IBM Support

Does not failback when connected to a Cisco switch - IBM BladeCenter

Troubleshooting


Problem

When the CIGESM re-establishes a failed external link, the link state failover software in the CIGESM tries to re-establish the original internal Ethernet connection with the JS20.  

Resolving The Problem

Source

RETAIN tip: H183422

Symptom

When the CIGESM (Cisco Intelligent Gigabit Ethernet Switch Module) reestablishes a failed external link, the link state failover software in the CIGESM tries to reestablish the original internal Ethernet connection with the IBM BladeCenter JS20.
 
Because of problems with the Linux bonding software in the IBM BladeCenter JS20, it will not reestablish the original link.
 
So traffic continues to flow through the failed over internal Ethernet link to the CIGESM.

Affected configurations

The system may be any of the following IBM BladeCenters:

  • IBM BladeCenter, type 8677, any model
  • IBM BladeCenter JS20, type 8842, any model
  • IBM BladeCenter T, type 8730, any model
  • IBM BladeCenter T, type 8720, any model 

The system's diagnostics Pass.
 
The BIOS level affected are:

  • any level 

The Firmware levels affected are:

  • any level 

The following operating systems are affected:

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux, version RHEL3 U3
  • Red Hat Professional Workstation RHEL3 U3

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.

Solution

None

Workaround

The workaround is to allow the system to continue to operate in the failed-over mode. Traffic still flows.

Additional information

Linux Red Hat Update 3 must be installed on a IBM BladeCenter JS20 and must be using the TG3 Ethernet driver.
 
Also bonding software must be configured to failover and failback.
 
The BladeCenter CIGESM must be at version 12.1(14)AY4 or later.
 
When the CIGESM is configured for link state failover, a failure on an upstream EtherChannel group causes the internal Ethernet link to the IBM BladeCenter JS20 to also drop. The bonding software in the IBM BladeCenter JS20 then switches traffic from its failed internal Ethernet interface to another IBM BladeCenter JS20 CIGESM internal interface on a different Cisco switch with an operational EtherChannel group.
 
Normal traffic flows without problems.

Document Location

Worldwide

Operating System

BladeCenter:Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3

[{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU054","label":"Systems w\/TPS"},"Product":{"code":"HW20D","label":"BladeCenter JS20 Blade"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF042","label":"Caldera"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"LOB57","label":"Power"}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU016","label":"Multiple Vendor Support"},"Product":{"code":"HW20M","label":"BladeCenter->BladeCenter T Chassis"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF042","label":"Caldera"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}},{"Type":"HW","Business Unit":{"code":"BU016","label":"Multiple Vendor Support"},"Product":{"code":"HW20T","label":"BladeCenter E Chassis"},"Platform":[{"code":"PF042","label":"Caldera"}],"Line of Business":{"code":"","label":""}}]

Document Information

Modified date:
29 January 2019

UID

ibm1MIGR-58538

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