Intelligent Gigabit Ethernet Switch Module (IGESM) does not restore connectivity to Ethernet ports - IBM BladeCenter

Resolving The Problem

Source

RETAIN tip H163735

Symptom

In some circumstances the Intelligent Gigabit Ethernet Switch Module (IGESM) will not restore connectivity to the Internal BladeCenter Gigabit Ethernet ports. Users will only get this error after a continuous up time of 49.7 plus days and then, only after rebooting a blade. On the IGESM the show interface status command displays the "notconnected" status for the effected internal server ports connections Gi0/1 - Gi0/14 that are connected to each of the BladeCenter Blades.

Affected configurations

The system may be any of the following IBM BladeCenter:  

• BladeCenter, type 8677, any model
• BladeCenter HS40, type 8839, any model
• BladeCenter HS20, type 8678, any model
• BladeCenter HS20, type 8832, any model
• BladeCenter JS20, type 8842, any model
• BladeCenter T, type 8730, any model
• BladeCenter T, type 8720, any model  

The system is configured with the following Cisco Gigabit Intelligent Ethernet Switch Module option(s):  

• Cisco Gigabit Intelligent Ethernet Switch Module
• Option part number 13N2286, replacement part number (FRU) 13N2285.  

The BIOS level(s) affected is/are:  

• AY, AY1

The Firmware level(s) affected is/are:  

• Cisco-IGESM version AY, AY1  

The following networking operating systems are affected:  

• HP-UX 
• Novell NetWare  
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Red Hat Professional Workstation  
• SCO Linux Server powered by United Linux, version  
• SCO OpenServer  
• SCO UnixWare  
• Solaris Operating System  
• SuSE Linux Professional  
• SuSE Linux Professional 64-Bit Version  
• SuSE Linux Enterprise Server  
• SuSE Linux Enterprise Server for Intel Itanium  
• SuSE Linux Enterprise Server x86  
• SuSE Linux Enterprise Server for AMD Opteron  
• Turbolinux Desktop  
• Turbolinux for AMD64  
• Turbolinux Cluster Server  
• Turbolinux Professional, version  
• Turbolinux Enterprise Server powered by UnitedLinux  
• VMware ESX Server  
• Windows 2000 Professional  
• Windows 2000 Server  
• Windows 2000 Advanced Server  
• Windows 2000 Datacenter Server  
• Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition  
• Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition  
• Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, for 64-Bit Itanium-based systems  
• Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition  
• Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, for 64-Bit Itanium-based systems
• Windows Server 2003, Web Edition  

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/servers/eserver/serverproven/compat/us/.

Solution

Install Cisco Switch Module Firmware Release 12.1(14)AY3
Build ID: cigesm-i6q4l2-tar.121-14.AY3.tar
 
It is available from IBM's xSeries Support web site, at the following URL http://www.ibm.com/systems/support

Workaround

Customers must proactively schedule a reload of the IGESM switch before an Uptime of 49.7 days (7.1 Weeks) in order to not experience this failure mode.

Note: Be sure to schedule a maintenance window as this procedure will take down the switch and you will lose connectivity to all blades.

1. Open BladeCenter Management Module
2. Select I/O Tasks (on the left side of the screen)
3. Select Power Restart (on left side)  elect the switche(s) whose uptime is approaching 49.7 days ( you will see a check mark) f 
4. Click Restart Module Run Standard Diagnostics.
5. Check under System Status under I/O modules for a FF completion code.

Note: This procedure will take less than 5 minutes.

Additional information

The switch records the uptime in a register and then compares the value to a timer. The result of this compare is then used by the logic that clears the latched value of the link status register. Every 49.7 days, the timer goes from its maximum value back to zero. After 49.7 days, the result of the timer/timer register compare prevents the latched value in the link status register from being cleared.