IBM Support

IBM Support Diagnostics Data Collection Guide for NVMe Controller & NVMe SSD Issues on AIX & PowerVM VIOS

Troubleshooting


Problem

Common problem patterns with Non-Volatile Memory express (NVMe) devices on AIX and VIOS include:

  • NVMe controller failure
  • NVMe device configuration failure
  • NVMe SSD failure
  • NVMe controller hardware or software error
  • Failure to detect NVMe controller
  • NVMe microcode update failure
  • Microcode update on multipath splitter device return wrong message
  • Firmware mismatch between NVMe adapter and system
  • NVMe Flash disk missing or inaccessible
  • NVMe namespace software or operation error
  • NVMe I/O errors or degraded performance
  • ODM inconsistencies for NVMe devices
  • Secure erase (sanitize) operation failure
  • Unexpected latency or hangs during sanitize
  • Incomplete sanitize process leaving residual data
  • Boot or dump failure on NVMe disk
  • SMS function NVMe SED password not working
  • Diagnostic menu options FFC001 and FFC002 not displayed properly
  • AIX takes too long to configure new NVMe SSD

 

Environment

AIX Server - All Versions

VIO Server - All Versions

 

 

Diagnosing The Problem

Step 1: For accurate problem diagnosis, download the summ decoder. 

Place it in the /tmp directory on the affected server.
The summ diagnostic tool for decoding and summarizing AIX I/O error messages, aid in diagnosing storage array or SAN fabric-related problems by providing the source of the error.
The tool is used by IBM Support worldwide, and is considered safe to run in a production environment.

 

 

Step 2: Decode the error using summ and consult IBM Support Documentation to identify and follow the appropriate resolution procedure.

# errpt -a |summ | more

 

 

Step 3: If the problem persists, please Open a case with IBM Support.

  • Provide a good description of your issue, including the summ error decoding, and if any changes were made to the system.
  • Collect NVMe diagnostic data by executing the snap command as root:

# snap -r

# snap -gkfGLc

 

 
 
 
 

Document Location

Worldwide

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Document Information

Modified date:
08 November 2025

UID

ibm17250589

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