IBM Support

ServeRAID battery failures and their effect on host systems - Servers

Troubleshooting


Problem

An IBM eServer xSeries or Netfinity server with ServeRAID may crash or post error messages when the cache battery, replacement part number (FRU) 37L6903, is failing.

Resolving The Problem

Source
RETAIN tip: H184436

Symptom
One (1) or more of the following symptoms might be observed on a system with a ServeRAID 4H, 4M or 4Mx card:  
  • Server crashes and the ServeRAID controllers is no longer seen during POST (no ServeRAID POST banner).  
  • Server crashes and the ServeRAID controller displays a "controller failure" message and/or a "Status: Failed" on the POST banner.  
  • The bootable IBM ServeRAID Support CD does not recognize a ServeRAID controller in the server.  
  • During the ServeRAID POST process a "battery failure" message is displayed.
Affected configurations
The system may be any of the following IBM eServer xSeries servers:  
  • xSeries 455, type 8855, any model
  • xSeries 450, type 8688, any model
  • xSeries 445, type 8870, any model
  • xSeries 440, type 8687, any model
  • xSeries 380, type 8683, any model
  • xSeries 370, type 8681, any model
  • xSeries 365, type 8862, any model
  • xSeries 365, type 8861, any model
  • xSeries 360, type 8686, any model
  • xSeries 350, type 8682, any model
  • xSeries 345, type 8670, any model
  • xSeries 343, type 8827, any model
  • xSeries 342, type 8669, any model
  • xSeries 340, type 8656, any model
  • xSeries 335, type 8830, any model
  • xSeries 335, type 8676, any model
  • xSeries 330, type 8675, any model
  • xSeries 330, type 8674, any model
  • xSeries 330, type 8654, any model
  • xSeries 300, type 8672, any model
  • xSeries 255, type 8685, any model
  • xSeries 250, type 8665, any model
  • xSeries 240, type 8664, any model
  • xSeries 235, type 8671, any model
  • xSeries 232, type 8668, any model
  • xSeries 230, type 8658, any model
  • xSeries 225, type 8649, any model
  • xSeries 225, type 8647, any model
  • xSeries 220, type 8646, any model
  • xSeries 220, type 8645, any model
  • xSeries 205, type 8480, any model
  • xSeries 200, type 8479, any model
  • xSeries 200, type 8478, any model  

The system may be any of the following IBM Netfinity servers:  

  • Netfinity 8500R, type 8681, any model
  • Netfinity 7600, type 8665, any model
  • Netfinity 7100, type 8666, any model
  • Netfinity 7000-M10, type 8680, any model
  • Netfinity 6000R, type 8682, any model
  • Netfinity 5600, type 8664, any model
  • Netfinity 5100, type 8658, any model
  • Netfinity 5000, type 8659, any model
  • Netfinity 4500R, type 8656, any model
  • Netfinity 1000, type 8477, any model  

The system is configured with the following ServeRAID options:  

  • Netfinity ServeRAID-4H Ultra160 SCSI Controller, option part number 37L6889, replacement part number (FRU) 37L6892 (controller), replacement part number (FRU) 37L6902 (cache daughter card), replacement part number (FRU) 37L6903 (cache battery)  
  • Netfinity ServeRAID-4M Ultra160 SCSI Controller, option part number 37L6080, replacement part number (FRU) 37L7258  
  • Netfinity ServeRAID-4M Ultra160 SCSI Controller (Japan), option part number 19K0565, replacement part number (FRU) 00N9543 (Japan)  
  • ServeRAID-4Mx Ultra160 SCSI Controller, option part number 06P5736, replacement part number (FRU) 06P5737  
Solution
Call IBM service for a possible replacement cache battery, replacement part number (FRU) 37L6903. The support representative will determine if the battery needs to be replaced.

Workaround
If a power failure occurs and the battery cannot power the memory long enough until the system power is restored, any data on cache will be lost.
 
Changing the write-cache policy on each logical drive to write-through eliminates the risk of data loss due to a power loss at the expense of decreased write performance.  

Additional information
There are different ways in which systems behave when the battery is approaching its end of usable life. In many cases, the battery no longer charges to its specified voltage as it reaches the end of its usable life. This is detected by the ServeRAID controller and an alert is generated by the ServeRAID Manager to indicate that the FRU battery needs to be replaced.

In other cases, as the battery fails, the charging circuit on the ServeRAID controller draws a short current surge from the PCI/PCI-X Slot. The PCI/PCI-X current-limiting circuit on some servers, like the xSeries 360 and xSeries365, turns off power to the PCI Slot and the controller is no longer seen at POST.

This behavior can be confirmed by watching the controller in the Slot at power on. The Slot powers up, indicated by the green power LED, then shortly after, powers off with the amber warning LED lit. On systems without PCI-X "current limiting" circuitry, the controller may return a "controller failure" or "battery failure" message during POST, depending on the status of the battery.

Document Location

Worldwide

Operating System

System x Hardware Options:All operating systems listed

System x:Operating system independent / None

Older System x:Operating system independent / None

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Document Information

Modified date:
29 January 2019

UID

ibm1MIGR-61088

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