IJ25600: UPDATE GPFS KERNEL MODULE'S CRYPTOGRAPHIC FUNCTIONALITY TO USE SYMMETRIC KEY CIPHERS.

APAR status

• Closed as program error.

Error description

• The GPFS kernel module's cryptographic
  functionality used block chaining ciphers that
  were previously deprecated. Newer versions
  of the Linux distro removed the deprecated
  ciphers and, consequently, the block
  chaining ciphers are not available any longer.
  On those distros, the GPFS kernel module
  is updated to use symmetric key ciphers.
  

Local fix

Problem summary

• The GPFS kernel module's cryptographic
  functionality used block chaining ciphers that
  were previously deprecated. Newer versions
  of the Linux distro removed the deprecated
  ciphers and, consequently, the block
  chaining ciphers are not available any longer.
  On those distros, the GPFS kernel module
  is updated to use symmetric key ciphers.
  

Problem conclusion

• Benefits of the solution: 
  Customer can now use asynchronous
  direct I/O with encrypted file systems.
  Work around: None
  Problem trigger:
  Use of asynchronous direct I/O with kernels
  that do not provide block chain ciphers.
  You can look at /proc/crypto and see if there
  are any cbc(aes) ciphers of blkcipher
  type. If so, we will use that.  If cbc(aes) is
  of type skcipher, we will use that.  On
  zLinux, both bkcipher and skcipher alg
  types are available for cbc(aes); however, we will
  use the blkcipher alg as it is hardware accelerated.
  Symptom:
  IO error
  Platforms affected:
  ALL Linux OS environments
  Functional Area affected:
  Encryption
  Customer Impact: High Importance
  

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

  SPEC SCALE STD

• Fixed component ID

  5737F33AP

Applicable component levels