset error counts for this Phy only
• Reset error counts for all Phys
• Cancel

Additional information

When the RAID controller is loading, it goes through the SAS device discovery process. During this process, while the communication between the RAID controller and the SAS drives is being established, SAS links go up and down, which generate link errors.

For example, changing menu screens in the 'LSI Logic MPT SAS Utility' or pulling a SAS drive out will generate link errors on the SAS BUS.

These events will generate link errors and will cause the 'Link Error Counts' to increase. None of these PHY Error counts seen at the beginning or end of a link are the actual Link Errors and should be omitted.